Why Reuben’s Brews’ Thought Process Hasn’t Wavered 10 Years In

Focusing on three main points, Reuben’s Brews co-founder Adam Robbings shared with Brewer that those three ideas have never left his mind and he’s passed that along to his staff over the years and keep that sticktoitiveness to help the company thrive.

“I think there are lots of answers that while individually aren’t important, they all add up,” he said when discussing the three points.

The brewery is celebrating its 10th anniversary this weekend and the Seattle brewery has grown to produce about 24,000 barrels per year to help service distribution along with its three different taprooms.

READ MORE: Reuben’s Brews Toasts 10 Years with Block Party August 6

Here are the three points Robbings shared with Brewer:

• Concentrate on quality: Our Glass Backwards philosophy is key to who we are. We don’t waiver from making sure recipes are as good as we can possibly make them. This is easier to say than do, so has to be in your DNA. Don’t make recipe choices because it’s the yeast you have on hand, or is the base malt in the silo. Make the choices for the beer.
• Don’t chase growth: We always wanted to be pulled by demand, rather than over-invest and have to chase demand. This way you can always make unpressured decisions — concentrating on what’s in the glass, concentrating on your customer experience, and doing what’s best for your people!
• KISS Method: Remember, customers are inundated with so much noise in the market — keep your branding and your messaging simple. Less is more — always!

Being British born and having lived in the US for 18 years now, ​Robbings gave a humorous anecdote​ ​that he ​often gets confused about what phrases are widely known and understood in the US versus being a Britishism.​ It has led to some beer name ideas that got nixed by his fellow co-founder, and wife, Grace.

​”​Crikey​,​ for example​, everyone knows here​,” he said. “But other Britishisms, like ​’​Bits and Bobs​’​ or ​’​Stone the Crows​’​ aren’t and so don’t resonate as beer names as much.

“I always have to ask Grace whether I’ve gone too far with some of our beer names​.​ Blimey, naming beers is bloody hard sometimes​.”​