Darren Finnegan is a snowboarder, a brewer and a man with a subtle-but-effective pitch.

Hear from him about how the new Lost Valley Brewing Co. came to be.

Name: Darren Finnegan

Age: 47

Lives: Auburn

How did you get your brewing start? I started brewing in the early ’90s when I was about 19. My college roommates and I couldn’t buy beer because we were underage, but I could buy all the supplies from my local home brew store to make it. So needless to say, my college buddies were very supportive of my new hobby.

Most amazing batch or flavor ever brewed: Wow, that’s a tough one . . . probably the second batch I ever brewed. I remember reading in one of those home brew books (nobody had the Internet back then) that sugar was fermentable. So I took the kit I bought and I thought, “There isn’t any sugar in this kit.” What did I know, I was a kid. So I bought an additional 3 pounds of corn sugar and added it to the kit. I then called the home brew shop and asked, “If I add 3 pounds of sugar to the kit, is that OK?” The guy told me, “Three pounds of corn sugar in 5 gallons will double your alcohol content!” He said it with such a bad tone, I didn’t know what to think. But trust me when I say it tasted great, albeit a little like hard cider, but packed quite a punch.

How did the collaboration with Lost Valley start? Well, that was a collaboration with my wife, Sonia, and I. I had been talking about opening a brewery for a few years and she said, “Why don’t you talk to the new owners at Lost Valley and set it up there?” The community stands behind this gem of a ski area. Everyone wants the Valley to flourish and prosper. So I presented my idea to Scott and April Shanaman and they were on board right from the get-go.

What was your pitch like to the Shanamans? I was playing bass guitar in the band with my buddies we like to call Farmhouse Project at Lost Valley for an event. During one of our set breaks, someone introduced me to Scott. I said, very casually, “Hey Scott, what would you think of me setting up my home brew equipment in here and brewing up some beer?”

With a stone cold dry face he replied, “Send me an email.” So I did, and we met on a Thursday morning that week. I brought some beers for us to sample and the rest is, as they say, history.

What did it take to get that operation off the ground? A lot of work, time and effort. Not just from myself but from an entire team of people from builders to plumbers, electricians and a lot of support in the form of sweat equity from Lost Valley staff and friends. Now, the permitting process is another story all in itself. That is a mountain of paperwork and red tape. Every brewer goes through it, and it’s a true test of whether you really want to do this or not.

How do you decide what flavors or styles to try? I try beers, I mean, research beer styles and flavors. I do a lot of “research” before deciding which style to try next. It basically comes down to what I like and what I see other people ordering when they are at their favorite watering hole.

Anything you’re experimenting with to tease? LOL! Bull Wheel is our constant experimental ale. So ya, there’s that. Check it out on tap at Lost Valley. (Shameless plug.) That’s the tap handle that will never be the same twice.

You’re a brewer but also a skier and snowboarder, so are you getting in runs while you work? Well, I taught my daughter to snowboard. She has been skiing at Lost Valley since she was 3 and now at 12 she is snowboarding, just like Daddy. I’m lucky to be brewing at a family-oriented ski area with a family like the Shanamans. I guess it’s like anything in life, you make time for what’s important.

This summer, when you’re not on the slopes and not at the brewery, we’ll find you . . . in Cancun, Mexico, with my family. OK, that’s only one week out of the whole summer. The rest of the time, hopefully, I’ll be shredding the trails on my mountain bike, if time permits.

kskelton@sunjournal.com

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