Interstellar Ginger Beer and Exploration Co. in Alabaster to close in late January

Interstellar Ginger Beer and Exploration Co. in Alabaster to close in late January

Fans of Interstellar Ginger Beer and Exploration Co. have less than 30 days to enjoy the brews on site.

The small batch alcoholic ginger beer brewery located in Alabaster has announced it will close its doors on Jan. 28. Owner Shane Kelly posted the news on the brewery’s social media accounts on Jan. 1.

In the post, he cited the financial challenges of running the business, as well a desire to step away from the brewery to spend more time with his daughter:

“Today I am announcing that Interstellar will be closing January 28th. We had a great run and made some great friends. This business is a challenging one and, since the birth of my baby girl, I have been thinking about moving on to have more time with her. 6 years is a long time to run a small business, and I have recently begun to realize that Interstellar has taken so much of my time and energy but given little back financially. Its time for me to walk away, sell assets and look for the next opportunity. We will cherish the friends we made on the way and the customers we served. We will see you down the road.

We will be open till the 28th, Thursday, Friday, Saturdays this month.”

Birmingham residents Shane Kelly and Daniel Sims opened the space-themed Interstellar Ginger Beer and Exploration Co. in 2017 at 260A Regency Park Drive. Kelly, a native of Louisiana, moved to Birmingham in 2005 to go to UAB for graduate school. He went on to get his doctorate in molecular biology from UAB.

Interstellar brews its ginger beers with cane sugar, citrus fruits, fresh ground and squeezed ginger and yeast. The brewery also offers beers inspired by famous cocktails, such as mojitos, with a ginger base. Interstellar also crafts beers that glow in the dark with the help of UV light.

“The canvas of the ginger beer allows us to do a lot of things with it,” Kelly told Al.com in 2017. “No one’s really doing it. So we thought, we could do it.”

Interstellar will still offer its selection of beers up until its closing date, including a selection of new small batches.