The largest asset of Avery Brewing Company is our outstanding and dedicated staff of 15 individuals, each of whom is as crazy and inspired as our brews.
My love of beer began as an infant. My aunt would put a few drops of the precious liquid on my pacifier to ease the pain of teething. My passion grew through the years as my parents had a "European attitude" towards alcoholic beverages. As I grew into adulthood, I found it difficult to find brands that challenged me. My tastebuds required more flavor than breweries at that time were creating. I was forced to homebrew. All kinds of strange concoctions poured from my kitchen. The cases stacked up.....my friends and I couldn't quaff as fast as I brewed. The creations, I was told, were great. "Start a brewery!" they said. So with the aid of Dad and his friend, Steve Wagner, I turned my hobby into a profession. Now my singular goal is to challenge your taste buds while taking brewing to another level of flavor, quality, and consistency. I am......a beer junkie!
Dad grew up during the oppressive days of "American Lager". His tastes have certainly shifted, as it is nearly impossible to get him to drink beer with less than 8% alcohol. He's turned into a hophead too! A research chemist for nearly 30 years, he chucked it all away and threw everything he had into the brewery. He now manages the finances, but his first love is running, having logged over 60,000 miles in the last 27 years.
Contact: L.avery@att.net
Steve squandered most of his collegiate days acquiring a Bachelor of Arts in Geology from the University of Montana. Fortunately, while living in Missoula he spent most of his time homebrewing and after college quickly found work on a bottling line at Saxer Brewing Co. in Portland OR. Steve was then accepted to the UC Davis Master Brewer's Program, graduating in 1996 and earning his Associate Membership to the Institute of Brewing in London. From there he spent the next 5 years skiing and climbing in the Tetons while earning a paycheck from Snake River Brewing Co. as the assistant Head Brewer. A short stint as the Head Brewer at Lightning Boy Brewery in Bozeman, MT., preceded Steve's arrival at Avery Brewing Co. in the fall of 2001. When not sniffing beers for flaws, Steve is somewhere in the mountains (if his wife allows) or playing with his two best buddies, Jack and Sam.
Contact: steve@averybrewing.com
After obtaining a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville and enduring 11 years as an engineer in the meatpacking industry (while homebrewing on the side), Steve cashed out and enrolled at the Siebel Institute of Brewing in 1997. From there he worked 4 years at the Oasis Brewery in Boulder brewing many award winning beers. In 2002 Steve accepted a position with Avery from a hospital bed after emergency colon surgery following a gut busting forklift encounter at Oasis. As Avery grew from a 3 man operation to its current staff, Steve's engineering skills took him away from brewing and into plant maintenance and expansion. The little free time the brewery affords him, Steve spends cleaning vinyl records, playing guitar, and wrenching on his Plumcrazy 1970 Dodge Challenger convertible.
Contact: wad@averybrewing.com
Landlocked surfer - lost in Boulder, Colorado. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Peter has been promoting and selling Avery brews since 2002. His outgoing and friendly personality coupled with his passion and knowledge of our beer have made him an invaluable asset to our team over the years. With endless energy, Peter's ubiquity across the Front Range means he is the Avery staff member that you are most likely to see around town. When he is not promoting America's best beers (you know who that is) he is most likely cycling, running, snowboarding, surfing or spending time with his wife Jenell and 4 year old son Jaidan.
Contact: peter@averybrewing.com
Andy spent his college years at Syracuse University behind the camera earning his bachelor's degree in TV / radio / film education. He took his Hollywood skills straight into brewing, working first for Commonwealth Brewing Co. in New York, then fleeing the continent to Kona Brewing Co. in Kailua-Kona, HI. Andy joined the Brewery team in the summer of 2002, and has been an important player in the crafting of our beer through his role as Brewer, Lab Man and Chief Safety Engineer to name just a few. If he's not drinking a barleywine he is definitely playing ultimate frisbee.
With a B.S. in Anthropology from the University of Houston, Handtruck spent the next four years teaching math/science to 4th and 5th graders. After his first year of dealing with the public school system he began to remedy his perpetual headache with weekend bouts of homebrewing. The natural course of beer took its way and while Matt still misses working with children, he found he could not ignore his passion for beer. After a brief internship at Saint Arnold Brewing (thanks Brock) he started working at Avery Brewing Company in the summer of 2003 and has never looked back. When not at the brewery, 'Truck' is most likely climbing, skiing, cycling or drinking a few beers after one of the aforementioned activities.
Coming from the stained glass supply world, Matt, aka Mick, is perhaps the only trained forklift operator at the brewery. Besides obviously flaunting his skills over ours, we still like him. Self-trained in beer with homebrewing skills out the wazzoo he is always ready for a "tasting." However, Mick's greatest assest is his ability to continue working while everyone else stands around and drinks. Outside the brewery you will most likely find Mick on a bike, snowboard, or dreaming up new ink for his arm.
A Texan by birth and Wyoming poke at heart, Rob spent several years in the pharmacy business before returning to school for Molecular Biology at the University of Wyoming. Laramie's proximity to Boulder and Rob's close friend since high school, Avery employee Matt "HT" Thrall, meant that he spent a lot of time hanging around the brewery learning all things Avery. Rob moved seamlessly into a brewing role at Avery in June of 2006 and has been here crafting beer and consuming it ever since. When not at the brewery he can be found riding powder, hiking, or watching his beloved Astros.
