It started with a one-gallon kit and a little curiosity. Now it’s one of the most talked-about amenities at Naples (Fla.) Yacht Club, where beer is brewed just steps from the kitchen pass.
Michael Katz, Director of Culinary, Naples YC
Michael Katz, Director of Culinary, wasn’t setting out to become a brewer. He was just working through a Christmas gift.
“I got a one-gallon brewing kit for Christmas,” says Katz. “It sat in the closet for six months before I finally tried it.”
The first batch was a success. The second was not. “It was awful,” he says. “That’s when the obsession started.”
Like many chefs, Katz wasn’t satisfied with halfway. He wanted to understand the science. So he studied. He tinkered. He built a fully electric, three-kettle, one-barrel brewing system modeled after commercial rigs, but customized to fit the club’s infrastructure, kitchen layout, and goals.
“We grind our own grain, make our own reverse osmosis water, treat it for pH and minerals, and ferment in glycol-controlled stainless steel tanks,” he says. “It’s the real deal. No shortcuts.”
The result is a beer program that feels high-touch and intentional, because it is. The club’s house Saison is bright and citrusy with a dry finish and a sneaky 7.6 percent ABV. “IPAs are everywhere,” says Katz. “We wanted something more balanced that works better with food.”
Naples YC also brews a dark Porter with chocolate and coffee notes. It was originally intended to be a Vanilla Porter, but the team decided it was better without the extra flavoring. “It’s clean and rich on its own,” Katz adds.
When it came time to name the program, Katz turned to the team. “We decided to let the staff take part in the process,” he says. “We ran a naming contest and ended up with a tie for first, so we pulled pieces from both.” The result is Brigg’s 1947—a nod to Commodore Stephen F. Briggs, one of the club’s three founding members, and the year the club was established.
Each glass is served at 47 cents, an extremely deliberate price.
“Forty-seven cents says this isn’t about profit,” says Katz. “It’s a conversation starter. It’s a way to show members what we’re passionate about. They love it. They show it off. Our kitchen tours have doubled since we started brewing.”
The system and supporting upgrades cost about $38,000. Katz estimates each pour costs between 40 and 60 cents. But the point was never to drive revenue. “This is an experience. It’s a way to bring members closer to what we do,” he says.
Katz and his team brew once a month, usually during off-hours. It’s an eight- to twelve-hour process up front, followed by two to three weeks of fermentation and conditioning. “I’d do it every week if I could,” he says. “But time is tight. We fit it in when we can.”
The program has strengthened engagement between the kitchen and the membership. Members ask questions. They come back for seconds. They bring guests. It’s a differentiator. It’s also a subtle flex. Not many clubs can say their beer is brewed in-house by the chef.
For others considering a similar move, Katz has a word of caution.
“You need to be serious about it,” he says. “This is not plug-and-play. It’s exact. It’s relentless. It takes patience and clean-up and problem solving. If you love it, it’s worth every minute. But don’t do it for the novelty. Do it because you want to do it right.”
In other words, it’s not just a beer program. It’s an extension of the club’s culture: thoughtful, member-driven and craft-focused.
