EP-420 Eeva and Trace Redmond of Elder Piper Beer + Cider
It\u2019s a classic question asked first in a novel, then in music, and often as a half-joke pop culture reference: Can you go home again? People change over time, but of course, places do, too. What we\u2019ve previously experienced in our hometowns and where we grew up can feel distant for a very good reason. Time and experience changes us all, whether we like it or not. But in this episode, we\u2019re going to explore what it means to lean into this question and ask instead, \u201cwhat does it feel like to be home, again?\u201d
Working through this with me is Trace and Eeva Redmond, a couple who in recent years took years of experience working in beer and returned to Eeva\u2019s home town of Petoskey, Michigan where they\u2019ve opened Elder Piper, a brewery and cidery located along the shores of Little Traverse Bay on the upper portion of the state\u2019s mitten shape. As brewer, Trace brings brewing experience that includes stops at Michigan\u2019s Founders and Roak Brewing, as well as North Carolina\u2019s Highland Brewing. Eeva has worked in a collection of hospitality and communication roles in beer as well, including positions at Roak Brewing, Sierra Nevada, and Highland.
Why open a brewery now, at a time when we hear about so many closing? That\u2019s where we start our conversation, but it leads us to many other ideas and reflections about what it means to start a business in a city of 6,000, especially when it\u2019s the place where you grew up. As you\u2019ll hear, community connection has been pivotal to Eeva and Trace, and their story offers something of a roadmap of what it takes to launch a new, neighborhood-focused brewery in today\u2019s market.
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