“There’s a special sense of pride when you believe in what you produce and don’t have to make any compromises to your core values as a business.”

Wild East Brewing’s journey began in the homebrew community of New York City, when co-founders Tyler March and Brett Taylor first crossed paths at local events where brewers are invited to showcase their beers in a public setting. They shared a similar mindset and respect for each other’s craft. Tyler eventually learned Brett was serious about starting a brewery and had an initial draft of a business plan. It was something he had been thinking about as well and was immediately interested in getting involved. Shortly after they met Lindsey Steen, also a homebrewer in the process of starting her own brewery, and brought her in as their third partner to refine the initial direction and plans for the brewery. With her experience in sales and finance, Lindsey was the perfect addition to the team. “She was the missing piece,” Tyler reflects. Together, they finished the plan, then raised funds, found a space in Brooklyn and secured an SBA loan, turning their dream into reality.

“We had a bit of a false start given the pandemic. We opened the taproom out of necessity and it was an uphill battle from there.”

The journey to opening Wild East Brewing was anything but smooth. After finding a location and investing in an extensive build-out, the brewery had begun distribution and the taproom was almost ready to open in April 2020. But then, the world had changed. The pandemic hit just weeks before their anticipated grand opening. With restrictions in place and the beer industry facing immense challenges, the team had to quickly pivot.

With wholesale accounts shutting down and public spaces limited, Wild East Brewing was forced to shift to a to-go-only model and quickly adapted to new circumstances. After overcoming significant challenges, the three partners were able to open their doors to full capacity about year later, finally celebrating a long-awaited milestone in their journey.

The craft beer market has grown increasingly saturated, but Wild East Brewing has carved out its own space with a commitment to quality and creativity. Instead of following the trend of hazy IPAs and high-ABV beers, they have focused on lower-ABV brews and traditional styles with a modern twist.

“The biggest category for us is lager,” Tyler explains. “It’s been around for more than a century, and we believe in the long-term value of this style. We use traditional methods to produce our lagers and most of the continental styles of beer we make. We’re not trying to catch a trend—we’re focused on the long game.” Their approach to beer is based on what they love to drink: low-alcohol, easy-drinking styles.

“We’re different from most breweries—and that’s all part of the plan.”

Wild East Brewing has also embraced its role as an event space, hosting everything from private parties to weddings, and weekly public events that include everything from art shows or live music to goat yoga and cooking classes or embroidery workshops. “Our first wedding here came about because regulars pitched the idea to us,” Tyler says. “We figured it out, and it turned out to be a big success. Now, we host similar events pretty regularly.”

With steady growth, Wild East Brewing continues to capture the attention of locals and beer tourists alike. As new high-rise buildings are built nearby, the brewery is potentially poised to capture even more foot traffic. “We’ve been successful in markets along the east coast, and hope to maintain that momentum,” Tyler notes. “We’re working hard on improving our weekday taproom traffic, adding more events and re-focusing our distribution to keep up with demand while maintaining product availability at our taproom and markets closer to home.”

Looking ahead, Wild East Brewing has plans to continue growing our taproom business while cautiously exploring outside markets for additional growth. They are growing their business and looking to increase profitability, while staying true to their roots—community, creativity, and most importantly, brewing beers they genuinely love to drink.