Purdom bought Galveston Bay Brewing with two other owners, Malcom Hawkin and Pete Stevens, not long after the brewery originally opened off a farm road in Dickinson in 2014.
Purdom didn’t realize how challenging running a brewery would be; it feels like multiple businesses in one considering Galveston Bay Brewing does manufacturing, outside sales and food, he said.
“It’s a tough business. It’s not easy. There’s a lot of moving parts,” he said. “I just liked beer.”
Skyler Forshage, who has been the business’s brewmaster since its opening, said the Dickinson location wasn’t near anything else, which made it a challenge to attract customers. Additionally, a junior high opened nearby, limiting what the brewery could do, he said.
The new location is near restaurants and other businesses, so they can feed off each other, Purdom said. Additionally, the new location is on the water, and customers can kayak up to the brewery, which is fitting for a business with “Galveston Bay” in its name, Forshage and Purdom said.
Finally, the new location is bigger, allowing for more brewing. Workers brewed more beer in the business’s first week at the Clear Lake Shores location than they could in a month at the Dickinson location, Forshage said.
Galveston Bay Brewing tries to run the gamut in terms of the beers served. With 30 taps, the brewery offers something for everyone, from hoppy to malty and light to dark beers, Forshage said.
Purdom said the business is always listening to customers and trying to respond to their wants. For instance, the brewery now serves wine, which is the one of the most requested items from customers, he said.
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“It really is a community effort,” Forshage said, noting that the brews they make reflect customers’ wants.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Galveston Bay Brewing started serving food to attract more customers. The business still serves food today.
“Food keeps people drinking longer,” Forshage said.
However, those behind the business don’t consider it a restaurant or a bar.
“We’re a brewery,” Forshage said. “We craft here.”
Galveston Bay Brewing
902 Marina Bay Drive, Clear Lake Shores
281-339-3210
www.galvestonbaybeer.com
Hours: Sun.-Wed. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thu. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-midnight
