When Dos Sirenos Brewing poured their first beer, back in late December of 2019, nobody on the planet had anticipated that they’d be faced with a worldwide pandemic just a few months later. Still, the brewery, their kid-friendly brewpub, and it’s inviting outdoor patio to help overcome the elements and really sprang to life this summer. Increasingly recognized for their delicious beer, eclectic menu, and live entertainment, Dos Sirenos Brewery has solidified much respect within the San Antonio craft beer scene. Intrigued by their early success, we decided to cruise down to their taproom to sit with co-Founder, Michael Sirenos, sample his beers, and ask him 7 QUESTIONS:
TBM: When beginning to develop your passion for brewing, was there a brewer, brewery, or beer that inspired you to go for it?
MICHAEL: I started brewing 23 years ago after going to a family reunion where two of my cousins brought some beers that they had brewed to share with everyone. I immediately jumped in headfirst and started brewing my own beers. I went to the only homebrew store in town and purchased a starter kit that included Charlie Papazian’s book, The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. I wore the pages out on that book! So, I guess you could say it was my cousins Larry and Mark and Charlie that influenced me to start.
TBM: We are hosting a big Thanksgiving-eve party at the brewery. You are the DJ. What 3 bands/albums are we listening to?
MICHAEL: I am a big fan of blues and classic rock so we would have some Stevie Ray Vaughn for sure, probably Texas Floor or Soul to Soul. We would also be playing some ZZ Top Fandango. Then we would crank it up and throw in some Judas Priest and Led Zeppelin.
TBM: Which Dos Sirenos brew is your favorite/are you most proud of?
MICHAEL: That is a tough question. It’s like asking me who my favorite child is. Sometimes it depends on the day. But I would have to say that day in and day out I love our Weiss Guys Hefe. It is one of the beers that made us decide that we could open the brewery. We have won some awards with this beer, and it is a crowd favorite.
TBM: Outside of brewing, what other hobbies/interests do you enjoy?
MICHAEL: I enjoy getting outdoors and spending time hunting or fishing. Sometimes I spend more time just watching and listening to animals than I do hunting. It is good to be closer to nature and to relax by getting away from all the hustle and bustle. It’s fun to get the grandkids out and teach them about all the different types of plants and animals and to respect nature. I also like to play golf when I get a chance.
TBM: What non-Dos Sirenos beers are in your fridge on the regular?
MICHAEL: This will change up depending on the time of the year. Since we are in Octoberfest season, I have Sam Adams Oktoberfest, Shiner Oktoberfest, and Franziskaner Weissbier as well as a few beers from some of the other local breweries.
TBM: If you could sit down and share a beer with 3 historical or iconic characters, who would they be, and why?
MICHAEL:
#1. Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top. Who wouldn’t want to sit down and have a beer with Billy? He started ZZ Top in 1969, but had another band, Moving Sidewalks that opened for Jimi Hendrix. I have been listening to ZZ Top for so long it feels like I already know him.
#2. Stevie Ray Vaughn because he is one of the best blues guitarists ever and I think it would be cool to talk about some of the shows I saw him play and to hear about some of the old blues’ greats he has played with.
#3. Charlie Papazian would be right up there to drink a beer with. We did meet once and “shared” a toast at a conference in Portland, but it would be great to sit down and have a longer conversation.
TBM: If you had one message that you’d like to get across to San Antonio’s Craft Beer Enthusiasts, what would that message be?
MICHAEL: To paraphrase Charlie Papazian, “Relax. Don’t worry, Have a craft brew”. There tends to be a focus on negativity about ‘I do not like this beer, or how can you drink that kind of beer?’ I say, drink what you like! If you do not like something, don’t drink it, but don’t give someone a hard time because they do like it. I think most breweries get that, but we need to get consumers to relax a little and realize that we are all different and have many different likes and dislikes. That does not mean that we cannot all love beer. That is why I fell in love with brewing. There are so many varieties of beer, and everybody makes theirs just a little different. Enjoy the fellowship that goes with drinking beer and relax. There are plenty of other things to stress about. Beer should be fun! Prost!