ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Anna Schweig is the Co-founder of Big Thorn Farm & Brewery, an off-the-grid farmhouse brewery located in Georgetown, Illinois. She founded the solar power-focused operation with her husband, Aaron, in 2016. Together, Anna and Aaron brought their experience from breweries and restaurants to create their own unique, 15-acre farm location. Branching off from the brewery are two bars, The Greenhouse Bar and The Tree Bar, which both offer a distinct outdoor drinking environment.
In this episode…Creating a great drink is important, but what’s equally as important is creating a memorable experience. While the drink will be the same, the context, location, and story can fundamentally shift how a consumer feels about what you have to offer. Many breweries are happy to distribute their beer for all kinds of consumption—others choose to create something more specific.
Off the road and out of sight is Big Thorn Farm & Brewery in Vermilion County, Illinois. The brewery is set on 15 acres of farmland, matching the rustic and rooted approach to the drinks themselves. Big Thorn uses solar power and older methods of brewing, creating a more sustainable process for making ales and lagers. The act of visiting is half the enjoyment for Big Thorn, and now they share how they did it all.
In this episode of the Pitcher This! Podcast, Darren Fox sits down with Anna Schweig, Co-founder of Big Thorn Farm & Brewery, to talk about her unique approach to brewing and how she and her husband created a distinct experience. They go over her early days of homebrewing and how they used their background in the industry to start their venture. They then touch on topics such as marketing, product experience, and how they choose their food and drinks.
