E117: Building Resilience into Your Brewery Model with Adam Charnack of Hi-Wire Brewing

E117: Building Resilience into Your Brewery Model with Adam Charnack of Hi-Wire Brewing

Author: Small Batch Standard September 12, 2025 Duration: 34:41
On this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we chat with Adam Charnack, co-founder of Hi-Wire Brewing out of Asheville, NC. From weathering natural disasters like Hurricane Helene to shifting their business model to stay ahead of the ever-evolving craft beer industry, Adam shares what it takes to keep a brewery moving forward. Highlights include: * What to consider when expanding into multiple locations and new markets (and hear how Hi-Wire expanded to 11 locations in 4 different states!) * How to plan for and recover from major setbacks that could hit your bottom line * Why contract brewing may be an overlooked growth lever and what to do about it This episode is filled to the brim with insights on resilience, strategy, and staying true to the thing that started the journey for so many brewery owners: the craft. Don’t miss it.

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
E76: A Deep Dive on Cider with Adam Ruhland of Wild State Cider [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:11
Join Katy Noel and Chris Farmand for a very special episode of The True Craft Podcast. In this week’s episode, we welcome Adam Ruhland of Wild State Cider to dive into the dynamic world of cider. We explore trends shapin…
E73: SBS: A Year in Review with Chris Farmand & Katy Noel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:37
In a special iteration of The True Craft Podcast, Katy interviews Chris on his reflections of the various investments made at Small Batch Standard in 2023. Get a glimpse at the inner workings of SBS, including how we’ve…
E70: Minuscule Margins with Katy Noel and Chris Farmand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:44
It’s no secret: We both know you’re likely not raking in cash from the wholesale side of your business. Join Chris and Katy on this week’s episode of the True Craft Podcast to get a peek at an internal conversation we’re…
E68: The Portfolio Puzzle with Ben Hugus of Ursa Minor Brewing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:45
All aboard the THC train? Where does NA fit into our business model? How do we create a thriving portfolio that kills it in distro? How do we stay relevant without exhausting our resources and losing focus? As we all kno…