Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
Jamie Cato invites you to try his family-friendly brewery at Brock’s Gap Brewing Co.
Just like Norm on “Cheers,” when Hoover resident Will Mayhall enters Brock’s Gap Brewing Company, everyone inside yells, “Will!”
Mayhall and his wife, Erin Shonsey, are regulars at the brewery, and the staff and other regulars know them well. They frequent the brewery with their children, ages 13 and 10.
“It’s a great family place,” Shonsey said. “The staff is friendly, and the kids can play outside. There are games and fun things for them to do. It feels like a getaway without leaving Hoover.”
Mayhall nodded while sipping on his IPA. “It’s become our ‘Cheers,’” he said. “Not because everybody knows your name but because you feel like you’re one of many people who belong here.”
Becoming a “Cheers” for many Hoover residents was unexpected.
Two weeks after the pandemic started, Hoover resident Jamie Cato was teaching his son how to ride a bicycle near the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium when something caught his eye.
A vacant piece of land sat beside the road, marked by a “For Sale” sign.
Up to that point, Cato had never worked in the beer industry or seriously considered opening a brewery. Yet as he stood watching his son Carter pedal nearby, he suddenly saw something others did not.
“I saw a brewery sitting on that piece of land,” Cato said. “I called my business partner and told him we were buying a piece of land.”
Today, that vision has become Brock’s Gap Brewing Company, a family-friendly brewery.
“We make beer — really good beer,” Cato said. “But what we really create is an experience. We want people to leave here planning to come back.”
Even the brewery’s name reflects Hoover’s past.
Brock’s Gap Brewing Company traces its roots to the historic railroad cut through Shades Mountain in the 1870s. The gap helped connect coal from the Cahaba coalfields to the furnaces fueling Birmingham’s industrial boom.
Just like Brock’s Gap transformed Birmingham’s industry, Brock’s Gap Brewing Company is transforming Hoover’s social scene. Throughout the brewery, subtle nods to local history appear along the walls.
You can see the history of the gap reflected in clever posters and decor items. One of the brewery’s most distinctive fixtures is a light crafted from a locomotive artifact connected to that era.
“We love Hoover, and we wanted every part of the brewery to reflect the history and community around us,” Cato said. “We want people to leave knowing a little more about the area.”
The result is a brewery that feels distinctly tied to Hoover rather than a concept that could exist anywhere.
Since opening, Brock’s Gap Brewing Company has brewed more than 50 types of beer, with favorites including Going, Going Blonde; Derailed IPA; Rock & Roll All Lite and the popular Pitch Black IPA. You can also sample foods ranging from pizza and burgers to chicken wings and a host of other delicious bites.
Seasonal and experimental offerings rotate regularly, giving customers a reason to return.
The staff has hosted cooking classes, charcuterie workshops, sushi demonstrations, concerts, private events and nonprofit fundraisers. They regularly partner with local organizations and community groups. More than 50 private events have been held at the brewery.
Although the brewery continues to grow, Cato said the goal is not rapid expansion.
“We’re not trying to become the biggest brewery in the Southeast,” he said. “We just want to be a great community hub that people love and visit often.”
That philosophy mirrors his broader vision for Brock’s Gap Brewing Company: success isn’t measured solely by barrels produced or beer sold. It is measured by the people who gather there.
Cato believes Hoover’s diversity plays a major role in the brewery’s success. Having grown up around the world in an Army family, he developed an appreciation for different cultures and perspectives. He sees those same qualities reflected in Hoover today.
“Hoover is one of the most diverse communities I have ever lived in,” he said. “That is one of the things I love about running this brewery. Our customers come from all walks of life.”
For Cato, Brock’s Gap Brewing Company reflects the city itself — a place where neighbors gather, friendships are formed and community happens naturally. He said that sense of connection has been strengthened by the support of city leaders.
“The support from the city of Hoover has been incredible,” he said. “City officials have collaborated with us on hosting events and helping us become a venue for local commerce and community gatherings.”
A pandemic bicycle lesson. A “For Sale” sign. An unexpected vision.
Today, Brock’s Gap Brewing Company stands where an empty field once sat, serving beer and food, hosting community events and becoming a home to people from Hoover and all over Birmingham.
After all, every great neighborhood gathering place needs its Norm. On your next visit, you may just meet Hoover’s.
