Our Brewmaster

Mark Ewald

Mark Ewald was enjoying a semester abroad in Italy in the late 1980s when he was introduced to Guinness. “It changed my life as far as beer is concerned.”

Over the last two decades, he has visited over 100 breweries in Germany, Holland, Belgium, the Czech Republic, England and Scotland, and more than 150 breweries in the US and Canada.

While growing his own business manufacturing tie-downs that are used by everyone from skiers to the U.S. military, Mark learned the craft of brewing. He eventually became production manager at Long Trail Brewery, producing over 100,000 gallons over his time there.

“I like traditional Old World styles and techniques,” he says. “I’m more of a traditional brewer than an experimental one. I appreciate styles that have lost favor in today’s world.”

At Crop, he plans to do open fermentation and use whole hops, which he plans to grow in Crop’s planned kitchen garden.

Mark is also a home-brewer, producing over 100 barrels since 1993. A high school All State football and soccer player, he’s an avid mountain biker and tele-skier, and has been a soccer coach for the past 15 years. He lives with his wife, Indy, and their kids, Will and Mimi.