WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Divine Barrel Brewing may seem like a straight-forward name, but like everything we do here, there’s always a much deeper intention.
The word “Divine” is derived from some fairly simple definitions. One definition we’re particularly fond of is, “unusually lovely.” All beer should be cared for and nurtured into meeting its full potential. This is as true for fun, experimental beers packed with adjuncts as it is for brewing traditional beers honoring the many who came before us, such as lagers or wood-fermented and aged wilds and sours. The entire process is a crazy combination of brewing prowess, ingredients, time, oak, and some divine intervention from outside forces that all play a role in beers like these becoming greater than the sum of their parts…or, unusually lovely.
The “Barrel” part of our name should be more self-explanatory but shouldn’t be overlooked. We have a growing family of specialty spirits and oak barrels with the ability to harbor wild cultures for our various sour beer projects. They also allow us the ability to age fun beer projects, like luxurious stouts, barley wines, and numerous other clean beers with unique barrel treatments. On top of that, the wood itself becomes an ingredient and offers up some of its own character to these finished beers.
Ultimately, our name came from the combination of our passion for quality beer, much finger crossing, and the unique role wood plays in fermenting and aging in hopes we’ve created something that will be memorable and amazing.
The Divine Family
The team here at Divine Barrel Brewing is as unique and diverse as the beers we offer in our tasting room. However, we all share a passion for great beer and the unwavering desire to always find out what’s possible.
Ben Dolphens
Ben brings over 20 years of brewing experience to Divine Barrel. His passion and expertise for the craft is evident with his meticulously crafted beers. He brings a vast brewing knowledge, attention to detail, willingness to explore the limits of what beer can be, while also striking a balance in preserving tradition. Ben wants to inspire Charlotte’s craft beer drinking community, and get a little weird while doing it!
Gavin Toth
Gavin has a long track record of success in the restaurant industry, and he is quite possibly one of the most positive people we’ve ever met. He manages the day-to-day operations here at Divine Barrel. When he’s not taking care of our little Charlotte brewery or inspiring someone to be their best, he is often found telling dad jokes so painful they’re actually funny! He loves our NoDa neighborhood so much he’s an active member of the NoDa Neighborhood Association, including a stint as its President.
Scott Davis
We like to describe Scott as our Renaissance man, or jack of all trades. With more than 20 years of experience in finance and banking, Scott manages the company’s finances, and works alongside Ben and Gavin on growth and investment strategies. Scott is an enthusiastic and avid craft beer lover, and enjoys woodworking in his free time. When he’s not at the taproom enjoying a beer, you can count on him doing something with math, fixing things, or building a better version of taproom or patio furniture.
Non-Profit Partnerships
Community is everything to this little microbrewery, so we wanted to highlight several of our community partners who are making gigantic impacts in the Charlotte community.
The team at Charlotte is Creative brings more energy, equity, and positive energy to this city than anyone we know! Charlotte is Creative develops programs and initiatives designed to break the Charlotte mold and re-make it with creativity – into a city that draws people in, excites them, and inspires them to invest their financial, social, and creative capital.
We have been collecting can tabs for our dear friends at Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte for several years now! Their mission is to provide a safe, affordable, and caring home-away-from-home for the families of children receiving treatment in Charlotte-area medical facilities. Families are stronger when they are together, and this is never more important than when a child is sick or injured. During this uncertain time, the presence of a familiar face eases the strain of medical uncertainty.
Public radio is so important to local markets, and it’s truly an honor getting to continually work with our friends at WFAE, 90.7FM on countless initiatives. WFAE is a major source of news and information for the Charlotte region and one of the country’s leading public radio stations. WFAE reaches over 200,000 listeners each week and offers a broad range of award-winning national, international, and regional news from National Public Radio (NPR), the BBC, Public Radio International, American Public Media and WFAE’s newsroom. WFAE produces a weekday signature talk show, “Charlotte Talks,” hosted by radio veteran Mike Collins.
