Category: General

A Family-First Destination Brewery

By: Gerald Dlubala

Fred Thibodeaux was born to be near the ocean and enjoy all the water has to offer, especially boating, fishing and scuba diving. Born into an entrepreneurial family, he initially desired to use his love of water and outdoors to build a business. But the other love of his life, brewing quality craft beer, kept calling. He began working at a tavern in Jacksonville, Florida, where he spent time with the brewmaster and learned a few basics, and it was enough to get him a full-time assistant position at Gordon Biersch Brewpub in Arizona. There, Thibodeaux learned how to brew German Lagers and about the connection between food and beer. Due to a desire to learn more about larger systems and recipe building, he moved on from Gordon Biersch to Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery, a North Carolina microbrewery specializing in full-flavored dark beers.

  “Duck Rabbit had great atmosphere,” said Thibodeaux. “We produced about 10,000 barrels of darker beers like browns, porters, stouts, and barrel-aged options a year. I learned recipe formulation, packaging and bottling machinery and repair, different equipment uses, and how to troubleshoot and repair glycol systems. I always enjoyed working on and repairing equipment like engines, pumps, valves, and electrical systems, and learning how to do the same with glycol systems obviously helps keep downtime to a minimum. That is a huge deal in breweries. But just as importantly, I learned the importance of comradery in the craft brewery business.”

  Thibodeaux’s desire to be closer to home, family, and the ocean eventually led him to Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, this time as a production brewer. His skills portfolio expanded once again.

  “At the time, Cigar City Brewing was only about five years old but expanding,” said Thibodeaux. “They had two brewing systems, a brew pub15-barrel system and a larger 30-barrel, 4 vessel system. I hung out in their dedicated lab, learned how to use a centrifuge, and gained experience in efficient cleaning procedures, overall brewery efficiency, dry hopping, and the importance of water chemistry. They were IPA-heavy and big into experimental flavor-enhanced brews, sours, and barrel aging. It was a perfect opportunity for me. They also allowed employees to brew their own recipes sometimes, and I really enjoyed my time there.”

  When Thibodeaux’s friends wanted to start a brewpub in Jacksonville, he was brought in to help them start, build, and get their brewery running.

 “We started with nothing and built Wicked Barley Brewing,” said Thibodeaux. “I gained experience in the optimal flow of a brewpub, the buildout, and the construction process. I researched location choice, marketing strategies and startup procedures. We made ciders and meads, so again, a new, experience and opportunity. I also helped with food and beverage pairing. It was a family-focused, dog-friendly brewery, which was a new concept at the time. It was a great experience because I filled their needs with my experience while learning about providing family entertainment in a place where customers could hang out and enjoy themselves with their families.”

A Brewery of His Own

  After Wicked Barley successfully opened, Thibodeaux’s dream of opening a brewery came to fruition. With the encouragement of his mom and family, he began the process of opening Coastal County Brewing in his hometown of Pensacola.

  “I have to thank my mom for encouraging me and being a big motivator to follow my dreams,” said Thibodeaux. “She was an immense help and motivated me to combine my interests and start a brewery here in Pensacola. She offered a location that she had for me to use. It is in a neighborhood, so I knew the brewery had to be family-focused for it to work. We went all in on that idea, making Coastal County Brewing a family place with something every family member can participate in and enjoy, including their pets. We started small because of our money situation. We did a lot of the work ourselves, physically laying the sod, and building the outdoor area and décor using natural, earthy materials like plants, stone, and water features. We complemented those using pallet and reclaimed barn wood within the brewery. We have an awesome garden green space for guests to enjoy. I wanted our brewery to feel like your own home or backyard. We decorate for holidays and events as you would do in your own home. We do it every single month, and I think folks recognize that and feel welcomed just walking in the door.”

  Thibodeaux says that Coastal County Brewing is known to be a great getaway place within the neighborhood where the whole family can relax and enjoy quality food in an impressive, wood-surrounded outdoor area. New themed activities occur every weekend in the brewery and include related food offerings and backyard cookouts, including crawfish boils, oyster events, fish fries, crab, and shrimp boils, po boy parties, and more. The brewery also has a full-service kitchen food menu along with backyard cookouts. Families, including children and pets, can use the dog park, onsite playground, bounce houses, disc golf course, gaming areas, and more, all on the brewery’s property.

