Dear Los Angeles, meet your newest brewmaster, Jon Carpenter of Golden Road Brewing. In less than a month, during LA Beer Week, the long awaited Atwater Village based brewery will open to the public. While Co-owner Tony Yanow and Meg Gill have been overwhelmingly busy with the business aspect of the brewery, Jon has spent nearly all his waking moments perfecting the beers he’ll be delivering to the people of Los Angeles. We followed young Jon around during brew day and asked him about Dogfish Head Brewery, working with Meg and Tony and sleep deprivation.

Who?

Golden Road Brewing was officially announced in June of this year. San Diego native, Jon Carpenter, has not lived in Southern California since 2000. He moved to L.A. about two and a half months ago from Delaware, where he was the Assistant Head Brewer at Dogfish Head Brewery. At the young age of 29, Jon has worked for Anheuser-Busch in the midwest, breweries in New England, and now he’s back in Southern California.

When Jon arrived at the campus of U.C. Davis, he had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. “Man, I had no idea. I really fell into this,” Jon says. He recalls meeting Scott Vaccaro, now of Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. when he played lacrosse in college. “I would go over to his place during my freshman year and he would home brew. I was lucky I ended up in Davis where I could take classes [in brewing].”

Working Around the Clock

Jon’s daily ritual consists of sleeping for four to five hours, wake up for a run and go to work. “Right now, we’re planning to put out four 15 barrel batches per week. We’re still fine tuning the volume and the batches,” Jon says. The brewery is something constantly on his mind. “I get home late at night, I would think about what we need to do next. I would wake up in the middle of the night to scribble something down then try to go back to sleep.” When the brewery officially debuts, they plan to release two styles of beer, the IPA (India Pale Ale) and the Hefeweizen (a top-fermented wheat beer originating from Europe). Jon enjoys a challenge. “I wanted to brew our first challenging beer first, because, why not torture ourselves,” Jon says with a grin on his face.

Even though the Hefeweizen is nearly finished and sitting in the tanks, it doesn’t stop Jon and the team from exploring and expanding their knowledge. Like Willy Wonka traveling to different locations to create magical candies, Jon constantly strives for more. The team returned from Germany this week where they explored the origins, and did additional homework, to refine their Hefeweizen recipe. Their goal is to create a world-class brewery with world-class beers. Of course, it’s not without sacrifice. “It’s kind of awesome and it’s kind of intense. It almost gets overwhelming, but at the same time, it’s hard to be overwhelmed when it’s something we all want so much,” Jon tells us.

Jon describes his behavior while brewing to be OCD. “We check our yeast under the microscope; run tests constantly to make sure nothing gets infected. I am a mess at home. When I come here I am regimented. People are surprised to see me in my regular life. It’s like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

Since the move, Jon’s family has been able to see his work up close. “My family has been concerned that it’s taken my entire life over, but at the same time, when they see what I am doing with my life, they get wrapped up in the excitement too.” He’s not a work-a-holic, he tells us, “Don’t get me wrong I love having a social life, and traveling around and meeting people. That’s really important to me. But faced with a challenge like this, I am ready to go all in and just get crazy on this sh-t.”

The Cards are on the Table

Not only being the CEO of Golden Road Brewing, Tony Yanow also runs Tony Dart’s Away in Burbank and Mohawk Bend in Echo Park. Jon says he likes to push the envelope and works better when someone else does too. “Tony is a visionary. So working with him is easy. He comes up with crazy ideas that are damn near impossible to execute. I rather be working with someone who’s pushing the limit than working with someone who’s ready to settle for the status quo. And Tony is certainly never ready to settle.”

When Jon arrived at the brewery, it was floors and empty spaces. The team managed to get the brewing system up and running in just over two months. “We’re just excited to finally be able to brew. It was intense. Meg and Tony sleep less than I do, I think,” Jon adds.

Dogfish Head

Just before Golden Road Brewing, Jon worked side by side with some of the best in the craft beer business. Leaving wasn’t easy especially when Jon had the task of planning long term goals for Dogfish Head. “Sam [Calagione] was great, he was obviously put in a tough spot when I left. But he’s been supportive. He could’ve taken it the wrong way but instead he told me ‘it sounds like an amazing opportunity. I understand what you are doing’”

Somewhat of a Balance

He tells us exercising is important for him. “If I don’t [run], I start freaking out, even through days like today. I got up at 5:30 AM for a run then came to the brewery. I sweat my ass off here, and by two in the afternoon I am thinking to myself, ‘it’s really unnecessary for me to go for a run this morning,’ but whatever.” The running helps Jon center his mind. “I can think about what kind of day yesterday was and think about the kind of day today will be.” Even with all the sacrifice of having a limited personal life, he is not a tiny bit concerned. “Those things in your life that are important will end up being around when you have time to take a breath.”

Plans for the Future

Jon revealed some of Golden Road Brewing’s future plans to Drink Eat Travel including the red building section of the brewery slated for barrel aging. Jon plans to have at least ten barrels going in there by the end of the year. The brewery will also be attached to a restaurant. Los Angelenos will get a chance to try Jon’s beers at the “Golden Road Brewing Debut” at Tony’s Darts Away in Burbank on Saturday, September 24 from 12 PM to 3 PM. And on Sunday, September 25 from 6 PM to 9 PM at Mohawk Bend in Echo Park. Also, on Monday, September 26 from 6 PM to 2 AM at 38º Degrees Ale House & Grill in Alhambra.

The brewery officially opens their doors during LA Beer Week on Sunday, October 16 from 12 PM to 5 PM.

Where?
Golden Road Brewing
5410 W. San Fernando Rd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039

Additional Information
Golden Road Brewing Coming to Los Angeles from Tony Yanow, Meg Gill and Jon Carpenter
http://goldenroad.la