Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Founded in 1979, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company has been an icon of the craft beer movement since its first days. Founder Ken Grossman owned a homebrew shop in Chico, but his passion for brewing led him to dream of a commercial brewery. At the time, no one was making brewing equipment on a small scale, so Ken scavenged abandoned dairy equipment, taught himself welding and refrigeration, and built it by hand. In 1980, Sierra Nevada brewed their first beer, and in the decades since, they've grown to be one of the biggest craft breweries in the country. Today the brewery remains family-owned and operated—Ken's children help him run the company!