ray hill – grab a cold one
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photo by steed media service
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Founder/CEO, Hill Brewing Company
Most successful businesses are built on faith. Hill Brewing Company of
St. Louis is no different. Founder and CEO Ray Hill trusted his
instincts and it has paid off tremendously. After starting his company
in his garage, Hill has become one of the mavericks of the brewing
industry. “I started brewing as a hobby in 1998,” explains Hill. “By
2002, I perfected it and everybody started asking where they could buy
[my] beer, so I cashed in my 401K, sold my house and took all of my
money – every single dime – and started my own company.” Five years
later, Hill’s vision paid off. “For five years we were looking for a
distribution deal,” he continues. “We were working with a brewing
company in Rochester, N.Y., and then we realized that we [could] do it
in downtown [St. Louis] with Anheuser-Busch.” Anheuser-Busch looked
over Hill Brewing Company’s history and practices, and in April of
2007, HBC signed a distribution deal with the brewing giant. It’s easy
to see why Anheuser-Busch was happy to have HBC affiliated with their
brand. “I use special malts to give [the beer] a creamy head and
imported hops, so it has a very smooth finish,” Hill says.
“[Anheuser-Busch has] the best distribution system in the world.
Anywhere you go, you’re going to see Budweiser and Bud Light.” – terry shropshire
