We mentioned weeks ago that Drew Barton, head brewer at French Broad Brewery, was going to be the first brewer featured on Know Your Brewer. The article published while we were away, so here’s a link to the entire interview and if you’re lazy, here are some tidbits:

KYB: What’s your beer background or training?
Drew: I started homebrewing while I was in engineering school in Michigan. After I brewed my first batch I was hooked and I knew I wanted to be a professional brewer. I quickly dropped out of school and moved back home to Memphis, TN where I finished school at the University of Memphis with a degree in Zymurgy Management. This was through the “Design Your Own Degree Program”. I took courses including microbiology, management, and marketing to get a well round education in running a brewery. Everything else I learned on the job (and there has been a lot of “everything else”).

KYB: Does the brewery have a flagship beer?
Drew: Thanks to Pop the Cap, our 7% ABV Wee-Heavy-er Scotch Ale is our best selling beer all year around.

KYB: I’ve seen a shift in your willingness to try seasonal beers and “one-offs.” Has that been a success for you?
Drew: Adding more beer styles to the French Broad family of beers has been a great thing. I see this as a two-fold benefit. First, it makes our beer more accessible to more people. For example, if 90% of the beer you drink is porter and French Broad does not have a porter, well, you’re less likely to ever try a French Broad beer. But if French Broad has a porter as a seasonal and you try it, you’re more likely to try another style we produce. Maybe your next pint will be a Wee-Heavy-er.

Secondly, we have a lot of loyal French Broad fans out there, and brewing more styles helps expand their beer knowledge so they can go out and enjoy even more North Carolina produced beers. It’s really a win-win for us and the community.

KYB: What new beers are brewing or in the works?
Drew: We’re getting ready to release an Imperial Porter the first week of March and we’re working on a Bock for the Spring. As for the rest of the 2009 seasonals, well, they’ll just have to be a surprise as they are released. But, I can guarantee Wee-Heavy-est will be out again this fall.