Head Brewer: Chase Kurtz
How long have you worked at the brewery? I have worked at 3NB for 3 years now, but have overseen the Harrisonburg brewery for just the past year.
How did you get involved in brewing? After college I had an opportunity to work for a startup brewery in Philadelphia as one of their brewers. Sadly, the brewery did not last for more than two years but it got me interested in brewing. I ended up going into sales, but about three years ago I saw that Three Notch’d was hiring and I thought it would be fun to get back into the industry.
Tell us something people don’t know about your brewery. One thing that you might not know about the Harrisonburg location of Three Notch’d is that we brew all our specialty brews on a 1 bbl system, which allows us to make fun, unique beers. So, for example, we were able to make a Mexican Chocolate Stout spiced with habanero peppers last year, and we just released a blueberry and marshmallow beer dosed with marshmallow flavoring and blueberry puree.
What’s your favorite food and beer combo? We don’t serve food at the Harrisonburg location, but in general I would have to say my favorite combo would be a hot pretzel, mustard, and a malty pale ale or IPA. It’s a simple but delicious combo.
Tell us about your pets. My wife and I got our son a one-year-old rescue dog named Hemingway for his first birthday. “Hemi” is a pitbull/hound mix who’s a great partner for walks and going to the park. He also makes a great furry brother for my sons. He is by far the most loving and happy dog I have ever owned. He has been a part of our family for four years now, and I could not imagine not having him.
What is your favorite thing to do in the Shenandoah Valley? My favorite thing to do with my dog, wife, and kids is to just get out and enjoy all the hiking, fishing, and camping you can do just a short ride from our front porch.
What’s the best way to spend time outdoors along the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail? I have two boys under five, and I love that a lot of the breweries on the Trail are family friendly and great places to just relax and enjoy yourself.