If there is one thing Americans love is alcohol. Especially beer.
Whether it is Budweiser, Coors or Miller, the love of a cold one is one that is ingrained into the American cultural psyche as a hot dog on MLB Opening Day. A newer trend that has been gaining much attention over the last few years is that of crafted beers and micro-brewing.
According to Bob Barnes of the popular beer blog, Gayot.com, as of June 2015, the number of total craft breweries in the United States reached more than 3,700 — a far cry from the 298 breweries of 1990.
Barnes would go on to state that the trend of craft brewing is on the upswing internationally, with thousands more of new breweries popping up worldwide, each offering their own exceptional take on classic beer styles.
That being said, enter Christopher DeWalt and DeWalt Brewing.
DeWalt, a native of Norristown, Pennsylvania, worked for many years in the construction, information technology and telecommunications industry, before deciding to fulfill his lifelong dream in sharing his passion for brewing through faith in founding DeWalt Brewing.
Family owned and operated, the Philadelphia-area based brewery is quickly making a name for itself in becoming the official beer of the Reading Phillies and being sold locally in the popular supermarket chain, Weis.
With three signature brews such as the Noisey Level Ale, Ruby Diamond IPA and Mixed Berry Cider, DeWalt Brewing is a name–and cool aftertaste–that many beer drinkers across the country will all become very familiar with soon.
In the Q and A below, I had the opportunity to pick Christopher’s brain with some questions about what inspired him to get into the brewing industry, his future goals and advice to beer-lovers everywhere!
Enjoy!
R.C: What prompted you to open your own brewery?
C.D: “I have worked in the construction, IT and Telecommunication industries for most of my adult life and in 2009 I was laid off from a telecommunication company in King of Prussia, PA. This hurt me deeply because I really enjoyed working for that company. I was down, so I called an elder from my church at that time and she advised me to pray for financial creativity, I said that prayer immediately after the phone conversation and cried myself to sleep.
After several months, I had a dream and in the dream I was standing in front of a large warehouse type of building and as I looked to my right, I saw a line of tractor and trailer trucks and on these trucks was my name DeWalt! As I looked at the top of the building I saw a sign that also said DeWalt! It looked like an old Budweiser sign.
It seemed so real that it woke me from my sleep, I instantly got up and opened my laptop and typed in the words “how do you make beer”? At that very moment the passion was born and I realized that my prayer had been answered and this was the start of my journey!”
R.C: What is your favorite beer or Ale to drink?
C.D: “My personal favorite is DeWalt Brewing Company’s Noisey Lever Ale. I know that it’s one of our own but it is truly my favorite!”
R.C: What has been the secret to your success so far in building the DeWalt Brewing Company brand?
C.D: “It is fairly simple with me… Belief, faith, love and perseverance. You must believe in what you are doing, you must have faith in what you believe in, Love conquers all and if you persevere you will succeed!”
R.C.: As our first ever sponsor, what first drew you to the Inscriber Magazine?
C.D: “In a nut shell, (Senior Partner and Chief Operations Officer) Nick Ficorelli, he knew my brother Eric DeWalt first and that lead to our relationship in which Nick persevered to say the least!”
R.C: Did you ever see the DeWalt Brewing Company becoming such a success that it has in being named the official beer for the Reading Phillies?
C.D: “Well, I believed from day one that the DeWalt Brewing Company would be successful but what the specifics along the way or how long it would take I did not see nor was it a focus of mine I simply left that part to faith, I believed that all things necessary would fall into place!”
R.C: What are some of your future plans? Expansion?
C.D: “The DeWalt Brewing Company’s plans are to move up and down the East Coast and to then move to each region of the country. We are in the midst of expanding right now and are looking to play a major role in the revitalization of Reading, PA, a once great industrial and manufacturing city.
It is a city full of compassionate people who are ready to see the city thrive again!”
R.C: What advice would you impart to future entrepreneurs hoping to go into the micro brewing industry?
C.D: “I do give advice and I look forward to meeting and helping inspiring entrepreneurs and it does not matter which field of business they choose I always tell them that a strong foundation builds a better house, in other words, whatever you do make sure that you love it, because love conquers all!”
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Mr. Christopher Dewalt and our own Nick A. Ficorelli for all of their work in setting up this interview. Image courtesy of DeWalt Brewing Co. website