Bringing community together through hockey and beer

Ross Johnson, B.Ed. Elementary Education '97, comes from a long line of educators. Johnson followed in the footsteps of his mother, two aunts and a great-grandfather by spending 25 years as an educator before becoming co-owner of Odd Man Rush Brewing.

His grandparents moved to Alaska in the 1950s and settled their homestead in Eagle River. Eventually, his family became involved in commercial fishing, so it made even more sense to have a career that allowed freedom for the summer. The flexibility needed for the fishing season also played into Johnson's decision to attend UAA, where different scheduling options made it possible for him to continue fishing even when he was a student.

Johnson attended almost every home game for the hockey team while he was a student. Home games back then were played at the Sullivan Arena, and he remembers the atmosphere being electric. He and his friends grew up playing hockey and several of them also played for UAA. A few years after Johnson graduated from UAA, his youngest brother was a goalie for the Seawolves.

A shared love for hockey would eventually play a huge role in the origins of Odd Man Rush Brewing, but first, Johnson spent years in the classroom. Though he admits education has changed a little since he started teaching, he never stopped finding ways to keep students engaged. "I loved STEM, and I always tried to incorporate that into my lessons. We would talk about robotics or 3D printing, and the kids loved it because they were genuinely interested."

Johnson coached youth hockey in his spare time. One of his oldest friends, Reid McDonald, also coached. One day, McDonald expressed an interest in homebrewing. As fate would have it, Johnson already had homebrewing equipment. An old college friend moved to the Lower 48 several years prior and sold Johnson his equipment for a fraction of its worth. The two of them, later joined by their friend and former NHL player Brian Swanson, started making beer and buying more equipment. Friends and family said the beer was delicious! They went to a few beer festivals, and Johnson says that's when they realized they were on to something.

"We brought four different kinds of beer to a gathering of community members, friends and family, and we asked if they wanted to support our new business with the promise of getting their investment back." Together, they pooled enough money to set up the building they're in today, and the support didn't stop there. "A month before opening, we ran out of money," Johnson recalls. "We realized we were about $30,000 short and we didn't have much time to pay it." Once again, their community pulled through, raising just shy of $40,000 in only one month.

This kind of support is typical both from the community and the brewing industry, Johnson says. "Everyone genuinely wants to help you and see you succeed." He says asking lots of questions and collaborating with fellow breweries is the key to success, as well as leaning on past lessons. "UAA was a great experience for me - not just for becoming a teacher but also becoming a person. You learn how to be empathetic and how to communicate and how to get along with all kinds of people. All those skills have helped everything I've done since, not only in education but also as a business owner."