{"id":794,"date":"2023-05-16T21:32:25","date_gmt":"2023-05-16T21:32:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/2023\/05\/16\/meddlesome-brewing-company-never-settle-always-meddle\/"},"modified":"2023-05-16T21:32:25","modified_gmt":"2023-05-16T21:32:25","slug":"meddlesome-brewing-company-never-settle-always-meddle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/news\/meddlesome-brewing-company-never-settle-always-meddle\/","title":{"rendered":"Meddlesome Brewing Company: Never Settle! Always Meddle!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meddlesome Brewing Company:<\/span>
Never Settle! Always Meddle!<\/span><\/h2>\n

By: <\/span>Living a Stout Life<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Malteurop Celebrates Craft Breweries During American Craft Beer Week<\/span><\/h3>\n

American Craft Beer Week, May 15-21, 2023, celebrates craft breweries across the nation. Malteurop (MMC) is proud to highlight just a few of these remarkable breweries. So, grab a glass and raise it high in recognition of the thousands of craft breweries that work relentlessly to craft the beer that we all love to gather around!<\/span><\/p>\n

– – – – – <\/span><\/p>\n

Sitting down with Richie EsQuivel and Ben Pugh, founders and owners of Meddlesome Brewing Company, we knew right away that these two know how to celebrate. Funny thing, though, is that it was just another day in the life of brewery operations – no special celebrations in hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unless you count the Dirty \u2018Dova, their double IPA, in hand. And that is exactly what Meddlesome Brewing stands for, celebrating the everyday in style. And not just any style, Memphis style.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

About Meddlesome Brewing Co<\/span><\/h3>\n

Built out of a love for beer and community, as so many breweries often are, Meddlesome is no different. Both partners came together while homebrewing. During one of their homebrewing sessions, the two had a casual conversation about growing up. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>We were just talking about growing up and we were very like minded and liked taking things apart and meddling with things. We both have been accused of being meddlesome little sh*ts. Like from the characters in Scooby Doo. The villain that always said, \u2018If it weren\u2019t for those meddlesome teenagers.\u2019\u201d (Richie)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Because of that conversation and their combined love for beer, they knew they had a business idea brewing (pun intended, of course). And as adults, they continue to meddle.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That\u2019s what makes Meddlesome Brewing different.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cOur pitch has always been that we\u2019ve never been afraid to meddle with convention in search of a better product. Our call sign is, \u2018Never settle, always meddle.\u2019 We\u2019re always trying to find better ways to do things, better ingredients, better processes, and we like to stir the pot. It\u2019s just who we are.\u201d (Ben)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s that meddlesome character that helped to create the brewery and the community housed within. The two of them worked together to install their copper covered bar, installed the brewery equipment themselves, and had their hand in almost everything that created their space. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are definitely a DIY \u2018til we die type of place.\u201d (Richie)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Passion Behind the Beer<\/span><\/h3>\n

With Ben previously selling brewery equipment, along with a mechanical background, and the two of them building a love for beer and friendship early on through homebrewing, it was as though their fates were sealed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben started in the industry on a professional level in 2014 when he had a chance to help open a brewery in an established pizza joint in Jackson, Tennessee. Meanwhile, Richie was working hard in sales and customer service until his homebrewing roots began calling him back. Taking a job in 2016 as a brewer at Bosco\u2019s Brewing Company in Memphis, it was only a matter of moments until the two of them began meddling professionally.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was bound to happen. Even when they were homebrewing, they were entering competitions, always trying to create something better.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>We used to homebrew together all the time and we did competitions together as a team and independently. One time, I gave [Richie] one of my recipes. We both made the same beer at the same competition, and he beat me on it. It was a good time.\u201d (Ben)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In 2017, the two began meddling together professionally when they opened Meddlesome Brewing Company in Cordova, a suburb of Memphis. Located near Shelby Farms dog park, one of the largest urban parks in the county, these two not only wanted to bring craft beer to the neighborhood, they wanted to change the vibe, bringing the Memphis style to Cordova. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Often referred to as \u201cDirty Dova\u201d for its lack of anything cool, the neighborhood is slowly transitioning into its own, hopefully leaving the Dirty Dova nickname to the beer name only.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Memphis Spirit and Meddlesome<\/span><\/h3>\n

