In this episode, we’re trekking to a tiny town of 350 people in rural Newfoundland to chat with Alicia MacDonald, co-founder of Port Rexton Brewing (who is celebrating 10 years this summer)!

Along with her business partner, Alicia has spent the last decade navigating island logistics, dodging icebergs, and balancing summer tourism with distribution-filled winters.

Highlights include:

• Turning a DIY four-barrel hobby into a 15-barrel production facility
• How a celiac diagnosis led to running the only certified gluten-free brewery in Atlantic Canada
• The reality and insight gained of brewing on an island and how to get the most out of your taproom being a seasonal magnet for tourists

Alicia proves that staying power comes from a "true brand following" and…well, a lot of grit. If you’re brewery is focused on local, local, local, you may just find a gem or two in this episode!

Port Rexton Brewing - Website

Port Rexton Brewing - Instagram

Book a profit strategy call with the SBS team

In this episode, we are hanging out with Bobby Fleshman and Emy Senkbeil of McFleshman’s Brewing Company out of Appleton, Wisconsin. Quick question for you: what happens when you trade a career at NASA for a mash tun? Well, we’re finding out that and so much more on this episode! We chat with Bobby and Emy about how astrophysics and "unreasonable" hospitality created a brewery for brewers.

Highlights include:

• An inside look at the necessary, but oftentimes difficult, process of cutting down from a dozen offerings to four core styles (plus a few seasonals)
• The 95/5 rule and how it makes some of the best taproom culture
• The secret behind using QR code magnets and how they turn wholesale accounts into a self-ordering machine

Bobby’s approach to the industry remains rooted in his training as a scientist and a physicist. As he puts it: "Really, I just say, we're problem solvers. We just break them down into their basic elements, and put 'em back together".

McFleshman’s Brewing Co. Official Website

Bobby’s Podcast: Respecting the Beer

The Business Bible: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Book a profit strategy call with the SBS team

Join us at CBC 2026 for our free Brewery Profit Workshop on Monday, April 20th. Learn more and grab a spot at sbstandard.com/cbcprofit

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In this episode we sit down with Brad Fitzgerald of Swellsa Brewing about building a modern craft staple in the heart of Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina. From navigating the unique challenges of the Outer Banks to winning a World Beer Cup gold medal, Swellsa has been creating a community hub that thrives in a "feast or famine" tourist economy.

Some highlights include:

• Why skipping a kitchen to maintain local restaurant partnerships could be a move for breweries who are hesitant to have their own in-house food program
• How Swellsa scales for summers that jump from a local annual population of 7k to over 40k
• What skipping a traditional distribution strategy looks like when scaling in 2026 (and what to do instead)

From navigating coastal logistics to launching a hemp-derived beverage brand, Brad’s "move fast" mentality is a masterclass in modern brewery scaling. There is a lot packed into this episode for owners looking to grow their business in 2026.

Follow Swellsa and Duck Dive Bar on Instagram: @swellsa_brewing or @duckdivebar
Visit their website: https://www.swellsabrewing.com