We sat down with our head brewers, Chris Bruder in Greensboro and Dani Bearss in Wilmington. No, we didn't just hire them for their names. Learn what drew them to brewing, the moments that shaped their craft, and of course whats their go-to beer styles to drink!

*What is your name?* Chris Bruder

*When did you start working at Oden?* May 2021

How long have you been professionally brewing? Did you homebrew first? If so, when? My first professional brewing job was in September 2016. My first exposure to homebrew was in 2011 but the first batch I wrote and brewed was in 2013.

What was the first beer you ever brewed & how did it turn out? A brown sugar brown ale. I homebrewed it for my 30th birthday. Used way too much brown sugar, and made a huge mess. Blew the airlock to the ceiling at my friend's house and got brown yeast foam all over his living room carpet. Ended up with a very boozy, very dry brown ale.

*What's your hometown and did anything about that place shape your palate or brewing style?* I grew up in Victor, New York. A small village in the upstate close to Rochester. Rochester is most known for Genesee Brewing, so Genny’s influence was everywhere. As for craft beer favorites, Vermont was next door, so I always looked for Magic Hat and Long Trail beers.

Have you ever made a brewing mistake that accidentally turned into one of your best ideas? I was homebrewing a honey Kolsch and didn't have fermentation temperature control. So I brewed it December 23 to try and have it be as lagered as I could make it. But on Christmas it was 70 degrees out, ruining the lager process. The high temp fermentation made strong esters and ended up being really pleasant. Great learning experience.

What's a hill you'll die on when it comes to beer (an opinion you know is a little controversial)? The Reinheitsgebot purity rule of 1516 is outdated and should be ignored, lol.

*What is your favorite beer style to drink? Is it also your favorite to brew? If it's different, why?* I love a classic well balanced pale ale, honestly Sierra makes one of the best. I do enjoy brewing them, but I would rather make sours. The bacteria is like magic, making funky sour notes, and the way fruit or herb additions can highlight or mask that flavor is fascinating and a fun challenge to me. Funny enough I typically don't like drinking sours.

When you clock out, where can we find you? In my gardens. I love hardscaping and growing perennial flowers. I find it incredibly satisfying watching plants change and grow over the course of the year and years.

What non-brewing job have you worked that most benefited your brewing skills? I was a kitchen hood and grease trap cleaner. Pressure washing and cleaning filthy stainless for about ten years. Brewery cleaning is a breeze in comparison. It's really fun cause now I’m the one making the messes.

Finally, what's your walk out song? Great question! And a hard one. If you asked me this everyday it would constantly change. I almost always have music playing when I’m working. But as for today's answer it would be Jhariah's “PRESSURE BOMB 3?”

*What is your name?* Dani Bearss

*When did you start working at Oden?* January 2025 (right?)

What's your hometown and did anything about that place shape your palate or brewing style? I grew up in Michigan and was spoiled by Founders, Bell’s and New Holland when I first started drinking beer. There’s still a place in my heart for a good Two Hearted IPA, or an All Day session IPA that brings me back to life after a hot day.

What was the first beer you ever brewed & how did it turn out? The first homebrew beer my friend and I tried to emulate was a traditional ESB. We tried our hand at three different recipes and it never did taste like a good beer. My first commercial recipe was a by-the-book Wee Heavy or Strong Scotch Ale–that one went on to win a GABF medal!

Have you ever made a brewing mistake that accidentally turned into one of your best ideas? During Hurricane Florence, we had a gose beer that got too hot (90 degrees, too hot!)...while it was already tart and salty, we added heaps of fresh cucumber and dill to create…the Pickle Gose! Perfectly refreshing, we used it to sponsor the local sandlot baseball team, the Port City Pickles.

What's a hill you'll die on when it comes to beer (an opinion you know is a little controversial)? Modern day brewing grain is well modified enough to eliminate most step mashes. Fight me.

*When you clock out, where can we find you? (aka what do you like to do after work?)* Sipping a THC Seltzer in my backyard with my ducks! Or inside with the dog reading a good book with AC. And on the weekends, playing shows with my band!

What is your favorite beer style to drink? Is it also your favorite to brew? If it's different, why? My favorite style to drink would have to be a light bodied Double IPA. Give me the bitterness without a thick body! For that reason I love IPLagers as well. Ironically they are my least favorite beer to make–so much mess in the fermenter! It takes forever to clean up after it. My favorite beer to brew is our yearly Oyster Stout because Chris (from Greensboro) comes down to collaborate and we invite our friends to eat the oysters as they come out of the boil. They’re sweet and salty!

What non-brewing job have you worked that most benefited your brewing skills? I worked with horses for 15 years before I got into brewing and getting tattooed. You’re always hot, it always hurts, you’re constantly filthy and the days are long; in the brewery I make and clean up messes daily, and when I think there’s no way this will get clean, it always does. I don’t get pooed on in the brewery though.

Meet the Brewers: Chris and Dani