About
History
The spirit of Dust Bowl Brewing Company was born decades ago thanks to one family's unwavering passion for adventure and immeasurable dedication to one another. The tale begins back in the 1930s when the Tate family loaded their Model A and left Oklahoma for a journey that would prove fruitful for generations to come. The Great Depression coupled with life in the Dust Bowl corridor nearly dried up everything the family had...except , of course, their thirst for success and love for each other. Grandpa Tate was a real-life hobo, riding the rails in pursuit of work and a few dollars to feed his family. Ultimately the Tates survived and settled in California where they raised their children to appreciate hard work, love for family, a hearty sense of humor, and a craving for new frontiers.
Dream to Reality
Like most successful endeavors, Dust Bowl Brewing Company is about good timing and a little luck. Brett's good fortune came in the way of the morning paper, which seemed to deliver just the news he needed. Tucked between Sports and Weather was an article featuring a young brewer named Don Oliver, winner of the 2006 Samuel Adams Longshot Homebrew competition. Not only was Don an experienced home brewer, he shared Brett's passion to start a brewery. Pioneers in their own right, Brett and Don came together determined to craft some of the finest brews ever to emerge from Central California.
The Brewery
Located in Turlock, California, Dust Bowl Brewing Company produced its first beer in May 2009. The brewery was designed from the ground up by founder Brett Tate and brewmaster Don Oliver. The 10-barrel, state-of-the-art system is capable of temperature programmed mashing allowing for great recipe flexibility. Handcrafted with only the finest ingredients, Dust Bowl beers are available in 5 and 15.5 gallon kegs as well as limited edition 22 oz. bottles. The small craft brewery also produces a wide variety of beers available at the company's Tap Room, which opened in August 2011 in Downtown Turlock.
Our People
Brett Tate - Founder/Owner
Born and raised in Turlock, California, Brett is a retired high school teacher and coach of 20 years. Known as "BT" among his friends, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education from CSU, Stanislaus and a Masters in Education from Chapman University. As the founder of Dust Bowl Brewing Company, Brett is committed to producing some of the best micro beers available on the West Coast. Brett is responsible for the overall direction of the company, with special emphasis on new beer development and market positioning.
Brett Honoré - Owner
A Central Valley native, Brett joined in partnership with Brett Tate in 2011. Brett holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology from Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo. His background in commercial real estate and property management strengthens the company's resources and vision for expansion. Brett is responsible for facilities oversight and new business development.
Don Oliver - Brewmaster
Don's industrious career began as a helicopter mechanic for the Marine Corps for five years. He later completed undergraduate studies in Business Administration and course work in the area of math and sciences. As a seasoned home brewer, Don was recognized as the Samuel Adams Longshot National Homebrew Competition winner in 2006 for his rendition of an Old Ale. With Dust Bowl Brewing Company on the horizon, he completed the UC Davis Master Brewers Program in 2008. Don was named the John S. Ford winner in 2008 recognizing his top score worldwide for the Diploma in Brewing Exams administered by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling. Since the launch of Dust Bowl Brewing Company, Don was recognized in a Draft Magazine article by Jim Koch, owner of Samuel Adams, as one of "Nine Beer Innovators to Watch" in the growing craft beer industry (Sept./Oct. '09). Don is responsible for daily operations at the brewery and recipe development.
