Stratosphere Brewing Company is inspired by people who love beer.  We are motivated by the beer drinkers around us and the limitless opportunities to create great beer. 

So how did we get started?

All I can say it has been a long time coming.  It started back in the ’90s when I brewed my first homebrew.  Keep in mind things were quite different back then.  There was only one local supplier of homebrewing brewing equipment and ingredients, which was run out of a basement.  Long story short, I left alive with everything I needed to make my first 5-gallon batch of beer. 

With homebrewing came some good beers that I was able to enjoy with my friends while also having the satisfaction of brewing it myself.  While going to College the cost and space to store beer became an issue so brewing was put on the backburner.  As beer began to evolve in the U.S. there was an influx of new beers that were getting better and better.  With that, I became more of a consumer of beer and less of a producer.  Although I was not brewing anymore it was always something I planned to get back to at some point.    

Shortly after 9/11 I moved from New York City and headed South (kind of).  For many reasons, it was time for a new chapter in my life.  I landed all the way in South Jersey where I met my wife, had my kids, and met one of my best friends and now business partner Jay.  If there’s anyone who loves beer as much as I do it’s Jay.  He is on a continuous mission to try new beer and find something that neither of us has had before.  Throughout that process, we have had a lot of great beer and not so great.  Every time we had a beer that we did not like, we would comment; “we need to do this ourselves”.  With Jay’s push to make it happen we started Stratosphere Brewing Company.  Our work ethic and drive to create great beer is heavily tied to our backgrounds. As a Union Electrician Jay brings a perspective that craft beer should be attainable and created for everyone.  As a United States Naval Officer, my propensity to serve is ingrained in everything I do.  As a result, our goal is to always make great beer that is drinkable for the expert beer drinker as well as those just coming on the scene. 

At Stratosphere, we aim high because Sky’s the limit.

Cheers,

Chris and Jay,
Elevating the Craft