Harris Stewart

Harris Stewart

Harris Stewart (born in Tuscaloosa) is the founder and CEO of Trim Tab Brewing.

Stewart earned his bachelor's degree in environmental police at the University of North Carolina in Asheville in 2007. While there he worked as a research assistant at the National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center. He also worked as a radio deejay and became interested in brewing beer as a hobby. After graduating, he worked for two years for Vanir Energy and helped manage a database for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

In 2010 Stewart enrolled at the University of Alabama School of Law. His passion for brewing often overtook his studies and he founded Trim Tab. The name refers to the small part of a rudder that ultimately changes the course of a large ship, and was inspired by Stewart's interest in Buckminster Fuller's concept of social responsibility.

In 2012 Stewart made the winning pitch in George Barber's offer to give away a small vacant lot at 211 Richard Arrington, Jr Boulevard North. The proposal for a "Trim Tab Brewhouse & Hot Chicken Kitchen" proved impractical for the site, but Stewart eventually was able to lease part of the building that once housed the Barber Museum of Motorsports on 5th Avenue South for a brewery and tap room which opened in February 2014.

Stewart leads Trim Tab's efforts to leverage beer production as a way to stimulate positive change in the community. His wife, Cheri manages the tasting gallery and master brewer Will Crenshaw supervises production. Stewart often serves as deejay for the tasting room, performing as DJ Sex Panther.

References

• Diel, Stan (May 10, 2012) "Brewpub planned for George Barber's free downtown lot." The Birmingham News
• Holderfield, Andrew (October 23, 2014) "Changes in the offing" Weld for Birmingham
• Phillips, Ryan (February 15, 2015) "One sip at a time: Trim Tab CEO looks to change culture of downtown." Birmingham Business Journal