In February of 2003, the first keg from a small brewery in Georgetown was sold and the dream of two beer-loving partners, Manny Chao and Roger Bialous, was on its way. Chao and Bialous had quit their jobs to take on the giant risk of owning a craft brewery.
The friends had discussed opening their own brewery for quite a while, but without a plan it was just a dream. So Chao put together a business plan to see if their dream was even possible. In that plan they saw their idea was not only possible, but also something they had to take a chance on. So as their website, www.Georgetownbeer.com explains "We decided to chuck our jobs... all for beer."
The first step was to make a quality beer recipe that they enjoyed and believed would sell. They knew how to brew beer at home and decided that would be the best place to start. So they made a batch of beer, and then another, and then another. Finally, after batch number nine, they had found the recipe that would eventually become their flagship beer, Manny's Pale Ale. The next step was finding a place to create their concoction and some equipment with which to brew.
The two friends were determined to make this happen on their own. They didn't want investors because, as Chao says, "Investors are a pain." The place they needed had to be inexpensive and local. Having been in the Northwest their entire lives, it was important to them to remain in Seattle.
They were close to finding a spot in Ballard, but the building owners backed out at the last minute. This ended up being a blessing in disguise, because they were able to tap into Seattle's brewing history. Their real estate agent had discovered a gem of a location right in old Georgetown at 5840 Airport Way South.
What's old is new again
According to their website, they are in "the original 'Malt House' of the old Seattle Brewing and Malting Company, the original brewers of Rainier Beer." The history of this location is not lost on Chao and Bialous. Not only do they feel part of Seattle's beer history, but they also love the community in which they work.
"We really feel part of the community here and we love the businesses that also work here," beamed Chao.
Sharing the building with the Georgetown Brewery are 75 other businesses that include candle makers, wood and metal workers, tile makers, artists and more. Chao describes the environment as "art industrial."
But once they found this ideal location, they needed equipment to make larger quantities of beer than they could produce at home. Once again, timing and luck would come to their assistance.
In the 1990s the microbrew industry took off like a rocket. Inspired by brew pubs like McMenanmin's in Portland and Red Hook in Seattle, brew pubs sprouted up all over the country like mushrooms on a wet cow pasture.
Fortunately for Chao and Bialous, the industry leveled off and several breweries went out of business. This meant there was a lot of equipment available. They were able to find some inexpensive brewing gear from a out-of-business brewery in North Carolina.
"We made an offer for less than the equipment was worth, and they took it," Chao laughingly explained. "We immediately thought that we offered too much."
Once they had their equipment, they needed help putting it together. It's far more complicated to set up a big time brewery operation than, say, setting up a home theater system. There are several tanks that need to be installed properly to create the right chemical reaction to produce the perfect flavor of beer, every time.
Enter Bret Chopp, another beer loving friend who also happened to be a chemical engineer. His know-how of the chemical process was instrumental in creating the right combination of equipment to create the beer Chao and Bialous dreamed of producing. In fact, Chopp's contribution was so invaluable that Chao and Bialous decided to make him a partner.
Armed with a recipe, a place to brew, and the right equipment properly installed, the group was ready to produce their beer. However to their disappointment, when the first batch came out it didn't taste right. Neither did the second, third or fourth batches.
But batch number five came out perfect and the Georgetown Brewery was ready for business, and the first keg of Manny's Pale Ale was sold and delivered to the Latona Pub.
An expanding operation
According to Chao, Georgetown Brewery produces 11,000 barrels of beer per year and people can purchase their beers from Bellingham to Olympia, Coeur d'Alene to Idaho, and in the Kitsap Peninsula. They currently have three types of beer for sale: Manny's Pale Ale, Roger's Pilsner, and Bob's Beer. The last beer is Georgetown Brewery's salute to their friend Bob Hirsch who died of cancer.
Bob's Beer is released every year on May 14, Bob's birthday. All of the proceeds from its sale go to the Seattle Ronald McDonald House.
Running a brewery is tricky business, but fortunately for the partners of Georgetown Brewery Chao had craft brewery experience. A 1994 business graduate from the University of Washington, Chao, like many, fell in love with beer while in college. He particularly adored craft beers and eventually found himself the first employee of local craft brewer Mac and Jacks.
"I learned about the business of brewing from Mac and Jack. I was able to witness the process of a brewery grow," explained Chao, a Portland native who eventually grew tired of the beer business and moved on to an office job.
Chao, Bialous, and Chopp love their work and their company.
"We're having fun, coming to work everyday with a smile on our faces," Chao beamed.
Currently Georgetown Brewery employs seven other beer lovers who also like to brew in their homes. On occasion, the employees bring in samples of their home brew to see if they created a new recipe for the brewery. As of now, the brewery only sells half gallon jugs, mini kegs, and larger kegs, and the prices are available on their website.
The future is wide open for Georgetown Brewery, but they're being careful with how they progress. They're not looking to open up a pub in the near future.
"A restaurant is a whole new business," Chao explained. "We're not in the hospitality business. We're in the beer making business. We'd like to bottle our beer at some point, but one thing at a time."
As their brewery grows, one issue right now is a possible move from Georgetown. The space at the historic Seattle Brewing and Malting Company is limited, and the demand for their beers is growing.
"We've started looking, but we'd like stay in Georgetown, or at least South Seattle," Chao said.
One things for sure, Chao is not getting tired of the brewing business now, and he still loves drinking beer and conducting research when he goes out with friends.
"I have one of our beers first, then I'll try a beer from a different brewery," said Chao.
He and his partners attend beer festivals and continue to work on producing new brands. Coming soon will be Chopper's Red Ale.
Throughout all the headaches associated with running a brewery, the partners have kept their sense of humor about beer and the business of making it. To drive this home, a line is written on their large grain silo outside the brewery that indicates their humor as well as their love of beer, "Please refrigerate. Warm beer sucks."
Indeed.
Rick Maltby may be reached via editor@sdistrictjournal.com.[[In-content Ad]]
