The brewery at the base of Snow King hired a head brewer with years of experience in the Jackson beer scene.
In 2016, Mikey Agricola moved to Jackson to be a wine consultant with Fine Dining Group, after having been the beverage manager and sommelier at Canyons Mountain Resort in Park City, Utah. He has always had a passion for beverages and has been homebrewing beer since he was 18, loving the chemistry and creativity that came along with the process.
When the former Q Roadhouse brewery on the Village Road needed some help, the company asked Agricola if he wanted to put in extra hours working with the then head brewer Kyle Fleming. From there, he decided that beer and brewing was his next path forward. After years with Roadhouse, Agricola took over the head brewing position at StillWest Brewery & Grill in April. StillWest opened in 2018, with owner Don Alan Hankins running the brewery since then with his wealth of beer knowledge and experience. StillWest is excited to have someone with experience in the local brewing scene on board.
Agricola has already started three beers for StillWest, with at least one hitting the taps: a dry-hopped pale ale made with Citra and Vic Secret hops. “I’m getting things dialed in and learning a new system, but it will be fun and pretty tasty,” said Agricola. A hefeweizen and coffee blonde will follow close behind.
During his time as the innovation brewer at Roadhouse, he worked closely with current head brewer Max Shafer. Agricola had the opportunity to experiment and create recipes, which he says was a challenge but a learning experience.
“I learned so much from people like Max Shafer, one of the greatest brewers here in town, as well as the nicest human and mentor for sure.”
Mikey Agricola, head brewer at StillWest Brewery & Grill
Agricola enjoys making classic beers such as Mexican lagers or German-style pilsners. “Those are the hardest to hide any flaws and the most difficult to brew.” He is excited to make beer professionally, with full rein and creativity — and hopping on his mountain bike or skis across the street after work at Snow King is just a bonus.
“I’m really just hoping to bring great beer to an amazing space and the most beautiful patio,” Agricola said, “and to have another great brewery here in Jackson.”
