Thomas Creek: Legacy brews

This month marks one year since the passing of Tom Davis, cofounder and head brewer of Thomas Creek Brewery. His spirit of community and his legacy as the father of the craft beer movement in the Upstate, however, live on across the Southeast and beyond.

The unofficial brewery fraternity Davis founded converges every Friday—and has for years—for lunchtime libations with one purpose: to talk all things beer. Originally, it was the Thomas Creek and former Quest Brewing crews meeting at Papa’s and Beer, a popular Upstate eatery. Now, the group has expanded and meets at The Whale or Todaro’s Pizza.

The members are brewers from various Upstate breweries who benefited from Davis’s expertise. Over a bucket of Miller High Life or something more sophisticated, they troubleshoot their struggles—a beer’s not fermenting properly, a piece of equipment isn’t working, a brew won’t clarify. They share contractor contacts. The term “competition” isn’t part of their vocabulary, except to decry the notion.

“Without him and that brotherhood, the industry would not be the same in South Carolina,” says Jared Tuttle, Liability Brewing Co. head brewer, about Davis. “We might not have as much great beer.”

Tuttle is one of many who found his way into professional brewing because of Davis, who, almost to a fault, opened his tanks to nearly anyone who was looking for their start in beer.

Previously an avid homebrewer, Tuttle reached a fork in his career path several years ago. One road led to a lifetime in IT in Charlotte, and the other would turn his hobby into a viable occupation. Under the tutelage of Davis, Tuttle followed his dream and eventually opened Liability five years ago.

“I love making beer,” Tuttle says. “None of that would be possible without Thomas Creek.”

Adam “Cuzzin” Willier is another brother from the Thomas Creek fraternity. Now the head brewer at Magnetic South Brewery, which is opening its third location, Willier says that the network Davis created is part of his daily routine.

“A lot of us talk every day,” he says.

The original group chat has grown to include more than 20 numbers, including some from Spartanburg, that have been added as connections expand. Those at the core—Willier, Tuttle, and brewmaster Kenny Driggers of three Upstate breweries—took a cue from Davis and have continued providing their expertise to anyone who asks.

“A lot of that was built on the back of what Tom Davis did for the industry and the community,” Willier says.

Davis’s lessons, especially for those who worked with him at Thomas Creek, were practical. Tuttle says he carries a 2-pound hammer around because Davis could fix any small—and sometimes difficult—problem with the tool.

“It was a dad trying to teach his kids something,” Willier says.

More than 16 area breweries and many more in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and across the country have benefited from Davis’s teaching.

“Tom opened a lot of doors for a lot of people,” Willier says. “It’s keeping the industry alive.”