Brewbound 2023 Rising Stars : Big Grove Brewery

Speaker 1 [00:12] Let's meet our next rising star, Big Grove Brewery from Ceylon, Iowa. Joining me now is co-founder and CEO Matthew Swift and director of Industry and Public relations, Janelle Buxton. Thanks for being here, Matthew and Janelle, and congratulations.

Speaker 2 [00:28] Thank you.

Speaker 3 [00:29] Yeah, thanks a lot. Super exciting, uh, kind of shocked and, and, uh, yeah, excited to talk today. Thank you.

Speaker 1 [00:38] Well, Matt, Big Grove is a brand that was built to more than 20,000 barrels in just one state, and that presents a lot of opportunities, but I imagine there's a lot of challenges with that. So, what's it like to go that deep in just one state?

Speaker 3 [00:54] Uh, well, yeah, yeah, the, the, the inch wide mile deep strategy, uh, that's been our, our plan for a long time and it's, it's worked out really well. Um I'd say it's, it's a little bit more methodical, you know, we, we took our time to do it. We've been doing this for over 10 years, uh, and we started distributing product heavily in 18, so it's been a long, it's been a long haul, but, uh, you know, just always trying to keep our eye on the ball, which includes, you know, great products. And the right people and trying to make it, just make it special and stand out. And I think that we just got a great team that supported it and we're very fortunate and I'm, I'm just super proud of everybody.

Speaker 1 [01:33] With that, do you plan to, or do you foresee going out of state anytime soon?

Speaker 3 [01:40] Yeah, you know, that's the million dollar question. We've been debating a lot about do we go out outside the state or not, and I think we're leaning towards a yes, but very, very slow and, and very steady, um, growth, and uh we're, we're excited about it. We're looking at Omaha market really hard right now and we're excited about that and we're working towards, uh, you know, the different layers that that could present, which would be, do you put a taproom in, who do you hire for distributor, how are you going to handle it? And I think just the layers there start stacking up and we want to make sure we make great decisions and We don't want to be a drop and drop and die, you know, I think we want to be the same philosophy, but just in maybe a different state, which is pretty wild and um coming in with heavy questions. I like it.

Speaker 1 [02:23] Is that a 2024 option then?

Speaker 3 [02:26] Yeah, 2024 we're looking at being in the market, uh, Q1, late Q1 potentially, but again, that's, uh, that's kind of hot off the press. There you go.

Speaker 1 [02:36] Janelle, what do you see as the opportunity with adding an extra state?

Speaker 2 [02:42] Oh, I think, uh, it's an exciting opportunity for sure, obviously just distribution, um, but then also the ability to join another great beer community. I had the opportunity to live in, live in Nebraska, live in Omaha for a year, as a matter of fact, um, so overall I think one of the things that makes Big Grove really unique, well, 3 things actually. One is, uh, taproom experience. Um, second is the commitment to quality that this organization has. Is, is really what what the craft beer industry needs, um, right now, and then third is the community engagement, so giving back and really making sure that as Matt alluded to, you know, being a mile, uh, a mile deep, um, in our communities that that we operate in, um, it's not an intention just to go into, um, another space for distribution, it's the intention to go in and create experiences for craft beer drinkers to be able to, um. Support nonprofits for things that we believe in trees, trails, and water, equity and inclusion, um, our backyard so it's, um, it's an exciting opportunity just to be able to engage in a in a different way that isn't just straight shipping our beer out with no real intention of being involved in the communities.

Speaker 1 [03:59] You're in the process of more than doubling your production. How's that project coming along?

Speaker 3 [04:07] Yeah, it's uh, it's coming fast and furious right now. We've uh kind of entered the, everything's inside and closed in, and it, it feels great. So all the tanks are inside, all the equipment's inside. Now it becomes. Installation of that equipment, um, it's going to give us a tremendous amount of firepower. We've always been chasing capacity, so we've never had enough beer, and this, this will actually give us enough beer. So it's a 50 barrel 4 vessel system with 250 barrel fermenters, coming from a 60 barrel, 30 by 60. So it's a pretty big upgrade for us, um, and I think the technology side's going to be a lot deeper too, so we're thrilled, uh, looking to have it online by the end of the year. And start pushing beer through around then and, and hope maybe it'll just be water and then then some beer, but it's an exciting project. It's on the south side of Iowa City and it, it, uh, it's about 42,000 square feet and have the ability to pump out 70,000 barrels of beer just out of that facility. And then we also have our main facility that we operate out of now which is on our tap room, and that one's gonna peak out at about 30. So a lot of that distribution and production will move over to the new, the hop lot, that's what we're calling it, and that's, uh, that's what we're. We're, we're looking forward to and having some space and not having deliveries in our tap room at all hours of the day and just the logistics of that have been really hard. So it's, it's a, it's gonna be great.

