Meet The Brewers
Daniel Del Grande - Owner & Brewer
Dan believes that small choices we make each day greatly affect our environment. He brews organically because he believes that sustainable and ecologically sound food production is the best way to protect the environment, save energy, and ensure the sustainability of American farming.
Dan is a conservationists who enjoy the solitude of the outdoors and the company of friends, and recognizes that artisan food and beverages bring pleasure to our everyday lives. His business goal is to become the leader in the organic beer category and to have fun while doing it.
Dan became the owner and brewer of Bison Brewing Company in 1997. He earned his MBA, graduating with Honors from Saint Mary’s College, Orinda, California (2006).
Twice per year, since 1999, he teaches at the American Brewer’s Guild (Vermont), lecturing on brewery engineering, brew house operation and maintenance, good manufacturing practices, and demonstrating brewing and laboratory work.
In 1991, Daniel earned a MS in Civil Engineering from UC Berkeley, but after only six years as an environmental engineer, Daniel’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to the beer industry.
His hobbies includes a “reactor” to brew bio-diesel, a substitute for diesel fuel made from used cooking oil, to use in the company delivery vehicle and his personal car. Daniel enjoys pairing good food and good beer.
Daniel was a featured guest speaker at the 2005 Craft Brewers Conference on the topic Chocolate and Beer for the brewpub seminar series—he presented his findings of research and test brews of beer brewed with different forms of cocoa.
George Allen - Owner & Brewer
George spent a decade successfully climbing the financial industry’s corporate ladder, but was never really satisfied. He dreamed of making his long-time home brewing hobby a career.
So in 2006, he took the plunge (plus a size able pay cut) and started at the bottom (really – in the cellar) of a small local brewery in North Carolina. In 2007, he made the move to a larger regional brewery, and after attending the Intensive Brewing Science and Engineering program at the American Brewers Guild, became its Brewmaster.
Although George was thrilled to have risen through the ranks of the brewing industry so quickly, his true goal was ownership. Over the next year and a half, he consulted with Guild instructor, Dan Del Grande (owner of Bison Organic Beers) on a number of business concepts.
He was impressed with Dan’s business model and inspired by his commitment to environmental concerns. Ultimately, they both decided that George’s entrepreneurial spirit and his passion for craft brewing were a good fit for Bison. In January 2009, he became co-owner and brewer.
When George is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Emily, and their yellow lab, Barley. Traveling, hiking, motorcycles, and baseball take up most of their time. The backyard brew kettles still produce an array of craft beers which may soon become the newest release in a Bison bottle.
