My blog and Twitter accounts have been dormant for a couple of months due to a pretty large move from Washington, DC to Melbourne, Australia; the land of the Crocodile Hunter and Crocodile Dundee, koalas and kangaroos (which I actually had for dinner last night…yummy).

While in Australia, I will try to capture the spirit and culture of the Australian craft beer scene. I will also continue my craft brewery interview series (sorry everyone who’s interviews have been put on hold) and highlight breweries here in Australia and in New Zealand.

Cheers!

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse is devoted to the art and science of beer and brewing. A passion for brewing and sharing of exciting flavors of beer are at the heart of this brewery’s values. Grimm Brothers Brewhouse was founded by avid home brewers and beer enthusiasts who love producing quality, flavorful beers.

-  the Grimm Brothers’ official site

Out of all of my interviews, the Grimm Brothers Brewhouse is the first brewery that is actually not open for business just yet – but they will be soon! I would like to thank Don Chapman and Aaron Heaton, the avid home brewers who founded Grimm Brother Brewhouse, for taking the time to participate in my craft brewery interview series. They are in the middle of building a brewery…which is understandably time consuming.

Scottie: Going back to the beginning of your homebrewing career, do you remember the first beer that you brewed? If so, what was it and how did it turn out?

Don: I do remember my first brew, it was a brew kit. All I had to do was add water and yeast and let it ferment. At the time I thought it was pretty good and I coveted every bottle… Looking back it was probably really bad.

Aaron: My wife came back from a trip where she talked to a homebrewer. We drove 4 hours to a homebrew shop (not knowing there was one 30 minutes away!) and bought a kit. Our first brew ever was a Sam Adams lager. Not knowing anything, we fermented it at room temperature. Surprisingly though it came out good. Like Don, I held on to every bottle like it was gold. Eventually it turned on us and we ended up dumping a few bottles. Not too many though.

Scottie: What was your “Ah-Ha” moment or experience that made you realize that you could make brewing your profession?

Don: I don’t know that I had an “Ah-Ha” moment; I just fell in love with brewing and decided that I eventually wanted to do it professionally.

Aaron: I think it was when we started getting investors who were interested in what we were doing and wanted to help out. The real kicker was when we signed the lease and purchased our equipment all in the same week. I like to say the question changed from “how are we going to do this?” to “when are we going to do this?” to “lets do this!”

Scottie: When will your brewery be opening and what was the inspiration for the name and logo?

Don: Our brewery will be open this summer (June or July 2010). Our name is Grimm Brothers Brewhouse and our inspiration is from the Brother’s Grimm Fairy Tales. After coming up with different names, Don’s wife came up with Grimm Brothers. After a few nights of running it though our heads and reading some of the stories, we went with Grimm Brothers Brewhouse. It’s a really fun concept and is great from a marketing standpoint.

As for our logo, we’re going to be a German style brewhouse so we had a local marketing firm develop a logo that reflects both German heritage and the spirit of the American craft brewer.

Scottie: Where will your brewery be located?

Don: 547 N Denver Ave Loveland, Colorado

Aaron (left) and Don (right) welcoming the arrival of their new brewery equipment

Scottie: Why did you choose to open your brewery in Loveland, Colorado?

Don: We are located right in the heart of the Colorado beer scene. Northern Colorado is known for its great breweries and the locals are always excited for new beers. But with all the great breweries and places, there is/was a distinct missing area that needed a brewery. Loveland provides us an opportunity to be unique in Northern Colorado and the city has been very supportive of us.

Scottie: What is the biggest obstacle in starting your brewery that you’ve had to overcome?

Done: Patience and perseverance. It is easy to have a dream, but the patience and perseverance needed to overcome all of the logistics can be very taxing. It seems like as soon as we put out one fire another one starts up.

Scottie: How would you describe your brewing style?

Don: Our Brewery will focus on German style beers which are limited in Northern Colorado. And not just the current styles that you find in Germany today, but the lost styles that have become extinct due to the Reinheitsgebot.

Scottie: What are your projected goals for brewery production in your first full year?

Don: Our goal for the first year is to brew a minimum of 500 Barrels. That will be about 1 brew per week on our 10 BBL system.

Scottie: What states or markets will your beers be available in?

Don: We will only be available in Loveland, Colorado for the first year. As we grow we will begin to encompass the rest of Colorado and then slowly branch out from there. We will also start out with draft only but within the first few months we will add a bottling line and expand to local liquor stores.

Constructing a brewery is no simple task

Scottie: Often times I hear people refer to the craft beer industry as a brotherhood (and sisterhood). What brothers and sisters in the industry do you find inspirational and/or admire?

Don: We have had lots of help from other local breweries and brewers. We have been able to go to the other breweries to ask questions about marketing, sales, equipment etc…  Thus far, we have not found a question that someone wasn’t willing to help us with. It really is a tight-knit community.

Scottie: What people outside of the craft beer industry inspire you?

Don: We’ve had a lot of help from family and friends. With out them we would not be where we are at today.

Scottie: Collaboration beers are becoming more and more popular. If you could choose one brewery to collaborate with, who would it be and why?

Don: Collaboration beers are great. In what other industry would you have two competing companies get together and create something fun? It’s great for the brewers because they can get creative with recipes and get feed back on ingredients and processes from the other brewers. We have not really explored the idea of a collaboration beer with another company. We’ve met a lot of different people in the industry who have helped us out and it would be great to do something with them someday.

Scottie: The craft beer industry saw amazing growth last year (7.2% increase by volume and 10.3% by dollar) while overall beer sales decreased by 2.2%. What would you contribute this amazing growth to?

Don: I think that beer is in a golden age. More and more people are choosing unique and flavorful beer over mass produced beer.

Aaron: People are no longer ordering a beer. They are now ordering an IPA. Or a Stout. Or a Hefe. People are also interested in buying local. The beer is better when it’s fresh. A consumer can talk to the craft brewer and can look at the equipment. There is a someone behind a craft beer as opposed to a faceless corporation.

Scottie: What value, if any, do you see in beer bloggers and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook?

Don: We have seen a lot of value in social media. The online community allows us to do a great deal of marketing with very little effort. Not only is our name getting out there, but people know what we are doing as well. Instead of an “opening soon” they know that we have installed our equipment, that we have put our drains in, that we are close to brewing our first beer, etc. We can also communicate directly to the people who are interested in our product. Web sites that specialize in beer news and reviews are ways that we can advertise new products and get feedback on what people like and don’t like.

