The Brewery Architect

Current Brew Style of Choice: IPA

Where I had my first real beer? "Schneider Weiss in Munich with an Aventinus Eisbock." 

Farthest you've gone for a beer?  "American bar in Vienna, 5,671 miles."

Best design advice for brewers? "Think big but build right. Success will bring the big. Remember that the craft beer scene in Austin will continue to evolve and your plans may need to evolve with it."

Favorite part of designing a brewery? "No comment. I love it all!"

Current Brew Style of Choice: Stout

AKA: Big-Time Trace

Where I had my first real beer? "A nondescript field somewhere in Appalachia."

Farthest you've gone for a beer? "Mayrhofen, Austria"

Best design advice for brewers?  "Align yourself with trusted advisers and other knowledgeable members of the home-brewing/craft-brewing communities. Develop your brand early and give forethought to the steps necessary to transition from hobbyist to pro while protecting the IP that communicates your unique vision through your product."

Favorite part of designing a brewery? "Fostering a more enriching, involved level of communication and productivity between stakeholders, who ultimately share in contributing to the vision of the design process."

Current Brew Style of Choice: Lager

AKA: The Duke

Where I had my first real beer? " A Miller Lite in Lafayette, LA"

Farthest you've gone for a beer? "Venice, Italy"

Best design advice for brewers?  "Know your brewery's identity so that the architecture (interior and exterior) says just as much about the brewery as the beer does. Make sure that your building and beer leave a lasting impression on your visitors."

Favorite part of designing a brewery? "Detailing. The smallest architectural detail can set your space apart. Take inspiration from others, but be original.  Your beer is [original], so why can’t your facility [be]?"

Current Brew Style of Choice?: “Imperial Stout in the winter and Pilsner in the summer “

Where I had my first real beer? “Around a bonfire in Prairieville, Louisiana.”

Farthest you’ve gone for a beer? “Prague”

Best design advice for brewers? “Have a strong identity and make sure all of the aspects of your company, from your beer to your brand identity to the architecture, reflects that identity. Don’t try to be everything to everybody, be true to your vision. “

Favorite part of designing a brewery? “Creating stand-out moments, through designing unique spaces and/or interesting details. On any scale of the design, from big picture to the minute details, great designs can leave a lasting impression on people.”

Current Brew Style of Choice?

Brown Ales are always my go-to favorite. Two beers currently in my fridge that I am enjoying are Real Ale’s Coffee Porter and Live Oak’s Primus Weizenbock. The Moebius at Black Star Co-op is outstanding!

Where I had my first real beer?

In Austin! When I was at UT, I recall Real Ale’s Fireman’s 4 changed what beer was for me. And I would go to Junior’s over on 29th St to broaden my education.

Farthest you’ve gone for a beer?

Hmmm. One time, after skiing in New Hampshire, instead of traveling straight back to Boston, my wife and I drove to Kittery, Maine to a pizzeria/bar called When Pigs Fly that we had been to 6 months earlier. To be honest, our trek was half for the pizza and half for the beer flight. The Old Brown Dog Brown Ale from Smuttynose Brewing Company wasn’t on tap this time, so I navigated through Boston to a few stores before finding it.

Best design advice for brewers?

Research, research, research your equipment needs and know those early in the design process. Be true to yourself, stand out, and enjoy the process.

Favorite part of designing a brewery?

Helping people achieve their dreams and designing a place where people have fun! Tasting the results is great too.

Current Brew Style of Choice: IPA

Where I had my first real beer? Amman, Jordan

Farthest you’ve gone for a beer? Berlin, Germany

Best design advice for brewers? Balance attention to detail with considerations of the bigger picture when approaching the project.

Favorite part of designing a brewery? Some of the best design ideas exist because of complicated problems that occur during design phase. Those moment are the most fulfilling.