Kettle to Keg started when my buddy, Jason, moved back to NH from his Beer World Tour. In less than ten years, he had worked at eight breweries in three states and two countries. During this time, he did everything from putting bottles on a bottling line to brewing his own recipes for experienced beer drinkers in the northeast of England.
After his last brewing job in Arizona in 2004, he moved back to the East Coast and was unable to find any homebrew shops or beer supply stores in the local area. So he decided then and there that the only way to get good beer was to open a homebrew shoppe and brew a better beer himself.
In 2005, with no money in the bank, a third-shift job, and a credit card in-hand, Jason found a location at 161 Main Street in the historic Suncook Village district of Pembroke, New Hampshire. The size was small, but the price was right. Jason figured he would provide the mere basics needed to make any English style beer. This way, even if nobody else ever came to the store, he would have enough malt to supply his hobby for a few years. What was there to lose?
Fortunately, folks did indeed come! One of the many beautiful things about homebrewing is that there is a beer for everyone! As our customer base grew, the retail space evolved into a homebrewed beer and winemaking community! Customers not only came to buy ingredients, but would also stay to share ideas and chat with likeminded beer geeks about ideas to make a recipe a little more personal for the upcoming season.
Jason stayed at 161 Main Street until early that next summer of 2006, when it was decided that a larger space was required in order to maintain enough supplies to match the creativity and ambition of Kettle to Keg customers. He found that space just down the street at 123 Main Street, next door to Studio 3 Tattoo! At the new shoppe, there was enough area to have an expanded retail showroom in the front, a separate packing room for mailorder shipping, and a “laboratory” in the back for brew experimentation and tasting! It is a storefront where creative juices flow just as freely as the beer out of our kegerator!
In the winter of 2009-2010, Jason made the decision to pursue other opportunities within the beer world. This is where I came into the picture! Jason and I had been friends and neighbors since 2005, during which time I frequently hung-out at the shoppe, watched Jason brew, and helped him drink. When Jason approached me about selling Kettle to Keg, I figured he merely had a bad day and I disregarded the notion. However, it became evident the he was quite serious, and in early March of 2010 I took the plunge and never looked back!
My hope is to continue and expand the vibe that Jason began for many years to come, not only at the store but also throughout this website! As a member of the Kettle to Keg community, you can always rest assured knowing that the products you buy are the freshest available, and that there will always be someone (at the shoppe or via email) who will happily assist you in accomplishing your various brewing goals!
Cheers!
Jesse