Coast Brewing

COAST Brewing Company is a family owned craft brewery. We are located in Noisette- a sustainable community in North Charleston. We believe in using alternative means to brew unique and delicious beer. We also believe in choice organic and local ingredients. But it's not just about being organic, it's a certain mind set of considering the environment in everything we do. In fact, we're not certified organic and have no plans to be-we do it becuase we believe it's the right thing. All of our ingredients are listed including which are organic. Energy efficiency is our number one priority as it uses less resources right from the start . Our brewhouse is run on waste feedstock biodiesel from the processing plant 300 yards away. Legare Farms, on John's Island, picks up our spent grain to feed his cattle.

Background

David is the brewer and owner of COAST. He started homebrewing in 1996, the old homebrew kit for a Christmas present trick. Turns out he was good at it and loved it so much he decided to try to make a career out of it. He graduated from the American Brewer's Guild in Davis, Ca in 1998. Heading back to Charleston, he got an assistant brewer gig at Southend Brewery. Frank, the head brewer at the time, was cranking out a huge variety of incredible brews. David learned a lot from that experience but decided to take a head brewer position at Palmetto Brewing Company in 1999. While still at Palmetto, David dreamt of opening his own brewery...

After 2 other attempts that just didn't pan out, COAST was meant to be in 2007. The stars aligned with financing and equipment. A brewpub in Macon, GA went out of business so David rallied the troops and headed over. 72 hours, a lot of sweat and several minor setbacks later, the brewery was on it's way to SC. David then spent the next 7 months setting up the brewhouse, running lines, everything and anything that needed to get done as we could finally brew. On a balmy September morning, the time had come. HopArt IPA and 32/50 Kolsch were about to make history. The first all organic beer to be commercially brewed in SC. Since then they have been brewing as much as physically possible and let the beer speak for itself. He likes to be part of the "last frontier of beer"- the South.

Jaime is the other half of COAST. She runs the much less glamorous but just as important side of the brewery: paperwork! She has also gotten pretty good at kegging and not very good at mopping. She is also President of Pop the Cap SC (now the SC Brewer's Association), a grass-roots craft beer advocacy group. When there is time for other things besides the mountain of paper, she runs the lab and tries to make the brewery as environmentally friendly and efficient as possible. Her background is varied and colorful, and she would have it no other way. She is originally from NJ, graduated from C of C, married David and had 2 beautiful boys, and not necessarily in that order. She has managed a health food store, taught yoga, was a research specialist in immunology, and a jack of all trades at a biodiesel facility. She believes in living life fully, simply and sustainably. A good beer always helps with that.

David and Jaime think the best way to advocate is by doing- the best you can. Alternative energy is a priority for them. Their beloved 87 Mercedes TD and 05 VW TDI are run on waste (no food for fuel!) biodiesel. And that's just the beginning.

Kai and Aiden are future brewers and heirs to the COAST throne. They're lifelong vegetarians, love karate, theatre, football and reading. They can be seen shooting targets in the brew yard, fishing in the creek or hanging out on the grain pile.