Daily Inspiration: Meet Paw Paw Brewing Company

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paw Paw Brewing Company. Them and their team share their story with us below:

Paw Paw Brewing Company was founded in 2010 by Paw Paw resident and Western Michigan University alumnus, Ryan Sylvester. Placed in the small village of Paw Paw on the banks of the Paw Paw River surrounded by beautiful wilderness, the idea behind Paw Paw Brewing Company was to create a place where the community could gather and connect with one another over a pint of locally hand-crafted beer. In early December 2010 the doors opened for business with four beers on tap, St. James English Mild, Black River Oatmeal Stout, Paw Paw Wheat, and 2Paws IPA. Our brewery’s portfolio has grown to hundreds of unique recipes and distribution of select brews throughout the state of Michigan. Co-owner Eric Pearlstein joined the PPBC team as a partner in 2017.

In February of 2019, Paw Paw Brewing Company moved into our new taproom at 780 South Gremps Street in Paw Paw. The pub (formerly at 929 E. Michigan) has matured from a tight 800 sq ft space into 6,000+ sq ft adjacent to the breweries over 10,000 sq ft production space. In addition to a sizable stage for performances and more room for patrons, our new location features a full-service kitchen, allowing our patrons to explore new and exciting food offerings. Our facility also offers an arcade with a pool table, skee ball, and several arcade games and pinball machines, as well as a rentable space available for meetings, private events, and parties. We have an extensive outdoor seating area, including our dog-friendly Canine Courtyard. We have live music every weekend, as well as various community events each week including euchre, music bingo, and a variety of arts & crafts classes. Throughout the spring and summer months, our extensive grounds are host to a number of outdoor festivals which include live music, local vendors, and, of course, PPBC signature wine, brews, and delicious eats! 

Over the course of the last decade, Paw Paw Brewing Company has become the community place it was intended to be. Many ingredients have gone into creating what we are today, but none more important than the community and the Paw Paw Brewing Company team. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We’ve certainly had our share of struggles. Firstly, finding and redefining our identity after our drastic and rapid expansion. We went from a handful of sandwich options made on a panini press by one employee in a tiny kitchen to a full-service restaurant! We’re still constantly learning, reevaluating, and evolving. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The amazing, loyal, and supportive community sets Paw Paw apart. Just take a look at our walls. Each one of the mugs lining our entire pub belongs to a mug club member- we have over 1200. Many are local, some have lake houses and spend their summers here. Some we see frequently, and others just a few times a year. Some became part of the PPBC family 11 years ago, and others are new but no less significant. We wouldn’t be what we are today without the support of this incredible community. 

Contact Info:

• Website: pawpawbrewing.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/pawpawbrewing
• Facebook: facebook.com/PawPawBrewingCompany
• Twitter: @2pawsbeer

Image Credits
Kristin Sylvester