Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Ellrich.
Hi Patrick, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
It started in the summer of 2015. I was at a friend’s apartment in Atlanta drinking Sweetwater IPA. It was the only beer in the fridge so I had one. I remember thinking “this is delicious”, and that sent me into a search for every local IPA I could find that summer. Fast forward a few years, I started homebrewing in the summer of 2018 doing tiny 1-gallon batches of beer in my apartment in Smyrna, GA. My wife, Caroline, and I were also planning our wedding and a move to her hometown of Decorah, Iowa at the same time. We needed a change of pace and I needed a break from the logistics and supply chain industry. I also wanted to learn more about beer. I was able to land a job at Toppling Goliath, a very well-known brewery in Decorah. There, I bartended, helped manage the taproom, gave brewery tours, and taught beer education to the staff. This is where I became fascinated with everything about beer and a student of the craft. We spent about a year in Iowa before realizing we were much too cold and wanted to head back to the Atlanta area.
I went right back into my career in logistics when we got back to Atlanta but the last thing I did before we left Iowa was make a business plan (it was really just a list of ideas) for a beer bar. That became my dream, and I truly felt like I could figure out how to do it someday, just no idea how long that would take. Fast forward two more years to May 2021 where I was experiencing so much burnout in the logistics industry that I was forced to make a decision of either training for an entirely different career path or figuring out how to open my beer bar. May 9, 2021 was the day I created my LLC, which was exactly two years to the day after I created that little business plan in Iowa. I knew from the beginning that the foundation of this business would be strong — Focus on quality at a fair price and of course, customer service.
Caroline and I were off to the races and set a lofty goal of opening this place up before the end of 2021. Piece by piece, we figured it out and learned a ton along the way. We were able to open the doors of Proper Hop Taphouse on 12/21/21 and now we’re approaching our 1 year anniversary. It’s been one of the fastest-moving years of my life, it’s been emotional, incredible, and probably a constant mix of any emotion you could think of. There’s a degree of uncertainty and simply hope that people will show up daily. It’s such an amazing feeling that people want to spend their time and money at a place we created.
I want all of our customers to know the amount of care I put into this. I serve beer as the brewer intended, and that means you’re going to get the same quality pour as if you went straight to the source. I do all of my own draft system maintenance to ensure that the beer lines are clean and you are getting the highest quality pour every single time, at the proper temperature, and in the proper style of glassware. I curate my collection of beer very seasonally because that’s how I drink and I have such a respect for so many styles of beer. Beer is very situational – The type of beer you drink can be based on time of year, weather, mood, and beyond. Once people see what sets Proper Hop apart from any other place that serves beer, I tend to see those people more often, and that means the world to me. I also just brewed my first collaboration beer with a local brewery, and I’m very excited to offer more unique options like this in the future.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There’s always some sort of challenge/obstacle to overcome. I think that if this was easy, everyone would have their own business because it can be so fulfilling and rewarding. My biggest struggle is the feeling of uncertainty. ‘Are people going to show up today? Why is it slow today but the same time last week this place was packed?’ I don’t think I”ll ever figure out a specific formula to how foot traffic is going to flow but after having a low-revenue month, I’m doing much better at looking at the big picture. No single day can define your overall business. If business is slow, you just have to adjust operating expenses accordingly and continue to push forward. This is going to be a marathon, and I’m barely into the first mile. There are a lot of great places to hang out in Roswell, and regardless of what I’m doing differently to get people into the door, getting established takes time. Right now the focus is on giving people a great customer experience, educating them on what I do behind the scenes to get them the best-tasting beer around, and growing my customer base because I love seeing familiar faces walk into the shop every day.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Proper Hop is my passion project turned into a business. Every beer that I offer on my menu is personally selected by me and has a purpose for being there. The menu rotates constantly, changes with the seasons, and ranges from the familiar style to the very obscure. For the non-beer drinkers, I also offer wine, cider, seltzer, and a few different non-alcoholic choices.
It’s not just about the beer. Proper Hop was created to bring people together, with the help of a carefully curated beer collection. It’s a safe space for people from all walks of life, and I get so much joy when I see people gathering in my taphouse, especially when two strangers strike up a conversation at the bar and become friends.
It’s a very comfortable and laid-back environment. The bar area is kind of like coffee house meets pub – a few tables and high tops, comfortable seating surrounding a coffee table, and a TV. Downstairs is more seating, 3 TVs, and 2 dart boards. Outside I have seating for about 50, and most of that seating is under string lights in the quaint courtyard of Roswell Square. We also offer food pop-ups on most Saturdays, and a partnership with our neighbor, Moxie Burger, where they will deliver food to your table daily.
The way I store and serve beer sets me apart. Proper cold storage for all beer (this includes packaged beer), proper glassware, proper glassware cleanliness (we call this “beer clean”), proper draft line maintenance (I clean my beer lines every two weeks), and beer education. I also operate the business, so you’re going to catch me behind the bar most of the time. I love being able to serve and speak on my collection of beer, and I think that really helps form a connection with the customers. I’m so proud of the product and I just want people to know how deeply I care about the quality of beer I’m serving.
How do you think about happiness?
That’s quite the loaded question.
First, my family. My wife, Caroline, and I just celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary in September and she’s been such a huge part in keeping this business going. She helps me overcome stress and anxiety, which is something that I’ve struggled with for years, long before owning a business. Anxiety has definitely gotten in the way of my overall pursuit of happiness over the years as I’ve really struggled to find something that gives me a sense of purpose in my professional life.
Giving an amazing life to our four rescue animals (2 dogs, 2 cats) brings me so much joy. There are so many precious animals out there that need help and good homes, I love being able to provide a high quality of life for these four. It’s our job as humans to give animals a life worth living.
Knowing that I can help someone have a good day brings me happiness. I interact with a lot of people daily. You never know what could be going on in their lives and just greeting someone with a friendly “hello” and a smile can go a long way, especially when someone is having a bad day. If I’ve helped make someone’s day a little better, then I’ve done my job. Let’s all be kind to each other.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.properhoptaphouse.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/properhoproswell/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/properhoproswell/