A Less than Stellar Startup Was No Deterrent

  “As luck would have it, we opened up a week before COVID shutdown,” said Thibodeaux. “We couldn’t even experience that critical first month of business when breweries like us usually get a bump just by being the new place in town. We could offer carry-out, but we weren’t even fully staffed yet. Because we had no historical sales or paycheck data, we didn’t qualify for any available business help through the government. Thankfully, we’ve overcome all of that and are now doing well, including our tourism crowd, but at the time, it was a real issue.”

  Thibodeaux says that most of his business comes in from their revolving calendar of events, which are all family and pet friendly. While the first thing to come to mind is dogs when we hear the term pet friendly, Thibodeaux says he’s welcomed all kinds of weird pets to walk through these doors, including various birds and snakes.

  “We’re lucky in that we’re not trapped in this location,” said Thibodeaux. “The brewery sits on about 2 ½ acres with a lot of space left to improve or add on. We’re always thinking of new ideas to experiment with or unique things to add. We’ve added pavers and astroturf to combat the heavy foot traffic. I make our signage so it is unique but also cost-efficient because, as anyone who has priced signage can tell you, the price and lead time involved is shocking.”

The Importance of Authenticity

  “We always want to be authentic to who, what, and where we are,” said Thibodeaux. “There are too many businesses that are basically copies of other breweries and brewpubs, and that’s not likely to work in the long run. First and foremost, we are a business that believes in sweat equity and taking care of our employees. I want to remain employee-centered while celebrating and reflecting on the things that we love and stand for, like the beach, fishing, diving, boating, and all things related. That’s what you’ll see and experience when coming in, and I’ve built that using the materials that I know. It is a stressful life because I’m actually running three businesses here on top of all the equipment maintenance schedules we adhere to. There’s our beer garden, which needs routine maintenance and landscaping upkeep, just like any outdoor space. But specialized areas also require regular attention, like the playground, activity and game centers, furniture, disc golf course, and more. Then there is the brewery and its maintenance, daily operation, and supply needs. And there’s our full-service restaurant that includes the operation, normal ordering, and special orders for our events and cookouts. Our heavy event schedule also demands planning, prep work, and execution. It’s a lot.”

Experience Pays Dividends

  “I knew what type of brewing equipment I wanted from my previous brewery experiences,” said Thibodeaux. “Our brewery runs a custom system that I designed and had built myself, rather than paying the upcharge that using a middleman would’ve cost me. It’s a 7 ½ barrel direct fire system with a 10-barrel oversized mash tun that is a combo vessel, a mash mixer lauder tun. We use our kettle whirlpool daily and can clean one side while brewing on the other. And we have five fermenters and one 7 ½ barrel brite tank.”

  Coastal County Brewing makes many seasonal beers, always giving customers something fresh and new. There is a wide range of ciders and seltzers as well. The brewery’s use of bar top canners has overtaken the popularity of growlers or crowlers, where the beer has a shelf life after opening. Guests can mix, match, or customize a 4-pack of oxygen-purged 16-ounce cans for personalized to-go orders.

  “We offer about 200 different beers throughout the year, and we make everything I’ve been taught how to make. We have 12-13 core beers and 15 or so seasonal beers. Our ciders are popular, with our pineapple cider being among the most popular. We offer our standard beers and around five specialty beers every week. We run 30 beer taps, and I’ve created a one-of-a-kind seltzer fountain machine that pours our seltzers and blends them with a choice of 7-8 flavorings, with the ability to change flavors instantly. We do it all.”

  Thibodeaux tells Beverage Master Magazine that Coastal County Brewing also features a creative beer-forward program. Customers can pay for a beer in advance for a friend by name or for an unsuspecting guest matching the qualifications provided by the beer donor.

  “We have a big military presence here in Pensacola, so it kind of started with the serviceman wanting to buy beers for their friends,” said Thibodeaux. “They’ll pay for it upfront, and when the person comes in, they get the free beer. But our regulars took it a step further and started doing it for guests like the first nurse that walks in, the first person with a specific dog breed, or whatever. It can be anything, really, even buying a beer for an employee not working that day. We keep track of the beer-forward names or qualifications on a big whiteboard. It’s become a very cool way to pay it forward.”

