Our Story
Wasserhund Brewing Company was created out of love for German beer, creative food and gathering with family and friends. It’s a place where owners Aaron and Christine feel at home with friends and family… and they want you to feel the same way too!
Why German you ask? It was on a trip to Germany that the idea of opening a brewery was born. Aaron and Christine returned home, determined to bring the feeling they had in Germany’s beer gardens back home.
And why the dog? The name of the brewery came to Aaron and Christine while brainstorming names on a walk with their beloved dogs, Hertz and Hooper. The pups always jumped in the creek behind their house, they decided to look up “water dog” in German… Wasserhund. The brand came alive in their minds and they were off and running.
From their passion for the brewing process, beer engineering and love of good times with great people, Aaron and Christine opened Wasserhund Brewing Company’s doors in August of 2015 in their hometown of Virginia Beach. They were excited to grow the pack with a location in Chesapeake in August 2021!
Today if you ask people what Wasserhund Brewing Company means to them, you’d hear it’s a place where you might come as a stranger but leave as a friend. They are family friendly, dog lovers, community conscious, creative crafters and they make a hell of a good pizza. If you’re looking for a place to call your own, Wasserhund Brewing Company is unleashed flavor and fun!
Our Family
Meet Christine
Christine Holley is a born and raised Army brat. After graduating from Kellam High School (Class ’06), she became a Hokie and graduated in 2010 from Virginia Tech with a Chemical Engineering degree. After marrying Aaron, they moved to Northern Virginia where Christine worked in semiconductor manufacturing at Micron Technology. She credits herself with the spark that ignited the Holley’s beer love. She bought Aaron’s first home brewing book in 2010, which kick started a 5-year journey into the realm of beer creation. In 2012, Christine planned a trip to Germany where, in the tents of Munich’s Oktoberfest, the idea of Wasserhund Brewing Company was born.
Meet Aaron
Aaron Holley is a born and raised Navy brat. Sound familiar? After finding his true love at Kellam High School, he also became a Hokie and graduated in 2010 from Virginia Tech with a dual degree in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry. In Northern Virginia, he worked at Navy Nuclear Reactors in Washington, DC. In his free time, he read about beer science, beer origins and the development of the brewery culture. From his passion for numbers and engineering, he developed a business plan to pitch to Christine. Wasserhund Brewing Company was born from those pages. The name itself came to the couple while brainstorming names on a walk with their beloved dog. When the pup jumped in the water behind their house, they decided to look up “water dog” in German… Wasserhund. The brand came alive in their minds and they were off and running.
Meet Hertz
Hertz, our cherished German Shepherd, was born in April 2013 at Stony Brook Farm in Hyde Park, Vermont. He joined our family that summer and quickly became a beloved member, leaving an indelible mark on our hearts and our brewery’s name.
One memorable afternoon, as we walked our dogs along a trail behind our house, Hertz did what he loved most: splashed joyfully in the river. It was during these carefree moments that we were inspired to name our brewery. With a desire for a German name fitting our German Shepherd’s spirit and our love for the water, Aaron searched for the German word for ‘waterdog.’ Thus, Wasserhund was born!
Though some have pointed out that Wasserhund isn’t the literal translation for German Shepherd, it perfectly embodied Hertz’s playful nature and his love for the water. Hertz’s memory will always be intertwined with our brewery, reminding us of the joy and inspiration he brought into our lives.
Meet Hooper
Our sweet Hooper was rescued a year after we got Hertz. We wanted Hertz to have an energetic and fun fur friend. We aren’t sure how old Hooper is, but we are told he’s a few years older than Hertz. He looks to be a husky, shepherd, pitbull mix and has an abundance of energy and love to give!