doggone
good drinks Sit and stay awhile at this Carrboro brewery that’s “saving lives, one beer at a time”
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By Bro o ke S pach | Photography by J ohn Mi chael Si m pson
here can you find brews on tap with dog-centric names like Puppers Pilsner, Catticus Finch and Barky Bark and the Rescued Bunch? A short walk or bike ride from the heart of Carrboro, Dingo Dog Brewing Co.’s taproom is the spot for seasonal beers and ciders in support of a good cause. Owner Tim Schwarzauer grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, where he and his family were involved in small-scale animal rescue. When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, they lent a hand to national rescue organizations that brought animals from Louisiana and the Gulf Coast three hours inland to the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. The family was inspired to found their own organization, the Animal Rescue Fund of Mississippi, in 2006 when the national groups moved on to work in other areas. Tim’s parents still run ARF, which now houses more than 200 dogs and 150 cats, making it the largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the state. Tim took his two ARF pups, Buster Brown and Dingo, with him to Millsaps College in Mississippi. He graduated in 2010, and moved to North Carolina to work for the U.S. District Court office in Durham. Buster Brown and Dingo came along, too, of course. After exploring the area, he decided he wanted to live in Carrboro for its charming community and budding craft beer scene – Steel String Brewery was the only other brewery in town at the time. Tim’s had an interest in homebrewing since he was a kid, helping out when his dad 88
chapelhillmagazine.com
Dingo Dog head brewer Amanda Lee Scherle (above) and owner Tim Schwarzauer (below).
September/October 2022
brewed, and then later with his own friends. Tim studied market finance and economics in college and completed several research projects about the brewing industry. This background, along with some chemistry knowledge, was the foundation to fulfill his lifelong dream. He incorporated Dingo Dog in 2014 and started nanobrewery operations on PlowGirl Farm in 2016. Instead of creating what’s typically a for-profit business, Tim donates sales proceeds to no-kill animal rescue nonprofits. Although Buster Brown died in 2013, Dingo, the brewery’s namesake, was around for the early years of the business. After Dingo’s death in 2019 at 19 years old, Tim visited home and came back with a puppy from ARF. Suzie is now 9 years old and “acting CEO” of the company. The brewery has been well received by dogand beer-lovers alike. Chapel Hillians Maggie Moriarty and Jackson Cox became fans of the brews in 2017 when Jackson learned about the company from his coworker and Dingo Dog’s founding brewer and taste tester, Billy Gagon. The couple’s patronage goes beyond buying beer – they supported the original Kickstarter campaign to help fund the taproom’s opening in 2020, earning their two German shorthaired pointers, Bolin and Rosie (named after Bolin Creek and Rosemary Street, respectively), a spot in the collage on the taproom’s wall. “We love their beer, and we love their mission,” Maggie says. “Dingo Dog is such a welcoming environment where we can bring our dogs and relax with a delicious drink. … And Suzie is the sweetest dog in the world – you couldn’t ask for a better brewery greeter!” Today, with head brewer Amanda Lee Scherle at the helm, Dingo Dog is Carrboro’s smallest brewery, producing just