Don and Aaron enjoying a well deserved beer

Scottie: Do you have a Twitter account and/or Facebook page? How do you see these types of sites impacting, and perhaps benefiting, your industry over the next few years?

Don: Yes, we have both Twitter and Facebook pages. Both provide a great way to get the word out about the brewery and our products. They also give consumers a way to connect with the brewery and provide feedback.

Scottie: What is your opinion of the three-tier distribution system and do you feel that it benefits or hinders smaller craft breweries?

Don: We won’t have much experience at the beginning because we will be self-distributing our beers.

Scottie: Where can people find additional information about your new brewery, beer releases, festivals, or brewery tour info?

Don: We have a website at www.grimmbrosbrewhouse.com. From there people can become a Facebook fan and find out more about our upcoming events and the grand opening. We will also communicate with other beer web sites like BeerNews and BeerSpot.

Scottie: We’ll finish with a fun, but perhaps difficult question. If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Don: I would have to say a nice malty dark lager that has enough body for the cold winters, but a crisp taste for the summer.

Aaron: The one in my glass .  I love trying new beers and seeing what other breweries come out with. I would hate to have to be tied down to just one beer. Why drink only one when there are soooo many creative and unique beers out there?

Scottie: Thanks again Don and Aaron for your time and for participating in my craft brewery interview series. Good luck with the opening!

CHEERS!

Born from the twisted mind of an artist whose inner creativity wouldn’t die with his corporate shell. What started as a hobby became a dream turned reality. A man who never liked to fit in decided his beer could reflect the many colors of life. His vision of beer as more than malt, hops, and yeast has come to life in Prism Beer.

Before I begin I would like to thank Robert DeMaria, the twisted artist behind Prism Brewing Company, for his time and participation in my Craft Brewery Interview Series.

Scottie: Going back to the beginning of your brewing career, do you remember the first beer that you brewed? If so, what was it and how did it turn out?

Robert: The first home-brew I did was a Belgian White. I was rummaging through the spice cabinet to try and find something to give it a little kick when I came across Chives – so I brewed it with Chives and it turned out wonderful! In fact it won 3^rd place in a national home brew competition (yes my very first beer ever brewed).

Scottie: What was your “Ah-Ha” moment or experience that made you realize that you could make brewing your profession?

Robert: I was at a friend’s party which he threw for his brother who was moving to Denver. I had brewed a Honey IPA for him to serve alongside both craft and domestic beers. Everyone heard I had brewed this Honey IPA and kept asking me where they could buy it. There was so much demand that I began to think my unique twists on beer may have a market… Bitto Honey IPA and Prism Beer were born.

Scottie: When did your brewery first open and what was the inspiration for the name and logo?

Robert: We started brewing in the fall of 2009 at the General Lafayette Inn to launch our company and our first beer. The name came from three places – the old TV station in Philly (PRISM), Pink Floyd (love them), and the fact that I was looking to create a new spectrum of beer.

Scottie: What is the biggest obstacle that you’ve had to overcome?

Robert: The archaic PA liquor code. It’s even worse that they don’t know how to differentiate me from a regular brewery (I hold an Alternate Brewer’s License). It’s been more difficult than anything else.

Robert DeMaria (left)

Scottie: How would you describe your brewing style?

Robert: Twists on classic styles… I don’t know that we will ever brew a classical style on its own.

Scottie: How much beer did you produce in 2009? What are your projected goals for brewery production this year? Over the next five years? How do you plan to get there?

Robert: In 2009 I think it was around 30 BBL’s. This year our goal is to own our own brewery, so depending on when that happens will determine how much we brew – maybe 500? In the next 5 years I’d like to see us between 3000 – 5000 BBL’s.

Scottie: What states or markets are your beers currently available in? Do you have plans to expand distribution to other areas?

Robert: Currently only in Philadelphia and the surrounding PA counties. We have plans to expand into NJ, NY, DE, MD, and western PA.

Scottie: Do you have any new beers or projects in the pipeline that you would like to share with the readers?

Robert: We are in the midst of opening a brewery in North Wales, PA with a 20 BBL DME Brewhouse. Once opened, we will produce our Bitto Honey IPA, Tea Party Pale Ale, Insana Stout (bacon chocolate stout), Death March (Star Anise Porter with no hops), White Lightning (Belgian Wit with chives), and our seasonal ales. Follow us on Facebook and come visit once we open!

Scottie: Often times I hear people refer to the craft beer industry as a brotherhood (and sisterhood). What brothers and sisters in the industry do you find inspirational and/or admire?

Robert: Chris Leonard and Russ at the General Lafayette – both great brewers and without them I would not have gotten started.

Scottie: What people outside of the craft beer industry inspire you?

Robert: My mother. She always told me not to let other people dictate who I am or what I can do. That gave me the cahones to start this company – during a recession I might add.

Scottie: Collaboration beers are becoming more and more popular. Have you collaborated with another brewery? If not, if you could choose one brewery to collaborate with, who would it be and why?

Robert: Not yet, but I have been talking a lot with the new brewery in NJ, New Jersey Beer Company. We are both getting started at the same time and have talked about doing a virgin collaboration once we work out the kinks.

Scottie: The craft beer industry saw amazing growth last year (7.2% increase by volume and 10.3% by dollar) while overall beer sales decreased by 2.2%. What would you contribute this amazing growth to?

Robert: I think that people are looking for something new. Consumers are learning that there is such a thing as good beer. Hell I wasn’t even a beer drinker until I found Chimay. With this education they are dropping the macros and hitting the micros.

Scottie: What value, if any, do you see in beer bloggers and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook?

Robert: We use Facebook and Twitter to keep our customers informed. If we can help our customers to connect with us and our brand, they will be more apt to drink our beer.

Scottie: What is your opinion of the three-tier distribution system and do you feel that it benefits or hinders smaller craft breweries?

Robert: I have no problem with the three-tiered system – but then again I use it voluntarily as PA does not require it. For a small business, I think it helps take a burden off our shoulders. Keg management is a PITA. With a distributor, I have one place to pick up and drop off kegs. Plus from the bar managers perspective, they have one less check to write, one less company to deal with, and more simplified delivery of their products.

