HARTLAND — First came fresh produce, then vino — and now suds.

Five years to the day it opened Vizcarra Vineyards, Becker Farms will celebrate its budding microbrewery business with a kick-off event today from 6 p. m. to midnight on the Quaker Road farm.

The idea to start Becker Brewing Co. has been lingering since the family farm opened a winery, owner Oscar Vizcarra said.

Not only is Vizcarra making wine and beer available in the same place —something seen in nearby southern Ontario — visitors to the farm also have been asking for it, he said.

“I think it’s about time we in Niagara County can do what our neighbors are doing,” he said. “We want to participate in that success.”

While the idea to bring micro-brews to the farm has been floating around for several years, it really started moving forward six months ago when Vizcarra was in Albany for a farming conference.

That was when he crossed paths with Timothy Herzog, president of Buffalo’s Flying Bison Brewing Co.

What has resulted is a partnership between Becker Farms and Flying Bison, which is providing the beer as the farm gets its own brewing operation off the ground.

Becker Brewing turned a building that had been used as a cafe only two months out of the year into its beer-tasting area, said Amanda Vizcarra, Oscar’s daughter who manages events for the winery and brewery.

The brewery will not have the hours a local pub may have, though it will be open seven days a week and at the same time be “very event-driven,” she said.

The help offered by Herzog and Flying Bison included an on-site training session Thursday, when staff learned how to tap a keg and pour the perfect glass of beer from the tap.

“Anything between all-the-way open and all-the-way closed is all-the-way foamy,” Herzog instructed.

The final touches are being put on a kitchen area, which is located next to a room that will house the brewing equipment.

Until the new company caps off its renovation with the installation of that equipment, Flying Bison will be making the beer.

To start, there will be four varieties available: Local Lager, Rooster Red, Art’s Amber and Frank’s Summer Gold.

The last two are named after Art and Frank Becker, the brothers who founded the farm.

A seasonal brew — including an Oktoberfest and a winter style — will be rotated throughout the year, Herzog said.

In addition to tasting the beer in a sample or pint glass, customers will be able to take some beer home in growlers, too.

The brewery operations will be headed by Andres Vizcarra, one of Oscar’s sons, who also manages the wine production.

One of the brewery’s long-term goals is to grow some of the ingredients on the farm.

In terms of the future, where the beer business goes depends on what the customers want, Oscar Vizcarra said.

Oscar Vizcarra noted the excitement from members of the community, some of whom have already called and offered themselves as volunteers to pour beer.

The farm’s multiple operations, which include family-oriented hay and pony rides, will continue to cater to customers and tourists, many of whom come from Canada, Ohio and Michigan. Some customers have been craving a taste of something aside from the vineyard’s 20 varieties of wine.

Vizcarra said he’s happy to have an answer to the familiar question, “Who do I have to kill to get a beer around here?”

Tonight’s event includes a $15 barbecue dinner, including beer or wine, or $5 for a pint glass of beer. Free non-alcoholic beverages and a half-priced dinner will be available for designated drivers.

Becker Brewing Co. is located at 3724 Quaker Road, just north of Gasport.