E116: Building a Rural Brewery from the Ground Up with Bobby Cheek of Heavale Brewing

E116: Building a Rural Brewery from the Ground Up with Bobby Cheek of Heavale Brewing

Author: Small Batch Standard August 23, 2025 Duration: 37:46
In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we sit down with Bobby Cheek of Heavale Brewing Company in Calhoun, GA. Have you heard of a new brewery opening for under $200k? With a turnkey space, secondhand tanks, and a dash of DYI, the small-but-mighty Heavale team did exactly that! Bobby shares what it takes to build a brewery from scratch in a rural market and why community might just be the biggest ingredient. Some highlights include: * Creative ways Bobby kept startup costs to ~$165k with no loans * The hurdles and perks of running a rural brewery (from educating patrons on beer styles to having close relationships with local officials) * How unique programming like line dancing and cigar nights keeps customers coming back If you’ve ever wondered how to build a brewery on a $165k budget (with a side of some unique ideas for event programming and taproom-focused initiatives), our chat with Bobby is one you’ll want to hear!

Every week on The True Craft Podcast, hosts Chris Farmand and Katy Noel pull up a chair for the kind of frank talk you’d usually only get in a private office or after hours at a trade show. This isn’t about surface-level success stories. Instead, each episode features a genuine conversation with a craft business owner, digging into the real and often messy details of running an operation. You’ll hear about the specific hurdles they’ve faced, the unexpected opportunities they’ve seized, and the tough, daily decisions that define life as an entrepreneur in this hands-on world. Created by Small Batch Standard, the podcast serves as an essential resource for practitioners who want to move beyond theory and into the practical realities of management and growth. The discussions are grounded, insightful, and focused entirely on the experiences of people who are actually doing the work, making it a unique listen for anyone building a business with their own hands. Tune in for a dose of honesty and actionable perspective that cuts straight to the heart of what it means to be a craft owner today.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The True Craft Podcast
Podcast Episodes
E65: Surviving Craft with Michael Memsic from Sanitas Brewing Co [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:30
It’s scary to be honest with yourself. (Happy Halloween, anyone?) But it’s impossible to be successful while living in a false reality. We are pleased to welcome back a True Craft Podcast veteran in this week’s episode:…
E61: The Power of B Corps with Terry Horner from Liability Brewing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:56
On this episode of The True Craft Podcast, Chris and Katy are joined by Terry Horner, Owner of Liability Brewing in Greenville, South Carolina. They dive deep into the world of B Corps — and Terry shifts Chris’s entire m…
S5E1 The Journey of Craft with Bill Tressler from Hinterland Brewery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:42
We’re back with Season 5 of The True Craft Podcast! Join co-hosts Chris Farmand and Katy Noel as they dive into a new era of conversations with brewery owners and operators. Chris and Katy discuss the vision for season f…