Brewing with Fred Bueltmann of New Holland Brewing Co.

BC: You seem to be the embodiment of “craft.” How’d you get that way, and why are you so dedicated to it?

Bueltmann:  My creativity was encouraged while I was growing up, which was originally focused on developing a talent and career in music, but was present in all of my interests and hobbies. I feel like I’ve had a strong appetite for learning, which was also encouraged by the mentors in my life. This overall curiosity and creativity led me to learning to homebrew in the late ‘80s and teaching myself to cook. The more I learned, the more I could see evidence of process, good and bad; whether I made it or not. This awareness had great impact on what I valued, and led to great excitement when I saw there were various opportunities to get in on it. I didn’t always know it at the time, but I was slowly bringing my professional and personal values closer together.

BC: Very few people grow up wanting to work in craft beer. What path did you take to end up where you are?

Bueltmann: I went to music school and intended on going into film scoring. I ran out of money and was trying to finish school part-time, while playing gigs and tending bar. In a strange happenstance, my homebrewing partner Mike ended up being hired by Guinness as a regional ambassador to Pilsner Urquell, our favorite beer at the time. He recommended I talk to and interview with his distributor, which was an industry and world I was completely unfamiliar with. I felt like I was hearing about a make-believe world as I heard about both his job and the one I ended up interviewing for. I had dismissed “business” as a threat to my creative career in music, so I had no idea this blend of passion, creativity and business existed as an option. I talked my way into a sales job at the distributor, selling mostly specialty imports and the rest is history. My passions collided, and I found I was really good at helping interpret beers, and find how to get people connected to them. After two years, I got a job managing the Midwest for Warsteiner, and in 1995 I was hired as the first sales manager at Kalamazoo Brewing (Bell’s).

Bueltmann gives his wife Ulla a tow on his one-horsepower all-terrain vehicle.

BC: What drew you to New Holland?

Bueltmann: In 2004, I decided it was time to leave Bell’s, where I had been for the better part of 10 years as VP of Sales and Marketing. I knew Brett and Jason from the Michigan Brewers Guild, where I had served on the board with Brett for a number of years. As I looked around the industry and considered my next steps, the biggest draw to New Holland was our creative fit. It felt like I had what they needed and they had what I needed. There was a great culture of creativity and balance, which we’ve certainly built on since. There’s an overall commitment to quality and measuring our accomplishments against our vision and values, versus against others’ – that I greatly appreciate and enjoy driving forward.

BC: Where do you want to take this company?

Bueltmann: I want to see us continue to be a healthy, strong, creative company that makes people’s lives better by the products and information we put forward. I want to keep helping people connect to the food and drink they buy and enjoy their experiences with them as well. There’s a lot of pressure to go faster and shout louder, which I believe can take away from the original purpose of the craft renaissance. If we continue to offer more quality choices to people, while upholding the quality and integrity of products like Dragon’s Milk and Mad Hatter, amongst others, while making sure we take time to “Stop and Taste,” – we’re happy.  

BC: New Holland does a lot of experimentation with spirits, barrels and yeasts. What’s the creative environment like?

Bueltmann: It varies, but overall, we like the idea of being perpetual students and always being willing to ask questions and explore new answers. As any company grows, this can get challenging, as we have to balance it against being consistent and having really strong protocols over an ever-growing team. Our leadership is empowered to make a case for something new or challenge an existing idea.

One of the best parts of an independent operation is the ability to make your own rules – on Bueltmann’s farm, horses drink for free.

Our company’s vision is built around six core values: People, Teams & Teamwork, Artistry, Quality, Profitability and Ambition. I think it’s our job to keep all of those in balance, so that your commitment to being creative is also a commitment to driving quality forward, while doing so profitably with people feeling valued and enjoying working together. It’s harder than it sounds, but we believe in keeping those values as our guideposts, and I think it makes for both a productive and creative environment.

BC: We hear you have a new brewpub in the works. What are you looking forward to most about it?

Bueltmann: We are opening “The Knickerbocker,” a New Holland brewpub and distillery in Grand Rapids in the fall of 2016. It’s our first “new” build out and it’s part of neighborhood revitalization, which is all very exciting. We’ll be showcasing a great deal of connection to food and drink. The Knickerbocker will capture the essence of eating and drinking well, by exploring the art of cooking, brewing, distilling and hosting. The building is inviting, including large community spaces, as well as smaller, cozy nooks. We will feature specialty beer and spirits brewed on-site, as well as the established beer and spirits brands New Holland is well known for, and a full-service restaurant featuring farm to table, nose to tail scratch cooking.

BC: When does a “craft” company become just a “company”? Or, how big is too big?

Bueltmann: I think it all depends on the culture within the company. If you continue to connect to your mission and values and find ways to keep your growing number of team members connected with each other and a part of your vision, then size isn’t really a detriment. If size and pace convince the organization to sacrifice their original vision and values in the name of quick and easy growth – the phrase “it’s just business…” comes to mind, then they might start to look less recognizable to their origin, and start leaning towards the commodity brands they once battled against. Overall, it’s not a number – it’s about process, culture and connection.  

BC: Do you think a beer company can positively affect larger social change?

Bueltmann: Hell yes.

BC: What’s your favorite food/drink pairing?

Bueltmann: An impossible question, to be sure. I’ll go with Dragon’s Milk and Gail Ambrosius Chocolates’ Shitake-chocolate truffle.

BC: Can you offer a few words to live by?

Bueltmann: I hope for all of us to take more time to Stop and Taste, to linger over flavors and conversation and to indulge in the unhurried meal.

“Bueltmann on a farm tour, as part of his harvest dinner series, where he and local chefs collaborate a multi-course beer dinner, inspired by foods that are at their very best in the moment.”

Photos Courtesy of Fred Bueltmann