Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Porter.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Alex. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
We got started as hobbyist homebrewers; my dad started brewing when we were kids, and we eventually got into it as a family. We decided to open a brewery back in 2015, with my sister Sydney going to brew school and a series of brewery internships and jobs, and I went to B-school and built the business plan. In late 2017 we kicked off the start-up project, signed a lease at our current location, and started build-out in June 2018. There was no money for professional contractors, so luckily we’re pretty handy. The family built out the entire brewery and taproom, with my dad Jess welding the bar and tables, my mom Christina running the paint and coating projects, and Sydney and I filling in all around the edges. With elbow grease and a few friends dropping by to help, we got the brewpub brewing by September ’18 and we opened in October.
In early 2019, we added a wood-fired pizza truck to offer in-house made Neapolitan-style pizza, oven-roasted wings, and other specials. The addition of full-time food really boosted our taproom’s experience, and we grew every month of 2019. The COVID-19 crisis has challenged us, but with to-go sales and tightened belts, along with the amazing support of our die-hard customers, we’ll get through it.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are constant struggles, as in any small business. We just have to roll with the punches and keep learning to make sure we’re up to the challenge. A great example is with our second-hand forklift: the starter went out and a professional replacement job was going to cost more than we had in our bank account. So I got on Youtube and learned out to replace it myself! That story is replicated across the maintenance of our draft system, wood-fired oven, glycol refrigeration system, and on and on. We built our patio ourselves at about 1/3 the cost of a contractor; in order to do so I had to learn how to weld, among other things. The key reason we’re able to keep this thing going is persistence; all of us have different skills we bring to the table, and we’ve been able to engineer solutions to all the problems that have reared up.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Southern Yankee Beer Co – what should we know?
Since opening, we’ve brewed over 100 different beers of many different styles–we believe in exploring the true variety of beer styles out there, rather than brewing the same IPAs, sours, and stouts and adding different types of sugar and fruit to them. We put a lot of emphasis on educating our customers as to the differences between beer styles, constantly trying to open palates to the wider world of good beer. I think we’re known for hosting a comfortable taproom experience with super-quality beer suited to a wide range of tastes; add in the family business component and I think people are just comfortable with us. The pizza is solid too…maximum comfort food.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Persistence. Our family works harder than just about anyone I’ve met. We don’t quit.
Pricing:
- To-go 32 oz Crowler cans are mostly $11-12, with some specialty beers up to $16 for two pints.
- Pizzas are 12″ thin crust and run $11-14, depending on the toppings.
- 500 mL barrel-aged special release bottles are $10 each.
Contact Info:
- Address: 930 FM 1960 Rd, Suite G
Houston, TX 77073 - Website: southernyankeebeer.com
- Phone: 832-224-5138
- Email: info@southernyankeebeer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soyankbeer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southernyankeebeer/
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