CWU alumni trio builds successful brewery in Yakima

Back when Korey Shroyer, Joe Daily, and Ethan Frenzel started brewing beer during their college days, they had no idea what their weekend hobby would one day become.

After tinkering with their recipes and processes for a couple of years, the three Central Washington University alumni decided to go into business together in their hometown of Yakima.

“We brewed a few sample batches and gave it to our friends and family,” said Frenzel, a 2015 geology graduate. “Everyone said, ‘this is actually pretty good,’ so we just kept the ball rolling. Then, we decided to go all in.”

In early 2017, the three friends pooled their money together and took over the lease for a property on River Road that previously housed a taxidermy business. Over the next year, they entirely gutted the building and installed a bar, a seating area, and a brewing facility.

Then, in December of that year, Valley Brewing Co. was born.

“It took a while to get the place up and running because we did pretty much everything ourselves,” Frenzel said. “We didn’t have a lot of money to work with, and we knew that the only way it was going to happen was if we put in a lot of sweat equity. We just tried to save wherever we could, which is probably the main reason we’ve been able to keep things going for as long as we have.”

The first few years were a grind for the three friends, who had to split time between their full-time jobs and the brewery. Shroyer and Daily worked together at Olympic Fruit in Moxee and asked their bosses to give them alternating shifts so they could keep up with brewing and delivery demands.

“We needed flexibility and they were able to provide it,” said Shroyer, a 2014 business administration alumnus. “That really helped us get the business off the ground.”

Frenzel remembers what it was like to juggle his duties at the brewery with his job at John I. Hass Inc., and still find time to sleep.

“I would be at the brewery at 6 in the morning until 1:30, and then run over to Haas for my swing shift job,” Frenzel said. “I did that for five or six years, and it was pretty tough at times. But we found a way to make it work.”

Sustained Success

Despite a few disruptions — namely, COVID — Valley Brewing has enjoyed steady growth over the past eight years, with an expanded taproom, a larger brewing facility, and a roomy outdoor seating area that hosts food trucks and local musicians during the spring and summer.

Celebrating its eighth anniversary this month, the business seems to have found a sweet spot, with a loyal customer base and guest tap handles in about a dozen dining and drinking establishments across Central Washington.

“We expanded pretty rapidly at first — maybe a little too fast for what we could sell — but we’re in a good spot now,” said Daily, a 2014 business administration alum who continues to work as a production manager at Olympic Fruit. “Our main source of revenue is the taproom, but we also like to get our product out there to different businesses in Yakima, Ellensburg, and the Tri-Cities. Our hope is that when people try our beer at different places, they will want to stop by the taproom.”

As time has gone on, the three friends have realized the importance of taking care of their core customers instead of chasing every new business opportunity that comes along. The Northwest craft brewing industry has become highly competitive and the profit margins are slim, which means business owners need to pick and choose.

With that in mind, the brewery — affectionately known as “Valley” by the regulars — has shifted most of its focus to the brick-and-mortar location.

“People really appreciate the vibe that we offer in the taproom, and we want to make sure we take care of our customers who have helped make it that way,” Shroyer said. “We feel like it’s kind of a hidden gem.”

Frenzel agrees that Valley has identified its niche, in terms of both its clientele and product offerings. While the team likes to experiment with its beer recipes from time to time, Valley customers have grown to appreciate the assortment of flagship beers, including Dirty Roots IPA, River Road Red, and Citra Ass Down.

The taproom sells four-packs of 16-ounce “tall boy” cans, along with 32-ounce crowlers straight from the tap. The brewery also offers seasonal varieties in cans to reach all different types of beer drinkers.

“We try to be really broad with our selection,” Frenzel said. “We want to offer something for everybody, from dark beers to IPAs to lighter, session-style beers. I think that’s one of the reasons we have such a good following.”

A New Phase

Now that Valley has established its foothold on the Yakima craft brewing scene, the owners have the option of spending more time away.

Shroyer is married with two young children and is coming up on six years of owning a general contracting business called KD Construction Solutions. Daily is also married with two kids, while Frenzel is keeping busy at Haas, a Yakima-based hops grower and distributor. 

The owners also have the luxury of leaning on two reliable full-time employees, General Manager Joel Ford and taproom lead Gerald Wathen, to oversee the day-to-day operations.

“We may have to fill in every once in a while, but Joel and Gerry pretty much have it handled,” Frenzel said. “We also have one part-timer, so between those three, we’re in pretty good shape. We really trust our guys.”

The three owners still work behind the scenes, staying in constant contact with one another and their staff. But after grinding hard for the first six years, they’re pleased to report that the business isn’t as all-consuming as it once was.

They have finally earned part-time status.

“We always knew this was going to be a side gig,” Daily said. “We have done pretty well, but the business was never going to bring in enough income to satisfy all of our needs, especially now that we are starting families. Having a full-time job just takes some of that financial stress away.”

The team is looking to branch out more in 2026, seeking to bring in new clientele with additional entertainment and food options. They’re also working on some dessert sours, including peanut butter and jelly and strawberry rhubarb varieties, due out this winter.

But even if things remain status quo, Shroyer, Daily, and Frenzel are proud of what they have built over the past eight years.

“We’re comfortable, but we’re always looking for ways to improve,” Shroyer said.

Solid Foundation

Even though Valley Brewing’s success has been mostly self-actualized, the three owners look back on their time at CWU as being instrumental to their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Before Shroyer even decided to go to college, he knew he wanted to be his own boss. He just needed a place like the CWU College of Business to help them put all of the pieces together.

“The business program at Central is really solid,” Shroyer said. “It gives you a good base of knowledge when it comes to accounting, finance, marketing, human resources, economics, and more. Personally, I got a lot out of the organization and management classes with Professor Bill Provaznik and Terry Alkire. They left a mark on me, for sure.”

Daily had a similar experience, learning the ins and outs of business ownership from professors who understood how to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs like him.

“Once I got to Central, I gained a much better understanding about how a business should function — and, more importantly, how to be successful,” said Daily, who earned his AA at Yakima Valley College (YVC) before transferring to CWU.

Owning a brewery wasn’t his original plan, but once he started brewing beer and scaling up the operation, the pieces just fell into place.

“It was always my plan to get a business degree,” Daily said. “I just didn’t know what I was going to do with it until this opportunity came along.”

Like his two friends who felt drawn to the world of small business, Frenzel knew he wanted to pursue a career in the sciences. Prior to attending CWU, he wasn’t sure what area he would focus on, but professors like Nick Zentner helped him identify his calling.

“Nick was the first teacher I ever had who made me think, ‘wow, this guy is extremely passionate about what he’s doing.’ He’s the one who got me hooked,” said Frenzel, also a YVC transfer. “People like that tend to leave an imprint on you.”

He had a similar experience working alongside Professor Lisa Ely, who took her students into the field to perform the same types of research he’s still doing to this day. As Frenzel nears his 11-year anniversary at John I. Haas Inc., he looks back on his time at CWU as being the catalyst.

“I wouldn’t have been able to get this job without having a science background like the one I gained at Central,” he said. “That experience is what helped me get my foot in the door at Haas, and I couldn’t be happier working there.”