What began as a hobby 10 years ago for Bryce Baker, Jeff Handojo and Brandon Moss became a full-scale business venture May 2 when 11 Below Brewing opened to the public. Located in the Willowbrook area, the brewery is open every Saturday from noon-3 p.m. for a weekly open house and tours.

Although the trio began homebrewing beer in their garage, they eventually began considering turning it into a full-time job. The partners came up with the name 11 Below Brewing as a reminder of their former jobs as oil field workers.

“Eleven is the difference in gallons between a 42-gallon barrel of crude oil and a 31-gallon barrel of beer,” Baker said. “It’s a nod to our former lives. We wanted something that marks our transition from oil to beer.”

The business partners decided to launch 11 Below Brewing in the Northwest Houston area because it is close to home—Handojo and Moss are graduates of Cy-Fair High School. Additionally the closest brewery to northwest Harris County is Karbach Brewing Co., which is located near Hwy. 290 and Loop 610.

The brewery launched with three different beers and has plans to offer new or seasonal options in the future based on customer feedback.

“We’ll offer up subsequent beers in the tasting room and see what feedback we can get,” Baker said. “We’ll let the consumer dictate which beer comes next. That’s why it’s nice to have a tasting room—[it generates] instant feedback on what’s just been brewed.”

In addition to at the brewery, consumers can find 11 Below Brewing’s beers at local bars such as Rockwell’s in Cypress.