SPOTLIGHT: Bryan Summerson, Big Lick Brewing Co.

Founded in 2014, Big Lick Brewing Company has quickly risen to become Roanoke’s most successful local brewery.  Their award-winning beers, community outreach, and popular tasting room have put Big Lick on the map and made their products all the rage in the Roanoke market and across Southwest Virginia.  What’s driving the rise of Big Lick and its triumph in the marketplace?  I caught up with owner and head brewer, Bryan Summerson, to find out.

How did you first become interested in brewing?

I was a second-grade teacher for twenty years, mostly at Grandin Court Elementary.  My wife is a teacher as well.  We went to dinner with her team partner and her husband.  He was a home brewer and he invited me to attend a homebrew club meeting with the Star City Brewers Guild.  That was probably my first taste of something other than Bud, Miller, Coors.  I got hooked through the Brewers Guild and after that it was brewing, brewing, brewing.  That would’ve been around 2001-2002.

When did you decide to take it to the next step and open your own brewery?

The opportunity came to open our first location about six and a half years ago.  I had an idea, wouldn’t it be great to open a small place, brew a couple batches of beer, and have a kegerator and a couple picnic tables?  My cousin and her husband are commercial real estate agents.  I told him that I’d had this thought to open a brewery.  He got very excited because he had just bought the first location that Big Lick was in at 135 Salem Ave.  If he hadn’t taken it and run with it, it probably wouldn’t have ever happened.  We got it built out, bought a little two-barrel system and it went very well.  We were open Thursday, Friday, Saturday.  I used to teach and brew.  I’d come in after school and brew until 1am, then go home.  Did that for three years.

What led you to expand and move to the current location?

That lease was about to expire.  The developer of our current spot got in touch with me and said he was looking to add a brewery.  He’d asked around.  He has several other tenants, some in food and beverage.  They all recommended us.  It was good timing.  We were looking to expand, and this location really fit the plan.  The beer garden is a big draw, there’s onsite parking, and we’re able to do live music outside.

What does it take to make great beer and what are your favorite beer styles?

It takes lots of practice and the ability to build a recipe and not overcomplicate it.  You need to have a clean process and be willing to dump things that don’t work out.  I’m an IPA fan, on the hazy, less bitter side, lots of hop flavor and aroma… aroma is key.  Lately, I’ve been getting into well made Pilsners as well.  We’ve got some in the tank now and three coming up!

How did you decide on the name “Big Lick” and what goes into marketing your brand?

Big Lick is the historical name of Roanoke.  I thought it sounded good, kind of tongue in cheek and a link to the past.  It seemed like a cool name, but we actually didn’t know how many things there were called Big Lick.  Our marketing was all word of mouth initially, trying to build a following at our first location and expanding that following up here.  We were very lucky.  Local news outlets have been very interested and helped get everyone excited about us.  We do lots of Facebook, lots of Instagram, and try to be involved in community outreach… SPCA, the Taubman Museum, St. Francis of Assisi, American Cancer Society, West End Center, Roanoke Outside, to name a few, and pretty much every school that’s in need of help.

You’ve got some clever product names, “White Bonco” for instance.  What’s the process for naming your beers?

I keep a list on my phone.  Most of it comes from music, names of songs, lyrics of songs.  Sometimes it’s just oxymorons or other goofy things.  I’ve got a few creative friends who blurt things out over a beer or two.  When it’s something good, it goes on the list.

How did you cross the threshold into distribution and what do you see in the future for Big Lick?

We do well through the taproom so distribution is really about helping us get our brand out to more people.  We get a lot of requests from the marketplace and we’ve made several connections that way.  Once the health crisis is over, we would like to hire our own salesperson.  We’ve been looking, a couple partners and I, about the possibility of a small distillery.  That seems to be where my tastes are lately… bourbon, whiskey.  Also thinking of a pizza oven, additional expansion, a farm brewery, growing our own brewing ingredients.  That’s the dream!

What’s something you’ve brought from your career in education that separates you from the competition? What’s your advice to the aspiring Local Brewer?

Organization, general knowledge, working whatever hours are needed, working weekends…  running a classroom is kind of like running a business, lots of paperwork, discipline, responsibility.  I call it, “being a grown up!”  Save your money!  It’s not a cheap thing to get into.  Don’t look at becoming a millionaire.  It’s a lot of hard work, it’s long hours, lifting heavy things, and paperwork out the whazoo, but it can be fun if you like to hang out.  Have a plan and get lots of help from people who know what they’re doing.

Bryan compares his journey through the world of craft brewing to Roald Dahl’s story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  With a positive attitude, lots of goodwill, and just the right amount of luck, he’s found his golden ticket and looks the part as he clambers through the pipes, tanks, and fittings of the brewery.  As the sun sets and the beer garden outside begins to fill with thirsty patrons, one thing’s certain.  The future looks bright for Big Lick Brewing Company.