When asked to further define Memphis spirit, we couldn\u2019t help but start with a joke.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you put a brewer from Memphis and a brewer from Nashville in the same room what happens?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s answer?<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all cool. We all like spicy fried chicken and craft beer, but we\u2019re not gonna agree on what style of beer we wanna drink.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ok, maybe not the greatest joke, but it helps to bring about the community that is Tennessee, with the understanding that each place has unique characteristics. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Richie goes on further to state that Memphis spirit is about being scrappy.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“It\u2019s scrappy. There’s an attitude that comes with people that live in Memphis. But it’s also about the hustle. Memphis is hardworking and has a big spirit. People from Memphis state, \u2018I live in Memphis not Tennessee.\u2019 The rest of Tennessee is beautiful, but it’s not Memphis. It\u2019s a hardworking scrappy town.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

And that\u2019s also how the two of them define Meddlesome – a scrappy, hardworking community of people. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re definitely not your run of the mill soft brewery. We have kind of a hard edge name.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Going along with that hard edge and the Memphis style, Meddlesome once brewed a beer highlighting Jerry Lawler, a Memphis wrestling icon. They wanted to use his name because he embodied that Memphis spirit alongside Ben and Richie\u2019s meddlesome personas.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lawler thought it was quite entertaining and couldn\u2019t understand why someone would name a beer after him. Ben and Richie agreed. You see, Jerry Lawler never drinks.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe thought it was the funniest thing we could think of. It definitely goes back to the meddlesome spirit. It was funny to us; it was ironic.\u201d (Richie)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Speaking of beers, while Meddlesome is known for not falling into gimmicks and they have won several awards, Ben and Richie like to joke that their names from their beers come from throwing darts at a wall.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe put all these really bad ideas on the wall and then we throw darts at them until we get one that\u2019s not that bad.\u201d (Ben)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But in all seriousness, their style, along with their beer names, match their belief system of crafting beers that their community wants to drink while honoring that same community.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Those styles often consist of Classic German lagers and West Coast IPAs. They still brew other styles, such as hazy IPAs, sour ales, and a small batch series, but they don\u2019t consider themselves a gimmicky brewery.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re not a gimmick brewery. We’re gonna push back. We\u2019re meddlesome. We just really do a lot of classic styles. What\u2019s more meddlesome than brewing classic beers in an environment where people are throwing everything under the sun, as far as flavors are concerned, in their beer? We kind of push back against that a little bit.\u201d (Richie)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While their flagship beer is well-loved and well known, their 201 Hoplar West Coast IPA, their meddlesome personas take over every once in a while to create a bit of chaos. Take their recently released pepper beer, for example. We\u2019ll let them explain it to you in their own words.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe had you sign a waiver to try this beer called F**k Around and Find Out. If that doesn’t embody what meddlesome is, I don’t really know what does. It burns your throat, it’s frickin hot! It was a premade pepper mash: ghost pepper, habanero, cayenne, and jalapeno. About a gallon per barrel. <\/span>It\u2019s fun watching people drink it and just come undone at the bar.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But in the end it\u2019s all about brewing beer that beer drinkers like. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cReal beer drinkers like our beer. I am pretty proud of that.\u201d (Richie)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Moving Forward with Support<\/span><\/h3>\n

Yes, the pandemic started three years ago, yet breweries, like many businesses, are still dealing with the effects from it. And Meddlesome is no different. And like other breweries, they relied on the industry and the brewing community to get them through. The thing, though, is that it wasn\u2019t the pandemic that started this community. In the brewing industry, that is a staple – the community. It was here long before the pandemic and will remain long after.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So on that note, yes Meddlesome had to adapt when the pandemic came along, like everyone else, but moving forward with support is nothing new for them. Being able to work both in and on their business of brewing and community, they\u2019ve really grown over the last few years, in fact, even more so this past year.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re growing more in this last year than the entire existence of the business all thanks to the crew in the back.\u201d (Richie)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Both Ben and Richie agree that any sort of moving forward is all about the people. The people in the back, in the front, and always, in the taproom. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWalking in and seeing a taproom full of people. Those people chose to be here.\u201d (Ben)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou can read Untappd reviews all day, but seeing that actually come together in real life is amazing.\u201d (Richie)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Future of Craft Beer<\/span><\/h3>\n

Just like Meddlesome Brewing Company, Ben and Richie can both agree that craft beer isn\u2019t going anywhere – meaning it\u2019s not leaving us anytime soon. Sure, you\u2019ll continue to see trends, and a few breweries closing. It may even be an oversaturated market, but it\u2019s not going to disappear. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This all also depends on location. Memphis, for example, is 15-20 years behind the rest of the country as far as the number of breweries. Richie sees a lot of regional changes coming to Memphis, perhaps following suit with the rest of the nation. He sees a shift to non-alcoholic beers, which requires more money and more resources. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But they both see that Memphis has recently hit a good number of breweries for the number of people that drink beer there. Staying in business means a constant shifting of gears every day. And that requires creating what the market wants. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe make a lot of seltzer because we have a big gluten-free audience that wants it. We don\u2019t really like gluten-free beers. We did it because we saw a need in our market for it, so we did it. But we still want to be happy with the final product.\u201d (Richie)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Getting Personal with Beer <\/span><\/h3>\n

