Granite State Greatness – A Visit with White Birch Brewing’s Bill Herlicka

White Birch Brewing is one of New Hampshire’s newest and most exciting craft breweries. Located in historic Hooksett, White Birch was founded by Bill Herlicka in 2009 and quickly built an almost cult-like following for its finely crafted, small batch beers. So when Bill invited American Craft Beer up for a tour and a hang, I jumped at the opportunity!

White Birch Brewing is set up in an old car dealership that Bill has crafted into a brilliant brewing space. It’s a small operation, but growing, and Bill seems to be involved in all of it. He’s doing everything from brewing the beers to leading the tours – this brewery is unmistakably his baby. And as White Birch Brewing Company’s owner & founder, he clearly has much to be proud of!

After touring the brewery, I had a chance to sit down with Bill and ask him a couple of questions….

How did you get into the beer business?

I have been homebrewing since 1994. After working for some large companies for 14 years, my wife and I decided we should try to open our own business and do what I love – brewing beer.

How long have you been at your current location?

We have been here since September of 2011.

What would your advice be to someone who wants to get into the beer business by either opening a brewery or a brew pub?

I would do a brewery over a brew pub. Restaurants are tough enough to be successful as startups. My own abilities and interests leave me inclined to visit brewpubs and enjoy their efforts over trying it myself.

How much beer do you brew in a year?

As much as we can…It’s not a hard and fast formula.

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

I think this time around we’re in a better situation than the first craft beer revolution in the early 90s. It is easy to try and draw parallels based on growth, but the internet, distribution channels, and decades of efforts by the surviving pioneers of our craft have all contributed to making this craft wave a more sustainable model.

What is your favorite beer that you brew?

That’s like asking who’s my favorite child. They all have fascinating aspects which I enjoy – color, aromas, post sparge grain bed, fermentation activities, and of course, the samples off the brite tank.

What is your most popular beer that you brew?

It varies by state, but it’s either our Belgian Style Pale Ale or Hop Session Ale.

The craft beer industry has been in a canning craze in the past couple of years. Will we see any White Birch beers in cans?

It’s going to be a few years before we can invest in six packs. When we get ready to make the leap, we’ll evaluate the options and pick what we feel best represents our goals.

Do you plan to release any new beers this year?

Sure, our small batch series is always happening. What and when vary, but the results are always unique. Our anniversary beer is also a new beer each year. This year, I’m thinking of making a Belgian-style wheat wine.

How many states is White Birch beer sold in currently and will you be adding any new states in 2013?

We’re in a core six states (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, Vermont, and Virginia/DC) with distribution heading to GA and CT by March.

What is your favorite beer that you do not brew?

My favorite style is a Tripel or Barleywine. My favorite is often based on the seasons and my mood during that day. I like variety.

If you didn’t own a brewery, what would you be doing for work?

In my last job, I was a client services manager for a disease management and wellness company. If I wasn’t brewing, I’d either be doing account management or project management.

Where is your favorite place to drink beer in NH?

Mostly at home. I have an extensive selection of beers. When I’m out, I enjoy Strange Brew, River Rd Tavern, Martha’s Exchange, Portsmouth Brewpub, Cask & Vine, or New England’s Tap House Grill. The food is good and the beer selection is solid at these places.