Finding a beer for everybody.At it's heart, Lazarus is a world class neighborhood brewery that’s here to fuel your adventures. The connection you make with people over what you've created, that is what drives my creativity in brewing. “I love trying to find a beer that fits a time and place that someone will remember forever. Given his experience at Victory-managing hop sourcing and contracts, working with malt suppliers, leading research and development-Couch knows that great beer begins with great ingredients, a foundation he will use to build his own brewing program.Ĭouch describes his personal brewing philosophy, which will help guide what's on tap at Lazarus: “One of my favorite things is listening to people talk about the beer they're drinking-to interpret their feelings, and learn about what they experience in different beers.” He also knows a thing or two about the importance of quality raw materials. And Matt will be a key part of that equation.'īorn and raised on a Pennsylvania dairy farm, Couch learned the value of hard work at an early age. But we think that's part of what makes the Lazarus experience so special. 'If you want our beer, you'll have to come here. 'We call it a zero-distribution model,' says Cryder. That means if you want to taste Couch's brews, you'll have to visit them on site at 6th and Chicon. Unlike many local breweries, Lazarus plans on selling all it's beer on premise, out of the taproom. It is really about sharing that community.' “We get to create this incredible space with world class beer, for people we'll know on a first name basis. Those are the people that drive your success, because they can really appreciate what you are doing,” Couch said. “I love having a location where we'll get to see a lot of regulars who live within walking distance of our space. Fan favorites like Hop Devil and Prima Pils have been satisfying thirsty Austinites for years, long before Couch ever set foot in the city himself. Then I went down to Austin for three days and fell in love with the city immediately.”ĭistributed to 35 states and nine countries, Couch and his colleagues have worked hard to create great beer that is enjoyed all over the world.

“A few months ago I met Christian, and as we talked about the plans and how they wanted approach brewing, it fit extremely well personality wise and the concept was perfect. This is everything I wanted it to be,” Couch said. He also helped design, install and achieve Victory’s signature consistency on a massive new 200-barrel brewhouse-valuable experience for a new company opening a startup brewery from scratch. “We knew we needed someone like Matt on our team, and we got the guy we wanted.”Īs brewing manager at Victory, Couch helped guide research and development, recipe formulation and special projects-like planting their own experimental hop yard (a messy project he tackled alongside his girlfriend Alexis Grieco, who also worked for Victory). “Matt’s experience at Victory is impressive, but as we talked to the people who have worked with him, for him, and over him, we kept hearing the same thing-Matt isn't just an amazing brewer, he is also a great person. “We feel like Matt is a rising star in the brewing world.” says Lazarus founder Christian Cryder. Yet with coffee, a kitchen, and 16 house taps at his disposal, he inherits an opportunity that would be the envy of many large production breweries: Couch gets to create the taproom of his dreams, with a wide range of eclectic beers designed exclusively for local patrons. When the brewery opens this fall, Couch will take the helm of a 10-barrel system that produces a mere 1500 barrels of beer annually. Lazarus Brewing is located on the corner of East Sixth and Chicon (across the street from Whisler's). Now Couch gets to tackle a new challenge: launching a small-batch, pints-on-premise brewery specifically designed for Austin’s increasingly savvy craft beer scene. It is a major change, but one he is looking forward to. A significant part of his job has been managing growth without sacrificing quality. Over the past five years, Couch has helped Victory expand its reputation as one of the top craft breweries in America (ranked 26th last year in total sales volumes among all craft brewers).

welcomes Matt Couch of Victory Brewing as it’s new brewmaster.

Lazarus brewing co. austin tx 78702