SALISBURY — The local food movement is about to become to the local brew movement.
Salty Caper and its owners, the Moscardini family, plan to open Salisbury’s first nanobrewery.
“We are going to start really small and see what happens, like we did with Salty Caper,” Gian Moscardini said.
New Sarum Brewery is under construction next door to the Caper at 115 S. Lee St. Paper covers the windows, but a sign near the door announces the brewery is coming soon.
Moscardini said the brewery is still months from opening and will provide handcrafted beer to the Salty Caper in both Salisbury and Mooresville, where a recent expansion has been successful.
“We are going to supply Salty Caper first and add a bar at a time,” Moscardini said. “We are kind of testing the market.”
Andy Maben, currently manager at the Caper, likely will become head brewer, Moscardini said. Plans also call for customers to buy growlers of beer in the brewery and drink on the back patio.
It’s not clear if there will be room inside for tables because brewing equipment, which is not in place yet, may take up most of the floor space.
New Sarum Brewery is named for Salisbury’s sister city in England. Salisbury, England has also been called New Sarum.
“A lot of the beer names will be named for things in Salisbury,” Moscardini said.
He said he’s not ready to reveal the details about beer they plan to brew and plans are still evolving. The brewery has been in the works for a year and a half.
Salty Caper will carry other beers as well, and taps will change regularly.
The Caper opened seven years ago and surprised many people with immediate success selling $25 pizzas and $10 glasses of artisan beer.
“Everybody thought I was crazy,” Moscardini said. “But we hit the market at the right time.”
The Mooresville location is twice the size of Salisbury’s restaurant and just as busy, Moscardini said.

Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.