Community Highlights: Meet Harsha Maragh of Wah Gwaan Brewing Company

Today we’d like to introduce you to Harsha Maragh. 

Hi Harsha, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Wah Gwaan Brewing Company is a Jamaican-inspired brewery in the Santa Fe Arts District. My husband, Jesse, and I first decided to open our brewery to increase diversity within the brewing industry and to create a “home away from home” for Caribbean-Americans. 

We started homebrewing a few years ago as a hobby, but during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020, we decided that it was time to pursue a dream of opening a business together. We spent much of our free time researching, networking, reaching out to other breweries, and planning while also working full-time corporate jobs. Once we came across a location that fit our “criteria” we jumped on the opportunity and began renovations immediately. 

Wah Gwaan opened on Juneteenth of 2021 and we are so proud of how far we have come in such a short amount of time. We’ve received an outpouring of kind words, great beer reviews, and support from our community, customers, peers, family, and friends. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been an easy road. Because we opened during COVID, there were limitations on the types and amount of funding that were available. This hurdle pushed us to create a strict budget for not only renovations but startup costs for the first 6 months of operation. We are still working with a tight budget but are finding creative ways to circumvent those challenges. For example, we use marketing/advertising strategies, like utilizing social media, community partnerships, and guerrilla marketing. 

COVID also presented a great amount of uncertainty. We weren’t sure if we would even be able to open at full (or half) capacity and we were worried about supply chain shortages as well. We had to plan ahead for ordering supplies to ensure that we would receive what we needed on time. 

Being new to the industry has presented a steep learning curve. However, we are learning quickly and absorbing every little bit of information as we can. 

We’ve been impressed with Wah Gwaan Brewing Company, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Wah Gwaan Brewing Company was driven by my Jamaican heritage, our shared love for craft beer, a passion for homebrewing, and the desire to create social change within the industry. 

I am a first-generation Jamaican-American, as my parents were both born and raised in Jamaica. I relocated to the Front Range of Colorado from New York City and found it difficult to connect to my culture and find other Jamaicans. Jesse is a US Marine, veteran of the Afghanistan war, and Denver native. He has always had ambitions of opening his own business while giving back to the local community. 

We wanted to create a place where Jamaicans (and Caribbean immigrants or other first-generation Caribbean-Americans) could experience a little piece of home. Wah Gwaan is the perfect blend of the laid-back culture, sense of community, and appreciation of good beer found in both Colorado and Jamaica. 

Since opening, we have created a vibrant space for other women and minority small business owners to share their work and creations with the local community. We have partnered with several craft artisans who have used our taproom as a pop-up space to sell their goods. We work with a local CSA non-profit organization to serve as a weekly produce pick-up location where folks can have access to fresh fruits and vegetables a food scarce neighborhood. We collaborate with our immediate neighboring businesses in the district for various needs including screen-printing for our merchandise and coffee for our beers. 

One of the biggest social impacts we’ve had so far is the space we have created for Caribbean-Americans, Caribbean immigrants, and other first-generation West Indians. We wanted Wah Gwaan to be a hub for those who were missing their islands and wanted a piece of that in Colorado. Our beers incorporate ingredients that are familiar to folks from Jamaica (and the Caribbean), like sorrel, tamarind, mango, soursop, coconut, allspice, Scotch Bonnet peppers, and jackfruit. We frequently host Jamaican DJs and food trucks that help to incorporate that diverse cultural element to Denver. We have had multiple Jamaicans (and others) from all over the country come to visit Wah Gwaan and have expressed their awe, love, and admiration for the brewery — and that impact makes it all worth it. 

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Our family and friends have been some of our biggest supporters from the very beginning. They have come to support the brewery since opening and have also told everyone they know to come visit us. 

We have also received so much love and support from our brewery friends at Factotum Brewhouse, Goldspot Brewing, and Lady Justice Brewing. Their advice has been incredibly helpful during our startup phase and has become even more necessary as we move into becoming an established brewery. 

Contact Info:

• Email: wahgwaanbrewingco@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.wahgwaanbrewingco.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wahgwaanbrewingco/