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Edwin Collazo is a gifted salesperson. Yes, he’s a brewer and owner, but the bridge in City Built Brewing’s logo isn’t just a graphic element—the explicit mission of this brewery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is connecting customers with the beer they love.
However, the brewery’s focus has changed over the years, and the pandemic caused the team to rethink their approach to beer. Now, they’ve embraced progressive styles, from hazy IPA to pastry stout and tart fruit beer, and they’ve recently ramped up lager production to feed a growing interest in the taproom. Nothing is off limits, and City Built is watching and listening as their own customers tell them what they want the brewery to become.
In this episode, Collazo recounts the challenges that City Built has encountered along the way and the ways they’ve addressed them, from an intellectual-property issue with hip hop group Run the Jewels to helping staff better explain and sell beer to taproom customers. Building the right team—and managing change in a way that doesn’t create chaos—has presented its challenges, yet Collazo is here for the ongoing evolution of the beer program and the business itself.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers
For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country. They are proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. They know brewing doesn’t stop at 5 o’clock and nor do they. G&D uses quality components, expert craftsmanship and constant innovation. With 24/7 service and support your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need – providing you with the peace of mind your operation is running smoothly. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com or call to discuss your next project.
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From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com
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Berkeley Yeast. The creators of Tropics yeast, which produces massive notes of guava and passionfruit, now bring you Thiol Boost. Berkeley Yeast’s Thiol Boost is pure liquid thiol precursors that take Tropics to the next level. Add it to the fermentor when you pitch the yeast and prepare yourself for tropical fruit nirvana. The concentration of precursors is the same in every batch of Thiol Boost so you can predictably tune the level of tropical flavor by adjusting the dosage. Mention this podcast and get 15% off your next order. Berkeley Yeast. Ordinary yeast made extraordinary.