Tiramisu for Sean Wilson's beer and community vision

Does beer go with tiramisu?

If there were any beer that could, Sean Lilly Wilson would get it made. He is the brains behind Fullsteam Brewery, a local brewpub startup that is hoping to get up and running this year in Durham, North Carolina.

Full disclosure: Sean is a friend of mine and so I am biased. But I like what he's doing as a local entrepreneur who wants to benefit the community.

Sean's vision is Southern beer, locally made, enjoyed at a local place where everyone knows your name, or close to it.

Southern beer? That's beer that comes from ingredients at home in the Southern USA, or goes well with food from the Southern USA-- such as Fullsteam's Hogwash, a hickory-smoked porter (dark beer) designed to go with barbecue (that is, whole pig roasted overnight, for you non-Southern folks).

Or a sweet potato-enriched beer. Or one with Scuppernong grapes, which are native to North Carolina. The message: Budweiser is from St. Louis. Drink something from a little closer by.

Fullsteam is not just about new ingredients, however. Sean wants to open a pub that's truly open to the public-- a place to take your laptop, sure, but even better, a place to meet people and spend a couple of relaxed hours. Is there any way to stop the frenzy of our busy, busy, busy lives? Have your PTA meeting at Fullsteam. After a pint or so, the meeting will run that much smoother.

I have often been told I need a "third place" to lower my blood pressure and stress level. That is, a place other than home and work, a place that doesn't have the focus of home or work. People in the UK have known this for centuries. That's the place Fullsteam aims to be.

I'm also rooting for Fullsteam because of the courage-- and hard work-- it takes to open a new, community-oriented business in these tough, transitional, even transformational times. Seems like nowadays the only startups that can work are the ones that emphasize the virtual-- such as writing the killer app for a handheld digital device. Sean stubbornly sticks to the physical, and though I wouldn't be surprised if videoconferences from the pub were common occurrences, he insists on the importance of real people coming together to enjoy food (click on "Bully!" at the Fullsteam website) and drink made with local ingredients, local passion and local creativity.

And yes, I have tasted the beer, and it is good: a porter, a lager, and an India Pale Ale so far. As for the IPA, if you have ever tasted the pretty popular Sierra Nevada, that's what this tastes like, except with a bigger bitter pucker and a fresher liveliness.

Stay tuned for a review of a more exotic type of Fullsteam. There is talk of a rhubarb-enhanced brew. Maybe that one will go with the tiramisu. You never know.

Comments

[M Light]

I was just mentioning this to dear husband on our walk this evening. I'd followed the link from Sean's recent comment on your blog back to the Fullsteam page.

Dear husband and I decided that, when it opens, we need to invite our friends next door to go with us. He and the husband next door like to occasionally try out new beers so they'd love a place like this. With my low tolerance for alcohol, I'd just go for the food - and the pies sound interesting (as long as they're NOT Sondheimesque!).

I was impressed with the enthusiasm that comes through on the website, and I generally prefer locally owned places rather than chains.

You definitely need a third place. My current one is the Mad Hatter Cafe, where we sit at a table in the sun overlooking the (now blooming) trees on Duke's East Campus and watch the trains go by. Or, if I go by myself, I bring a good book, sit in the sun, occasionally look up at the trees on East Campus, etc.

[DF]

I am putting a search for the third place on my list, Moom.

I think that if Fullsteam becomes my third place and the Bullies are as good as they sound, I will have to ramp up my exercise to work off the beer and pie. Another good side effect of patronizing a local business.

[Sean]

For the record, our bullies will indeed be Sondheimesque. Market differentiation, baby!

In all seriousness, thank you so much, Dave, for the kind write-up. I'm deeply honored and appreciative. I just hope we live up to these lofty expectations.

And thank you, M Light, for your kind words as well. I'm glad the sense of optimism and enthusiasm comes through the series of tubes.