Jake Maddux, the founder of The Brewer’s Table in Austin, Texas, has one of the greatest stories about getting into the brewing business.
As a 25-year-old former U.S. Marine, Maddux moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to work at a winery. He found a roommate on Craigslist and later discovered that her uncle was Fritz Maytag, the former owner of Anchor Brewing Company.
“My jaw dropped,” he said. “I was sitting there on the couch after work. I was a little drunk. I was a little stoned, and all of a sudden I’m passed a cell phone and Fritz Maytag on the other end of it.”
So, Maddux asked him for a job.
The gig with Anchor eventually led to a stint with New Belgium before Maddux moved to Austin, where he helped open a small brewery called Thirsty Planet Brewing Company, and later The Brewer’s Table.
In episode 12 of the Brewbound Podcast, editor Chris Furnari interviews Maddux, who discusses how The Brewer’s’ Table is redefining food and beer pairings. He also talks about his goals for the business and why he is hell-bent on winning a James Beard Award.
Listen to episode 12 of the Brewbound Podcast above, as well as on iTunes. The episode is also available on Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Soundcloud. New episodes of the Brewbound Podcast, which is co-hosted by Furnari and Brewbound editor Justin Kendall, are published every Thursday.
Episode 13 will be released on Thursday, December 6.
For questions, comments or suggestions, please email podcast@brewbound.com.