Christian Ettinger, owner and brewmaster at Hopworks Urban Brewery, has been thinking about beer since he was 13 years old. From stocking the shelves of his local grocery store, to buying homebrew kits, to hosting exchange students, or inventing a brewing internship at the University of Oregon, he has been fascinated with beers role in the world. What really turned the corner for him, was a study abroad trip in Germany in college. He was hooked and has spent the majority of his life dedicated to understanding the way beer brings people together.
After an illustrious career as brewmaster at Laurelwood (where he won the World Beer Cup Champion Brewmaster award in 2004) Ettinger opened Hopworks Urban Brewery in 2007. They now have three locations (North Williams Ave and Powell in Portland, and just off Mill Plane Boulevard in Vancouver, WA), with over 130 employees and a brewing capacity around 13,000 barrels a year.
I asked Ettinger to describe Hopworks in a sentence or two, and he told me that HUB is,
…your source for world class beer and food. It’s a wonderful gathering place and you can rest assured that your beer and food money is spent in the right way with a company that is B Corp certified, that is really trying to do the right thing by the people and the planet every day.
Because of their relentless pursuit of running their brewery and restaurants as sustainably as possibly, they have won numerous awards, and hold several illustrious certifications. They are proud to be B Corp Certified, Salmon 1st and USDA Certified Organic.
As a conflicted capitalist, I want to make a good living, but I also want to do the right thing by the people and the planet.
They also try to cross utilize every ingredient at least three times. Their cooler changes over twice every week. Meaning, their menu is sort of simple, but it’s super fresh, and all ingredients are purchased to be used in multiple dishes.
In this episode we talk about:
- How Christian originally became interested in beer.
- Some of his beer influences.
- His favorite Hub and non-HUB beer.
- What the Yeti drinks in the summertime.
- Why and how Hopworks has chosen to focus on creating a sustainable brewery, at every level.
- The intentionality that goes into the food menu.
- A few of their certifications, and organizations they support and partner with.
- The key to creating a company culture where people want to stick around.
And much more!
Watch our full interview then join us on August 5 (Powell location) or November 4 (the new Vancouver location) for a 5K fun run!
Want to run for free? Check out the lightning round we did on Facebook Live for a free code! Otherwise, use promo code Hopworks5 when you register to save $5 off any run.
The Beer We Tasted
FEROCIOUS CITRUS IPA – “Take one sip of our hazy crazy IPA and you’ll be hypnotized. Big citrus hop flavors meet up grapefruit juice for a complex and fun to drink citrus sipper.”
ORGANIC HUB PILSNER – “Our Northwest-style pilsner is all malt all the time. Spicy and herbal notes from organic Perle hops balance the delicate honey flavor from organic 2-row and light caramel malts. This golden lager is dry and refreshing with surprising depth of character.”
This is Ettinger’s favorite beer, and the one he is most proud of. He told me, “…every day I’m in the relentless pursuit of the perfect pilsner.“
ORGANIC SURVIVAL STOUT – “Beer of the Ancients! Barley, Wheat, Oats, Amaranth, Quinoa, Spelt and Kamut sustain the soul with nutrients cultivated through the millennia. Finished with 20 pounds of cold-pressed Nossa Familia organic coffee. Unlock the mystery entombed in darkness.”
From left to right: water, HUB Organic Pilsner, Ferocious Citrus IPA, Survival Stout. Click the image to learn more about HUB beer.
Learn More
Ettinger self described himself as, “one of the older guys!” when referring to his role in the brewing community. To learn from some other “old guys,” catch our conversation with John Harris, Jerry Fechter and Ben Dobler.
