H
ow does one become a Brewmaster? For Eric Mance, owner of Broad Brook Brewery in Suffield, it started the day he turned 21 and began drinking Budweiser and other popular American beers. “They make good beer, but lack a true flavor profile and I was looking for something different,” Mance said. He began to try imported beers such as Spatan and Beck’s from Germany along with Belgian and English beers. That soon led to Mance and his future business partner, Tom Rossing, to seek out craft beers found at Long Trail, Magic Hat, Shipyard, Allagash, and other New England and imported breweries. The pair was inspired to begin home brewing with the thought that someday, maybe, they might open their own craft brewery - something that wouldn’t happen until 2013 after several years of experimenting. “Our interest in the craft brewing industry was definitely piqued as we saw more and more beer lovers seeking out craft brews, along with a possible place for us in Connecticut which at the time had few craft breweries,” said Mance. Spurred on by friends who told them they loved their home brews, they realized that wasn’t enough. “Of course, they’re going to love your beer because they are getting it for free,” laughed Mance, who along with Rossing looked for additional ways to validate their brews. “We began sending our beer to competitions all over the country and we won quite a few. Knowing that others appreciated our beer further validated that what we were brewing was legitimate and of good quality. Our next step was to pour our beers at various beer fests in order to build name recognition before ever opening our own brewery. Suddenly we were now standing next to Long Trail and Shipyard, brewers we looked up to. And, now people were lining up for our beers and coming back for more,” Mance said, noting it was time to do the research and finally open their own brewery. “I have a business background which
! KEITH O’CONNOR NATE BLAIS & BROADBROOK BREWING
GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 23
