Brian Strumke of Stillwater Artisanal Ales is an incredibly unique and daring brewer who has recently been making waves in the craft beer industry. His unconventional approach to brewing has seen him produce brews on both sides of the Atlantic. What makes his story even more intriguing is that Strumke himself doesn't even have a home base. Nevertheless, this advantage as seemingly worked out in his favor as his beers and labels stand out from the crowd, making Stillwater Artisanal Ales a project to be reckoned with.
Stillwater Artisanal Ales is an ambitious beer project by the Baltimore-based brewer, Brian Strumke. From the beer in the bottle to the labels outside, Brian's project is unlike any other, transcending traditional brewing conventions to produce adventurous ales across the Atlantic. In an ever-evolving craft beer world, this ambitious project highlights the advantages of not having a single fixed place of business.
Stillwater Artisanal Ales was first born in 2010, as a project by Brian Strumke. Brian, born and raised in Baltimore, had been in the music and art world prior to turning his attention to craft beer. With his creative, unconventional outlook, it comes as no surprise that Brian chose to pursue craft brewing over any other style of beer production.
In the beginning, Strumke developed and brewed beer styles in collaboration with independent breweries located in both the United States and Europe. He chose to focus on unusual beer styles, such as saisons, or gose-inspired ales, and tart farmhouse ales. This decision to brew in other countries allowed him to explore interesting and unique flavors that went beyond traditional beer production.
It was in 2013 that Strumke released the first bottled beer under his Stillwater Artisanal Ales label. Since then, there has been an impressive number of Stillwater Artisanal Ales releases, including their signature Insetto and Cellar Door saisons, their tart farmhouse series and their line of classic and modern gose-inspired styles.
Being a 'gypsy brewer' means being completely self-sufficient and independent. Brian has made sure to have no fixed address, no set headquarters, and no ties to any brewery. This lack of a specific base means he is free to craft his ales in a variety of places, producing unique and interesting beer styles.
These benefits of being a gypsy brewer include:
The lack of a single location creates a unique opportunity for Brian Strumke and Stillwater Artisanal Ales to create unique, creative and original beers that truly stand out in the competitive craft beer market.
With a global network of collaborating brewers and no overhead costs associated with running a physical brewery, this gypsy brewer is able to keep costs down and maintain his independence. He is then able to pass these savings on to the consumers, resulting in Stillwater Artisanal Ales being one of the most affordable craft beers out there.
Freed from the restraints of having a fixed address, Brian and Stillwater Artisanal Ales are able to focus on what matters most: the beer. With over 15 years of brewing experience, access to a global network of like-minded collaborators, and the ability to rapidly scale up production, there seems to be no limit to what Brian Strumke and Stillwater Artisanal Ales can achieve in the future.
In the coming years, we can expect to see more unique and interesting beer styles from Stillwater Artisanal Ales, with innovative takes on traditional brewing techniques and a focus on creating truly unique flavors. We can also expect to see the same gypsy brewer independence that has been the cornerstone of this project since the beginning.
The ambitious, unconventional brewing project of Brian Strumke and Stillwater Artisanal Ales highlights the advantages of being a self-sufficient, gypsy brewer. With access to a global network of brewers, an expansive and constantly growing portfolio of beer styles, and no overhead costs associated with operating a physical brewery, this project has become a leader in the craft beer market. There seems to be no limit to various styles of beer Strumke can come up with, and the coming years shed light on what this independent, Baltimore-based project can