From the Desk of Uncle Stanley, Founder of 7 Bridges Brewing Co.
As the founder of 7 Bridges Brewing Co., I find myself in a reflective mood as we hit a monumental milestone—our seventh anniversary. The significance of the number seven is not lost on us. You cannot have the number seven in your name without making a big deal about your seventh anniversary.
Our Humble Beginnings
Seven years ago, 7 Bridges was nothing more than a dream brewing in a garage in Hanoi, Vietnam. Back then, our setup was modest, to say the least—designing beers out of that garage and contract brewing in a facility that, frankly, makes me shudder to remember. Our brewing equipment? Thirty-liter pots, with our golden ale fermenting in sanitized twenty-liter water bottles inside an old refrigerator that struggled to maintain 20°C.
That first batch of golden ale wasn't just a beginning; it was a revelation. The end of that brew day left us with around 6 kg of wet, spent grain, sparking a question that would define our ethos: What do we do with this? The thought of simply disposing of it felt wrong—wasteful, even. It was that day I decided that 7 Bridges would embark on a mission towards zero waste brewing, a mission that has since taken us down some truly innovative R&D pathways.
A Journey of Craft Beer Sustainability
Our dedication to sustainability has led us through incredible research and development, influencing not just how we brew but how we think about everything from our menu to our brewery design. This year, we're working to complete a new brewery that embodies this ethos fully, turning all brewing byproducts into amazing new products. Hot sauces, soap, baking flour, mustard, and even ketchup—imagine that!
While we haven't yet achieved everything we've set out to do, this anniversary marks a significant point in our journey. This year, we're excited to share the fruits of our labor, the culmination of seven years of dedication to craft and creativity.
Introducing our Anniversary Brew "7 Years Later"
Seven years ago, the original golden ale was brewed to try to create an easy-going introductory beer for local drinkers. We had done no market study to figure out what people really wanted. We were brewing. Whatever came into our heads that seemed like a good idea at the time. That first recipe, however, did scale up to our first commercial brew and the first 200 bottles that we sold to a hotel. But to be honest, that first beer was not too great. It’s almost embarrassing to think about all of the technical flaws and even our own hubris at that time.
Fast forward through seven years and a whirlwind of over 100 recipes, we've decided to mark this journey with something special—a remastered brew that brings together the best of both worlds. We're blending a sophisticated Belgian recipe with the playful notes of guava, blackberries, and cherries. It's our own little symphony of east meets west, the wisdom of age mingled with the zest of youth, and a dance between complexity and simplicity. We're calling it "7 Years Later," a groovy remix of our journey from then to now.
This anniversary beer, "7 Years Later," really captures the essence of who we are as 7 Bridges Brewing Co. Bold, yet with a mindful approach; innovative, yet measured. But at its heart, it's just beer—a brew meant to be enjoyed and shared. It's our story in a bottle, a reflection of our adventure in brewing, and a toast to where we're headed next.
So here's to seven years of 7 Bridges Brewing Co., to the mishaps, the victories, and everything in between. Let's raise a glass to our story and to many more years of brewing not just beer, but memories. Cheers, from Uncle Stanley.
As part of our anniversary celebration, we chose to bring back the label of our very first beer. Remastering it for our special anniversary brew, "7 Years Later."
