Lake Norman Currents Magazine July 2019

Page 74

Dine + Wine

On Tap JollyRogerBrew’s One-Man Crew HOW BREWER TONY PHILIPP SEES BIG GAINS WITH HIS SMALL-BATCH BEERS

by Aaron Garcia | photography by Jamie Cowles

Tony Philipp recently invested in a brew system that doubled his production.

JULY 2019

72

JollyRogerBrew is fueled by an army of one.

LAKE NORMAN CURRENTS

t would seem fitting to describe Tony Philipp as the captain and crew of JollyRogerBrew. Given his background, and the fact that he recently invested in a brew system that doubled his production, it may be more fitting to refer to him as the Lake Norman brewing scene’s army of one. Regardless of title, Philipp is the man responsible for nearly every aspect of the small-batch brewery’s operation, from warming up the system in the morning to filling growlers — and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Despite the tenets of teamwork and camaraderie military life espouses, Philipp says one of the best lessons he learned from his time in the Army and Air Force was how to succeed on his own. “You learn a little bit of everything so you can stand on your own,” explains Philipp, who joined the Army in 1980 and also served in the Air Force, beginning in 1986. It’s an approach he polished over several successful

decades in tech investing, where he successfully launched several start-ups, before bringing it to his brewery. That’s not to say the march so far has been easy. Philipp says he was reminded of his military days early on at JollyRoger, particularly in the summer of 2017 when he was preparing to open. “It was hot,” he says with a laugh. “It reminded me a lot of those military days, when you can’t give up, you can’t just walk out.” Philipp’s role as sole operator was recently made a bit easier. In April he invested in a new, all-electric, internetconnected brew system that not only doubled his production, but also digitally streamlines his role as the JollyRoger’s one-man show. Digital readouts show him current temperatures, offer adjustments and even allow him to begin the warm-up process remotely. Philipp says the equipment perfectly fit his brewery’s business model by making his job easier and more efficient.

As an investor, Philipp says he would instruct the business owners he partnered with to run lean and not hire additional personnel “until you can build your business out and prove yourself.” “That’s what we’re trying to do here,” says Philipp. “We haven’t overexerted ourselves.” The exclusivity generated by JollyRoger’s limited production scale, which includes just three regular flavors and one more rotating special, has helped his beer grow a quick following, says Philipp. “We’re not trying to be everywhere, and people know that,” says Philipp. “The bar owners love us because they have a beer you literally can’t buy in stores.” The customers themselves also seem to be drawn to JollyRogerBrew’s smooth, malt-forward flavors that eschew the wasabi-like bite of many craft beers. Philipp says this is due to the use of aroma hops, as opposed to the often-used bittering hops that account for the front-end kick that seems so popular today,

especially with IPAs. As a result, the brewery’s three regular offerings — the Tropical Double IPA, Barbarossa Red and Pirates Gold Pale Ale — have garnered great feedback, says Philipp, including a 95 percent sampleto-purchase conversion rate at April’s Lakefront Hops Festival at Langtree. The new equipment, explains Philipp, will make it even easier to maintain the consistency his fans have come to expect while also giving him the chance to try more special offerings, starting with an Oktoberfest ale. He knows other changes will come in time, too, perhaps even some employees to help with the day-to-day operations. Don’t, however, expect JollyRogerBrew to stray too far from what’s made it so popular, which is a limited supply of really good beer. Philipp wouldn’t have it any other way.

JollyRogerBrew 236 Raceway Drive, #12 Mooresville www.jollyrogerbrew.weebly.com


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