EP-204 Jude La Rose and Jeremiah Zimmer of Hop Butcher

Today’s guests represent a kind of brewery that lives, sometimes tenuously,
in the spaces in between traditional brewery models in American craft
brewing. They’s very small. They have an alternating proprietorship
arrangement with another local brewery, which means they use another
brewery’s system to brew their beer. But on that particular brew day, they
technically own the license. They brew, package, and sell that beer via
self-distribution. And their portfolio, for reasons both of constraint,
personal interest, and identity, is hyper-focused on Hazy IPA, Double IPA,
and adjunct Stouts.

While the growth in craft brewing slows, and 2019 looks to be a topsy-turvy
year for many folks, a brewery like this could either be seen as
exceptionally vulnerable, or crazy like a fox. They have low overhead, even
if expenses are relatively high due to small volumes. They have a strong
alt-prop relationship with a good local brewer, but that means they’re
dependent on someone else’s business stability. And they have a great brand
and profile in Chicago, but there’s always somebody new coming for their
share of the pie.

So, how do they balance all that uncertainty, while also finding the mental
energy to be creative, connect with their fans, and explore the nerdier
side of hoppy beers that seem to consistently delight those drinkers? Good
question!

This is Jude and Jeremiah from Hop Butcher for the World, a Beer Company.
Listen in.