Our Brewmaster: Brewery owner, Brewmaster, Craftsman, Team Player, Maintenance Wizard.

Given the number of hats he wears, we just call him Kevin.

Running a brewery simultaneously while pasturing wooly pigs doesn’t sound all that compatible. But once you get to know the team, it will make perfect sense. Kevin Ely, a former brewmaster of Salt Lake City’s Uinta Brewing Company, a top-50 craft brewery in the U.S. by volume, holds a degree in brewing science from UC Davis and has 25 years experience in the industry. In short, he knows how to brew good beer.  

Dennis Wilson: Head brewer, proud papa, & disc golfer.

In his former life, Dennis was a teacher, and he has used all his tricks from the classroom to learn the ropes as a Wooly Pig brewer. Dennis started in the tasting room and transitioned to production where he works hard and learns fast.

…and, of course, the folks who keep us open

Meet the Malenkes.  It’s a family affair.

Kevin’s wife, Jael Malenke, grew up less than a mile from the site of the Wooly Pig Farm Brewery. She and her beer-loving family have been involved from day one, helping plan, build, and run the brewery and tend the 90-acre farm that surrounds it. This eclectic and talented bunch includes:

• Jael Malenke, a biologist-turned-businesswoman and mother of Astrid and Soren

• Aaron Malenke, a farmer and fix-it-man, and his wife Lauren Malenke, a large animal veterinarian

• Todd Malenke, a blacksmith artist and carpenter, and Patti Malenke, museum curator and grandma extraordinaire

• Nate Malenke, a blacksmith knife-maker, and his wife Lucy Bryan Malenke, a writer and college professor  

It takes a competent team to sustain a successful brewery, and this team is united by love for each other, dedication to the land, and a shared commitment to good beer and a neighborly environment.