Scottie: Where can people find additional information about your brewery, new beer releases, festivals, or brewery tour info?

Robert: Find our company page at www.PrismBeer.com – our Bitto Honey page at www.BittoHoneyIPA.com – follow us on Twitter or become a fan of our Facebook page.

Scottie: We’ll finish with a fun, but perhaps difficult question. If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Robert: Chimay White

Scottie: Thank you Robert for your time and participation in my Craft Brewery Interview Series.

CHEERS!

I would like to begin by thanking Jim McDermott, head brewer for Dundee Ales and Lagers, for his time and participation in my Craft Brewery Interview Series.

Scottie: Going back to the beginning of your brewing career, do you remember the first beer that you brewed? If so, what was it and how did it turn out?

Jim: The first beer I ever helped make was a Helles and, knowing that I helped make it, it tasted fantastic!

Scottie: What was your “Ah-Ha” moment or experience that made you realize that you could make brewing your profession?

Jim: The first time that I made a change in our process and made a better beer, I was hooked. When I started at a brewpub I was shown what to do; what valves to turn, pumps to run, etc. When I understood why I was doing those things it made all the difference.

Jim McDermott

Scottie: When did your brewery first open and what was the inspiration for the name and logo?

Jim: The Dundee Ales & Lagers brand was derived from the name of the town – Dundee, NY near Seneca Lake – that processes the clover honey used in Original Honey Brown Lager, one of our most popular beers. We added the Ales & Lagers part in 2008 to ensure drinkers would know Dundee was a beer brand.

Scottie: What is the biggest obstacle that you’ve had to overcome?

Jim: I was not a brewer when I started. I loved beer and believed in the company that I worked for so getting into brewing was a very organic process but it also meant that I was always learning on the job. Of course, that’s the best way to learn so I’ve never really felt that it was an obstacle at all.

Scottie: How would you describe your brewing style?

Jim: I’m a very process-oriented brewer. The way that I’ve learned brewing is to take apart the whole process, isolate any variable that I could control, and try to make improvements from there. It’s a tedious but fantastic way to learn!

Scottie: How much beer did you produce in 2009? What are your projected goals for brewery production this year? Over the next five years?

Jim: Because we’re a privately held company, we don’t disclose our production numbers. We continue to pursue growth through a strong focus on making quality products that our consumers want. Sales and distribution of those products, as well as marketing support, will help drive our success.

Scottie: What states or markets are your beers currently available in? Do you have plans to expand distribution to other areas?

Jim: CA, CO, CT, FL GA, IL, IN, MA, ME, MI, NC, NH, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT, WI. Presently, our focus is on our core states of NY, OH, PA, MI, and VT.

Scottie: Do you have any new beers or projects in the pipeline that you would like to share with the readers?

Jim: Dundee Summer Wheat Beer is our new Summer Seasonal. It is an American-style wheat beer that is brewed with 40% wheat and a touch of rye malt to produce a refreshing crisp flavor. It shipped out of the Brewery this week to wholesalers and will be in retail from May – August. As for a sneak peek into what new beers are to come? Well, let’s just say ideas are always brewing.

Scottie: Often times I hear people refer to the craft beer industry as a brotherhood (and sisterhood). What brothers and sisters in the industry do you find inspirational and/or admire?

Jim: Certainly everyone in our Master Brewers Association chapter (District Western New York) has been very helpful and inspirational. It’s just great to know that you can call someone in any of these breweries to help troubleshoot a problem even though your beers sometimes compete in the marketplace. I also find a lot of inspiration from our friends in the New York State Brewers Association.

Pretty much every brewer that I’ve met who wears the boots and shovels the grain has brought something to the table!

Additionally, in our own company, I’ve found a lot of people committed to making a great brewery. We support hundreds of families out of this brewery and not every person that works here yields a mash paddle. I find that the folks that are committed to better beer and continuous improvement are very inspirational.

Scottie: What people outside of the craft beer industry inspire you?

Jim: That’s a big question because it seems to me that one can find inspiration nearly everywhere!

The sustained love of my wife and daily zest for life of my kids are a source of great inspiration.

I’ve always found the relaxed yet driven “just do it” ethos of the Grateful Dead very inspiring. I also think frequently about the exploration of quality in “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.” Certainly the Lou Holtz “Do right, do your best” advice can’t be beat. And the best of our sports teams show us how to drill, practice and analyze our performance to do better tomorrow.

Scottie:  Collaboration beers are becoming more and more popular. Have you collaborated with another brewery? If not, if you could choose one brewery to collaborate with, who would it be and why?

Jim: Actually we do quite a bit of collaboration as a consequence of our contract brewing business. We get to work with brewers of all sizes and experience to create (or recreate) their beers at our brewery. Every time we make a contract beer we continue to learn about our own processes and brewery.

We also have great collaboration within the brewery; each of our products represent the best ideas from a whole department of brewers!

Scottie: The craft beer industry saw amazing growth last year (7.2% increase by volume and 10.3% by dollar) while overall beer sales decreased by 2.2%. What would you contribute this amazing growth to?

Jim: Great beer is an affordable luxury and the diversity of flavors means that there is a beer for every occasion. It’s a great time for beer!

Scottie: What value, if any, do you see in beer bloggers and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook?

Jim: Social media is a great vehicle making the craft beer world more accessible. Social media enables instant and direct feedback from both fans and critics alike. This dialogue helps us become better brewers and results in better beers.

Scottie: Do you have a Twitter account and/or Facebook page? How do you see these types of sites impacting, and perhaps benefiting, your industry over the next 5 years?

Jim: We have a Twitter account (@dundeebeer). We tweet daily and have about 900 followers. We have been using Twitter since October 2009 and have loved the interaction with consumers.

Scottie: What is your opinion of the three-tier distribution system and do you feel that it benefits or hinders smaller craft breweries?

Jim: As a member of the brewing department, I have the benefit of remaining out of that debate. I know the three-tier system has helped us secure and expand distribution of Dundee Ales & Lagers.

Scottie: Where can people find additional information about your brewery, new beer releases, festivals, or brewery tour info?

Jim: From our website www.dundeebeer.com and we tweet daily @dundeebeer.

Scottie: We’ll finish with a fun, but perhaps difficult question. If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Jim: I’m not sure what style it would be, but it would have to be HUGE!

