#67: Sierra Nevada with Ken Grossman

Path to Progress with Paul Heintzman and John Ackerman

Ken Grossman, founder & CEO of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., joins us to share how he built one of the largest breweries in America.

Questions answered in this episode:

• How long does it take to go from concept to bottle when brewing a new beer?
• How did you get started in brewing?
• How did you make your own brewing equipment when you started?
• How did you get funding when you first started?
• What was the goal when you started?
• What were the biggest keys to early growth?
• Did you have steady growth or were there any particular events that caused a spike in growth?
• What makes a good distribution partner in the brewing industry?
• What advice do you have to somebody starting a craft brewery today?
• How have you continued to grow as you have gotten bigger?
• Why did you open the additional North Carolina brewery?
• How did you maintain business knowledge without a business background?
• What motivates you to grow and keeps you passionate since you've reached the top of the industry?
• How has the Camp Fire impacted your company and what are you doing to help?

You can find a list of participating brewers selling Resilience IPA by clicking this link.

Last call:

• What advice would you give to your 25-year-old self?
  • Giving up is not an option. It will be the hardest thing you ever do but it will be worth it.
• What additional advice would you give to an entrepreneur or somebody starting a brewery?
  • Pick something you are passionate about and committed to.
• What is a book/documentary/podcast you would recommend?
  • A book about Ernest Shackleton
• What is the best thing you spent money on in the last six months?
  • A new tent and sleeping bag for his wife.
• What's your favorite thing to drink?
  • Celebration IPA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Enjoyed this episode? We both recommend touring the new Sierra Nevada brewery in Mills River, North Carolina. Also, be sure to pick up a 6 pack of Celebration IPA. Have any topics you want to be covered or amazing people you’d like us to interview? Let us know! You can email us at [email protected]. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedin. Please be sure to subscribe to our weekly mailing list at drunkenmoney.com/subscribe.