n this episode of Having a Beer with Fred, Shipyard founder Fred Forsley and master brewer Alan Pugsley finally sit down to tell the story they’ve never told—how they built one of the most iconic craft breweries in America on nothing but a handshake.

• Alan arrives in the U.S. in 1986 with a British brewing pedigree and no idea what’s next.

• Fred’s running bars and betting it all on a dream no one thinks will work.

• Together, they launch a brewing empire—with no investors, no contracts, and no room for error.

• Along the way: disastrous early batches, a Siberian brewery that vanishes into the snow, and a near-death partnership with Miller.

• Plus: why the “godfather of craft” still thinks most hazy IPAs are nonsense.

It’s not just a beer story. It’s a story about trust, timing, and building something real—before marketing took over the taproom.