E118: Lessons from 25 Years in Hospitality with Erik Shewmaker of Field Day Brewing

In this episode, we sit down with Erik Shewmaker, co-founder of Field Day Brewing and longtime restaurateur. Erik shares how a quarter of a century in hospitality shaped the launch of Field Day in 2023, the challenges of navigating Iowa distribution laws, the early adoption of THC beverages, and everything in-between! Highlights include: How a restaurant-first mindset changes how a brewery inherently operates What breweries can learn from scaling in the restaurant industry Why THC beverages are reshaping the hospitality space (despite it being a relatively new offering) This episode unscores the importance of breweries not taking guests for granted and ensuring hospitality is at the forefront of every decision. As Erik puts it, “If we’re just order takers instead of order makers, we’re really doing guests a disservice.” With 25 years in hospitality, Erik’s perspective is one you won’t want to miss!

The True Craft Podcast · Erik Shewmaker, Chris Farmand