Witchdoctor Brewing Company: “A Mysterious Potion Becomes Craft Beer”

DeliveryRank chats with Josh Norris, co-founder of Witchdoctor Brewing Company, who began his journey in craft beer as a homebrewer, blending his background in mechanical engineering with a passion for science, creativity, and culinary experimentation. Inspired by the ancient and communal nature of brewing, he envisioned Witchdoctor as a place where people could gather over expertly crafted beers. After years of refining his recipes and searching for the perfect location, he established the brewery in Factory Square, Southington, where he continues to push the boundaries of craft beer with innovation and dedication.

Witchdoctor Brewing offers a diverse range of beers, including New England IPAs, lagers, stouts, sours, and experimental creations with fruit or chocolate. What is your process for developing new beer recipes, and how do you balance traditional styles with innovative flavors to cater to a wide audience?

We do our best to listen and watch what is going on in the industry around us. What are people drinking and buying? We try and have some balance between the wild flavored beers and the more traditional styles. When we are developing something new, we will start small. Sometimes as small as a glass on the bar with a bit of this or that added to it.

The brewery hosts various events such as live music, comedy shows, fundraisers, and fitness classes. How do these events contribute to building a sense of community around Witchdoctor Brewing, and what strategies do you employ to curate a diverse and engaging event lineup?

It’s a tough game to keep up with what events are working and what aren’t. We often see something work for a while and then suddenly, it doesn’t anymore. We just try and book things that we think people will come out for. If it works, we ride the wave until it stops. If it doesn’t work, we move on and try something else.

Partnering with The Lab @Kraftwich and Paul Gregory's Bistro, the brewery provides an evolving menu that complements its beer offerings. How do these collaborations enhance the customer experience, and what considerations go into selecting food partners to align with your brand's vision?

Food is a very important thing for customers. It entices people to stay longer and drink more beer. We place high importance on quality and creativity. We are very fortunate to have both of these companies to partner with. The Lab provides for those looking to order while they are visiting us, while Paul Gregory’s (who closes earlier) provides catering for a lot of our parties and events.

Sourcing quality ingredients is essential for brewing exceptional beer. Can you share insights into your ingredient selection process, whether it’s choosing hops, malt, or specialty additions, and how these choices impact the final product?

It’s all about taste and how the ingredients interact with each other. There are two major ingredient suppliers that most of the breweries use, and some others that get thrown in from time to time. The suppliers are pretty good about putting out quality ingredients, so that makes it a bit easier to focus on flavors and creativity.

The craft beer industry is constantly evolving, with trends such as low-ABV beers, hop-forward styles, and barrel aging gaining popularity. How do you stay ahead of industry trends while maintaining the core identity of Witchdoctor Brewing?

We try and keep up with what trends are happening, but we approach trends the same way we approach new beers… slowly and carefully. We will test a small batch of something and see how it goes, then go from there. We’ve been making hard seltzers for a few years now. We carry a trusted brand of N/A beer. We test out new hops when we see something new and interesting come out. It’s all about keeping your eyes and mind open while treading carefully into new territory.

If you would like to find out more about Witchdoctor Brewing Company, please visit https://www.witchdoctorbrewing.com/