Conor Brown

1. As co-owner of a local brewery, tell us about the trends in small-batch craft beers around Park City/Summit County? Do these differ from broader regional or national trends? 

I think, in general, the average Park City/Summit County customer tends to be a bit more health conscious, so the lower ABV beers that we are forced to brew by law are what people are drawn to anyways, which is nice. I think the skiing culture here and skiing’s inherent ties to Europe also leads people to want and understand the traditional European lagers that we brew. Lager Bier is becoming more popular in the craft beer space at a national level, but I’m still shocked at how well our traditional European lagers do. 

2. Other than Offset Bier, what are some other breweries, restaurants, or bars that you enjoy going to in Summit County to enjoy a cold beer and a bite to eat? Why are these places your favorites?

I’d say the three places I find myself at the most are Twisted Fern, Five5eeds, and the Chop Shop Park City. The Chop Shop was our first account, and Twisted Fern might have been our second. The chef-owned aspect of both places really shines through not only their food, but how they run their businesses. I like to skin up Park City Mountain Resort in the morning and often find myself at Five5eeds afterward for breakfast, before the crowds show up that is. They might serve the best breakfast I’ve ever had, and I’m constantly inspired by the brand they’ve created and their attention to detail at every touch point.  

3. What are you looking forward to for Offset Bier? Any changes for the brewery? New offerings? New Challenges?

I’m looking forward to some warmer temps and being able to open our large garage door. We’re constantly coming up with new beers, using new ingredients, and trying to refine the beers we make regularly. We’ve got some fun beers in the works for the summer, for sure. I think our biggest challenge is that we’re too small. We have no desire to be a large brewery, but we need to grow to be more efficient, pay our employees better, and be a healthier overall business. Trying to figure out how to grow while maintaining our ethos and identity is the biggest challenge that we face daily.   

4.  Have you experienced any recent helpful (or challenging) changes in Utah Liquor laws? What changes are you seeing in the perceptions of Utah liquor laws by locals and by visitors?

We still encounter many visitors who have a negative view of the beer “scene” here in Utah. There are many people that walk in our door and are instantly bummed that they can’t sit down and drink a draft pour of an 8% Double IPA. They think because everything is 5% on draft, the beer is watery or will not have much flavor/aroma. I think we are doing a good job showing people that we can make flavorful/aromatic beer at 5%. We constantly get comments from visitors that they can’t believe the beer is 5% or that they’ve never had such an impactful beer at 5%. It’s something we spend a lot of time thinking about, and there are quite a few things we do during the brewing process that help us accomplish this. Things that maybe not many breweries are doing, especially to a beer that’s 5%.

5. You are invested in making the taproom a community gathering spot by hosting various events. Talk about some of the local events you host, and which are your favorite to participate in around the Summit County area?

When I first envisioned this business, the goal was to brew world-class beer and create a space for our community - a place for people to gather after a day of work, skiing, or biking. A place where people could come together that was easily accessible, had ample parking, and had a relaxed/chill feel. As someone who has lived here for 16 years, I felt like this didn’t exist, and there was a hole that Offset could fill. We host monthly meetings for the Woman’s Giving Fund which is run by the Park City Community Foundation, and group meetings focused on affordable housing. We have multiple community activation events every week, from our Run Club on Wednesday nights all year to our Uphill Ski Club on Thursdays in the winter, as well as hosting White Pine Touring mountain bike rides on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the summer. It’s so amazing how group-oriented activities can help you motivate to get out and exercise after a long day.  

6. How do you get creative in the brewery? What part of your business allows you to be the most creative? Are your patrons looking for new flavors or thirsting for more traditional flavors?   

One of the biggest reasons I started this business was to have a creative outlet. I was a marketing major in college and have wanted to start my own brand for some time. We’re always coming up with new beers here at Offset.  The beer itself is the easy part. The brand, storytelling, label design, etc. surrounding that beer is the challenging part and what I get the most satisfaction out of. Coming up with creative ways to tell our customers why we do what we do and what they’re experiencing when they drink our beer is, maybe, my favorite part of owning a small business. Honestly, it’s what I spend a lot of my time thinking about; and it’s what keeps things fresh and exciting.  

7.   There are many places across the country where you could set up shop and brew beer. What is it about Park City/Summit County that led you to open a brewery and taproom in this location?

Park City is home. It has been for 16 years, and I think it always will be. Craft beer has exploded over the last eight years. There are now close to 10,000 breweries in the US. I honestly wouldn’t want to open a brewery in many places other than here. There are so many incredibly saturated markets. The business is tough; and it’s getting that much harder to make a name for yourself. I felt like this community needed a modern craft brewery, as well as a space for locals and visitors to gather.  

8. Why is Park City/Summit County’s art and culture scene (i.e. culinary, film, visual art, music, and performance scenes) important? 

Without arts and culture, a community has no soul. Plain and simple. Arts and culture create new experiences that keep life interesting and exciting.