I mentioned in How to find friendly people that people in the craft beer industry have been nothing but supportive of this endeavor of mine. Jake Endres of Crooked Run Brewing is no exception.
I came across Crooked Run Brewing a couple weeks ago in the comments section of The State of NoVA Beer, Breweries and Brewpubs, an article in Northern Virginia Magazine. I did a little research and found information that lead me to Jake Endres, Crooked Run’s President. It turned out we both graduated from James Madison University around the same time and are relatively local to one another. I sent him and email begging asking him if I could pick his brain about how he got to where he is today, which is at the cusp of opening his own nanobrewery in Leesburg, VA.
It could have been the free beer I offered but Jake obliged and sat down with me at MacDowell Brew Kitchen for well over an hour opening up to me about anything I’d ask. Let me take this chance to recommend the pale ale they brew.
Jake gave me the rundown on how he started brewing beer, how he built his own brewing system and how he grows some of his own ingredients. He also gave me direction on how to not become a glorified janitor and skip some of the rookie mistakes in homebrewing.
Check out Crooked Run Brewing’s Kickstarter page and give Jake a hand getting started like he has helped me.
Has anyone helped you get on your feet recently?