A fully functioning partnership takes two people who fit together like butter and bread.
Meet Sasha Sekulich and Lance Rosenmayer, co-owners of East Troy Brewing Company.
Who is the visionary? Without hesitation, Sasha smiles and points to Lance.
Who is the promoter? Just as quickly, Lance points to Sasha.
Maybe without knowing it, the two men already had tipped their hand during a recent tour of the business. Sasha moves quickly through the building, his rapid-fire monologue accompanying his brisk walking pace. He smiles broadly and often, with a nod for patrons and staff. The enthusiasm is evident and infectious.
Lance arrived mid-interview but didn’t join the tour after quick introductions. He was on a mission, occasionally reappearing between tasks, like changing light bulbs.
He joked, “Sasha works in the business, I work on the business.”
Neither had brewery experience, but both had lengthy and successful track records. Lance grew up in a family construction company, with offices across the country. He served as president for 12 years, growing the firm to 2,000 employees. Sasha, a native of Croatia, came to America about 30 years ago and worked in corporate business development before striking out on his own entrepreneurial pursuits, eventually owning hundreds of ATMs in 14 states.
The partnership – and friendship – is a personal backstory.
“My wife’s sister is his girlfriend,” Lance said. “Through the ladies we got together.”
There’s a strong sense of history in the small town of East Troy, particularly in the various shops lining its quaint downtown square.
East Troy Brewing Company anchors the west side, in space occupied as a bank from 1892 until Ted and Ann Zess acquired and extensively renovated the building into a craft brewery and eatery. Their business opened in 2018. Sasha and Lance acquired it a year ago.
“When this building became available with this opportunity, I knew Sasha was an entrepreneur and told him there’s something up here you need to come look at,” Lance said. “A couple months later we pulled it off.”
Upon entering, the physical size of the business is impressive with 7,000 square feet on the first level serving customers. Another 7,000 square feet is fully occupied on the lower level by the company’s back-end brewing operation. Stainless steel tanks fill much of the space, where brewmaster Patrick Miller creates the company’s 10 different beers and two seltzers.
“This is where all the magic happens,” Sasha says, explaining that each tank produces 24 half barrels. For context, every half barrel has 126 pours of 16-ounce glasses.
The operation currently produces just over 300 barrels a year, with plans to double the capacity.
“Right now we are not in liquor stores, we are in different bars,” Sasha said. “For example, Owl Tavern in Lake Geneva, and Lake Geneva House of Music.”
The basement level also houses the canning operation. Cold take-out packages can be purchased upstairs.
The main floor layout is fascinating, with both a modern and historic feel. The old bank vault – complete with heavy door – holds the pub’s “mug club,” where members rent former lockboxes to hold their personal choice, which entitles them to discounts. And it’s hard to take one’s eye off the floor, inlaid with thousands of pennies.
“In about 50 years it will be worth about $50 million. They don’t make pennies anymore,” the ever-affable Sasha joked.
There are two large taproom bars, leading to outdoor space flanked with garage doors that can be opened on beautiful summer days. Indoor and outdoor spaces can accommodate around 300 patrons. The food menu is extensive, and on Monday nights includes creative “Supper Club” fare.
“We get a huge crowd for Alpine Valley nights. Alpine Valley is only about 1.5 miles from here, so we get slammed. We serve, some days, 800-900 people,” he said.
The partners installed big-screen televisions to capture a sports bar feel. Uniquely, the screens are enclosed in frames like art work. As an ode to East Troy’s history, the partners obtained hundreds of historic photos of the community, which rotate on the screens on non-game nights.
There’s a separate room that can be rented for community meetings or family events, like birthday or bridal parties.
A favorite is what the partners call the private “board room” with beautifully appointed walls, luxurious chairs and a striking table. Here’s the kicker. The top comes off, revealing a custom-made Las Vegas-style card table.
“When Lance and I took over this was a storage room,” Sasha said. “Lance had a vision to form this into a special room, which fits about 12 comfortably.”
The idea was to create something like a speakeasy, a hideaway almost reminiscent of the Great Gatsby era.
The partnership is strong, Lance said, because “we have different skill sets. In a partnership you don’t want two of yourself. He loves working the bar and everybody else and I like fixing things behind the scenes.
“We saw a business opportunity but we also saw the community was going to lose something very special. We thought we’d be able to keep this going, fix it up, and get more of the community in this place. We’re seeing that. We’re excited about that.”
For more information visit the website (etbrew.com).
