Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Smith.
Hi Brian , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My son and I started home brewing back in 2007. After a number of years, we started to enter some local home brew contests and did well enough that the thought occurred to us we might be able to make a go of this as a business and people might actually pay for the beer we were making. In 2009 my son Ian started working for Tallgrass Brewing in Manhattan and gained great experience in commercial brewing. Finally in 2015 we found a building in McPherson and started converting it into a brewery. In June of 2016 we opened up, selling just to go beer in growlers and “squealers” (a half growler) and selling draft beer to local distributors for sale in local establishments. 2017 saw us purchase a canning line and begin selling packaged beer to go and for distribution to retail outlets. In 2019 we opened up an outdoor patio and began selling pints from the brewery. In 2020, 6 weeks before Covid, we opened up our taproom in front of the brewery. We survived the Covid disaster and continue to sell pints, cans, growlers and squealers from the taproom in McPherson as well as distribute sparingly to the entire state of Kansas.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We opened our taproom 6 weeks before everything was shut down due to Covid. The fall prior we had expanded our brewery anticipating continued growth. Both came to screeching halts in March 2020.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Three Rings Brewery, LLC?
We focus on a wide range of different beer styles. The taproom has turned into somewhat of a “Cheers” for the McPherson area. A place where you can feel at home, meet with friends and family or just sit and relax. We have an outstanding staff we call “Tap Technicians” because they are much more than bar tenders.
We have many fun, interesting events scheduled throughout each month, trivia night once a week, local food trucks several times a week. We are very involved with the community and have fund raising events for local organizations on a monthly basis.
We have kept a core lineup of beers since we opened almost 10 years ago, rotate a number of popular seasonals throughout the year as well as have some excellent, unique experimental beers you will find available only on tap at our taproom.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.threeringsbrewery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/threeringsbeer
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/threeringsbrewery
