So the story goes like this… or at least this is how we collectively remember it.

You’d be surprised what happens when you start talking wedding plans over a few beers. Especially when it becomes abundantly clear that said plans are gonna exceed the not-so-abundant budget. Ben was looking for an affordable alternative to the same ol’ American light lager for when he and Neena tied the knot. That’s when he made the brilliant, if not fairly obvious choice to get his brother Nick involved. See, as it happens, Nick had already been brewing in his garage for a number of years. Well, fast forward to that blissful day of nuptials—Nick brought his creation to the wedding, it became what you might call a rousing success, Ben and Neena saved some cash, and we all started thinking …

But Let’s Not Get Ahead of Ourselves …

Well, the Patriarch watched these two problem solvers put their heads together to find the perfect solution to Ben’s beer challenge and was impressed. He was also impressed by the opportunity a booming beer industry offered. He put two and two together and, over a beer NOT brewed by Nick, came up with the Big Idea. But before he offered up the Big Idea, he had one Big Question. He grabbed his two beer-loving sons by the scruff of their necks, pointed to the pint glass in his hand and demanded to know “why the hell aren’t we doing this?” Of course this was just a rhetorical question, because the Patriarch’s Big Idea? It was that he, Nick and Ben were gunna brew the hell out of some beers.

And THAT’S when the Little Elm Brewing Company started.

Since that fateful spring evening back in 2013, Nick, Ben and Danny have been brewing hard, experimenting with some weird batches and frankly screwin’ up more times than they can count. But duds and flubs build character. And more importantly—they led to some damn good beer.

So, that’s our story … at least up to now. It’s up to you to help us keep that story going and for that, well we’re mighty grateful. Grab yourself a Little Elm Brew or two, relax and enjoy some lake time. Cheers!

Nick Cirksena

nick_headshotHead Brewmaster – Nick is the head brewmaster at Little Elm Brewing Company. He is a certified beer server through Cicerone training and is currently studying to become a Certified Cicerone. Nick has been brewing beer for seven years, creating his own recipes along the way. He is currently enrolled at the University of North Texas where he is studying operations and supply-chain logistics. Beyond creating the recipes, Nick is also responsible for quality control and analysis, overseeing tasks such as testing for yeast attenuation and conversion, carbonation in batches and overall brew-house cleanliness. Quality & consistency are his priority.

Danny Cirksena

danny_headshotFacilities Engineer – Danny served in the U.S. Air Force as an Aircraft Electrician and later graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in industrial engineering. He has over 30 years experience in high and low volume manufacturing processes, productivity and product design improvement. He has worked in several industries that require a high standard of quality, including the manufacturing of electronic consumer products, metal fabrication and cruise missile programs. He will be able to use his experience in the manufacturing and process industries for Little Elm Brewing Company’s equipment and process building, seeing the company through increasing production volume to meet customer demand.

Ben Cirksena

ben_headshotBusiness Operations – Ben leads all business and sales operations for Little Elm Brewing Company. He graduated from Texas Tech University with a BA in marketing with a sales concentration. He currently performs consistently in his sales career within the food and beverage industry in Dallas/Fort Worth. Through this career, he has been able to make numerous, valuable contacts that will help push the brewery to success—and accelerate getting tap-handles on the wall.