On Thursday, January 12, 2012, U.S. Representative Brad Miller (D-NC13) toured Big Boss Brewing Co. and Natty Greene’s Pub & Brewing Co. in Raleigh, NC, before meeting with Triangle-area brewers and brewery owners to discuss the Small BREW Act and its effect on the state’s craft beer industry.

Rep. Miller arrived at Big Boss at approximately 2:00 p.m. with Carol Reid Erichsen, his district liaison, and brewmaster Brad Wynn and owner Geoff Lamb immediately greeted the legislator at the loading bay of the brewery. After an extensive tour of Big Boss’ brewing facilities, which included smelling hops, dodging runoff and touching the cold tanks, Wynn and Lamb led Rep. Miller to the brewery’s taproom.

Stating that he likes hops and not “sweet, summer beers,” the Congressman asked for a High Roller IPA as Wynn and Jessie Clark, Big Boss’ taproom manager, poured samples for everyone in attendance. After finishing a 10-oz pour of Big Boss’ year-round IPA, Rep. Miller said he wanted to give “blonde beers” another chance, so Wynn poured him a 2-oz sample of his Hell’s Belle, a Belgian blonde ale. He also asked for an example of “a dark beer,” to which Wynn responded with a small pour of Aces & Ates, the brewery’s seasonal coffee stout. After sampling both, the Congressman had not changed his mind about those particular styles. “I still like beers that taste like beer,” he said.

Next, Rep. Miller traveled a short distance down the road to Natty Greene’s in downtown Raleigh. At approximately 3:15 p.m., Sebastian Wolfrum, Director of Brewing Operations, hosted the legislator on a brief tour of the brewpub’s brewing facilities. After explaining the brewing process with Mike Morris, Natty Greene’s head brewer in Raleigh, beside the brewpub’s publicly-visible tanks, Wolfrum led Rep. Miller behind closed doors to show off the rest of Natty Greene’s brewing operation and cold storage.

After the tour ended, Wolfrum treated Rep. Miller to a sampling of Natty Greene’s Freedom IPA, Buckshot Amber Ale and Southern Pale Ale. The Congressman enjoyed all three offerings, stating “this beer tastes like beer.” Morris then surprised Rep. Miller with a sample of his latest brew, the Habanero-Infused Smoky Mountain Porter with peppers grown by Morris himself. Needless to say, the Congressman preferred his first three samples.

Around 4:15 p.m., other local brewers and brewery owners trickled into Natty Greene’s taproom for the opportunity to meet Rep. Miller, tell him about their breweries and brewpubs and voice any concerns they may have about federal legislation that would affect the North Carolina craft beer industry. In addition to Wolfrum and Morris, those in attendance included:

Jon Connolly (Director of Brewing Operations, Carolina Brewery, Chapel Hill, NC)
Mark Doble (CEO, Aviator Brewing Co., Fuquay-Varina, NC)
Seth Gross (Owner, Bull City Burger and Brewery, Durham, NC)
Erik Lars Myers (CEO, Mystery Brewing Co., Hillsborough, NC)
Alexa Long (Sales Representative, Skull Coast Ales, TBA in NC)
Mark Olson (Creative Director, Skull Coast Ales, TBA in NC)
Rob Poitras (Owner, Carolina Brewery, Chapel Hill, NC)
Sumit Vohra (CEO, Lonerider Brewing Co., Raleigh, NC)
Sean Wilson (CEO, Fullsteam Brewery, Durham, NC)
Ben Woodward (CEO, Haw River Farmhouse Ales, Saxapahaw, NC)
Joe Zonin (Co-owner, Carolina Brewing Co., Holly Springs, NC)

Congressman Miller gave brief remarks after individually greeting those in attendance and stated that he would continue to support the state’s independent craft breweries and brewpubs while also keeping in mind the interests of his constituents that work at the MillerCoors brewery in Eden, NC. He noted that those employees pay taxes and send children to public schools as well.

Rep. Miller then answered questions from the attending area brewers and brewery owners. When asked about a potential timeframe for the Small BREW Act to pass, he responded that it often takes a lot longer than one may think. Sean Wilson, “Chief Executive Optimist” of Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, took this opportunity to thank Rep. Miller for supporting all of the members of North Carolina’s beer community, including MillerCoors.

After a long afternoon of touring, tasting and talking beer, Rep. Miller thanked everyone for coming and quietly exited the side door of the brewpub. The brewers and brewery owners stuck around, however, to seize the opportunity to share pints and to catch up at this rare meeting of representatives from almost all of the greater Triangle area’s breweries.

Ben Woodward, CEO of Haw River Farm Ales in Saxapahaw, which is set to open later this year, said that he would like to see the state’s brewers come together more often, especially since he is relatively new to the North Carolina craft beer community. Seth Gross, who owns Bull City Burger and Brewery in Durham, agreed.

After the chatter of used brewing equipment finds, bank meetings and new beers-in-the-making, empty glasses hit the bar, and these brewers, along with the rest of those in attendance, went their separate ways to prepare for the next day’s work of bringing locally crafted beer to the people of North Carolina.

Other news coverage of Thursday’s meeting with U.S. Rep. Brad Miller:

Congressman tours and tastes and North Carolina breweries (Brewers Association)
Miller gets brewers’ views as co-sponsor of tax cut bill for small breweries (News & Observer)
Craft Breweries Push For Lower Taxes (WUNC)
Giving N.C.’s small breweries a boost (Independent Weekly)