EP-204 Jude La Rose and Jeremiah Zimmer of Hop Butcher
Today\u2019s guests represent a kind of brewery that lives, sometimes tenuously, in the spaces in between traditional brewery models in American craft brewing.\xa0They\u2019s very small. They have an alternating proprietorship arrangement with another local brewery, which means they use another brewery\u2019s 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.\xa0 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.\xa0They 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\u2019re dependent on someone else\u2019s business stability. And they have a great brand and profile in Chicago, but there\u2019s 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?\xa0Good question! This is Jude and Jeremiah from Hop Butcher for the World, a Beer Company. Listen in.