Episode 20 - Eric Hobbs - Blind Corner Brewery

🎙️Welcome to Episode Twenty of Liquid Liner Notes! On this episode I chat with Eric Hobbs (@EriclHobbs), Co-Founder and CEO of Blind Corner Brewery (@BlindCornerBeer) in Naperville, Illinois. We start with Eric's professional background in the brewing industry. He began right out of college as a sales rep for a distribution company, and then moved to Joseph Huber/Berghoff Brewery as an Illinois State Manager. Next, he moved to Goose Island Brewing Company, first as a Market Manager and eventually moving to a Key-Account Manager. After the buyout he moved to AB InBev for just over a year as a High End Manager before leaving to start his own brewery, Penrose Brewing Company. After three years the decision came that it was time for him to leave. His next stop was with Solemn Oath Brewing as Vice President and then Chief Operating Officer. Eric spent eight years at Solemn, before deciding to leave, growing their distribution footprint, opening a Chicago taproom, and starting several sub-brands. Utilizing his two decades of experience, Eric co-founded Blind Corner Brewery with his two partners, Head Brewer JP Vander Veen (@ofthepeat), and Sales Director Nick Scofield (@nick_scof). Blind Corner operates as an alternating proprietorship with state of the art non-alcoholic brewery @GoBrewing and shares their taproom. Eric and I discuss what beers to look forward to, as well as carefully thought out processes like self-distribution, and top tier customer service. You can find Blind Corner at their taproom, 1665 Quincy Ave, Naperville, IL 60540, as well as many boutique craft beer shops around the Chicagoland area.