Scottie: Thanks Jim for your time and for participating in my craft brewery interview series.

CHEERS!

In just a short amount of time, Kirk and NOLA Brewing Company have been able to create quality handcrafted lagers and ales for the enjoyment of the City of New Orleans and the surrounding area.

Before I begin, I want to thank Kirk for taking time out of his busy schedule to participate in my Craft Brewery Interview Series.

Kirk Coco - Founder of NOLA Brewing Co.

Scottie: Going back to the beginning of your brewing career, do you remember the first beer that you brewed? If so, what was it and how did it turn out?

Kirk: I brewed a Pilsner while living in Hawaii. Let’s just say we won’t be using that recipe when we are make our Pilsner here at NOLA.

Scottie: What was your “Ah-Ha” moment or experience that made you realize that you could make brewing your profession?

Kirk: I don’t think I actually realized I could do it until I was drinking my first pint of NOLA Brown off of the tap at the Avenue Pub in New Orleans.

Scottie: When did your brewery first open and what was the inspiration for the name and logo?

Kirk: We started the company in March 2008, rented our building in June 2008, received our equipment in October 2008, and got our first beer out the door on March 3, 2009.

The name was an easy one, as it is the nickname for the city of New Orleans (NOLA – as in New Orleans, LA). We just substituted New Orleans Lager and Ale to replace the Louisiana part.

The logo took a long time and we went through several different design firms without a promising logo. Then, when all seemed hopeless, a carpenter made the logo that we are currently using.

Scottie: Why did you choose the location of your brewery?

Kirk: We knew we wanted to be inside the city of New Orleans, as part of the reason for starting the brewery was to help the city’s economy. We chose the street and location we’re at because the location didn’t flood when the levee breached during Katrina. At the time we started the brewery, the levees still were not completed, and I wanted to make sure if there was another flood our equipment wouldn’t be destroyed.

"Who Dat?!"

Scottie: What is the biggest obstacle that you’ve had to overcome?

Kirk: Believe it or not, getting a water meter from the city. It took us 6 months to get a water meter installed.

Scottie: How would you describe your brewing style?

Kirk: We like to call our beers Gulf Coast style beers, somewhere in-between the super hoppiness of the West Coast and the bitterness of the East Coast. Our beers are balanced and slightly hoppy according to style.

Scottie: How much beer did you produce in 2009?

Kirk: 1400 barrels from March 3 through December 31st. Our first full year was just at 2000 barrels.

Scottie: What are your projected goals for brewery production this year? Over the next five years?

Kirk: This year we are planning for at least 3500 barrels. Our 5 year goal is to be producing 10,000 barrels over 6 states.

Scottie: What states or markets are your beers currently available in? Do you have plans to expand distribution to other areas?

Kirk: We are currently available throughout the entire state of Louisiana, Alabama from Montgomery South to Mobile, and in the Florida Panhandle. We hope to continue throughout AL and FL, while also entering Mississippi, Texas and Tennessee over the next four years.

New 120 Barrel Fermenter

Scottie: Do you have any new beers or projects in the pipeline that you would like to share with the readers?

Kirk: We have a Lemon Basil Wheat Beer coming out in July as a replacement for our first seasonal beer, Hurricane Saison. After that, we will have a Stout this winter.

Scottie: Often times I hear people refer to the craft beer industry as a brotherhood (and sisterhood). What brothers and sisters in the industry do you find inspirational and/or admire?

Kirk: Besides the great people who work with me every day at the brewery, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, Jim Koch from Boston Brewery, and Charlie Papazian have all been motivational and given real concrete advice and assistance. Henryk Orlik from Heiner Brau Brewery and Leslie Henderson from Lazy Magnolia Brewery were instrumental to getting us up and running and helping us through many initial speed-bumps.

Scottie: What people outside of the craft beer industry inspire you?

Kirk: I would have to say my biggest inspiration would be my Dad, who always taught us that if you work hard enough you will be successful at whatever you do, and also taught us the true value of an earned dollar. The lessons he taught me have been invaluable throughout my career in the Navy as well as in the brewing industry. Also, my wife McKenzie continued to believe in me and the brewery even when my belief started to falter, and I’m sure we would not have NOLA Beer without her support.

Scottie: Collaboration beers are becoming more and more popular. Have you collaborated with another brewery? If not, if you could choose one brewery to collaborate with, who would it be?

Kirk: We have not had a collaboration beer yet, as we have only been making beer for a little over a year, and are still trying to get our beers out. I’m sure if we did make a collaboration beer, it would be with a Gulf Coast Brewery, possibly Terrapin, Sweetwater, Cigar City or Lazy Magnolia (assuming they’d have us!).

Scottie: The craft beer industry saw amazing growth last year (7.2% increase by volume and 10.3% by dollar) while overall beer sales decreased by 2.2%. What would you contribute this amazing growth to?

Kirk: A wider selection of beers with better quality ingredients and taste profiles. It’s pretty easy to see that the American beer drinker has drastically changed over the last 15 to 20 years. A typical beer drinker is not satisfied with drinking one beer brand, just as a typical wine drinker does not buy the same brand of wine every time they drink. Also, I think there is a strong growth overall in the “stay local” movement, that brings consumers to purchase items that are made closer to home with fewer preservatives. For beer, that tends to encourage the purchase of non-pasteurized beers, which pretty much means a craft beer. It is amazing the difference in taste from a pasteurized and non-pasteurized beer.

Scottie: What value, if any, do you see in beer bloggers and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook?

Kirk: It’s the most cost effective marketing for our brewery.  We have a VERY limited amount of marketing funds, and they are used to get beer into the hands of people that have not tried our brand yet. Twitter and Facebook are a free method of getting our name, beers, and events out to the public and can be very effective when a post goes viral.

Scottie: Do you have a Twitter account and/or Facebook page? How do you see these types of sites impacting, and perhaps benefiting, your industry over the next few years?

Kirk: Yes, and if any company does not have one yet, odds are they are on their way to going out of business.  I hope they will continue to benefit small businesses such as ours.  It is the only way we can compete with the large brewery’s marketing dollars.

Scottie: What is your opinion of the three-tier distribution system and do you feel that it benefits or hinders smaller craft breweries?

