Meet the Brewers is an ongoing series to highlight the individuals who make the beer at our Wilmington breweries. Check back every week to see the latest interview. All photographs provided by Brian Lantz Photography . Check out his instagram at @brianleelantz
Photo provided by Brian Lantz brianlantzphotography.com IG:@brianleelantz
Laren Avery is the head brewer at Wilmington’s Ironclad Brewery. Originally from DeWitt, Michigan, he made his way to Wilmington after brewing for Mountain Town Brewing Company in Michigan and Boylan Bridge Brewpub in Raleigh. Recently, I asked him a few questions about his experience in the brewing world.
What first got you into brewing? A joke, I was not happy with my career choices.My professor asked if I liked beer, the rest is history.
What was the first beer you made? Jalapeño wheat
What is your favorite beer to make? Gruit. It is interesting to see the evolution of the style of beer. This was a style brewed before the introduction of hops, which ruled out other health properties of herbs otherwise used in its place.
What made you want to start brewing on a larger scale? The desire to pass on the inspiration that pulled me into brewing. It is not what we can do. It is about what we have yet to do!
Is there anything you do differently in your brewing process that other places do not do? With a few beers, yes. I hand create my ingredients so to me they are very special and very different.
What is one thing you want your consumer to take away from trying your beer? I want my subject to take away the fermentation of the imagination. To inspire, create a memory that you want to live again. Give someone something that helps someone to think outside of the box and realize that there is so much more we can brew.
