Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Sommer.
Hi Rick, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I spent more than 30 years working as a jeweler, but outside of work, one of my biggest passions was homebrewing. I brewed as a hobby for more than 10 years, always experimenting, learning, and sharing my beer with friends and family.
Eventually, I reached a point where I was ready to leave the corporate world behind and build something of my own. Almost six years ago, I took that leap and opened my own brewery.
Since then, the business has continued to grow and evolve. Most recently, we expanded to add a full craft kitchen and dining room, which has been an exciting new chapter for us. What makes it even more special is that it truly is a family business. I get to work alongside my wife, daughter, and sons, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. We opened the brewery in October of 2020, right in the middle of COVID, so we faced challenges from the very beginning. Like many small businesses, we’ve had to navigate rising costs, supply issues, staffing challenges, and the everyday ups and downs that come with owning a business.
One of the biggest lessons has been learning to adapt. What started as a small brewery has continued to evolve based on what our customers wanted and what we felt our community needed. Our recent expansion into a full craft kitchen and dining room was a huge undertaking and came with an entirely new set of challenges and a very steep learning curve.
But every challenge has taught us something. Having my family beside me through it all has made a tremendous difference. There have definitely been stressful days, but seeing how far we’ve come and watching something that started as a homebrewing hobby grow into the family business we have today makes it all worthwhile.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We really pride ourselves on brewing a little bit of everything. Our beer lineup ranges from traditional styles like lagers, pilsners, IPAs, Irish reds, stouts and porters to some more adventurous creations. We love experimenting with flavors, so you might find something like a lemongrass saison, dill pickle gose, margarita gose or sage lemongrass saison on tap alongside the classics. There’s truly something for every kind of beer drinker.
But what I’m most proud of isn’t necessarily a particular beer—it’s the environment we’ve created.
We made the decision not to have TVs in the brewery because we wanted Dented Keg to be a place where people actually connect with one another. One of my favorite things is looking around the room and seeing people talking, laughing, playing games and meeting someone new. Over the years, we’ve watched customers become friends and our brewery become a gathering place for the community.
I think that combination is what sets us apart. We take the beer seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We want to make great, creative beer, serve great food and provide a comfortable place where people genuinely enjoy spending time together. At the end of the day, I’m most proud that we’ve built something that feels like more than just a brewery—it feels like a community.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me happy is pretty simple—spending time with my family, creating something I’m proud of, and seeing other people enjoy it.
There’s something really rewarding about walking into the brewery and seeing a room full of people laughing, talking and having a great time. Knowing that my family and I created a place where people choose to spend their time, celebrate special occasions, make new friends and just enjoy being together is a great feeling.
I also still love the creative side of brewing. After all these years, there’s nothing quite like coming up with an idea for a beer, brewing it, putting it on tap and watching someone take that first sip and really enjoy it.
At this point in my life, happiness is less about things and more about family, good people, good beer and enjoying what I get to do every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dentedkegaleworks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dentedkegaleworks?utm_source=qr&igsi=cGw2YWUwOGlzNWlr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1JwotuxvTA/
