If you’ve ever been to Chico, California, you probably have a soft spot in your heart for Sierra Nevada’s beer. It is not because their beer is impossible to separate from the university culture that permeates every crevice of the town, or that their products are so prevalent in bars and restaurants (though they are). But it is the spirit of the brewery and the founder that make Chico, and frankly much of the U.S., embrace the Sierra Nevada brand.

When Grossman came to Chico in 1972 to attend the university, building an internationally recognized brewery was just a dream. “I was studying chemistry and opened a home brew store selling wine making equipment and beer supplies,” remarks Grossman. “In 1978 I opened a small brewery, wrote a business plan, bought materials.” As simple as that sounds, creating an empire like the Sierra Nevada brand was more of a passion to succeed than an adoption of a solid business plan.

Chico’s quaint atmosphere has fostered this company.

“It is small but has a thriving university,” says Grossman. “People have fond memories of Chico State and the town once they leave.  Hopefully they will still have a fondness for our company and our brand as well.” What makes the brewery such a facet of the community is their ability to recognize the small town as strength rather than a hindrance. “We market through people’s experience. There is a certain charm here. It is a small population base but we have the ability to connect with customers. It is wonderful to have such a good relationship with the community and the City Council, which has made it easy to grow a business here.”

A proud employer in Chico, Sierra Nevada has five hundred employees, including the restaurant personnel. “We have our own trucking company, and most of our employees live in Chico. We are one of the largest employers here besides the university and the hospital and we love the community.”

Grossman’s passion for brewing started long before college —  and his curiosity helped to establish the company he has today. “That interest goes back to when I was young. My best friend’s father was a homebrewer and winemaker. I was around his house when he was brewing and was taken in by it all. He was quite an alchemist. I was fascinated by the ability or notion in turning a handful of barley or hops into an interesting beverage.”

Grossman, who has three of his kids involved in the business, loves what he does, and has thoughts of expanding into other ventures. When he is not drinking beer, he enjoys wine, Scotch, and absinthe. “We might do spirits and have talked about it for years. I bought a copper pot to turn into a still thirty years ago and it is still sitting there unused, but maybe we will do something in spirits in the next few years finally, but no serious plans at this point.”

We want to be the first to try it.