Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Shari
Hi Jon, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started home brewing in 2012 and won an award a competition months later. Winning that competition helped me meet some very influential people who would become mentors for me aiding in how I continued my approach at brewing and fast-tracking my experience. This also led to my beers being shared not only across the country but across the world as well. I was invited to brew with other breweries where I learned their process as it compared to my own and I was also fortunate enough to be able to pour my beers alongside other breweries at festivals which further got my name out there.
One thing that people did not necessarily expect when I opened was the influence of breweries from other states leading me to open a metal themed brewery. At the time, no one else had done this in GA yet and I saw an opportunity there, to be different, to stand apart from what seemed like the normal brewery atmosphere. It’s definitely not for everyone but my hope is that people come for the beers (because that is why we are here in the first place) and that the atmosphere is just an added background experience to that which makes us different.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
By the time I opened Little Cottage Brewery in May 2021, there was a following for my beers (mostly barrel-aged) that I had become known for while home brewing. That kind of notoriety was great but we quickly realized that there were still many people who had not heard of our beers and we needed to find ways to get those people in the doors. We went around town asking to put flyers up & were sending as much beer out as we could to help get the word out.
Today, we continue to see more people coming in for their first time & not only enjoying the beers we take pride in but also enjoying how our atmosphere here is uniquely different from others around here.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
While I am the owner of Little Cottage I am also the brewer here. I brew about twice a week but in between that there is ordering and planning for the next beer recipe, ordering merch, planning next beer releases, etc..
While we do have all different styles available on draft, I have always enjoyed designing a stout recipe that will be aged in a barrel for a minimum of 12 months. This, is what we specialize in and I became known for but we take pride in everything we do here. From our Helles Lager and Kolsch to our IPAs and fruited sour ales, everything is thought out to how we think that beer will be received by our customers.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
We have worked with other breweries and businesses in the past on collaborations. We typically like to get to know the other brewery/business and make sure that we have the same goals in mind. I would love to brew a beer specifically to be featured at a restaurant that would be paired with their food.
Our taproom is a great way for people to not only show their support but to get the experience of our atmosphere and be able to try all the products we make and take pride in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://littlecottagebrewery.com
- Instagram: @littlecottagebrewery
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/littlecottagebrewery
Image Credits
Ale Sharpton
Susan Williams
