Diversions: What experience do you have with your company, and the festival as well?
Joe Zonin: I’m one of the owners, and I started the company with Greg Shuck in 1995. The festival opened 10 or 12 years ago, and since it has started, we’ve gone to it every year.
Dive: How did the brewery’s creation come about?
JZ: We were originally home-brewing as a hobby, but then we decided that our brewing was something we could expand upon and make into a business. Greg and I spent a lot of time together in school at Cornell, and moved out to Seattle after graduation. Living in Seattle, we made the decision in 1993 to do something with our brewing. At the time, there were 10-12 breweries in Seattle and 2-3 breweries in North Carolina, and because the area was lacking them, we made the decision to start the company in Chapel Hill. Though it took us a few
years to get off the ground, we eventually got to where we are today.
Dive: What is unique about your brewing processes?
JZ: We use 100 percent malted barley for our base, while a lot of larger breweries will substitute corn and rice. We make very traditional beers, and focus solely on them as opposed to the experimentation into fruits, nuts, coffee, and chocolate beers that other companies tend to attempt. Carolina Pale Ale, Carolina Nut Brown Ale, and Wiggo are all flavors we’ve
continually produced since our home-brewing days.
Dive: What flavors are you bringing to the festival, and can you tell me about them?
JZ: Carolina Octoberfest is one of the beers we will be bringing to the festival. It’s one of our most popular seasonal beers, and it’s been the same recipe for 15 years. Carolina Pale Ale, Carolina IPA, and Carolina Nut Brown Ale are some other recipes that we’re bringing there as well.
Dive: What are your thoughts on the upcoming World Beer Festival, as a whole?
JZ: It’s a great time to meet new people, and a great time to reacquaint with old friends.
Dive: What are some of your future plans for your products?
JZ: The biggest plan for us on the near horizon is that we’ll be bottling our seasonal beers for availability in grocery stores, bars, etc. Starting with our Winter Porter, which will be available in a six-pack, it’ll be the beginning of our seasonal beers being available beyond our own facility.
For more information visit Carolina Brewing Company online.
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