Speaking of being happy with the final product, it\u2019s always fun to get a bit personal with beer. So we had to find out what Ben and Richie have in their refrigerator to make them happy.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Richie\u2019s answer is quite classic, and anyone who entertains at any point in their life can relate.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my own beer. But also somebody left a 12-pack of Natty Light. So, now that\u2019s just for profiling purposes in case somebody comes by.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Smart guy, saving the good stuff for himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben jokingly wasn\u2019t too keen on sharing, stating as he was laughing,  \u201cI don\u2019t wanna talk about it.\u201d But he did go on to say that his fridge contained Miller LIte, Meddlesome\u2019s Memphis Style,  and seltzer.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Redemption followed. On canning days at Meddlesome, there\u2019s a cooler full of beers brought in by different people.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cTypically, on canning days, we\u2019ll share a whole bunch of different stuff and we\u2019ll taste them, and break them down.\u201d (Richie)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Maybe the Natty Light is the perfect end to a long day of analyzing beers.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Behind the beer are people. We asked Richie and Ben to describe themselves outside of beer. Because, yes, there is life outside of beer.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And for Richie, it\u2019s all about family, gaming, music, comic books, and the science behind the beer.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a nerd, man. I like to play Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering, and I like sci-fi. I like to read. All of those things brought me to beer. When I started brewing it was a weird nerdy thing. I loved it because there was so much science and engineering in it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For Ben, it\u2019s about family, as well, but also about staying active and productive.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI always have to be going. I always have projects. Sitting down wears on me pretty quick. I have a wife and two kids and we\u2019re always running around.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Malteurop Malts Behind the Beer<\/span><\/h3>\n

Getting to know the malts behind the beer may not be quite as important as getting to know the people behind the beer. But here at Malteurop, we can\u2019t help but think that the malts have something to do with the good beer we all love at Meddlesome. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben and Richie think so, too. Using MMC for many years, they recognize that crafting great malts, like crafting great beer, takes a team. And the team at MMC has been fantastic to them over the years. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve ever had a malt supplier that is as easy to use as Malteurop. We love their <\/span>Munich and other malts<\/u><\/span><\/a>, but we use the base malt mostly. That’s not a slight. You have to have a good base to have a beer that tastes good.\u201d (Richie)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thank You!<\/span><\/h3>\n

Malteurop recognizes the effort that breweries put forth every day to craft the beer we all love. That is why MMC’s Craft Sales Managers – managers like <\/span>Rick Barney<\/u><\/span><\/a> – want to highlight a few of these breweries. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And why not do so during American Craft Beer Week.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Because in the end, it\u2019s not just about the beer, but about the community that gathers around the beer.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe beer has always been the reward. Nothing compares to the feeling of creating something from raw ingredients and the joy of sharing it with friends and family. There are few industries as fun, passionate, and caring as the brewing industry. There\u2019s a sense of family and community, even among competitors, that is palpable.\u201c (The Fine Folks at Meddlesome Brewing Co)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Connect with Meddlesome Brewing Co<\/span><\/h3>\n

Meddlesome Brewing Co<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

7750 Trinity Rd. #114<\/span><\/p>\n

Cordova, TN 38018<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Facebook<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Instagram<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For more stories with Meddlesome Brewing Co, be sure to <\/span>listen to their full interview<\/u><\/span><\/a> on the Craft Beer Travel and Adventure Podcast with Living a Stout Life.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Meddlesome Brewing Company:Never Settle! Always Meddle! By: Living a Stout Life   Malteurop Celebrates Craft Breweries During American Craft Beer Week American Craft Beer Week, May 15-21, 2023, celebrates craft breweries across the nation. Malteurop (MMC) is proud to highlight just a few of these remarkable breweries. So, grab a glass and raise it high […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":784,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Meddlesome Brewing Company: Never Settle! Always Meddle!","_seopress_titles_desc":"Brewery feature on Memphis, Tennessee's Meddlesome Brewing Co., a brewery that celebrates the everyday in style.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-794","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brewery-spotlight"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/794","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=794"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/794\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malteuropmaltingco.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}