Have you made it on Santa’s naughty list this year? I may have been on the nice list until I went and visited our Seventh Brewer of Christmas, KJ Rowan, who is the head brewer at BAD Brewing Company in Mason, Michigan. Let me tell you after being BAD for the afternoon, I am totally okay with being on Santa’s naughty list this year.
KJ began working in bars and restaurants as a teenager, he eventually left to go into the medical field. He was at a point where he had to go and either get a degree in order to move up the ladder in the medical field, which he didn’t really want to do. The other option was to find something else to do, and at the time the craft beer boom was full-blown and he was very interested in making his own beer. At this point he made the decision to return to the service industry and he began working towards brewing beer for a living.
KJ did not have any experience in brewing when he got back into the industry, he decided to start the process of learning how to brew beer by jumping right in. He started by being a winemaking assistant at Cherry Creek Winery in Jackson, Michigan. After a little while of working at Cherry Creek about 10 years ago, the job of assistant brewer at BAD Brewing Company opened up and KJ jumped at the opportunity. In the 10 years of being at BAD, he worked his way up from assistant brewer to eventually become the head brewer of their facility.
To those that are looking to get into the industry, KJ mentioned that you should try to learn as much as you possibly can about the brewing process before you jump right in. He said that getting as many certifications as you possibly can, and any sort of education that you can get before going into the industry won’t hurt. Ultimately what you need even with no education or all the education in the world is for someone to just give you a chance in the industry.
I asked KJ about his 15 years in the industry and what keeps him motivated to keep brewing for a living. The motivation comes from seeing what the industry will become and where we can take this movement heading forward. He also enjoys passing along his knowledge to the future brewers of the world and helping them pave their own paths forward in the industry. He particularly noted that teaching his Assistant Brewer, Casey Pardun, is one of the driving forces that keeps his passion for brewing alive and well. KJ pointed out that after a year of being his Assistant, he let Casey run a brew day by herself recently and he is looking forward to seeing how his protege’s beer turns out.
Why was the name chosen as BAD Brewing Company? It seems like an interesting name for a brewery, but you can breathe easy, it is not because the beer is bad. The name was chosen because Brian the owner, when he began the process of brewing beer for the brewery, had to continue reporting to his day job. As a result of this he was doing all of his brewing at night, or after dark. So he named the brewery, BAD because all the beer was brewed by Brian After Dark which is where the acronym came from.
BAD celebrated their 12 year anniversary lately, and I have been drinking their beer for 11 of those years. I found BAD back in 2013 while delivering produce for a previous job in the Mason area, and I have been a frequenter of the brewery ever since. A trip through the Lansing area is never complete without a stop at BAD.
I did ask KJ what kinds of challenges they have overcome to make it 12 years in the industry. He replied with an obvious answer COVID, and all the roadblocks that came with it. Installing and opening a kitchen was another massive project that had its own share of problems that were difficult to overcome and all the financial problems that came with it. Due to COVID restrictions and having to find ways to serve customers, they opened an outdoor seating area in the alley outside of the brewery. This has turned out to be a resounding success that has flourished over the past few years. BAD has had plenty of challenges over the years, but have overcome them all to be a very successful brewery that has stood the test of time.
What kinds of beer can you expect to see on the board during your visit to BAD? KJ described the brewery as a jack of all trades, you can expect to see a little bit of everything on their menu when you visit. Their dark beers are really popular and he equates this to the water profile that they use being able to meld perfectly with their malt and grain bills for each batch of beer. Their menu consists of many different styles from Belgians, IPAs, Lagers, Ciders and many more. They even have a table Mead program that they have instituted which involves low ABV Meads that they make at the brewery.
For the holiday season, BAD is doing their version of an advent calendar for the 12 days of Christmas. The calendar includes 12 8-ounce beers for you to enjoy in the 12 days leading up to the Christmas holiday. In a pro move, you could have enjoyed an advent calendar from BAD while reading the 12 brewers of Christmas segment on the Hold MI Beer page. Other things that are going on for the holiday season include their employee appreciation day, which is today, December 19th, where all proceeds from today will be matched by the brewery and then all that money goes to Christmas bonuses for their staff. Beers being released during the holidays include their Ho Ho Holy Crap- Christmas Ale, and a rye barrel-aged version of it. A table Mead that is inspired by Egg Nog is also on the list of holiday releases. So BAD has plenty of things to look forward to this holiday season.
If you are like me and want to be BAD every once in a while, and don’t care if you end up on Santa’s naughty list as a result. Make a trip out to BAD Brewing Company in Mason and pay our Seventh Brewer of Christmas KJ Rowan a visit. Cheers!
#drinklocal #cheers #brewery #beer #beerlovers #michiganbeer #masonmi #holidaybeer #merrychristmas
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