Our Origin Story
How it all started
Like many professional brewers, our love for beer began as an enthusiast, eager to learn about the many styles of beer. Our residency in Connecticut provided access to the most influential hop forward breweries and beers of the last decade. Of particular interest (at this time) was Heady Topper, brewed by the Alchemist. After numerous day trips to Waterbury, Vermont our love for beer took the leap from enthusiast to hobbyist.
Homebrewing equipment and a Heady Topper “clone” brewing kit was the highlight gift of 2013 (from my wife). In January of 2014, pandoras box (with respect to brewing) was opened when I brewed that first homebrew. Batch two was a Pliny the Elder kit. In mid-February of 2014 someone shared a can of Petit Mutant (also from the Alchemist) with me; I was intrigued by brettanomyces. Wild-only equipment was purchased, and a riff on this beer was brewed, spending nearly a year atop cherries and oak. The weekends soon became the opportunity to work on new recipes. Creative freedom and learning was such a treat.
The Obsessive Ales Era
Over the next 18 months (from March 2014 to September 2015), substantial time and energy was focused on myriad aspects of brewing (water chemistry, yeast health, fermentation temperatures, mash temperatures, etc…). and many lessons were gleaned from mistakes. The first attempt at a hop forward IPA with un-adjusted well water was undrinkable.
In search of refinement, the same recipe was brewed week after week. Friends began describing the process as a labor of love; an obsession. And with that, Obsessive Ales was born. To some extent, Obsessive Ales was Eredità 1.0. Aspirations of taking this hobby pro did not materialize (despite having glassware made – a few glasses likely still exist), which was for the best. There were many aspects of production brewing that the average homebrewer simply is not exposed to or is not relevant on small scale brewing. Experience, and in particular mistakes are the seeds of growth.
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Early Experience
Despite making decent homebrew, getting a foot in the door of a professional brewery was more challenging than anticipated.
In early 2016, after being turned down for multiple professional gigs, we became a ‘hang-around’ at Steady Habits Brewing Company in Haddam, Connecticut. After sharing some homebrew with their then head brewer, Jon Peterson, an opportunity to collaborate on a recipe was extended. This beer was then brewed and served to patrons at the 2016 Beer Advocate Microbrew Invitational at the World Trade Center in Boston.
Education
Early in 2016, we were focused on expanding our technical understanding of brewing. We were still actively visiting breweries that we thought executed beers exceptionally well. One such brewery (which we visited since early 2014) was Hill Farmstead Brewery, in Greensboro Bend, Vermont. They were (and still are) the embodiment of intention and pragmatism with respect to beer. None better.
An opportunity to participate in a two-week course on small-batch brewing presented itself. The program was orchestrated by Sterling College (in Craftsbury, Vermont), and was to be led by internationally acclaimed master-brewer Anders Kissmeyer, Jan Paul, and Shaun Hill. The course culmination was a brew on the pilot 5hl BrauKon.
A request to keep the workspace clean, clear, and orderly was made at the outset of the brew. Personally, it was my intention to keep the floor as dry (with the squeegee) as humanly possible. The effort did not go unnoticed. At the conclusion of the course, an opportunity was extended to interview for a role in the cellar.
The Crossroads
While composing a thesis (the culmination of a four-year graduate program in epidemiology), a decision was made to walk away from public health; choosing instead to make a career change, and life change. None of "this" would have been possible without my wife. She has always provided unwavering support, and has always maintained faith in my ability to make beer. We packed up all our belongings, our lives, our cats, and moved to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, where we lived until Autumn of 2019.
The Path Forward
Despite the happiness we found living and working in Vermont, we soon acknowledged that our lives would be more fulfilling if we moved back to Connecticut, as we were gratefully anticipating the arrival of our daughter. We wanted to provide her an opportunity to regularly be surrounded by the love and care of her grandparents. In retrospect, the gravity of this decision ended up being substantially more meaningful than initially anticipated.
In late 2019, the Twelve Percent Beer Project, located in North Haven, Connecticut just opened it’s 40,000+sqft communal brewing facility. At the time, an offer was extended and accepted to assist with managing the cellar and making wort. This was a unique opportunity to work in a different type of production brewery; involvement with brands like Stillwater, Evil Twin, Root and Branch, and American Solera to mention a few. As the pandemic evolved and continued to tighten its grip on society, a unique work opportunity with a flexible schedule (the understatement of the pandemic) presented itself...
Back to Where it All Started
After a short stint in North Haven, the weekly trips to Vermont began in early June 2020, as we were re-enlisted at Hill Farmstead Brewery. Despite having made a lifetime of memories during my ‘first-term’ as ‘governor of the saison room’ (October 2016 – September 2019), the ‘second-term’ was a much more profound and intimate experience. The first six weeks back were inspirational. Magical. Two people handling nearly EVERYTHING. Efficiency was a must, as was the concept of self-reliance. The notion that “someone else would do it” was unfathomable. There simply wasn't "someone else."
Everything is Temporarily Permanent
Initially, the return to Greensboro was to be temporary, lasting 6 to 8 months. As a result of the continuing pandemic, and workload, the abbreviated work week was able to continue, however, both parties acknowledged that longer-term sustainability was not realistic. Increasing workloads, a 4.5 hour commute, and mental burnout were all factors that would eventually reach a point of unsustainability
At the end of 2021, during our annual review, it became clear that the second farewell tour would be set in motion. It is always difficult to consciously walk away from anything you love or have a deep connection to/with. Initially, the impetus for the first term departure was to be closer to family when Vera was born. Given the state of the world, it was unrealistic for the family to move back to Vermont, and it was unrealistic for me to try to be an engaged parent while work necessitated being “on the road” 150+ days a year. The ‘drink-by-date’ for my second departure was Friday, September 2, 2022.
As 2021 wrapped up, so did the efforts of composing a comprehensive business plan for a production brewery in Litchfield County. Nearly every free moment was devoted to working on this project. Despite a detail oriented approach, fluctuations in the global financial markets (inflation, war in Ukraine etc…) persisted, causing the project to languish through Spring of 2022.
Additionally, by May of 2022, my dad’s health took a dramatic and unprecedented turn for the worse. An illness of unknown etiology plagued him for a over a year. He lost his fight with 'it" on June 4.
Reset the Deck
A step back was required. There was grief to be embraced...complete withdrawal from the all-consuming brewery project was a necessity. Family time was important, now more than ever…the decision to end my Vermont based employment early was also reached. It was imperative to reset the mind and body. Fatigue had set in. A bought of pneumonia. Grief in the lungs, as the eastern medicine doctors might say. Self-care was required. A more practical path forward too.
What's Old is New Again
With the prospects of owning my own brewery vanishing before my eyes, a chance encounter with my former employers at The Twelve Percent Beer Project in North Haven spark the fire that ultimately evolved into Eredità Beer. At this stage of my life the options were clear: make my own beer or choose a different career. Twelve Percent acknowledged and respected my experience, and they understand what is important to me. Likewise, they have provided an opportunity to be highly engaged in all processes, and they understand my philosophy on beer. Collectively, we are all very excited to share the beers being brewed and cellared in collaboration with the Twelve Percent Beer Project.
