Bethel residents have approved a lease for the town owned building at 5 Depot Place.  The lease is with Broken Symmetry Gastro Brewery.  The owner of La Zingara in Bethel, the Green Grunion food truck in Danbury and a brewer are the forces behind the brew pub.  30 to 40 voters unanimously approved the lease, which was signed immediately and handed to the owners.  The lease means the owners are free to begin alterations to get the inside ready for brewing.

First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker says they will now also use the lease to apply for federal and state licenses to brew beer.  Because they are brewer not just a seller, they have to get a federal license to create a controlled substance.  They can then apply to the state Liquor Control Commission for a license to sell their product.  It could take a few months to get through the permitting process.

Knickerbocker says this proposal came at the best possible time.  Market research done as part of the Bethel Forward project last year asked residents what would be a good addition for the downtown area.  He says one of the items on the top of the list was a brew pub.

The former Bethel Train Station location was most recently leased to Bethel Cycle.  The space was used as a train station from 1899 through 1996.