THE BREWERY
Iron Hand Brewing was conceived of sometime in 2015 and formally came into existence on January 6, 2016. We believe food is integral to the enjoyment of craft beer and did not want to leave food to chance. We therefore decided that we would need to organize as a brewpub under Alabama laws. At the time, that meant that we needed to have a very large tap room, capable of seating in excess of 80 people at a time.
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When we decided to make 206 State Street our home, our name was immediately settled. Loving the history of the Gulf Coast, and Mobile in particular, we were amazed to find that nestled on the north side of downtown was a historic district named after the most important and most forgotten founding father of Mobile. Everyone knows of the brothers D'Iberville and Bienville, but aside from knowing the Detonti Square Historic District exists, very few know of Henri De Tonti, a complete bad ass, hook wearing fancy lad with a family history known to most Americans through pop culture, with no idea that the Tonti family was a thing.
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WHO WAS IRON HAND?
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Enrique Tonti was born in Italy sometime in the 1649, the date is not known. His father a governor of Gaeta, Italy, and in finance and is often credited as the inventor of the tontine (look it up). At sometime during young Enrique's childhood his father fell out of favor with the local politicians (by participating in a revolt against the Spanish Viceroy). The family escaped to France. As a young man, now known and Henri De Tonti, he was injured in the battle of Sicily by a hand gernade, which maimed his hand, which he cut off and kept fighting. Total bad ass. De Tonti was fitted with a metal prosthetic (with which we have taken great artistic license to fashion into a pirate's hook.)
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Ultimately De Tonti came to the new world in service of La Salle, and over the course of many years as La Salle's chief lieutenant De Tonti was responsible for such wonders as building the first ship to sail the great lakes (the Griffin). By creating the settlement at xxx and thereby being known as the father of Peoria, Illinois. By creating the first settlement on the Mississippi alluvial plane and thereby being known as the father of Arkansas. Being with La Salle as they discovered the mouth of the Mississippi River on April 9, 16xx.
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But for all the accomplishments of De Tonti, he was an early casualty of the yellow fever outbreak in 1704 which was brought to Old Mobile by the first group of pelican girls.
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WHAT IS IRON HAND NOW?
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Iron Hand Brewing now stands as the oldest Brewery in Mobile, Alabama. We started brewing on a 1BBL system, brewing multiple times per week and supplementing with guest taps from other independently owned breweries in the region.