Kirk: It really depends on how the three-tier system is implemented. If you are a start-up brewery and a local distributor does not want to pick your product up, you are out of business before your product ever hits the market. In fact, it is IMPOSSIBLE for your product to hit the market without a distributor in many three-tier states. This means less micro-breweries, less competition, and less selection for the consumer.

Scottie: Where can people find additional information about your brewery, new beer releases, festivals, or brewery tour info?

Kirk: From our website, Facebook Fan Page, and our Twitter account.

Scottie: We’ll finish with a fun, but perhaps difficult question. If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Kirk: Unibroue’s La Fin du Monde!

Thanks again Kirk for your time and participation in my craft brewery interview series.

CHEERS!

Laurelwood Brewing Company is a family owned business founded in 2001 by the husband and wife team of Mike De Kalb and Cathy Woo-De Kalb. The original Laurelwood Public House & Brewery was opened in the Hollywood district of Portland, Oregon in a defunct pub location with a 7 barrel brewery.

Chad Kennedy, head brewer, joined Laurelwood in 2003. Chad has crafted the beers that have lead to Laurelwood winning the World Beer Cup World Champion Small Brewpub and World Champion Small Brewpub Brewmaster awards.

I would like to thank Chad for his time and participation in my craft brewery interview series. Enjoy.

Chad Kennedy - Head Brewer

Scottie: Going back to the beginning of your brewing career, do you remember the first beer that you brewed?

Chad: My first fermentation as a homebrewer was actually a cider. Of course, like most new homebrewers, I thought my first batch was good. Now that I know a bit more, I would be less likely to call it a success. My first batch at Laurelwood was our golden ale – batch 197 at that brewery. We’re now on batch 1570 or so at the original brewery and batch 835 on our newer 15 bbl brewhouse.

Scottie: What was your “Ah-Ha” moment or experience that made you realize that you could make brewing your profession?

Chad: I started working as a sales rep for a specialty beer distributor in Portland, OR. Steve Carper at Terminal Gravity Brewing was still delivering his own beer to our warehouse at that time. He was probably one of the first professional brewers I had the chance to meet. Steve’s such a down to earth, approachable guy that has such a passion for beer – he was my inspiration to become a professional brewer.

Scottie: When did your brewery first open and what was the inspiration for the name?

Chad: Laurelwood opened in 2001. The pub was built to be a neighborhood, family-centric establishment. The name is taken from the Hollywood and Laurelhurst neighborhoods in Portland – we sit between the two.

Scottie: What is the biggest obstacle that you’ve had to overcome?

Chad: Managing rapid growth while maintaining our quality and consistency. The last expansion we did was to last 5 or 10 years, which we’ve outgrown in 3. I guess we underestimated our potential.

Scottie: How would you describe your brewing style?

Chad: Quality based with a focus on balance and consistency. Even our biggest beers are brewed to be balanced.

Scottie: How much beer did you produce in 2009? What are your projected goals for brewery production this year?

Chad: A bit over 4800 bbls in 2009. We’re working on a production brewery now with a working capacity of over 20,000 bbls. We don’t believe in endless growth but we would like to see sales in the greater Western United States.

Scottie: What states or markets are your beers currently available in? Do you have plans to expand distribution to other areas?

Chad: Currently in Oregon and Western Washington. We would like to expand to Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Northern California. We’ve still got plenty of room to grow in our home state however.

Scottie: Do you have any new beers or projects in the pipeline that you would like to share with the readers?

Chad: We just started bottling our Workhorse IPA which won last year’s National IPA Competition, put on by the folks at Brewing News. We’re pretty excited about that.

Scottie: Often times I hear people refer to the craft beer industry as a brotherhood (and sisterhood). What brothers and sisters in the industry do you find inspirational and/or admire?

Chad: See above – Steve Carper. I really respect Dan Carey at New Galarus too. Such an intelligent and local approach to brewing. Selling a good bit of beer in their home state. All the folks at Widmer have been great to us over the years. I really respect the brewers and the brothers there. Great people.

Scottie: What people outside of the craft beer industry inspire you?

Chad: Kinky Friedman?

Scottie: Collaboration beers are becoming more and more popular. Have you collaborated with another brewery?

Chad: I haven’t done any. I guess I’m not opposed to it. Haven’t really considered it to tell you the truth.

Scottie: The craft beer industry saw amazing growth last year (7.2% increase by volume and 10.3% by dollar) while overall beer sales decreased by 2.2%. What would you contribute this amazing growth to?

Chad: Local option. People are again caring about where their food comes from.

Scottie: What value, if any, do you see in beer bloggers and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook?

Chad: Keeps us in constant contact with their our customers and visa versa.

Scottie: Do you have a Twitter account and/or Facebook page? How do you see these types of sites impacting, and perhaps benefiting, your industry?

Chad: Yep, Twitter and Facebook. Social media is the gateway to the future.

Scottie: What is your opinion of the three-tier distribution system and do you feel that it benefits or hinders smaller craft breweries?

Chad: It’s worked for us. I was in the distribution business. I don’t want to get back in the distribution business.

Scottie: Where can people find additional information about your brewery, new beer releases, festivals, or brewery tour info?

Chad: Laurelwoodbrewpub.com

Scottie: We’ll finish with a fun, but perhaps difficult question. If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Chad: Workhorse IPA

Scottie: Thank you Chad for your time and for participating in my craft brewery interview series. Also, make sure to check out Laurelwood’s latest promotional video directly below.

CHEERS!

Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company, founded by husband and wife duo Leslie and Mark Henderson, is Mississippi’s first craft brewery. Located in the Bootleg capital of Mississippi, they break with tradition by offering legal brews to both fellow Mississippians and visitors!

Leslie and Mark, both born and raised in Mississippi, stay true to their roots by offering their customers beers made in true Southern style, complementing the traditions of the South and remaining loyal to Southern tastes.

Before I begin, I want to thank Leslie for taking time out of her busy schedule to participate in my Craft Brewery Interview Series.

Mark and Leslie Henderson

Scottie: Going back to the beginning of your brewing career, do you remember the first beer that you brewed? If so, what was it and how did it turn out?

Leslie: If you mean my professional brewing career in my own brewery, with proper licenses that make it a legal business, our first beer was a Krystal Weiss. Not sure why we picked this one to brew first since it was the most difficult all around to mill, mash, and filter.

