What does it take to turn a life-altering surf injury into a thriving hospitality brand? We sit down with Santa Cruz local and entrepreneur Shawd DeWitt to trace the unlikely path from Rainbow Fin Company to Beer 30, Beer Mule, and the rebirth of The Trout Farm. The throughline isn’t hype—it’s standards, honesty, and a relentless customer-first mindset that says service comes before sales and the rest follows.
Shawd shares how a neck injury nudged him and his wife toward a new vision, why they flew to Portland to reverse-engineer the nation’s best beer bars, and how they sold almost everything to go all in. The early lessons came fast: obscure imports and sours looked great on paper, but the register voted for IPAs and crisp lagers. That pivot—guided by sales data, not ego—became a blueprint for sustainable craft beer curation across two very different markets. We dig into tap strategy, cold-chain discipline, and the value of location: a sunny beer garden off the freeway where commuters can exhale, connect, and stay awhile.
Then we head poolside. The Trout Farm’s transformation reads like a hospitality case study—refreshed deck, cabanas, full bar, hot food, and service choreography that includes reservations, Sunday yoga, and weekend DJs. It’s resort energy tucked into the Santa Cruz hills, designed for families, locals, and visitors who want clean, seamless experiences without pretense. Along the way, Shawd speaks candidly about social media’s limits, the power of honest buying, and the joy of building spaces where people feel welcome. We close with life beyond the tap list: shifting from crowded lineups to mountain trails, making room for future grandkids, and keeping Soquel Avenue on a slow burn.
If you care about craft beer, community building, or how real hospitality gets made, this one’s for you. Listen, share with a friend who loves Santa Cruz, and leave a review to help more people find the show.
