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Devin: What is your superpower?
Aaron: Curiosity.
Stellar: Community building.
Creating a delicious beer that is 100% gluten-free and celiac-safe is no small feat. Yet, Aaron Gervais and Stellar Cassidy, the co-founders of Otherwise Brewing, have achieved just that. Their mission is clear: to create craft beer that tastes as good as traditional beer while being accessible to a growing community of people who avoid gluten for health reasons.
Stellar explained, “Otherwise Brewing is a passion project that Aaron and I launched in 2021 after years of R&D. The beer is 100% gluten-free and celiac safe. We brew with grains alternative to barley, like rice and millet, which also have a smaller carbon footprint.” This dual focus on inclusivity and sustainability has been central to their journey.
The need for gluten-free beer is significant. Aaron, who has family members with gluten sensitivities, highlighted the growing demand, saying, “We’ve gotten a lot of inbound requests from people across the country to ship gluten-free beer to them because there just aren’t that many options out there.” With nearly a third of people reporting they try to avoid gluten, Otherwise Brewing is filling a critical gap in the market.
What makes their beer stand out isn’t just the absence of gluten—it’s the taste. “We wanted to make sure that we were doing something unique,” Aaron said. “We developed a way to make gluten-free beer that tastes just like regular beer. Beer is not health food—we drink it for the enjoyment.”
This innovative approach, combined with their dedication to building a loyal community in the Bay Area, has positioned Otherwise Brewing for expansion. The company is currently raising capital on
, a regulated crowdfunding platform, to support statewide distribution and marketing efforts. “We want to make a big splash,” Stellar shared.As they prepare to scale, Aaron and Stellar are inviting supporters to invest in their vision of making craft beer more inclusive. Through passion, innovation, and a commitment to sustainability, they are leading the gluten-free beer revolution.
If you’re interested in supporting their mission, you can learn more about their campaign at SMBX.
tl;dr:
Today’s episode highlights Otherwise Brewing’s mission to create delicious, 100% gluten-free craft beer.
Co-founders Aaron and Stellar share their journey to develop a sustainable, celiac-safe brewing process.
The company is raising capital on SMBX to expand distribution across California and grow its community.
Aaron’s superpower, curiosity, drives innovation, including the creation of gluten-free beer recipes.
Stellar’s superpower, community building, fosters inclusivity at the taproom for gluten-free beer lovers.
How to Develop Curiosity and Community Building As a Superpower
Aaron’s superpower is his relentless curiosity, which drives him to explore new ideas and solve challenging problems. “I’ve always been a naturally curious person,” Aaron said. “When something piques that curiosity, I want to learn more and figure it out.” This mindset led him to develop Otherwise Brewing’s gluten-free beer. He explained, “I wondered if I could make gluten-free beer that tastes good… it was a difficult technical challenge, but we figured it out.”
Stellar’s superpower is her ability to build inclusive, vibrant communities. “If I had to pick my superpower, I think it’s honestly building community,” Stellar shared. She explained how creating a welcoming taproom for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities has been a core part of the brewery’s success. “So many people with gluten issues can’t hang out at breweries. We’re proud to provide a space where they can enjoy a beer with their friends.”
Aaron taught himself web programming to address a business challenge. He wanted better insight into Otherwise Brewing’s sales data, but existing systems fell short. Driven by curiosity, he learned to write web hooks to connect inventory systems and create real-time dashboards. This innovation streamlined operations and demonstrated his ability to turn curiosity into actionable solutions.
Stellar’s community-building skills are best illustrated by the Otherwise Brewing taproom. She takes time to connect personally with customers, remembering names and stories while introducing people to one another. This thoughtful, inclusive approach has fostered a grassroots community of gluten-free beer lovers. “At any given time, you’ll see people from all walks of life bonding over our beers,” Stellar said.
Tips for Developing Aaron’s Superpower:
Ask “Why not?” when faced with conventional ideas or approaches.
Pursue curiosity with action—learn new skills or experiment to find solutions.
Embrace challenges as opportunities to innovate.
Tips for Developing Stellar’s Superpower:
Take time to truly listen to people and remember their stories.
Create inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome.
Focus on building relationships by introducing people with shared interests.
By following Aaron’s and Stellar’s example and advice, you can make curiosity and community building a skill. With practice and effort, you could make these superpowers that enable you to do more good in the world.
Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!
Guest Profile
Aaron Gervais (he/him):
CEO, Otherwise Brewing
About Otherwise Brewing: Otherwise Brewing makes gluten-free beer using a proprietary process that allows us to match the flavors beer-lovers expect—with no limitations on style. We’re making the world’s most popular alcoholic beverage accessible to all, regardless of dietary restrictions.
Website: otherwisebrewing.com
LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/company/otherwise-brewing
Company Facebook Page: facebook.com/otherwisebrewing
Instagram Handle: @otherwisebrewing
Other URL: smbx.in/wow
Biographical Information: Aaron Gervais co-founded Otherwise Brewing in 2019 with Stellar Cassidy, following several years of experimentation as a homebrewer. He oversees the company’s operations, R&D efforts, and recipe design. In this role, he is responsible for developing Otherwise Brewing’s production protocols, and his research into gluten-free brewing processes has led to a number of technical improvements that are unique to the company.
Outside of beer, Aaron has led a diverse career, with 10 years of tech industry marketing, 5 years of arts nonprofit administration, and over 15 years as a freelance classical composer. As a composer, he has won many prestigious awards, and his music has been played around the world. He holds a Master of Arts in Composition from UC San Diego and a B.Mus from the University of Toronto.
LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/aaron-gervais
Stellar Cassidy (she/her):
COO, Otherwise Brewing
Biographical Information: Responsible for managing Otherwise’s sales and customer relations, Stellar Cassidy is a veteran of the San Francisco craft beer scene. She has held positions as diverse as front-of-house manager, purchasing agent, sales representative, and event planner. Prior to founding Otherwise, Stellar led front-of-house operations at a number of well-known craft beer bars in San Francisco, including the Church Key and City Beer Store, and she has built a reputation in the local industry for attention to detail and customer satisfaction.
Stellar holds a BA in Creative Writing and Performance Poetry in addition to a Cicerone® beer certification, the beer equivalent of sommelier credentialing.
LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/stellar-cassidy-1a879830a
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