This brewery that we are building has truly been a labor of love.
It was first conceived as a joke between my then boyfriend (Josh) and his father. Kerry (Papa Kopp) spoke to Josh about a warehouse he had just acquired and Josh jokingly suggested “What if we build a brewery?”
Back then we were living in the Bay Area of Northern California. I had gotten my dream job at my favorite brewery, doing sales at Ballast Point Brewing. Back in the day, Ballast Point’s Sculpin converted me into an IPA lover during a very studious Belgian phase. I fell in love with their home-brew mart roots and crazy delicious beers.
Josh, after working his way up for 4 years, had recently taken over as the Head Brewer at E.J. Phair Brewing Co and was the youngest brewer to take it over. He was brewing for them and contract brewing for other breweries like High Water, Hop Dogma, Half Moon Bay, Camino, and many others.
We were a young and in-love beer world power couple, living the dream. How could it get any better?
Fast forward a year and we decided to jump at what used to be a funny idea that turned into an opportunity. We had just gotten engaged in our backyard surrounded by family and friends – complete with his own beer on tap. Life was accelerating quickly.
We were on a fast track to leave what had been our dream jobs behind, move back to his home in Honolulu Hawaii, and embark on our greatest adventure yet.
It hasn’t been easy. Leaving behind the world you have built for yourself and to start from scratch never is. Yet every step of the way we have confirmed what we stand for: adventure into the unknown to find something bigger than ourselves and to give back something that is bigger than ourselves.
About a month ago I married my best friend in the Brewery we are building together. Before the doors have been open to the public, it has been christened by the dancing feet of our closest family and friends, tears from loving speeches, my now father in law dancing on our brand new bar top, and the most epic banzai cheers chant I’ve ever seen a bad ass grandma do.
It’s a truly amazing feeling to be surrounded by the people that support you, challenge you, and make you.
This Brewery is so much bigger than us and we can’t wait to spread the adventure, the love, and the discovery with everyone that’s willing to take the journey too.
~ CHRISSIE, Director of Operations
