Building your own brewing company during the few hours you are not earning an income is no easy feat, but for co-founders Marshall & Eric, the support of friends and family, vendor connections, and a goal-breaking Kickstarter campaign has made the experience more rewarding than rigorous. Our own Stacey Goers highlighted her interview with the two friends on how it all came together in the latter half of 2013. Now, a little over a year to date, Braven Brewing’s “dream” is transforming into “reality” as kegs make their way into Brooklyn bars and craft beer lovers’ hearts.

This month, I had the pleasure of attending Braven Brewing Co.’s roll out party for the highly successful launch of their very first beer. THE WELL, a perfectly scouted location for the event (as it was once a prominent brewery in Bushwick), hosted an evening full of electrifying beats, vivid imagery, and mouth-watering glasses filled with Braven’s White IPA.

This staple is “a delicious blend of two distinct styles: the hoppy bite of an American IPA that’s balanced by the soft wheat character and hint of spice in a Belgian White.” Marshall shared the a-ha moment of it’s inception, which took place on a trip in Colorado. While he and Eric were drinking a local White IPA, their conversation about its flavor sparked notice that Brooklyn was lacking in this sort of brew. They whipped up a few batches, and a few months later, the front-runner is what we all anxiously awaited from the bartenders as they hustled to keep our thirst satiated: a pale, gold liquid emanating grapefruit and melon notes infused through Citra hops, creating a robust taste for our palates with a smooth, dry finish. I was actually worried there might not be enough to go ’round based on the density of the population in the room. But, with a secret art gallery to explore, a wicked DJ set to dance to, and unlimited photo booth, I got my fair share of equal parts party, equal parts Braven.

In just fourteen months, Braven Brewing Co. has come a long way by partnering with S.K.I. Beer for distribution and breaking into NYC, Long Island, as well as a few upstate counties with their White IPA on draft. In the Spring of this year, they are expecting to start selling cans and will be redesigning a place in Bushwick to house their brewing system and run production under their own roof once again.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for the Braven logo in your local bars and check for meet-and-greets with Marshall & Eric here. Cheers!