Creating An Exceptional Craft Beverage Experience
Before turning his attention and his skills to crafting great beers, Chad Zimar had formal culinary training and was, at one time, “head cook at Bully Hill Vineyards” which makes sense. “I grew up in the Finger Lakes,” says Chad. “My family has a long history working in the wine industry. I can remember playing in the cellar at Bully Hill” as a boy. Chad’s choice to become a brewer stems from a drive to be creative. “Brewing,” he claims, “is a lot like cooking. A chef chooses the best ingredients, tastes the food throughout the entire process, and adjusts as needed.” His favorite part is anticipating what the final product will be like. Although some brewers use computer-controlled brewhouses, Chad believes “craft beer is an art and should not be an engineered product.” In addition to using local grains and hops (as a NYS Farm Brewery), Steuben Brewing Company also offers visitors a chance to have some input into the beers themselves. “We’ll have a CSB (community supported beer),” adds Chad, “where people can purchase beer ‘shares,’ consume the beer at its freshest point,” and special Steuben Club members will enjoy meetings at the brewery, learn about beer, vote on what style of beers get brewed next, and have exclusive tastings throughout the brewing process. “We really want people to get involved and have a different experience.”
