Bright Light Brewing By Carolina Brew Scene Staff
I
f you find yourself in downtown Fayetteville, knocking on a random warehouse door in the middle of the afternoon, you will learn that Bright Light Brewing Company is closed. They do not open until 4 p.m. on a Wednesday, but Eddie Ketchum invites me to come in and sit on the couch while he gets the place ready for the evening. He is a friendly, averagedbuild veteran who has an immaculate emerald green Harley Davidson. Eddie loves his community. From the space he occupies to the neighboring companies down the street, Eddie has
64 | Carolina Brew Scene | Fall 2018
a story about all of them. “No one stands alone in this town,” he says. The line-up on the tap tonight proves it. A collaboration brew with Mash House is one that draws a lot of attention. Called the “Lighthouse Stout,” it is deceptive and delicious. “We like to make beer that makes you think about it,” Eddie says as he serves a glass of the Lighthouse, an amber colored beer, and assures me it is a stout. Next he gives me a taster with a chocolatey opaque hue and tells me it is a Red. The collaborations do not stop
with the beer. One of the co-founders of Bright Light worked with Dirtbag Ales, another veteran-owned brewery in the area. The third partner and his wife designed the original taproom for the same brewery. All of the Bright Light Brewing owners are veterans and their desire to give back is evident and motivates a lot of their activities. In April, they hosted The Lone Survivor Foundation, which “restores, empowers and renews hope for our wounded service members and their families through health, wellness and therapeutic support.”
