Covering the Craft Beer Waterfront with Steve Sanderson of Riverwalk Brewing Company

About fifty minutes north of Boston in an industrial park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, you’ll find Riverwalk Brewing Company. Their mission is to “create a unique experience in every glass of Riverwalk beer.”And after sampling the brews on a recent visit, I can say that Founder and Owner Steve Sanderson is doing just that.

Like many in the industry, Steve started out homebrewing for his family and friends. After years of honing his craft at home (and winning awards and acclaim along the way), Steve finally decided to say goodbye to his job as a financial planner and started Riverwalk Brewing Company.

Oh, and not to forget – he was also the first winner of the History Channel’s reality/game show History on Tap in 2010, and we touched on that too when I recently caught up with him over beer.

How did you get into the beer business?

I started out drinking craft beer, imported beers. I then started visiting different breweries, brew pubs, and brew fests. On one of the days that I went to a brew fest, I got information about homebrewing. I ended up buying a basic homebrewing kit. I got hooked on brewing. In 2008, I left my job as a finical planner and decided to open a brewery.

How long have you been at your current location?

We have been at this location since 2012. Prior to opening a brewery in Newburyport, we were subletting space at Cody Brewing Company in Amesbury, MA.

How much beer do you brew in a year?

This year, we will brew 350 barrels.

What is your most popular beer?

Currently, our Riverwalk IPA is our top-selling beer. We also do seasonal beers. Our Porter did very well during the winter.

Do you plan to release any new beers this year?

Son of Gnomad recently was released. We will have a summer beer coming out soon.

The craft beer industry is now in the midst of a canning craze. Will we ever see any Riverwalk beers in cans?

I can see us doing that in the future but not anytime soon. Canning beer is good for the beer and for the environment. But by the end of this year, we will have our beers in 22 oz. bottles.

What is the most difficult part about getting beer on store shelves/on tap at bars?

I think getting your beer on tap at restaurants is difficult. Most restaurants have a relationship with a distributor and self-distributing your beer makes that difficult. I think you need to build a good local following. For restaurants that put our beer on tap, I offer the staff a course on beer at the brewery. I teach the staff about the brewing process and about our beers. So when someone asks about our beer, the staff can talk to them about the beer and the brewery. I think it’s great now that people are looking to try new beers.

With the craft beer industry growing as fast as it is, do you think it can sustain all this growth?

This current rate of growth can’t go on forever. I don’t know how much room there is. The craft beer industry is currently 6% of the total industry, so there should be more room for growth. The craft beer industry is more than a fad. However, when it does slow down, people will say we should have seen this coming.

You were on The History Channel’s History on Tap TV Show. When did the show air and how did you get on this show?

History on Tap was a reality/game show that aired the day after Christmas in 2010. You had to brew a beer from a recipe from the past. My partner and I brewed a beer from the pilgrims, and we won the competition. The show only aired once.

You were a guest brewer at Harpoon Brewery. How did that opportunity come about?

Being a guest brewer at Harpoon was the prize for winning the show History on Tap. We brewed the beer from the show at Harpoon in Boston. Our beer was on tap at the brewery for a while. The Harpoon guys are great.

What would your advice be to someone who wants to open a brewery and/or a brew pub?

I think if you want to open a brewery or a brew pub, you need to get experience working in a brew pub or at a brewery. There is a big difference from being a homebrewer to being a commercial brewer.