Speaker 1 [05:29] You've got 3 taprooms throughout Iowa. You've got Salon, you've got Iowa City, and you have, um, Des Moines, which is humongous, and I've visited there. Is there plans to add additional taprooms throughout the state?

Speaker 3 [05:44] Yeah, well, we have one project that's about to launch, um, and that's our new taproom in Cedar Rapids, which would be about 25 minutes from our, our original location and about 30-40 minutes from our current facility where we operate out of, and that's, uh, it's right downtown off the kind of right off the river in, in the center of the whole thing. So it's a beautiful new build that's, uh, super unique, super full of character, and, and the town's excited, we're excited. That's gonna be a lager facility, so it's gonna focus on all lager production and very, very small though, like a 10 by 20 system, and so we might only be finishing, you know, 345 batches a month there, but really trying to seed that, that taproom with that beer. So it's kind of cool. Cedar Raps has got a really deep Czech heritage and so kind of leaning into that, the history and, and, and everything that goes with that is pretty exciting because I don't think we've seen a lot of these lager-only breweries. There are a few throughout the country, but. And then going uh open fermentation, the, the whole nine yards. So we're, the, the brewery team specifically is really excited about it.

Speaker 2 [06:49] So in regard to, uh, coming to to Cedar Rapids and, um, Justin, you know I have nothing but love for you, but it's actually pronounced Solen is where Big Grove landed 10 years ago and so, um, we would be we would be ousted if we didn't, if we didn't share, um, we didn't share that it's Son, but, um. But Cedar Rapids, I, um, one of the things that I'm really looking forward to within that particular community, um, it's an amazing resilient community. They were actually wiped out a couple times, one of which was with the floods of 2008 and then most recently the Derecho, um, and so it's, it's just a really, really unique space, um. And to to be able to, to bring in something and join the the already great beer community there, um, bring in something a little different, bring in, bring in more celebration, more attraction to the town, and, and help them continue to, to rebuild and bring more tourism, um, I think that that beer tourism is an exciting thing for Iowa right now, um, you know, we're, we're clocking in north of 100 breweries here in the state and so we just came off of our IBS, our annual education. Um, conference in the state and you know, I, I think there's, there's cautious optimism. I think there's a commitment to quality or recommitment to quality, um, and so if we are asking people to come to our state to taste our, our beers, um, then we need to stand behind it. And so as Matt alluded to with Cedar Rapids and having it be a unique lager facility, this is just one more reason, one more tourist attraction to come, and as he, as he mentioned, it's one of unique, I think, 4 brew systems in the United States, um, for this particular setup. So, uh, that's, that's just, it's gonna be exciting to be able to, to come and offer something a little different, you know, but all in the umbrella of beer.

Speaker 3 [08:45] I think that one of the unique things about Cedar Rapids is that we're actually anchoring a whole new district, so rather than just being um a one-off location, it's anchoring a whole new commercial retail district in the heart of downtown Cedar Rapids. It's super unique. I mean, I don't know that there's a lot of those opportunities in a large metro across the country, so really community defining moment and uh. That's, that's a different, different than what we've done before. We've kind of found the spot, adapted to the, to the, to the building and the, and the place, and this is more developing a whole district and a whole new part of the community, which is really cool.

Speaker 1 [09:22] Well, this year also, Big Grove became the top-selling craft brand in the state of Iowa. What do you attribute to driving that growth?

Speaker 3 [09:30] Yeah, I would, I mean, my initial response is team, uh, I think that our team is, is so dedicated to the success of Big Grove and our product and our communities that we sell it in that it, it, it, it separates us and I think a lot of people are, are absolutely all in on those things, but our team is just passionate and they, they get after it and I'm proud of them. I think quality, we stand on our quality, um, but I, I think that our brand means something to the folks in Iowa. And we're so proud to to be a part of that, but I mean, it's been a long journey like I've said, but at the same time, it's felt fast at times and I feel like we're in one of those ramp up times right now.

