Beer Brewed with Heart…

Watauga Brewing Company came to fruition when four regular guys who love to brew and drink beer began to dream of sharing their craft with their community. It began as Watauga Brewing Club, and in 2017, Watauga Brewing Company was born.

When the team began looking for a space to play host to their dream brewery, the space on West Market seemed like an ideal place that would be able to feature downtown Johnson City’s first rooftop bar! With the first floor being for the brewery, that left the second floor open for a restaurant that would bring fine-curated food together with WBC craft beers to create a great place for all to gather.

We opened to the public in October 2020. The team at WBC envisions a space where beer and food lovers alike will gather for great times, and that their dream brewery will add to the ever-growing vibrance of downtown Johnson City.

Meet the Team

Ted Catron, Head Brewer

Ted Catron has been brewing beer from as early as 2005, but it became more serious over the last 10 years. As most brewers start out, Ted began at home and learned the hard way through, books, magazines and trial and error.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was one of the first beers to influence Ted and it got him started on the journey of brewing his own beer. While living on the West Coast, Ted developed a palate for some of the finest beers in the country, and realized that brewing beer would be his dream job. He went to the Brewing and Distilling Center in Knoxville, Tennessee where he met a lot of great minds and excellent brewers who continue to influence him.

When he’s not brewing and sampling beer, Ted is an avid hiker and explorer and he’s passionate about learning new crafts.

David Andrews, Brewery Support

David fell in love with craft beer after his first sip of Sam Adams Cream Stout in 1995. He brewed his first beer from a cheap “brew in a bag” kit in 1999, which launched his quest to brew better beer. He started brewing in his driveway with our Brewmaster, Ted, in 2014. It was then that they began to chat about their desire to share their creations with others someday.

David is a Nurse Anesthetist by day, and other than brewing delicious beer, he enjoys fly fishing, hunting, hiking, and photography. He spends time with his 16 year old daughter and his two dogs all while enjoying the constant search for the Alpha trout and Alpha beer.

Ed Martin, Building and Mechanical Systems

Ed’s interest in craft beer developed way before the birth of Watauga Brewing Company. With Ed being well known in the beverage industry, his involvement in our brewery and restaurant will help us make a splash in the craft beer world, and he brings extensive knowledge in building beer delivery systems. The team at WBC feels lucky to have Ed’s eye for craftsmanship in building the long term plans for distribution and maintaining the operations of Watauga Brewing Company!

Randy McVeigh, Business Support

When his home brewing hobby took shape, Randy was thrilled to partner up with the others in the Watauga Brewing Club, which of course, has now become Watauga Brewing Company. Randy is an anesthesiologist by day and planning ahead and problem solving are part of his trade. He will use this skill to ensure the smooth operation between WBC’s brewery, restaurant, and rooftop bar, all in an effort to bring a vibrant, delicious addition to Johnson City’s downtown community.