The Roundhouse Brewery Didn't Happen. What Is Alpine Distilling Actually Bringing to Section 4?

If you've been waiting since 2023 for a pint at the Historic Roundhouse, what's moving into Section 4 this month?

The short answer comes from the city's own paperwork. On September 1, 2026, the Evanston City Council authorized a lease with GAWyo LLC, which does business as Alpine Distilling, for part of Section 4 at 1512 Main Street. The lease covers about 10,000 square feet of production space. It also gives Alpine the option to lease roughly 5,000 more square feet of food-and-beverage area. The initial term is five years, starting October 1, 2026, with one option to renew for five more. The production space is committed. Any tasting room or restaurant would sit in the optional 5,000 square feet, and nothing on the public record says Alpine has taken that option yet.

The same 15,000 square feet, divided differently

When the city first went looking for an architect for this space in February 2023, its request described "improving 15,000SF of the Roundhouse as a brewery, distribution, tasting room and restaurant" for Shades of Pale. Production and the public-facing side were a single plan.

The new lease covers the same footprint, with the two halves now on separate terms.

Do the math on the term and the first five years run through September 2031. If Alpine renews, the lease could run into 2036. That's a long horizon for a building the city owns, and the lease doesn't require any of it to be a place you can walk into for a drink.

What the city built for the first tenant

Several years of public work went into Section 4 before Alpine signed anything. Most of it was the kind of work a production tenant needs.

The 2023 architectural request listed the scope: seismic bracing, utility work, fire sprinklers, site work including a parking lot, concrete flooring, restrooms, an HVAC system, dock-high doors, a walk-in cooler, and "provisions for Shades equipment." Dock-high doors and a walk-in cooler are loading and storage infrastructure. They serve a building that makes and ships product, whatever that product happens to be.

Here's how the record unfolded, step by step:

1. February 7, 2023. The council approved a development agreement for a brewery, tasting room and restaurant in Section 4. The resolution described Shades as a Utah company looking to relocate its beer, spirits and cider manufacturing to Evanston, with the city and Shades both contributing to construction.
2. April 2023. Evanston Economic Development reported that the city sold its manufacturing facility to Clean Energy for its original $1.96 million investment and was putting the proceeds toward Roundhouse improvements.
3. August 2024. Shades co-owner Trent Fargher told Salt Lake City Weekly that a new production brewery was planned to go online in Evanston "sometime in 2025."
4. October 15, 2024. The council approved a microbrewery permit for Shades at 1512 Main Street, subject to state liquor commission approval.
5. December 2024. Evanston Economic Development's year-end review still described production, distribution, a restaurant and a brewpub as plans.
6. January 21, 2025. The city accepted substantial completion of Tanner Development LLC's "Shades Brewery Gray Shell Project," with final payment set for March 11, 2025.
7. March 2026. The Uinta County Herald ran "Brewery planned for Roundhouse delayed," under the subhead "We are committed to opening; it's just a question of when."
8. August 18, 2026. The council voted 7–0 to approve a lease termination agreement with Shades and, in a separate 7–0 vote, a letter of intent with Alpine Distilling.

None of the public records reviewed show a taproom opening to the public in Section 4. On September 1, 2026, the city's resolution described the property as "currently being unused."

The termination resolution described the change as a cooperative step that both parties agreed to:

"...to protect the physical condition of the Premises, reduce costs and delays, and facilitate re-leasing of the Premises to a qualified tenant capable of bringing jobs and investment to the community."

Spirits were also part of the plan from the start. The 2023 resolution listed spirits alongside beer and cider. Fargher told City Weekly in 2024 that Shades planned to add distilling at its new location, though the article doesn't make clear whether he meant Evanston or the company's new Salt Lake City space. A distillery production floor fits inside what Section 4 was already designed for.

Who Alpine Distilling is

Alpine is a Park City distillery that Sara and Rob Sergent founded in 2016. Sara is the master distiller, and Rob oversees the whiskey program. According to Alpine's spirits page, its lineup includes gin, Triple Oak, Lafayette, Preserve, AngeVert and a straight bourbon.

On its own website, the company lists awards including London Gin of the Year, four USA Today Top Gin Distillery honors, TAG Best in Class awards, and a 2024 Spirit of the Year title with a 98-point rating for Triple Oak.

In Park City, Alpine's public venue is the Main Street Social Aid & Pleasure Club, a lounge that offers gin-making experiences and private events. So the company does have experience running a space where guests come in for a drink. Whether it brings that model to Evanston hasn't been announced.

Park City also comes up in the Shades story. Shades started there in 2011 as Shades of Pale Brewing Company. City Weekly reported that the brewery wanted to stay when it outgrew its first production space, but rent for a larger production space in the resort town was out of reach. Alpine hasn't said publicly why it chose Evanston, so that history explains why Shades went looking for production space but tells you nothing about Alpine's reasons.

What's still open to the public at the Roundhouse

The rest of the complex is already in use. The city describes Roundhouse Section One, refurbished as a public facility in 2009, as an event and conference venue with a gallery, a mezzanine, meeting rooms, kitchenettes and event equipment. The Machine Shop across the plaza can be rented separately or together with the Roundhouse and has a catering kitchen. The city says it's used often, especially in summer. Both can be booked through the city's Roundhouse facility page.

If Alpine takes the food-and-beverage option, Section 4 would add a commercial drinks space to a complex that today runs mostly on public and private events. Until then, the Section 4 news is a working production floor, which the 2023 build-out was designed to support.

What to watch for next

Here's what the accessible record doesn't answer yet: an opening date, a product list for Evanston, whether there will be a public tasting room, and how many jobs are expected. The September 1 resolution also points to the lease itself as an attachment, so details like rent and build-out duties aren't in the minutes.

The Uinta County Herald has covered each step, from "Brewery vacating Roundhouse as Utah distillery eyes Evanston" on August 20 to "City accepts letter of intent from distillery for Roundhouse" on August 27. If Alpine takes up the 5,000-square-foot food-and-beverage option, you'll likely see it in council agendas or permit actions before a sign goes up. The 2024 microbrewery permit for Shades went through the council the same way.

Curious what a new tenant in a historic building means for the commercial space around it on Main Street? Britany Erickson follows these lease decisions closely and can walk you through what's available downtown. Text or call Britany at (307) 799-8096 to discuss your next move.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.