Ramona Lupo
How did you discover Final Draft Taphouse and the Couve Brew Bevy?
I had been hearing about a new place going in at the 205 Commerce Center. Since that’s where my store had been in previous years, I was curious to see what/where in the center it was going. The first time I drove by, it was still in it’s build out stages, but it was literally next door to my old spot, so right then, I knew it was going to be my new hang out place. So I just kept waiting for the day it opened. I was there within the first few days and have never left! Likewise, as soon as Kimberly started the Couve Brew Bevy…well the rest is history, and I’ve never left the Bevy either.
Tell us a little about your craft beer journey.
I started becoming more and more interested in craft beer during the “micro brewery” era. At that time I was mostly drinking traditional porters/stouts (still one of my top of list styles). As the craft beer world continued to mature, so did I, and I began branching out and trying other styles. I began drinking a lot more west coast IPA (the hoppier/danker the better), a hazy now and then and gradually enjoying pils and lagers. When I retired from the 9-5 world of working in 2018, I decided to do some fill in/part time beertending as I had become good friends with Final Draft Taphouse and had become very involved with the Couve Brew Bevy. I worked behind the bar helping out whenever needed.
It also inspired me to become a certified Beertender (Cicerone).
What have you experienced at Final Draft Taphouse that makes you feel connected to us?
The moment I walked in the door the first time in 2017, I felt the vibe of inclusion, of friends, of passion, of warmth, of community, of sharing, of stories, of relationships and of the LOVE of people and the love of craft beer like no where else in town I’d ever been. I’ve likened Final Draft Taphouse as Vancouver’s version of “Cheers” (as cliche as that sounds). I’m a solo female and finding a place to comfortably hang out, solo, at the bar can be weird (for lack of a better way to put it). I have never felt that at FDT. No matter when I go, or who I end up sitting next to, I’m sitting with an “old” friend or making a “new” friend. Kimberly and Mike create an atmosphere that is unusually inviting and warm and the camaraderie is contagious. Over the years I have developed the habit of letting the beertender choose my beer for me. It has given me the opportunity to try beers that I might not otherwise choose…I’m rarely disappointed in their choice. As most of my friends know, I am not a big drinker and typically I might spend 3 hours at the taphouse and consume only 1 pint, or maybe 2 smaller pours. That makes me NOT a big spender, but no one (staff or friends) have ever judged me for that, it might help that I’m a good tipper ;o). My $10 tab is as important to them as someone else’s $50 tab.
You've been in the SWWA/Vancouver area for a long time.
What do you think makes Final Draft different/special?
FDT is a local small business. I owned a local small business for 31 years. I KNOW local small business and I relate in ways that others might not because of that. I have a unique perspective of being an entrepreneur. My respect for Kimberly and Mike and how hard they have worked to make FDT our favorite Couve taphouse is immense. The passion they have for building the unique community they have the luxury of serving is profound. The level FDT takes this passion is profound…trust me, I recognize entrepreneurial passion when I witness it. And then…there’s that TAPLIST! Look around, visit all the other spots in town, simply said, you will not find a Taplist comparable to Final Draft Taphouse.
The quality and diversity of the taps is unmatched and has become their legacy.
What do you want others to know about Final Draft and what they can/could experience at Final Draft?
If you haven’t been, get your beer but over there. If you’ve been a FDT friend for a short time or a long time, you already know of what I speak. If you visit, you’ll become a regular. The vibe is irresistible, the beer is irresistible, the friends are irresistible, the stories become intertwined, the relationships become life long. The moments we all share inside those “4 walls” become a part of who we are.
Love y’all, Grazie Mille con affetto! Ramona
