If you are what you eat, a community can also be shaped by what its…
This fall, raise a glass to local land conservation! Enjoy the taste of Fullsteam’s woodsy, earthy, lager-smooth Baltic Porter named after Triangle Land Conservancy’s (TLC) very own George and Julia Brumley Family Nature Preserve.
Over 20 years ago, Fullsteam’s founder, Sean Wilson, was first introduced to TLC through Johnston Mill Nature Preserve. There, he spent time with his family exploring the trails and walking along New Hope Creek. Together, they continued to visit other preserves, getting to know TLC and its mission.
In 2017, Wilson was invited to join TLC’s Board of Directors where he served for two terms, stepping down just last year. With his experience leading Pop the Cap, a grassroots movement that successfully eliminated the Prohibition-era law restricting beer in North Carolina to just 6% alcohol by volume (ABV)— Wilson takes pride in his ability to raise awareness and inspire others.
"My skill set is more in distilling messages, capturing people's imagination and interest,” he shares.
The Farm’s Edge: Brumley Forest Baltic Porter (7% ABV) was first brewed in 2017 to promote the opening of Brumley Nature Preserve. This beer is crafted with 100% local malt, sustainably sourced black walnuts, foraged shagbark hickory, and just a touch of foraged spicebush berries.
“I think these [ingredients] are all things in ways that force you to be curious, slow down, and take time,” Wilson explains. “There are more efficient ways to do things, but the reason that Brumley Forest exists — both the beer and the preserve — is sort of a celebration of inefficiency. To stop, slow down, take time, and wander.”
By focusing on local ingredients, Fullsteam embodies the belief that beverages are deeply connected to the land. The brewery sources from local farmers, foragers, and malt houses, supporting North Carolina’s post-tobacco agricultural sector.
“We connect people to the land and to one another; we just happen to make beer in the process,” Wilson says with a smile.
No stranger to the outdoors, Wilson grew up hiking and camping. As an adult, he discovered foraging, a new hobby that connected him to the land.
“I go out there for that peace and tranquility, but then to have a result from it, be it a participation in [Fullsteam’s] beer or my own side projects, it’s about getting your hands on something, making something, and finding that connective thread from the wild into the kitchen.”
The Brumley Forest Baltic Porter is available right inside the taproom at Fullsteam Brewery and at the Fullsteam Boxyard RTP location. With every sip, take a moment to slow down, savor the season, and make a toast to the conservation of local lands.
*Please enjoy these locally foraged beverages responsibly and remember, foraging on TLC properties is prohibited without appropriate permits.
