Meet Dave Hughes, wearer of all hats, at Strong Side Brewing Co.
Full Name? David Hughes
Your title? Owner / Brewer (Salesman / Social Media Manager / Delivery Driver / Accountant)
Brewery Name? Strong Side Brewing
Brewery Location? No physical location yet - operating as a contract brewery. Contracting out of Start Line Brewing - Hopkinton MA. You can find our tap locations on our website!
#1) What made you decide to get into the craft brewing industry?*
A good friend of mine got a homebrew kit in 2010, and I went over to hang out on brew day. The very next day - I went out and bought all of my own equipment. It's been a steady ramp up since that day. Through many different living situations / major life events, I've always found a way to keep the homebrew hobby growing and improving. So much so that I started working part time at a commercial brewery to learn professional practices, and worked up enough courage to give it a go on my own!
#2) Which of your beers do your customers enjoy the most and why?*
I'm operating as a contract brewery at the moment - so my flagship series of beers is fairly limited. I produce 3 sister beers that all have similarities, but ramp up in abv %. It's a hazy - hop forward series of brews: "Future Self" 5.2% NE Pale Ale, "Groundwork" 6.5% NE IPA, and "Take the Leap" 8.0% NE Double IPA, that all work together to tell a story. I'd say the fan favorite is Take the Leap. It seems to move the quickest out at bar / restaurant accounts!
#3) What's your favorite thing about your brewery?*
The message. I will work to produce top quality beer for Strong Side's entire existence, however, I feel that Massachusetts is packed full of breweries putting out absolutely amazing beer. I want Strong Side to stand out with its message. I want to promote positivity and motivation. We're all in this together. We all face adversity day in and day out. We can all dig deep and tap into our own personal Strong Side to overcome any obstacle that we face. Then we can celebrate with a beer!
#4) Besides your own, what Massachusetts craft beers or breweries impress you the most and why? *
I'd argue that here in MA we have the largest concentration of incredible breweries in the country, so this is a wicked tough question. I'm definitely highly influenced by those that I feel are dominating the NE IPA style in not only the state, but have become recognizable names nationwide. Tree House, Trillium, and Vitamin Sea I hold in very high regard. That said, my host brewery - Start Line Brewing - has long been one of my favorites! The beer is top notch, they have tremendous variety, the food is outstanding, and they provide one of the best all around tap room experiences in the state! I love what Sterling Street Brewing in Clinton and Lost Shoe Brewing in Marlborough have built, as well, and look to both as inspirations for the future Strong Side Brewing location!
#5) What’s a little known fact about you or your brewery that you think customers would get a kick out of? Something unique, funny or unusual?
My wife and I got the opportunity to brew beer for our own wedding! The feedback from that night is really what set me on my path to pursuing this professionally. We made an American Wheat with all of the bridesmaids "Ladies in Waiting", a west coast IPA with all of the groomsmen "GuyPA", and coffee stout as a couple "The Big Day". We "outsold" commercial beer options available at the wedding by something like 300%. It made for one magical night!
#6) Do you remember your first gateway craft beer? What did you love about it and why?
Honest answer, I was a rum and coke guy forever. I'd have all the domestic light beer at parties and such but was never impressed. Sam Adams Boston Lager was probably the first craft beer that I ever tried that really caught my eye. I went on a Sam Adams only kick for close to a year - trying every style that I could find. However, when I had my first pint of Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA, I remember exactly where I was. It was a monumental moment. It was that glass that really started my craft beer journey!