Turns out that it was a good choice. Our chiller was not yet working, so the fermentation temperature climbed up to nearly 100 degrees before we got it under control by pumping city water through the tank jackets. We thought the beer would be ruined, but the flavors developed by the yeast during their heat treatment were outstanding. We continued to make the beer that way until eventually the recipe was retired in favor of one of our more popular beers—Indian Summer.

Scottie: What was your “ah-ha” moment or experience that made you realize that you could make brewing your profession?

Leslie: I had many ah-ha moments during my home brew days. Probably the biggest one was when our first batch of Southern Pecan turned out to be the most heavenly beer I had ever consumed. I honestly thought it would turn out horrible—with all that pecan oil—but my recipe handled all of that just fine! We knew we had something special on our hands that the entire Southeast could appreciate and call their own.

Scottie: When did your brewery first open and what was the inspiration for the name and logo?

Leslie: Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company was established in the summer of 2004. The brewery name comes from the original site of our homebrewing activities—on the back porch of my house under some late blooming magnolia trees. The poor, sandy soil along the banks of the Jourdan River isn’t the best for growing the mighty magnolia, so we called these late bloomers “Lazy Magnolias.” The name also says a lot about the pace of life in the south. We chill out; take our time to enjoy friends, food, the weather, and the good life on the back porch. Laziness is a virtue.

Scottie: How would you describe your brewing style?

Leslie: Home cooking. We make beer that fits seamlessly into the Southern lifestyle. I want my beers to pair perfectly with Southern cuisine. I want people to enjoy my beers on hot summer days on the river, and out at tailgate parties. We design our recipes to be complex enough to entice the beer connoisseur but approachable enough for novices to craft beer. We have a lot of novices in the South, and those are my true customers.

Scottie: How much beer did you produce in 2009? What are your goals for your brewery production this year and over the next five years?

Leslie: We produced 7200 BBL of beer in 2009. Our goal is 11,000 this year and approaching 40,000 within the next 5 years. We will get there by reinvesting our profits into new equipment, facilities, and employee education. We will continue to grow sales in our hometown markets by getting the word out to more locals while continuing to expand into strong craft beer markets in surrounding states that have not yet experienced Lazy Magnolia.

Scottie: Do you have any new beers or projects in the pipeline that you would like to share with the readers?

Leslie: We will begin bottling Jefferson Stout, our Sweet Potato Cream Stout, within the next few months.

Scottie: Often times I hear people refer to the craft beer industry as a brotherhood (and sisterhood). What brothers and sisters in the industry do you find inspirational and/or admire?

Leslie: That could take all day. I’ve been inspired and encouraged by so many great people in the brewing industry that it’s hard to list. Every time I attend a festival or conference I’m surrounded by people who have helped Lazy Magnolia become the successful company we are now. I remember that generosity every time the phone rings and someone needs my help and inspiration. I’m more than happy to give it back to someone else. It’s the only real way I can repay the kindness of those who have helped me.

Scottie: What people outside of the craft beer industry inspire you?

Leslie: Another hard question to answer. I’m inspired by so many people for so many different reasons. Every day I meet someone who has made the decision to succeed, be happy, or simply be a blessing to someone else despite the hardship, difficulties, and tragedies in their own life. I was recently inspired by a friend at church who had surgery for breast cancer—rather than feeling sorry for herself she was thrilled with the outcome of her reconstruction surgery and looking forward to going shopping for a new bikini! How can I not be inspired by an attitude like that?

Scottie: Collaboration beers are becoming more and more popular. Have you collaborated with another brewery?

Leslie: We have not yet collaborated with another brewery, but I definitely see the advantages in doing so. It costs a lot of money to ship beer across the country, so there are huge savings to making the beer closer to where it will be sold. It’s also a great way to foster creativity by working with other skilled brew masters. We have not pursued any such relationships because we’re pretty busy with other projects.

Scottie: The craft beer industry saw amazing growth last year (7.2% increase by volume and 10.3% by dollar) while overall beer sales decreased by 2.2%. What would you contribute this amazing growth to?

Leslie: This should come as a surprise to no one. Wine, coffee, and chocolate have all gone through similar changes. Ten years ago everyone ate the same two brands of chocolate bars, drank cheap jug wine, and sipped the same 2 brands of grocery store coffee. Now it’s all gourmet and specialty items. Beer is simply going through the same transformation. No surprises here.

Scottie: What value, if any, do you see in beer bloggers and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook?

Leslie: The value is huge. These days people are smart enough to choose who advertises to them. We are no longer the mercy of regular radio and network TV. We’re no longer a captive audience. We must give consent to companies before being subject to their advertisements.

Scottie: Do you have a Twitter account and/or Facebook page? How do you see these types of sites impacting, and perhaps benefiting, your industry?

Leslie: Our Twitter and Facebook pages are a big part of our marketing efforts. It’s just a necessity of doing business today.

Scottie: What is your opinion of the three-tier distribution system and do you feel that it benefits or hinders smaller craft breweries?

Leslie: It definitely has its place. I run a brewery, not a trucking company. Having distributors allows me to focus on making great beer instead of dealing with thousands of individual restaurants and grocery stores. Many restaurant and store owners groan at the thought of having to add another vendor to their list, so it’s very helpful for me to say “Just order Lazy Magnolia from the same guy you already buy XYZ beer from.”

Scottie: Where can people find additional information about your brewery, new beer releases, festivals, or brewery tour info?

Leslie: From our website Lazymagnolia.com and our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Scottie: We’ll finish with a fun, but perhaps difficult question. If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Leslie: Berliner Weissbier. It’s light, tart, and can be flavored so many different ways, or enjoyed straight (my personal favorite).

Thank you Leslie for your time and for participating in my craft brewery interview series.
CHEERS!

Pretty Things Beer & Ale is the latest brewing project by longtime brewmaster Dann Paquette. Dann has been brewing professionally since 1992 and currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and travels to Buzzard’s Bay Brewery in Westport where he brews Pretty Things. According to the Pretty Things website, people sometimes confuse and misinterpret their business model.

Pretty Things is not a contract brew; We don’t own a brewery – we rent one.

Breweries that have been home to Dann include Ipswich Brewing Company, Pilgrim Brewery, Mill City Brewing Company, John Harvard’s Brew House, North East Brewing Company, The Haverhill Brewery, and the Daleside Brewery in Yorkshire.

