It’s the tale of two men with their entrepreneurial spirit and love for craft beer. Homebrewers Mike Reinhardt and Nate Watson of Kansas City, MO are looking to fund their nano-brewery on Kickstarter, a website platform that allows people to find funding for their ventures. As of now, Mike and Nate have about $17,000 left to raise by August 4. We interviewed Mike and Nate about their endeavors, homebrewing and Jimmy Carter.

Drink Eat Travel: How did you guys decide to use Kickstarter to fund your nano-brewery?

Mike Reinhardt: My friend Brent Gudgel, who made our video, first suggested the idea to me before we had really decided on the nano idea. In the intervening time, we priced equipment out and decided that it was doable. Then we watch Erik from Mystery Brewing have success at his campaign. Subsequently, I got a nice kick in the pants from someone to finally actually do something about pursuing the dream of a brewery.

In the end, neither of us had the cash to make it happen and banks have been a bit tightfisted and (in our opinion) untrustworthy as of late. So, we thought it would be best to use Kickstarter because it spoke to the fact that so many people believed in us and cheered us on already. Why not make it a “grassroots,” so to speak, effort.

Nate Watson: Ditto what Mike said. We had a strong following on our Thank Heaven For Beer blog. It just made sense. Social media has so much potential.

DET: You guy mentioned Jimmy Carter in your pitch video. If Jimmy Carter would drink any type of beer, which one you think he’ll drink?

MR: Given his Georgia connection and Presidential track record, I would have to say some sort of Nut Ale. He did try to shape some of the policy to help out his brother who made Billy Beer, so maybe he would enjoy a beer called Nepotism Stout as well.

NW: Having come from a farming background might go for Saison. Based off his work regarding strategic arms limitations and the Camp David Accords I’d bet he’d buy a bottle of Collaboration not Litigation ale.

DET: Mike, you called your dorm room where you homebrewed “Tightquarters Brewing.” Tell us about that.

MR: Yeah! It was kinda tongue-in-cheek but really was 340 square feet. Man the place was small and I produced a lot of beer there. Some of greatest epiphanies and passions for brewing concerning brewing occurred there. We kicked around the names for a long time and had a pretty long list that Nate and I had plenty of discussion about … that was one of them.

DET: You guys have about a week or so left to go on Kickstarter, nervous?

MR: I’ve been nervous the whole time. Call it an obsessive disposition (I think it’s what also make me good at brewing) but I did fret and have some sleepless nights. The truth is that we now have a sense of urgency that we hope others share. I’m not nervous, just urgent.

NW: Ummm … I think it would be foolish not to be watchful and nervous, otherwise it would show we don’t care. However, even if our Campaign had bombed, we would have found a way to open a brewery.

DET: Where do you guys work?

MR: I was a project manager at a company in California before my wife and I moved. Moved to Kansas City to make the brewery happen. For that reason, we are looking for some jobs in this area.

NW: I work at National American University. I’m using their computer to type this.

DET: What’s brewing now?

MR: I just bottled 15 gallons of lambic and setting up shop in K.C. We literally got here a little over 2 weeks ago, so I don’t have anything
going right this second. However, I have planned 6 or 7 brews during the course of the next few weeks. Nate has two Flanders Style sours going right now.

NW: I have a Flanders Red and a Flanders Brown aging. I’m brewing this weekend but I am not sure what it will be. Any suggestions?

DET: Barrel-aged stout.

DET: Prince once told us, “If you don’t love what you do, you have no business doing it.” Agree?

MR: I think that is absolutely true. That’s part of the reason I left California. I thought to myself, “I don’t really love what I’m doing. Better to try this and fail. I can always find another job with which I’m dissatisfied but I know that I will be dissatisfied for the rest of my life if I don’t try this brewery.” Prince is right.

NW: Amen.

Additional Information
Help fund Wilderness Brewing
http://www.thankheavenforbeer.com/

Photography provided by Nate Watson and Mike Reinhardt

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