Bret Stitzman’s began his career in beer driving a forklift for Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales with a simple directive: Don’t destroy anything! Passion and lessons instilled by Dogfish founder Sam Calagione and others he met while climbing organizational ladders at several East Coast breweries eventually inspired him to seek work as a lead brewer. He moved cross-country to take accept such a position at Temecula’s Garage Brewing, where he won awards and handled most of the company’s pub brewing. But he grew to miss the team environment, so when an opportunity arose to head brewing operations at Mother Earth Brew Co.’s Vista facility, he went for it…and got the job. Two days in, COVID-19 struck, requiring him to transform into a sales associate. All the while, he was itching to get back in the brewhouse. Now that he is, he’s excited for what comes next.
What are some brewery developments you can share with us?
For one, we are currently looking for a new space for our tasting room. I know we are all excited to get that project up and running. As far as beers, I’m currently working on some hazy IPA recipes and some upcoming fall beers. I believe that, coming out of this shutdown, it’s very important to come out strong and remind people: Don’t forget about your Mother!”
What are some creative ideas and initiatives you hope to employ?
Since I’m from the East Coast, I would like to introduce more seasonals and special releases. When we open up our new tasting room, I’m really looking forward to building a relationship with our customers. learning what Mother Earth means to them and what they’re looking for. I believe the direct feedback—good or bad—is an essential tool for any brewer. I want the customers to be a big part of what we are doing here and to know that their opinions really matter to the organization.
What are your biggest career accomplishments so far?
In 2016, I was working at Pale Fire Brewing (in Virginia) and we entered some beers in the World Beer Cup (WBC) competition. We ended up winning two awards that year and got to go up on stage in front of all our peers to receive them. In 2018, we won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) for our Raspberry Twist Lager when I was at Garage Brewing. It was a recipe that I worked very hard on and it really felt good to be recognized for it. I also brewed a pale ale that won gold at the 2018 California State Fair. That beer was easily my favorite beer I ever brewed. All in all, I’ve been a part of 18 GABF medals and four WBC awards. When it really comes down to it, though, my biggest accomplishments have been the friends I’ve made along the way. This industry is a very tightknit group of people who genuinely respect each other and are happy to see each other succeed.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career?
This industry can be very demanding of your time and personal life. If you’re not at work brewing or packaging, you are exploring other breweries and creating relationships with the community. It can take over your life and you need to learn when to give yourself a break. As far as work challenges, it’s trying to stay ahead of the curve of what’s the next big thing. Fortunately, beer-flavored beer will never go out of style!
What are some of your favorite Mother Earth beers?
Right now, I’m really enjoying our new Lager Tierra Madre. It’s very easy-drinking and perfect for an after-work beer. If I’m more in the mood for some hops, Boo Koo IPA really hits all the good feels. At 6.5% ABV (alcohol-by-volume), it’s right in my wheelhouse. And, of course, our Cali Creamin’ (vanilla cream ale) is always tasty. I had this beer the very first time I visited San Diego and it always reminds me of the time I fell in love with this area.