Back in 1980, American beer wasn’t known for quality. The industry had sunk to a low point since Prohibition with fewer than 100 breweries in operation. Most of them produced only light lagers.
But our founder, Ken Grossman, believed beer could be more—more flavorful, more distinctive. He was especially taken with the flavors of hops. A homebrewer since a young age, Ken was fascinated with the alchemy of fermentation, leading him to open The Home Brew Shop in Chico, CA. Here, he perfected his homebrew until his great passion could no longer be ignored.
He officially started Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in 1980 with a brewhouse he cobbled together from scrap dairy equipment. Ken prioritized quality, brewing a dozen batches of his signature Pale Ale, featuring the whole cone Cascade hops he loved. Finally satisfied, Ken lugged a cooler to every bar in Chico, selling Pale Ale one bottle at a time. As Ken recalls, “ninety percent of people hated it. But the people who loved it, loved it.”
Thanks to those hop lovers, Sierra Nevada grew. So did the craft beer industry. Today, there are thousands of craft brewers, and our beer is sold in all 50 states via breweries on both coasts. But as Sierra Nevada expanded, Ken continued to prioritize quality, opting to stay 100% family-owned and operated to ensure the beer—and the company—continued to meet his very high standards.
Thank you to all the craft beer lovers out there who’ve helped make Sierra Nevada, Sierra Nevada.
We brew and do business like the planet’s future depends on it. We’re committed to operating sustainably, from slashing our environmental impact and producing alternative energy to farming onsite with regenerative agriculture.
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