Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Bednarz and Patrick Christian.
The two co-founders, Sean and Patrick, have been close friends since fifth grade and beer geeks as long as they can remember.
Sean began home brewing in 2006, drawing on his engineering background to build his brewing rigs.
The pair had long dreamed of opening a brewery, but it wasn’t until an impromptu road trip through Colorado where they were inspired by the stories of a number of small breweries they visited that Sean and Patrick decided to go all-in on the idea.
The business plan came together in late 2015, and a little more than a year after signing a lease on a rundown warehouse at 938 Wakefield Dr. in Houston, TX, Great Heights Brewing Company began production. The renovated taproom doors opened to the public in August of 2017.
Has it been a smooth road?
We opened our taproom doors for the first time the week before Hurricane Harvey hit Houston. There was very little damage to our facility, and we feel extremely lucky given the misfortune that struck so many in our city.
Nevertheless it was a stressful and challenging time after a year of construction and with very little money left in the bank to get hit with such a devastating storm at the same time we were dealing with the normal stresses of running a brand new business, not the least of which was the pressure to bring in some revenue to pay for the tremendous costs of opening and operating a brewery.
Fortunately, the neighborhood came out en masse to support our opening and provided a warm welcome to our new home on Wakefield Drive.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We founded the brewery with the intention of operating a true neighborhood taproom that people would closely associate with Garden Oaks/Oak Forest. We live in the neighborhood and wanted to create a fun, family-friendly environment.
As for our beer, we don’t brew any specific niche. We’re hopheads so we love experimenting with different IPAs, but we also really enjoy the challenge of making technically sound traditional styles. We’re very proud to have been visited and complemented by a number of respected beer industry veterans and to have introduced so many of our new neighbors to new beer styles.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The Houston beer scene is booming, which we think is great news for Houstonians. As the city’s craft beer market has matured over the last few years, we’re seeing increased interest in beer styles that weren’t widely available here not long ago.
The diversity and quality now available is winning over traditional beer drinkers, who are moving past “I don’t like dark beer” to the realization that there’s something for everybody in craft beer. There is still room for growth in the Houston market, but making good beer will no longer be enough as the market saturates.
We think the future of craft beer in Houston lies in neighborhood taprooms, like our own, that have a hyperlocal focus.
Pricing:
- 12 oz or 16 oz Pours, Depending on Style – $5 each
- 4 oz Tasters – $2 each
- Logo Glassware – $6 each
- Logo Hats & Shirts – $20 each
Contact Info:
- Address: 938 Wakefield Dr.
Houston, TX 77018 - Website: greatheightsbrewing.com
- Phone: 281.220.6900
- Email: info@greatheightsbrewing.com
- Instagram: @greatheightsbrewing
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/greatheightsbrewing/
- Twitter: @greatheights
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/great-heights-brewing-houston
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.