We love our local breweries and our die hard support of them has helped drive the craft beer boom. But it’s also important to look at the large craft breweries and marvel at their growth and impact on the industry. For that reason, I’ve decided to take a deeper look at New Belgium Brewing.
For most craft beer fans, New Belgium is a familiar brand that offers great beer and has a fun story about how they began. But like most stories, there’s always more to uncover.
It All Started With A Bike Ride
Well that’s over-simplifying it. In reality, it was a bike ride through Belgium which for most of us would be an epic vacation on its own. But this trip changed the future of a family and a city.
Jeff Lebesch visited Belgium in 1988 where he biked (this bike had “fat tires”) through Europe. He returned home with some new ideas for his homebrew hobby.
Shortly after returning, he brewed Abbey (brown dubbel) and Fat Tire (Amber). These were direct results of the inspiration that the beers of Belgium provided and would be the basis for everything that New Belgium Brewing would become.
Just as important as Jeff’s beer was his wife’s involvement. Kim Jordan was the driving force to get the company off the ground in 1991. She was the company’s first bottler, sales rep, distributor, marketer and financial planner. Not to mention, she was the CEO from 2001 to 2015.
She now oversees the New Belgium Family Foundation where she continues to have a positive impact on the world.
Before starting officially launching New Belgium, Jeff and Kim took a hike into the Rocky Mountain National Park to discuss what the company would look like. This wasn’t about beer styles but rather their intentions as a company. They decided they would produce world-class beer in an environmentally friendly way and focus on people. More on this later.
Today, New Belgium operates breweries in Fort Collins, Colorado and Asheville, North Carolina. They are a highly recognized national brand that continues to bring quality craft beer to thirsty fans.
This husband and wife combo (now divorced) started what is now the 4th largest producer of craft beer in the nation. And while their involvement in the company has shifted over the years, it is obvious that their impact lives on.
The Beer
While there’s a lot to talk about when it comes to New Belgium, we can’t overlook the beer. If the beer wasn’t good then none of the company’s objectives would matter.
As stated earlier, Jeff was motivated to make beers similar to those he discovered in Belgium. And his first two beers did just that. Then they expanded their portfolio and ability to meet the beer needs of their ever-growing customer base.
Today, they produce 14 different year-round beers in addition to many seasonal offerings. Of these 14, 7 were new in 2017 which shows their commitment to evolving and providing new beer for the growing craft beer audience.
Here’s a few of their most popular craft beers:
- Fat Tire Belgian Style Ale
- Fat Tire Belgian White
- Abbey Belgian Ale
- Trippel Belgian Style Ale
- Voodoo Ranger Series
- In this series, you’ll find the IPA, Imperial IPA, 8 Hop Pale Ale and Juicy Haze as well as other seasonal releases.
Check out each beer’s individual webpage to learn more about it. They provide detailed information on the ingredients, tasting notes and food pairings. There’s not much more you could want to know.
I’ve enjoyed my fair share of their beers over the years and am always excited to grab something new from them. And I even got to attend an amazing beer dinner last year that featured their beer; read about it here. This beer dinner featured Transatlantique Kriek which may be my favorite beer from them.
New Belgium Brewing offers a huge range of styles. It think most craft beer fans can easily find a beer in their portfolio that they like.
More Than A Brewery
It takes a lot more than a history lesson or beer list to understand New Belgium. Jeff and Kim created a company that believed a business could do more than generate profit. Instead, they believe that business can be a force for good.
That’s quite a stance in a culture that applauds those that are able to achieve at any cost. But like I mentioned earlier, they intentionally started the company with a vision to do more than make beer. They wanted to have an impact.
Here are some of the ways they’ve done that:
High Involvement Culture – They believe every employee can have an impact. And they trust their employees to do that. An Open Book Management (OBM) system is in place so every employee can see the financial status of the company.
Certified B Corporation – In 2013, New Belgium earned this designation. It is for companies that meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. More or less, they are officially recognized as a company that is doing good.
Sustainability – Tied in with the B Corp status, New Belgium became the nation’s first wind powered brewery in 1999. They have their own water treatment facility of which the methane biproduct is used to produce energy for the brewery. They also use recycled/reused products for all types of items throughout their facilities.
There are numerous other examples that can be given to show how New Belgium Brewing is more than just a brewery. They’ve developed a brand that stands for quality beer and social responsibility.
If you’ve got time, check out the Sustainability portion of their website.
New Belgium’s Core Values And Beliefs
- Remembering that we are incredibly lucky to create something fine that enhances people’s lives while surpassing our consumers’ expectations.
- Producing world-class beers.
- Promoting beer culture and the responsible enjoyment of beer.
- Kindling social, environmental and cultural change as a business role model.
- Environmental stewardship: Honoring nature at every turn of the business.
- Cultivating potential through learning, high involvement culture, and the pursuit of opportunities.
- Balancing the myriad needs of the company, our coworkers and their families.
- Trusting each other and committing to authentic relationships and communications.
- Continuous, innovative quality and efficiency improvements.
- Having fun.
Employee Focused / Employee Owned
Understanding their philosophy helps us understand who they are as a company and based on what we’ve learned, it’s no surprise that they are an employee owned company. This is referred to as an Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP).
They became 100% employee owned in December 2012 and all new employees are awarded ownership on their 1 year anniversary. They are also given a cruiser bike similar to the one that Jeff rode in Belgium all those years ago.
Employee ownership, access to the company’s financials, and numerous other benefits make this company unlike any that I know. And honestly, it makes me want to join them on their mission to be a force for good.
They believe that empowering and including their employees only makes them a better company and it’s hard to argue considering their success.
Final Thoughts
There’s more to craft beer than just beer. It’s about community, people and being connected. New Belgium is a brewery that appears to get it and lives it out in how they conduct themselves.
And while they are happy to talk about who they are, I don’t feel like they boast or push it down our throats. Instead, they are doing good for the right reason. This isn’t a marketing strategy but rather a life strategy.
