How it all started

Wibby Brewing's Co-Founder, Brewmaster, and proud Colorado Native, Ryan Wibby, learned the science of beer making while studying chemistry at Ithaca College in upstate New York. This was his "light bulb" moment; he immediately fell in love with intricacy of brewing and instantly knew his life calling was to start his own brewery.  

As Ryan began to follow his destiny, he knew he needed some real-world brewing experience. In 2007, he started working as a professional brewer at several different breweries. He gained experience at Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant in Lancaster, Penn.; Ithaca Beer Company in Ithaca, New York; and Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Ore. At all of these breweries Ryan eagerly performed every possible task. From brewing to packaging, working in the lab to washing kegs, recipe development to serving a pint to thirsty customers, he remained committed. While all these comprehensive experiences were valuable, Ryan still yearned for more. Craving in-depth beer knowledge, the solution was higher education in this field. 

Ryan was accepted to the VLB in Berlin, Germany. There, he completed the six-month Certified Brewmaster Course and four-month internship with the research institute. This is when Ryan had an epiphany moment and saw that there was great opportunity in the American craft beer market with the combination of traditional German brewing techniques and styles coupled with American craft beer ingenuity and creativity. This exciting synthesis creates delicious thirst-quenching beers in an area very few people had explored in brewing before. Wibby Brewing was founded with the intention to exclusively brew craft lagers that are innovative and unique yet bare a traditional soul.  

Ryan teamed with his great friend and fellow Ithaca College alum, Ted Risk, to start their very own craft brewery. He is a salesman master and has many skills that are needed to operate a growing business. For many years after college he had been managing a health club in Chicago but had a reverence for craft beer. Ted's ability to make everyone smile and wanting to be a part of the fun is key for Wibby Brewing. Together, Ryan and Ted have both the passion and experience needed to make Wibby Brewing successful.  

After 2 years of writing a business plan, raising capital, and scouting a location, Wibby Brewing opened its doors Labor Day Weekend 2015 at 209 Emery St in Longmont, Colo. The brewery and taproom are situated on the former truck maintenance facility of the historic Butterball Turkey plant. The renovation of this industrial building has brought new life to a part of town, which was formerly seen as an eye sore. The light-saturated building accompanied by lots of outdoor space has allowed Wibby Brewing to host several noteworthy beer festivals on its own premises. Wibby Brewing has become a significant community partner as we host and raise funds for several local charities throughout Boulder County all the while converting many ale drinkers to the Wibby craft lager revolution!