about esker hart artisan ales
Bob D’Angelo, brewer and owner of Esker Hart Artisan Ales, began brewing with his close friend Randal inside his childhood home with the hope of trying something new and having fun. However, it was unbeknownst to him that it was only the beginning of a decade-long journey toward achieving a dream. Brewing and all things beer quickly became a passion that turned into way more than just a hobby. Bob continued to homebrew; creating new recipes, upgrading his systems and experimenting with different ways he could learn and push the limits of brewing. Soon after he began to immerse himself, he realized that he had a desire to increase his knowledge and skill set and enrolled at Niagara College in Canada for a 16 month Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program.
While attending this program, it became even more evident that he was determined to one day own his own brick and mortar and to share his love for beer with others. He continued to strive to make beers that he would personally want to drink and that others would enjoy. He continued to spend countless hours working at his craft, experimenting and developing recipes post education and thus created a following for his brand through a span of ten years. Fast forward to July 2023, when he and his wife Brielle stumbled upon an opportunity of a lifetime where they were able to secure the official beginning of it all; a intimate space stamped with their personal aesthetic located in the heart of a quaint downtown to be now known as Esker Hart Artisan Ales.
Esker Hart: The Origin
Bob has always been intrigued by nature so there was no question when coming up with his branding that this was going to be a consistent theme seen throughout. The Esker Hart name holds a special meaning paying homage to where this all began. An ‘Esker’ is “a long ridge of gravel typically having a winding course” which represents the winding stone driveway leading up to his childhood home, while ‘Hart’ was the name of the road he grew up on. Combining the two created the unique name known today. Each of Esker Hart’s beers are as unique in their flavor profiles as they are their names. All of the beers are named after a wide array of nature concepts specific to North America. From animals, to landforms, natural phenomena, trees and plants there is always an effort to find the most novel way to match the style, ingredients, and appearance of each beer to its namesake. When it comes to flavor profile, Bob and Brielle bonded over their shared love of food and strive to combine familiar, favorable and unique flavors from their palates into the styles of beer that they love.
Beyond the beer
Before becoming a brewer, Bob attended schooling for his love of photography and graphic design. With this uniquely relevant skill set, the majority of the label art is created personally by him. He does this through combining a mixture of his photography and graphic design to capture the concept of nature of each specific theme through the lens of technology.
Accolades
Bob and Brielle have been endlessly supported by their loving families and friends who have been a part of this journey from the very beginning. Without them, Esker Hart would not be what it is today. They are forever grateful for those who have supported and encouraged them along the way.