Tony Ochsner is opening a Microbrew shop next to his auto repair shop, Advanced European Service, Feb. 1.
“We want to be a real quality supply shop for home brewers,” he said. “We hope to have anything available that home brewers need.”
Micro Homebrews will have beer, soda pop and wine home brewing kits, kegs, yeast, wheat and other supplies. Ochsner hopes to eventually grow to have more homemaking kits, such as a cheese-making kit, in his store.
“I’m really excited about this place because people that come in are coming in happy and figuring out something they like to do,” Ochsner said. “I bought my car repair shop 12 years ago, and I gotta say, the joke I tell a lot is that most people that come in there are not happy to be there. I mean, they usually have car problems, right?”
The focus of Micro Homebrews is to cater to beginning brewers.
“We really want to be helpful to beginners,” Oschner said. “Sometimes they come in and they aren’t sure what questions to ask. It can be intimidating and we really want to help people get started and get everything they need.”
Ochsner became interested in home brewing when his children gave him a brewing kit for Christmas a few years ago.
“It was called ‘Mr. Beer’ and it was the most basic kit you can get,” he said, laughing. “But I got into it and kept advancing. Many people that like home brewing join clubs and communities, but I really enjoy doing it by myself as a way to escape for awhile.”
Ochsner noted brewing has become a popular hobby over the past few years for all kinds of people.
“There’s a huge social aspect to it,” he said. “Not only do people brew together or share their beer with others, there are groups popping up all over the place, it’s a real community.”
Ochsner met Jim Lanning through friends in the brewing community and hired him as manager for the store.
“I was bit by the fermenting bug when I got my first homemade kit a long time ago and the rest is history,” Lanning said.
Lanning has been a part of several local home brewing clubs, such as the American Homebrewers Association, and has judged at Beer Judge Certification Program competitions.
“The beer world sure is fun,” Lanning said, smiling. “The community is all about networking.”
Home Micobrew is located at 17511 68th Ave. N.E. in Kenmore.