Speaker 2 [10:11] And just to add to that, I, um, I also think, you know, I, I joined the organization 3 years ago, so, um, I've just, I've gotten to hear a lot of legend and lore about what Big Grove was starting 10 years ago, and it was, um, really intentional growth, you know, and, and, and making sure within Solan first, um. Spreading the word there, working with accounts, getting them beer, prioritizing our customers, you know, the people that were distributing our beer, and then just keeping that mentality going and um one of the things that they've done exceptionally well before I joined the organization was just creating a brand, you know, um, as far as beautiful packaging um the the. Popcorn moniker, you know, giving something that people could not only go in and experience in a taproom, but then they also felt really proud to be able to wear on a t-shirt, sweatshirt, um, be able to carry around in a can, you know, and, and I think that as craft consumers or just consumers in general, oftentimes we buy things that are meaningful to us. Because we want to then share, you know, what's meaningful to us, um, in some of those ways. And so I think, I think Big Grove did a really great job of, of that. And then also just the, um, aligning with some really key partnerships, you know, Ragry, uh, Big Grove gets to be the official brewery of Ragry, and that's a, you know, the, the bike ride across the state, right from river to river and so. Um, supporting events that are really meaningful to us right here in our state have been some critical wins to get not only growth, um, out of Solan and Iowa City but then across, across the entire state. So, um, those are the kinds of things that I think as. It's and it's also been really really controlled thoughtful growth too, you know, and so as we look at going out of state, um, it'll be those kinds of, of partnerships and things that we'll want to look for, you know, that makes sense to us and, and our brands.

Speaker 1 [12:09] Well, final question for you both. You mentioned that you're gonna launch Omaha in Q1 of next year, but what, what do you see as maybe some of the biggest growth opportunities for you in 2024?

Speaker 3 [12:24] Yeah, great question. Uh, I mean, I think Citrus Surfer has just started, you know, we, we, we, we see that brand growing, uh, to something that's even bigger than it is today. So I think Citrus Surfer has got a A long runway ahead of it. I think that uh Easy Eddie and the Easy Eddie brand extensions, which is uh West Eddie, Royal Eddie, and then we have several different mix packs that we put out with that beer. It's really all different expressions of hops, so from um an IPL to, to West Coast to whatever really the brewers are excited about, that, that, that keeps me excited and I think that that's gonna keep growing. Uh, and then I think that, you know, you're gonna kind of see where the market wants to go. I think there's going to be a lot of other opportunities. There's certainly going to be different opportunities in beer, but those two products are going to be, uh, one of our key focuses right now. And then I would say on the taproom side, I think the consumer is going to become a little bit more picky on where they spend their dollars over the next 12 months and maybe longer, so. If you got anything you need to brush up on uh as far as your service, hospitality, experience, food quality, plating, atmosphere, uh, those are the things that we're talking about a lot right now. So we're trying to be. Pretty lead on, on our execution. So it's really an execution-based time. I think the kind of the rapid growth that we felt, I think that's gonna, you know, continue, but it might have to continue in different places in different ways and that's why I like having a brand like Surfer, having a new market to look at, those are things that are really exciting for us right now, but I think 24 is gonna be great. We just got to really focus and, and we got nail the things that we do well, the things that we're known for, we have to double down on and we have to be the best at, so. Um, that's something that we're gonna work really hard on, and, and my whole thing right now is, is be faster and be better. So, it it sounds easy, but it's not that easy, and I, and I'm sure the teams get annoyed at times, but I, I think 24 is about execution. And uh, That's where a lot of our focus is going to be.

Speaker 2 [14:25] And I would also just add, um, continuing to invite different audiences under the tent, you know, um, as we have, um, diversified our portfolio a bit to a more sessionable, you know, uh, fruited wheat, for example, and so, um, thinking about those drinkers that, um, what would, would appreciate, you know, a product like that, um, making sure that we're talking to diverse audiences whether it be ethnicity, whether it be race, gender, um. You know, our, our tap rooms, uh, we, we talk about how everyone's welcome and we really mean it and, um, so being, being intentional with, um, some of the different, different groups that we, we wanna make sure we're inviting in or talking to, you know, is a huge, a huge growth opportunity for not only our brand but, but for craft in general, um, and so we, we always wanna make sure that we're providing the. Experiences, the environment, um, the welcomeness, the product mix, um, to, to, to have a broad appeal, you know, not just a, a really myopic, um, um, craft focus.

Speaker 1 [15:28] Matt and Janelle, thanks for your time and congratulations to you both and your team.

Speaker 3 [15:33] Yeah, well, thanks, thanks so much, Justin. Thanks to Brebound. Thanks to everybody that just making this amazing. I really, really appreciate it.