EP-411 Jay & Ciara Jones of Woven Water Brewing Company

Published: June 1, 2024, 10 a.m.

\u201cThe thicker, the better\u201d sounds like something I would say about my thighs, but not necessarily about beer. But that\u2019s exactly how Woven Water Brewing Company describes their infamous \u201cfusion\u201d concoctions, which are smoothie-style sours with flavors like peanut butter and jelly, banana split, and peach orange pop ice cream. That\u2019s not all they brew, but this type of eye-catching beverage is what has put the Tampa brewery on the map and what owners Jay and Ciara Jones say keep them in business.

In this episode, I chat with both owners, who launched the brewery with Nicole and Eric Childs in August 2020, and have since assumed complete ownership. You\u2019ll hear them describe their \u201cadapt or die\u201d mentality, and why despite Jay\u2019s initial reluctance to brew what some might call \u201chype\u201d beers or hard seltzers, they quickly realized it\u2019s what people want to drink, so why not give it to them? It\u2019s a refreshingly pragmatic approach to business, and they\u2019re having fun with it, even hosting a tap takeover of the gloopiest, gloppiest beers from around the country in a celebration they call Gloop City, which is now in its third year.\xa0

But all silliness aside, this conversation is a look at a brewery that was poised to launch at the start of the pandemic, and what they had to do and change in order to open in what they believe is the best craft beer scene in the country. They share what worked, what didn\u2019t, what they would do differently if they had to do it all over again, and what they hope to accomplish in the future. Jay and Ciara say they\u2019re investing in a few key areas: their people, their community, and in their ability to grow and change. That sounds like a solid plan to me. So, let\u2019s hear about it, right now.

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