By Mimi Smith

Amy Oxenham

The Brewster of Brewster County

Oxenham, celebrating the Brew

Photo by Amy Oxenham

Some people are like cacti: a little encouragement, a little bit of help, the opportunity to learn, all go a long way when invested in a cactus person. That person will take the encouragement to heart; soaking up knowledge and wasting nothing. Amy Oxenham is one of those cactus people. She is the Head Brewer at Brick Vault Brewery & BBQ in Marathon, and was recently selected for the Samuel Adams Foundation’s year-long program: Moms Brewing the American Dream. The Foundation describes the criteria for selection: “The fifty recipients of the Moms Brewing the American Dream [are] chosen based on the predicted impact that the mentoring sessions will have on their longterm business success.” Cactus people.

Why moms? Samuel Adams Foundation says: “We recognize that supporting moms who are also pursuing their entrepreneur dreams goes beyond just offering help to their businesses right now, so we hope that this initiative can provide some relief to a community that needs some extra support.” As a giant in the food and beverage industry, the Samuel Adams Company saw the disparate impact that Covid measures had on moms. Moms left the workforce in droves.

Mimi Smith of The Big Bend Gazette interviewed Oxenham in the Brewing room of Brick Vault Brewery, to describe the journey in her own words.

Gazette: You are part of Texas brewing royalty, not the kind you’re born into, but because you worked for and apprenticed with the late Steve Anderson, the first brewmaster of the first brewpub in Texas. Did you have any idea where this job would lead you, back in 2013?

Oxenham: Landing the job at Big Bend Brewing Co.in Alpine was just a very awesome, and very fitting coincidence. I already had a background in agriculture and a particular interest in fermenting. I truly found my calling in brewing and also lucked out in finding the most incredible brewing mentor, Brewmaster Steve Anderson. Not only did he mentor me but he supported my formal brewing education with the Siebel Institute of Technology (his alma mater). In 2015, I earned a certificate in Brewing Science and Technology.

Less than a year into my brewing job at BBBco, I started working toward a biology degree at Sul Ross State University, in the fall of 2014. I have always been interested in food science, and Sul Ross has a great Food Science graduate program. Of course, fermentation has always been a point of interest for me. I actually began the biology degree hoping to prepare for graduate studies in food science—I haven’t made it

By MIMI SMITH

to grad school yet because I’m incredibly happy with where I am currently, professionally.

In 2019 I completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Sul Ross. While I had started with brewing, I feel fortunate for my circuitous route to higher education. I’m grateful for the practical experience that I had before the academic experience. I was already working at Big Bend Brewing Co., observing and experiencing phenomena that were then fully elucidated in the classroom. I look at my position now as an opportunity to honor the legacy of the Brewmaster who changed the face of Texas brewing, Steve Anderson.

Gazette: Had you studied agriculture?

Oxenham. Oh no. I worked in agriculture. I had never been to college. I had not even visited a college. When I began at Sul Ross in 2014, I had absolutely no background in university life. It was all new. I was 28 years old, with an almost-4-year-old daughter— definitely a non-traditional student. In 2017, I welcomed my second daughter mid-semester. I’m proud to say that I am a first-generation college graduate and was able to graduate with honors (cum laude).

Gazette: How did you do it? Working, with two children, one of whom was born while you were going to college full time?

Oxenham: I had the unwavering support of my husband, Elliott Ybarra. Also the support of generous teachers from the Sul Ross Biology department: Dr. Ritzi, Dr. Crystal, Sean Graham, and Dr. Zech, and history lecturer Matt Walter. All of these teachers allowed my kids to attend lectures; allowed me to take time away from school to parent, and allowed for accommodations for both pre and post delivery.

I’m also incredibly grateful to Student Support Services (SSS) under the guidance of Liz Castillo, Juddith Loya, and Aaron Herrera who held my hand through the confusing landscape of university.

Gazette: What is Student Support Services?

Oxenham: It’s a part of the university, a peer-oriented, hands-on program that offers support to students who are first generation college students, or students who come from a low income household, or who have a documented disability.

Gazette: Did you know about SSS when you started school?

Oxenham: No. They reached out to let students know that the Services were there. Liz Castillo gave a talk during one of Matt Walters’ history lectures. Through SSS, I was encouraged to and shown how to apply for scholarships and grants. I received grants and tutoring. I was exposed to cultural activities. (The crowning jewel culturally was seeing the musical “RENT”.) Student Support Services even provided me access to a private and quiet place to breastfeed my newborn. I carry the generosity of each of these people in my heart and into my own professional life.

Gazette: After graduation, what did you do?

Oxenham: After graduating,I was actually in a teaching position for the 2019 -2020 school year. I had been offered the brewery position in 2019 by Brick Vault’s founding brewer Brodie Pierce (we’d brewed together at BBBco), but I was unable to accept the brewing position due to my teaching commitment. When Covid happened, the school where I was teaching decided not to return to in-person school after spring break of 2020. It was then that I accepted the brewing position and actually finished up the end of the teaching semester, Zooming from the brewery.

Gazette: You started this career in the middle of Covid shutdowns of 2020? That was a precarious time for the food and beverage industry. Was the brewery affected?

Oxenham: There was a short time that the Brick Vault closed—however, we were able to open again because we are a brewpub, meaning that the food sales are more than 51% of the sales. [State law] Of course, it was a difficult time community-wide and company-wide, but thanks to the ingenuity and perseverance of our Operations Manager and Kitchen Manager, Phillip Moellering and Andrew Ramirez, we were able to pivot through this difficult time to create different offerings and service accommodations. We offered a lot of to-go options like family meals and beer/beverages to-go to make it through. Luckily, we have a large and comfortable outdoor patio space in the front of the restaurant. We were able to provide options for outdoor dining that lent themselves easily to covid precautions.

Gazette: What is the vision of Brick Vault Brewery and BBQ?

Oxenham: Our mission here at the Brick Vault is to provide world-class bbq and beer in the best part of Texas, the Big Bend Region. Between the Brewery, the BBQ, the kitchen and our incredible staff at the front, serving up food and beverages, we offer a highly crafted menu in a casual and beautiful setting. The place is designed to suit family gatherings, date night, even work meetings; out of town visitors, and people from this region going out for great food and craft beer. The Brick Vault is able to offer a comfortable, spacious, relaxed setting with out-of-this world food and beverage. Each of us are extremely dedicated to our craft—and I’m proud to work with such passionate people.

Gazette: And your own vision?

Oxenham: Personally, I aim to make the brewery a hub for education, community, and creativity. I welcome anyone interested in brewing, especially other women, into the brewery to observe and participate in this age-old process. This year I’ve teamed up with some other local homebrewers to create a home brew club: Big Bend Brewers. We meet bi-monthly to discuss, taste, collaborate, and inspire one another. It is my goal to create more educational and collaborative opportunities around beer and brewing within this amazing community.

Amy Oxenham in the brewery room, at Brick Vault Brewery and BBQ

Photo by Amy Oxenham