After an impressive four-decade career in brewing, Brewmaster Carlos “Los” Sanchez is retiring from Six Rivers Brewery. Reflecting on his lengthy journey, Sanchez expressed a mix of disbelief and pride in his accomplishments.
“It’s a long career,” Sanchez said, reflecting on his time in the industry. “I can’t believe I actually have spent more than half of my adult life on this.”
From his early days in Humboldt County to becoming a renowned brewmaster, Sanchez’s journey was fueled by a passion for brewing. Originally from San Francisco, he moved to Humboldt in 1983, where he discovered a local community of homebrewers, later known as the Brewers Guild. He recalled attending gatherings where people would share their homemade beers, which sparked his deep interest in brewing.
In 1984 or 1985, Sanchez made his first homebrew after receiving a brewing kit as a Christmas gift. From there, his passion grew, leading him to formal training at the Siebel Institute of Brewing Technology in 1992. This education expanded his knowledge of microbiology and yeast cultivation, helping him refine his craft.
Throughout his career, Sanchez became known for his innovation. In the 1990s, he created a chili pepper beer that won a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. He also earned a gold medal for his coffee beer.
Sanchez also built a small home brewery, which remains in use today for special batches. “I built this small home brewery, which we still have here in the back,” he said. “That stuff is 40 years old.”
His time at Six Rivers Brewery was a journey of personal growth and pride. He worked at the brewery for 28 years, during which time his son grew up around the business. For Sanchez, the sight of his beers on store shelves never lost its thrill. “You get a lot of pride when you see your beer on store shelves. But, yeah, I made that,” he said. “I look at it and see what month it was made.”
With over 5,570 brews under his belt at Six Rivers Brewery, Sanchez is content with the legacy he’s built. “The whole idea of just making beer as a living was a dream for me. And that’s why I stuck with it for so long. It just became a thing,” he said.
As he steps away from brewing, Sanchez’s legacy as a pioneer in Humboldt’s brewing community will undoubtedly endure.
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