Firemans Brew: Off-Duty Beverage Created by Firefighters

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"You know we could really do this."  After brewing a fantasy in his head,
that was what Rob Nowaczyk told fellow firefighters.   In 2000 he was with
a group of firefighters who were stuck on a hill while fighting a Southern
California fire.  "We were super thirsty.  We didn't have Gatorade,
bottled water or anything."  Nowaczyk describes the moment with great
enthusiasm.  "We came up with this idea why don't we make our own brew."

Nowaczyk, who is a firefighter with Los Angeles County Fire, had stumbled
upon a business.   At the time he didn't see it that way, he was just
thirsty.  He also didn't have a business plan.  Like the founders of many
companies before him, he was dreaming big.  That's how it starts.

Nowaczyk says he and some friends didn't forget about the idea.  Within a
week they made a keg of beer.  It was light-colored, and they named it
Blonde.  "The Blonde... we hit the mark right off the bat."  Nowaczyk says
they kept that recipe and started working on two more beers; Brunette and
Redhead.

What would become an emerging beverage was put on ice for a time after
9-11, but it wasn't forgotten.  The California Secretary of State reports
that Fireman's Brew was incorporated on August 3, 2004.  A couple of years
later a friend of Nowaczyk graduated USC with a business degree.  Dave
Johnson, fresh with book smarts, was ready to get his street credentials.
The two men became fast business partners.

"What I saw from the beginning is that it's something that can be marketed
nationally."  Johnson and I met in a bar in Pasadena, California.  Johnson
is soft-spoken, reserved, and very thoughtful as he answers my questions.
The business model is in his head, and he doesn't want to give too much
away.  "Wherever you are in the country 'firefighter' means something,
kind of like Samuel Adams." 

While the corporate name is Fireman's Brew, Inc. the bottles are packaged
as Firemans Brew-  no apostrophe.  The primary logo on the beer bottle and
the packaging is a modified maltese cross.   They just signed a deal for
the beer to be sold in Gelson's.  It's a Southern California grocery
company which trends toward higher-end consumers.  Fireman's Brew, Inc. is
banking on its distinct logo to attract attention on the store shelf.

Beyond making money for the corporation, and its owners, the company says
it will donate 5-percent of its profits to the National Fallen
Firefighters Foundation.  "I don't know of any firefighters that are doing
anything to earn money for firefighters" Nowaczyk said.  "We raise money
for cancer research, diabetes, all kinds of things but never for
firefighters."

Firefighters who work for larger departments, like Nowaczyk often have
well-funded life insurance policies.  Their families will be financially
stable in the event of an on-duty death.  Nowaczyk says the charity will
help firefighters in smaller departments.  "Across the nation firefighting
is a second job for many of these people.  They make $20,000 a year.
That's who this is for" says Nowaczyk.

Johnson and Nowaczyk have other business partners, but by all appearances
Firemans Brew is their baby.  And with any new child comes some
sacrifices.  "Not many kids graduate college to move back home with their
parents" Johnson said. He's 24 years old.  Rob Nowaczyk is 37 years old.
Rob is holding down his day job as a firefighter, and he's an energetic
personality at a Pasadena bar where they are promoting their beer.  It
sells for $5.00 a bottle.

Firemans Brew is being served in 20 locations; 8 are bars, 9 are
restaurants, 3 are liquor stores.  All of the locations are in California.
Striking up a nationwide distribution deal will be key to their success.
"We want to have the all-American product" says Johnson.  His goal is
$800,000 in sales for the year starting August 1, 2008.

For more information on their on-duty and off-duty beverages and their partnership with the National Fall Firefighters Foundation visit the Firemans Brew Website, where you can also purchase some of their products.

Video by Crystal Chessher for FDNNTV.com

Text Story by Craig Fiegener, Special to FDNNTV.com