Brewery Challenges Are Abundant

  “One of the biggest debts we incur is labor,” said Thibodeaux. “I always make it a point to cover my labor costs first. This is their livelihood, and I make sure to respect that. Here in Florida, the minimum wage is rising every year until we reach the $15.00 an hour rate. After that, the more consistent expenses like utilities or rent will go out no matter what. The things any brewery owner has to watch closely are the fluctuating expenses like raw material costs and related food prices. We’re a business of margins, and an owner must remain conscious and budget wisely every single week to survive in today’s market. When starting out, have a solid business plan. Work with the SBA so you know what you’re doing. In my case, my educational background and previous experience working in and experiencing different brewery situations paid huge dividends. This industry is always evolving, and as brewery owners, we have to evolve with it. The next couple of years are going to be interesting.”

For more information, contact Coastal County Brewing at:

Coastal County Brewing

3041 East Olive Road

Pensacola, Florida 32514

850-741-2973

www.coastalcountybrewing.com

By: Becky Garrison

During a damp trip to Ireland, the late Steve McCarthy, founder of Oregon-based Clear Creek Distillery, had the opportunity to taste many a single malt to avoid the rain. Upon his return to Oregon, he had the distinction of being the first distiller to bring an American single malt to market. His first single malt was distilled in 1994 and released in 1998. Made using 100% peated barley from Scotland and aged in 100% garryana oak barrels (a tree particular to the Pacific Northwest), McCarthy’s single malts embodied both Scottish and Pacific Northwest whiskey traditions.

  After Hood River Distillers acquired Clear Creek Distillery, McCarthy’s 3-year-old Oregon Single Malt continues to remain their flagship whiskey. Other McCarthy single malts have been released that celebrate the bounty of this region, including a 6-year single malt finished in sherry casks.

  Caitlin Bartlemay, Master Distiller for Clear Creek Distillery and Hood River Distillers, Inc., observes, “Since the release of McCarthy’s American Single Malt, there have been hundreds of distillers across the country with the same idea; to dig into their region and share the culture through their craft.” For example, the October/November 2019 issue of Beverage Master highlighted the rise of Pacific Northwest American Single Malt whiskies.

  In 2010, Westland Distillery in Seattle was founded as the second distillery in the United States dedicated solely to producing American single malt, behind Stranahan’s in Denver, founded in 2004. During his tenure as Marketing Director for Westland Distillery, Steve Hawley recognized early on the difficulty to succeed with American single malt whiskeys without having a formal category to work within. Together with Westland co-founder Matt Hofmann, they decided to establish the American Single Malt category by bringing together varied producers to draft a formal definition and petition the TTB to add it into their regulations.

  At the 2016 American Crafts Spirits Association annual convention in snowy Chicago, Hawley and Hofmann proposed a meetup of other American single malt distillers.  From this meeting, the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission (ASMWC) was founded as the face of this movement, with the goal of establishing a standard of identity for “American Single Malt Whiskey.” In addition to Westland, the other founding members of the ASMWC included: Balcones Distilling (Waco, TX), Copperworks Distilling (Seattle, WA), Few Spirits (Evanston, IL), Headframe Spirits (Butte, MT), Santa Fe Spirits (Santa Fe, NM), Triple Eight Distillery (Nantucket, MA), Virginia Distillery Co. (Lovington, VA), and Westward Distillery (Portland, OR).

  As these conversations ensued, the group aligned together on various ways to also promote the category to the trade and end consumers. Hawley assumed the role of President of the ASMWC with currently over 100 distilleries listed as members on the ASMWC website.

  The ASMWC took on the task of not only drafting the proposed definition but petitioning the TTB for it and advocating for the details of it for years. They hosted meetings and calls with TTB to help give them context for why designation was important —how it benefits producers and consumers—and they have been the central body for organizing the support and industry consensus required by TTB to take action. They also played the critical role of educating not only the trade and consumers but also, importantly, the TTB itself on the finer point of the rulemaking and how certain stipulations needed to be addressed based on factors such as production realities, competitive forces, and consumer clarity.