Before I begin, I want to thank Dann for participating in my Craft Brewery Interview Series.

Scottie: Going back to the beginning of your brewing career, do you remember the first beer that you brewed? If so, what was it and how did it turn out?

Dann: Towards the beginning of my brewing career, I was brewing other brewer’s recipes as an assistant. So I suppose they were relatively close to what they were supposed to be. I hope so anyway! But honestly I can’t remember.

Scottie: What was your “Ah-Ha” moment or experience that made you realize that you could make brewing your profession?

Dann: My “aha” moment was when I realized that I could live off of $7,000 a year and live in Boston in 1991. This gave me the time to break into the business by helping in breweries here and there without any worry about not getting paid.

Scottie: When did your brewery first open and what was the inspiration for the name and logo?

Dan: Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project began selling beer in December of 2008. Our “logo”, the tree in the shield came from a sewing sampler Martha’s (Dann’s wife) grandmother did when she was a teen in Yorkshire. Jack D’Or may also be considered a logo for us. He’s a blemya fashioned as a grain of barley.

Scottie: How would you describe your brewing style?

Dann: I guess the aesthetic is a bit of fantasy old-world Europe. Our beers would have looked great on the set of the “Sound of Music” or something Geppetto may have had in his cupboard. They’re rough around the edges, generally stay away from internet-hyped hop varieties and styles, have weedy bitterness and are a bit of sentimental antique tat.

Scottie: How much beer did you produce in 2009? What are your projected goals for brewery production this year?

Dann: We produced around 850 barrels last year (our first). I’m not sure what we’ll do this year but we’ll certainly double if we keep on doing our thing.

Scottie: Often times I hear people refer to the craft beer industry as a brotherhood (and sisterhood). What brothers and sisters in the industry do you find inspirational and/or admire?

Dann: I still go back the first inspirations: Kris at De Dolle, Ray McNeil at McNeils. Those guys were doing things that blew me away way-back-when.

Scottie: What is your opinion of the three-tier distribution system and do you feel that it benefits or hinders smaller craft breweries?

Dann: The “three-tier” system, in regards to distribution, I am very much in favor of it. Not having to be a brewer, plus shipping company, plus collections agency is good for a small brewer. There’s no way on God’s green earth we could have started this company and had such a focus on our BEER if I were out driving a truck and trying to chase down package store owners.

Scottie: Where can people find additional information about your brewery, new beer releases, festivals, or brewery tour info?

Dann: Our website, Facebook page and Twitter account.

Scottie: We’ll finish with a fun, but perhaps difficult question. If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Dann: Smuttynose IPA

Scottie: Thank you Dann for your time and for participating in my craft brewery interview series.

CHEERS!

Also, make sure to check out this cool video below!

Buckbean Brewing Company

Buckbean Brewing Company, founded by Dan Kahn and Doug Booth in 2008, is a craft brewery located in Reno, NV.

Dan Kahn, brewmaster of Buckbean Brewing Company, is a trained engineer and chef. Before becoming Buckbean’s brewmaster, he was brewmaster at Buzzards Bay Brewing in Westport, Massachusetts, and, prior to that, brewmaster at Riverside Brewing Company in Riverside, California. Throughout Dan’s career, his brewing prowess has earned him gold, silver and bronze medals at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup.

Doug Booth leads the sales and marketing efforts for the Buckbean Brewing Company. His responsibilities include vendor relations, overseeing Buckbean’s tap room, and representing Buckbean at tastings, pint nights, and local and regional beer festivals.

I want to get the beer into people’s mouths. The thing that sells the beer is the beer itself.

Doug has sought out brewpubs and micro-breweries across the world; traveling extensively in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Before I begin, I want to thank Dan and Doug for participating in my Craft Brewery Interview Series.

Doug and Dan

Scottie: Going back to the beginning of your brewing career, do you remember the first beer that you brewed? If so, what was it and how did it turn out?

Dan: I liked it, but I’m sure it wasn’t really that good.  Sort of an amber ale type beer.

Scottie: What was your “Ah-Ha” moment or experience that made you realize that you could make brewing your profession?

Dan: I don’t think there was ever a single moment. I had more of a steady progression of getting more interested and excited by brewing the more I did and learned about it.

Scottie: When did your brewery first open and what was the inspiration for the name and logo?

Doug: We opened on April 12, 2008. I was doing some research on the floral and fauna of the Tahoe Meadows for the Reno’s local paper and our botanist was reading about the flowers that grew in the meadow. The Buckbean was one of them and in its description, it said that it was used historically as a substitute for hops when they were not available.

Scottie: How would you describe your brewing style?

Dan: I like to emphasize 3 things: balance, smoothness, and depth of flavor.

Scottie: How much beer did you produce in 2009?

Dan: About 1000 bbl.

Scottie: What are your goals for your brewery production this year and over the next five years?

Dan: We hope to increase steadily over the next several years by expanding our distribution in neighboring states, such as California, Oregon and Arizona.

Scottie: How do you plan to get there?

Dan: We continue to add distributors in these areas, and our brewery is designed to be able to add capacity easily simply by adding fermenters, and eventually bright tanks.

Scottie: Do you have any new beers or projects in the pipeline that you would like to share with the readers?

Doug: We’re currently unfolding a mixology contest, where patrons of our beer can create cocktails using Buckbean as the base ingredient. We hope to take that national next year after trying it in a few regional locations throughout 2010. We recently released a Maibock for our summer seasonal as well. Other than that, we’ve got CANFEST coming up October 9, which is the first and only international canned beer competition. Summer beer festivals and continuing our expansion are the biggest nuggets on the horizon as of right now!

Scottie: Often times I hear people refer to the craft beer industry as a brotherhood (and sisterhood). What brothers and sisters in the industry do you find inspirational and/or admire?

Doug: I modeled the brewery after Big Sky Brewing Company because they treated every customer like they were the best, they made great beer and they gave back to the community.

Scottie: What people outside of the craft beer industry inspire you?

Doug: My father because he is an entrepreneur and my wife because she always inspires me on how hard she works to do the right thing.

Scottie: Collaboration beers are becoming more and more popular. Have you collaborated with another brewery? If not, if you could choose one brewery to collaborate with, who would it be and why?

Doug: No, we haven’t. Maybe a southern Nevada brewery to increase the awareness of Nevada beer.

