“Obviously, being put on the spot to produce something new every time is quite an endeavor. Honestly, at times it can be very daunting, with schedules and all. But, really, it’s beer. We make beer. I love it, my partners love it, and, hopefully, Louisville loves beer too!”
How did you get started as a maker?
My love for good beer has been a pretty big part of my life. Out of necessity, to obtain beer at the ripe age of 17, I took on the hobby. As a young hobby brewer in a place where examples of good beer were limited, I floundered about a bit, learning the differences between “good” and “bad” flavors. After heading off to college and gaining access to some good beers, I was able to get a grasp of what flavors were popular and re-create them.
I continued to hobby brew through college and picked up some minimal experience as a keg washer and odd job guy at a local brewery in Bloomington. From that point, I finished school and brewing took a backseat to a “normal job,” but I continued to hobby brew.
Then the great epiphany came! I realized that I had to ditch the “real job” and pursue something I enjoyed. Fortunately, I’m not shy. And I knew I could badger one of our local brewmasters into letting me sweep the floor after he walked on it.
Can you tell me a bit about your non-brewing background?
I am originally from a small town in Southern Indiana. As I finished high school, I went to Indiana University [studying political science]. I ended up learning how to drink beer and definitely had my fill of good times.
How did you end up at Against the Grain?
I am actually one of the owners and share responsibility for developing the concept of our brewery. My partners and I are all professional brewers and had spent some time in the past working closely together. We all had a penchant for hard work, great beer, and adolescent dick and fart jokes. So it was a no brainer: Start a brewery and live what we love!
You’re a brewer-owned brewery – apparently the only in Louisville. Why is that an uncommon business model? How does being a brewer inform your business approach and vice versa?
Actually, we are no longer the only “brewer-owned” joint in town, which is great! It means more folks are on board with the guys who make “it” being “in charge.”
Why it matters – believe it or not, the brewers who are making the beers are more than grunts who wield a mash paddle or trudge around in water all day. We are actually crazy about flavor. No, really, we spend a lot of time focusing on subtleties and are crazy about details. To cap it all off, we are also neat freaks who spend an inordinate amount of time learning. We learn about market trends in brewing, recipe development, technological innovation, global agriculture trends and changes – man, I could go on and on. With all that going on in our minds, who wouldn’t want to come to a place where the ownership cares that much about what’s going on everywhere? Details, man, details.
AtG brews a beer, serves it until it’s gone, and then it is gone forever, right? That seems like a bold decision. What does that mean for the creative process at the brewery? What does that mean for people who like to pick favorites?
Obviously, being put on the spot to produce something new every time is quite an endeavor. Honestly, at times it can be very daunting, with schedules and all. But, really, it’s beer. We make beer. I love it, my partners love it, and, hopefully, Louisville loves beer too! So it makes perfect sense to give our customers options beyond the same old stale set of choices offered in most brewpubs. Our promise is: We don’t compromise on quality. If you’re hung up on the same thing, sadly, we may not be for you.
What type of beer is your favorite and why?
It’s a total cop out and I’m sorry, but my favorite beer is a well-made beer. I know – lame. I love [Miller] High Life. But damn it, I love the best double chocolate, chuckle berry, triple hopped, barrel aged, soured and double soured…[India pale ale] as much as the next beer nerd! Let’s all rejoice for well-made and well-intentioned beer. And hopefully the market will follow suit and we can have the best all the time!
Could you share your thoughts on Louisville’s brewing scene? How does it compare to nearby cities? How does it compare to cities of a similar size across the nation?
Louisville’s brewing scene is growing. But I think everyone is still pretty hung up on what they view as unattainable. Most Louisvillians have a pretty keen palate and know what’s good, but I often find that there are a large number of folks who are content going with trends in markets – far away or dated trends that they were witness to from the past.
We hope folks will take a second to look and see what they do have. Not to toot our own horn – but really to toot our own horn – we have made significant strides in putting Louisville on the map. With the help of forward thinking and progressive places like The Nachbar and the Holy Grale, we have done a number of collaborative brews with perhaps some of the world’s most renowned and respected brewers. We have also sent beer to three of the four corners of the globe. Louisville is a beer Mecca to the outsider. There are great options here! We have some great breweries that have been around for ages and some that are just arriving. But we all have one thing in common…a love for great beer and the ability to deliver! Drink local! Its f’ing awesome. I know. I send my stuff everywhere!
-Stephanie Brothers
Bio:
Beer brewer, drinker, and lover. Father of three. Sweet talker. Forward thinker.
Title:
“Big Boss” at Against the Grain Brewery & Smokehouse.
Age:
32
Location:
Downtown
Contact:
sam@atgbrewery.com
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