The TTB Approval of the American Single Malt Category

  On December 18, 2024, the TTB added a new type of whiskey for the first time in 52 years: American Single Malt Whiskey by including the new Standard of Identity to Part 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations with an effective date of January 19, 2025. This definition clearly defines the category and protects its producers and their products by stipulating that American Single Malt whiskeys adhere to the following production standards:

•  Mashed, distilled, and aged in the United States

•  Distilled entirely at one U.S. distillery

•  Distilled to a proof of 160 or less

•  Distilled from a fermented mash of 100% malted barley

•  Stored in oak barrels (used, uncharred new, or charred new) with a maximum capacity of 700L

•  Bottled at not less than 80 proof

  In the April 23, 2023, edition of the New York Times, whiskey author Clay Risen pointed out how this American definition is looser than Scotland’s famously rigid rules. “Like Scotch, American Single Malt would have to be made at one distillery—hence ‘single’—using 100 percent malted barley. But while the Scottish version must be distilled on a pot still and aged for at least three years, neither requirement would exist in the United States. Also, tradition (though not law) dictates that Single Malt Scotch be aged in used casks, usually Bourbon barrels, but no such expectation exists for its American counterpart.

  These less-rigid requirements will allow distillers latitude in terms of their distilling practices. While most distillers will use a pot still for distilling their single malts, there are others who choose a column or hybrid still. Also, the looser barrel requirements allow for considerable flexibility in cask finishes with distillers having the ability to age their spirits in new oak casks, as well as used casks that once held beer, wine, sherry, and other spirits.  

The Significance of the TTB Designation

  Being from Seattle, Tyler Pederson, Master Distiller at Westland Distillery, uses rain as a metaphor to describe the impact of the TTB’s decision:

  An idea from a single producer can condense out of thin air and fall to earth as a single drop of rain. Its impact upon the ground on which it falls is very real, but also very localized as it percolates through the soil. As others coalesce around similar ideas and the raindrops begin to fall, they can saturate the ground and create a puddle. However, it isn’t really until the raindrops fall upon a defined topography that they begin to have recognizable features as a common whole.

  What is first a puddle can quickly become a pond, then a stream which feeds a lake, and eventually a river flows to an ocean. The definition from the TTB provides us with the necessary landscape in which we can take shape and have a meaningful impact in the world of whiskey. Distillers now have solid ground to where they can innovate and pour their resources into, leading to a rich environment where whiskey lovers can journey and explore the various features. No doubt, the coming torrent of innovative and thoughtful new products will have whiskey lovers singing in the rain.

  When asked how this formal designation informs how Westward Whiskey produces and markets its whiskeys, Westward’s CEO Tom Mooney replies: “All of us at Westward Whiskey are thrilled that TTB has officially recognized American Single Malt as a unique and distinctive whiskey category. Crafting world-class American Single Malt demands exceptional time, investment, and expertise. This new standard of identity will protect the integrity of the category and empower consumers to explore the exciting future of American whiskey.”

  According to Bartlemay, while their production and sales approach for McCarthy’s will not change as their production falls within the new rules for this category, this new designation will be incredibly important when it comes to speaking about McCarthy’s in the market. “It adds an extra layer of distinction when speaking to customers that are new to the category and elevates us amongst our peers on the global market,” she opines.

  When Talking Cedar Brewery and Distillery (Rochester, WA), the first distillery in the US built on tribal lands, opened in 2020, they planned to embrace American Single Malt as their flagship whiskey. According to Ryan Myhre, Head Distiller and Brewer, bringing on Matt Hofmann to supervise their whiskey program only solidified and reiterated that vision.  “Matt is a key player in the space and brings years of experience developing and producing world-class American Single Malts.” 

  Myhre adds that this vision is only furthered by the strong barley research programs and initiatives in the state of Washington, of which Hoffman has intimate knowledge and connections.  As he reflects, “While we plan to explore a wide range of barrel-matured whiskey products, the whiskey zeitgeist in Washington will certainly be American Single Malt for the foreseeable future and beyond. Moving forward, Myhre predicts their biggest challenge will be educating and growing a consumer base that is certainly more familiar with bourbon and rye-based whiskies.

The Future of the ASMWC

  As Hawley notes, the TTB approval is just the end of the beginning. “We now have an official category to rally behind but the work of educating and promoting continues,” he states.  The ASMWC will continue to be highly active in developing programs that support their members as they look to expand their businesses and the category more broadly. Also, they will be active in finding ways to protect the integrity of the category at home and abroad. And we will continue being a voice in broader whiskey and spirits-focused issues such as agriculture, tax reform, transparency in spirits, tariffs, and more.

More information about the ASMWC can be found on their website, https://www.americansinglemaltwhiskey.orghttps://www.americansinglemaltwhiskey.org