Scottie: What value, if any, do you see in beer bloggers and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook?

Doug: They are incredibly important to Buckbean Brewing Company. We love to share our beer with bloggers, and we use Twitter and Facebook almost every day.

Scottie: How do you see these types of sites impacting, and perhaps benefiting, your industry over the next 5 years?

Doug: I would not even begin to guess how they will influence the industry over the long run because I am sure there will be a new hip social media site by that time. We have to change with the times.

Scottie: What is your opinion of the three-tier distribution system and do you feel that it benefits or hinders smaller craft breweries?

Doug: Like anything, there are positives and negatives.  In the end, it makes are life easier locally because we have a great distributor and we work really well with them.

Scottie: Where can people find additional information about your brewery, new beer releases, festivals, or brewery tour info?

Doug: We have a website where you can buy our merchandise and see where our beers are available and get a general overview of the company. We regularly post to our blog things such as our latest events, news, and cool stories. All of our festival info and updates are posted to the blog as well. For info on the go, our Twitter account always has the latest updates from Buckbean. Becoming a fan of our Facebook page has its benefits too – we do a lot of contests and announcements on there first.

Scottie: We’ll finish with a fun, but perhaps difficult question. If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Doug: Black Noddy Lager (a Buckbean original) because it is a beer than is well suited for any weather, but also has so much depth and flavor without being heavy.

Dan: I think I’d have to go with the Tule Duck Red Ale (another Buckbean original), because it is so smooth, but still rich and satisfying, and it goes well with a wide variety of foods.

Scottie: Thank you Dan and Doug for your time and for participating in my craft brewery interview series.

CHEERS!

I love being able to wander into my local craft beer store and find an unfamiliar brew; something new to spark my interest. Not many brewers have the time to have their personal bio’s published, or even offer a quick draft on their website. So, I decided that I needed to get to know more about the people behind these sprouting breweries. Over the next few weeks, I will be launching my craft brewery interview series. The goal of this series is simple – learn more about the people and the breweries that create the delicious craft beer that we all enjoy. I hope you all enjoy my first interview with Lavery Brewing Company below.

Lavery Brewing Company is a new brewery from my hometown of Erie, PA, founded in 2009 by husband and wife duo, Jason & Nicole Lavery.

After winning a ‘People’s Choice Award’ for their Smoked Porter in March 2009, Jason’s wife Nikki suggested they try to bring something new and dynamic to the local culture, something desperately needed in Erie.

Before I begin, I want to thank Jason for willing to be the first interviewee in my craft brewery interview series.

Lavery Brewing Company, Erie PA

Scottie: Going back to the beginning of your brewing career, do you remember the first beer that you brewed? If so, what was it and how did it turn out?

Jason: I home-brewed a British Bitter. It was infected. Luckily, I had already started my second batch before I tasted the first.

Scottie: What was your “Ah-Ha” moment or experience that made you realize that you could make brewing your profession?

Jason: Winning an award for my smoked porter.

Scottie: When did your brewery first open and what was the inspiration for the name and logo?

Jason: We formed our company back in March 2009, but didn’t get our licenses until February 2010. We were originally going to name the brewery ‘Black Barrel Brewery’ but decided on Lavery Brewing Co because we are proud of our name and Irish history and hope to have our children take over the business someday.

Scottie: How much beer did you produce in 2009? What are your projected goals for brewery production this year? Over the next five years? How do you plan to get there?

Jason: 2009 – 0 bbls. 2010 – 250bbls. We are currently an alternating proprietorship brewery, meaning we rent space and equipment. We are working to open our brewery by Fall 2010 but for this year, we are small…very small.

Scottie: Do you have any new beers or projects in the pipeline that you would like to share with the readers?

Jason: We had plans to have 2 year round beers and 4 seasonals, but due to fermentation limitations, we are only going to focus on our flagship, Imperial Red Ale.

Scottie: Often times, I hear people refer to the craft beer industry as a brotherhood (and sisterhood). What brothers and sisters in the industry do you find inspirational and/or admire?

Jason: Chris Sirianni, owner of The Brewerie, really helped us out by letting us rent their brewery. He’s given me so much advice and help that we would still be dreaming of starting a brewery if it weren’t for him.

Also, the Sprague Farm and Brew Works have helped a lot. Dave from the Bierhaus International has been helpful as well.

As far as inspiration, Greg Koch from Stone is the man. He runs three different businesses (which is where I want Lavery’s to be in 10 years).

Scottie: What people outside of the craft beer industry inspire you?

Jason: There’s a world outside craft beer?

Scottie: Collaboration beers are becoming more and more popular. Have you collaborated with another brewery? If not, if you could choose one brewery to collaborate with, who would it be and why?

Jason: We’d collaborate with a traditional British brewery any day. Cask ales, firkins, kirkins, yum.

Scottie: The craft beer industry saw amazing growth last year (7.2% increase by volume and 10.3% by dollar) while overall beer sales decreased by 2.2%. What would you contribute this amazing growth to?

Jason: People choosing quality over quantity and the realization that local businesses make life better for everyone. Sending your money away to a Belgian owned mega brewery doesn’t do anybody any good.

Scottie: What value, if any, do you see in beer bloggers and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook?

Jason: More important is the Brewing Network. They far surpass the usefulness of Twitter and Facebook. It’s nice to see info travel as fast as it does with social media though. “Hey world, I have a new beer I’m releasing. You can buy it here”. Very helpful.

Scottie: Do you have a Twitter account and/or Facebook page? How do you see these types of sites impacting, and perhaps benefiting, your industry over the next 5 years?

Jason: We’re on Facebook. More special releases? Not sure.

Scottie: What is your opinion of the three-tier distribution system and do you feel that it benefits or hinders smaller craft breweries?

Jason: It sucks. We are lucky to have an awesome wholesaler who pays us lots of attention and sells our beer for us, but when we move out of our region or state, this tie will be gone.
Also, we’d make much more money if we sold the beer ourselves.

Scottie: Where can people find additional information about your brewery, new beer releases, festivals, or brewery tour info?

Jason: On Facebook and our website -  www.LaveryBrewing.com.

Scottie: We’ll finish with a fun, but perhaps difficult question. If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Jason: Orval

Scottie: Tasty choice Jason!

Great answers and thanks again for participating. Best of luck to you both and your brewery!

CHEERS!