HOBART | Given the economy, it might not be the best time to open a new business, Tom Coster concedes.

But the owner of Brickworks Brewing Co. also is confident his downtown business will be a success because of the handcrafted lagers and ales he plans to serve customers from a stainless steel- and glass-encased system that will be on view.

"Beer is recessionproof," Coster said.

A portion of the new brewing system has already been delivered, Coster said. The remainder is expected to arrive any time.

He plans are to open his business at 327 Main St. by the end of the month then hold a grand opening sometime in early August.

"When the first part of the system arrived I was so excited. All I could think was, 'It's time to make the beer,'" Coster said.

The many delays he has experienced haven't dulled the passion Coster has for his business venture and appreciation of the brew.

"We'd rather open right than right now," he said.

Coster, a 36-year-old Hobart native, said opening the brewery in his hometown is the culmination of a 14-year dream.

"Hopefully we'll be here 100 years," he said of his downtown location.

He said breweries appeal to people from a 250-mile radius because beer enthusiasts will drive a distance to sample different brews.

His handcrafted brews, which will change from season to season, will all be named -- some after brick manufacturers that once were a part of Hobart's historic and well-known Brickie pride.

Keeping Hobart's history in mind, Coster also has used old bricks, uncovered by divers from the site of a former brick manufacturing plant at Hidden Lake, and used them throughout his new business.

"Some of these bricks haven't seen daylight in 60 to 70 years," Coster said.

In addition, a carved wooden statue of Hobart founder George Earle also will be featured prominently inside the business in keeping with the Hobart history theme.

"He'll look upon our place and see how we're honoring Hobart's history and smile," Coster said.

Coster said his brewery, which will feature meals such as sirloin steak sandwiches, won't take away business from other downtown bars.

Instead, he's hoping to energize the downtown with his new business.

"We'll open with the place we need and we'll eventually get to the place we want a few months after. We need to get the doors open and the beer flowing. There's lots of thirsty customers out there," Coster said.