A Vermonter through and through, C.V. graduated from St. Lawrence University with a BA in Economics and Government and immediately went to work for a Vermont based financial services firm--apparently oblivious to the fact that his two year tenure would be characterized by impromptu naps and a need for something more. During a rare moment of sound judgment, C.V. responded to a peripatetic desire for a change of scenery and moved to Colorado in search of larger mountains and a job in the decidedly "un-corporate" craft beer industry. Since October of '06 he has served Avery as an Assistant Brewer and more recently in a marketing role. While not at the brewery you will most likely find him back at the brewery making a homebrew or in the mountains chasing trout and deep snow.
Contact: cv@averybrewing.com
One of two Vermonters on the Avery staff, Fred spent most of his college years in Keene, New Hampshire, "tasting" brews and charging hard as a weak side wing on the rugby field at SVC freshmen year. "Fredo" graduated with a B.S. in Business Management from Keene State College in 2006 and moved out to Boulder shortly after. Since October of '06 Fred has served Avery in all aspects of brewing, proving himself particularly adept at learning the art and science of crafting beer. Outside of the brewery you are apt find Fred killing it in tie-dye V-necks, original Frogskins, his favorite pair of moccasins as well as the occasional button down Polo. Fred also loves to shred in the mountains and if you are lucky, you may run into him in his marlin shorts wrecking house on the Beirut table the next time you stop by the brewery...
P.S. "Don't Panic its Organic."
Ted grew up in Rhode Island and came to Colorado in 1996 to run. After seven years of studying Biology and English at University of Colorado he got into wine wholesaling. Ted worked with big distributors and small but the whole time was hanging out at Avery and finally in 2007 got a job with us. These days Ted makes sure to run, mountain bike and get on the road bike whenever possible. He spends his remaining time making sure Coloradoans are experiencing more from their favorite brewery. If you run into Ted on the street, make sure to ask him how he got his nickname!
Contact: Ted@averybrewing.com
An Avery employee since the summer of '07, Billy simultaneously adds industry know-how and a spot of hippie wisdom to the Avery team. Billy spent his formative years jumping around the globe as the son of a military man, and presently constitutes the closest thing to a native Coloradoan on the Avery staff with 20 years under his belt in Boulder. He partied hard while earning a bachelors degree from Washington State University in Pullman, WA and then moved to Boulder to begin working in the restaurant industry. After years as a bar manager developing a love for great beer, he moved onto framing custom homes and soon realized he could no longer afford to buy craft beer. Homebrewing was the obvious answer to this dilemma, and within a few years he found himself brewing professionally with Oasis Brewing followed by Twisted Pine Brewing. In his 15th year in the craft brew industry, Billy is having a great time working the warehouse here at Avery and enjoying life as always.
A product of Clinton, NY (As Jesse says "A quaint little drinking village on the outskirts of Utica"), Jesse quickly developed a passion for all things beer. While studying at SUNY Oswego, he spent time working at a beer distribution center and one summer working as a Marketing Assistant with Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY. Upon graduation he decided to make his way west to Boulder in search of a position within the walls of a craft brewery. Once he arrived in Boulder, Jesse visited several breweries and tasted countless beers, only to discover that Avery was where he belonged. After pestering us in the tasting room every day for nearly a year, we decided to take him on as an Assistant Brewer in October of '07. Neither of us have looked back since.
Angie worked for Avery Brewing Co. in the very beginning. She started part-time while attending CU Law School. She performed several jobs at the brewery - filtering, bottling (back when we bottled by hand, 4 bottles at a time and capped them by hand, too). After graduating, she became VP of Sales & Marketing and was critical to the success of the brewery. We couldn't have done it without her, we were sorry to see her go. She now lives in Oxford, MS, has two sons, William and Avery, and works for her alma mater, Ole Miss. She can be contacted at angie@umfoundation.com.
Brewery tours - including free tastings - depart from our newly expanded Tap Room at 4:00 PM Tuesday through Friday and at 2:00 PM on weekends. Come visit!
Join us on Friday, November 21st at the Avery Tap Room to celebrate ten years of brewing Hog Heaven Barleywine with a TEN YEAR vertical tasting! We will have appetizers along with fine cheeses and meats that compliment the beer. See EVENTS page for more details or go to our Gear Shop and then Accessories to purchase tickets.
The Avery Tap Room now has local musicians showcasing their acoustic talents every Thursday evening. Stop by, have a brew and enjoy the tunes!
Food on Friday nights! 13th Street Cafe will be selling their pizza and hot sandwiches at the Avery Tap Room every Friday night beginning 11/7!
Attention Old Jubilation Lovers! Are you a fan of our Old Jubilation Ale? Show your support and vote it the best Holiday beer in TheFullPint.com poll.
Vote at The Full Pint
Avery Tap Room hours are: Tuesday through Friday 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM with tours at 4:00 PM sharp, Saturdays from 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM with a tour at 2:00 PM and Sundays from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM with a 2:00 PM tour. First 5 tasters are free, customers can purchase additional tasters or pints if they so choose. We only have a couple of rules: Drink responsibly, arrive with your best beer attitude and bring someone new each time you revisit! Beer line up changes weekly. If you have any questions about the Avery Tap Room, just contact kellner@averybrewing.com. See you soon!