Every family has that one person who keeps the unit strong. It could be Grandma, the base of the family, the matriarch; the cool Auntie who bridges the generational gap; or that one cousin who keeps up with everything and everyone.
That “family member” at Two Blokes Brewing is Michelle Lapp, the life jacket who kept this staple in the beer scene afloat. Hailing from Washington state via Olney, Md., Lapp spent years in nutrition education and a stint assisting in Americorps. Lapp, a Clemson grad, moved to Charleston in 2015, maneuvered through the local F&B scene and found her forever family with Two Blokes in Mount Pleasant.
During the trying times of the pandemic, people lost jobs and their lives. With cities across the country in social turmoil and the world quarantined, the last thing on people’s minds was the state of their local breweries. Unfortunately during this time, Charleston lost an important member of the craft beer family: Matty Symons, founder of Two Blokes.
His untimely death and navigating the regulations of Covid put Two Blokes in a very peculiar situation. Symons was the owner, head brewer and soul of the space. He made business and financial decisions, and outside of Lapp’s role of taproom manager, had the last say in everything.
Stepping up
With a full plate, Lapp pulled up her boot straps and took on a challenge that most wouldn’t be able to handle. Her friend and the leader of the brewery was gone. Lapp had to grieve and take on a new set of responsibilities. Most importantly, she had the responsibility of keeping the spirit of Two Blokes and Symons alive.
“So many people considered Matty a good friend,” Lapp said in an interview with Charleston City Paper last year. “He always made people feel like he was paying attention … The whole community reached out [when he passed], and that’s how I formed so many relationships that I have now. A few breweries in particular went above and beyond to assist.”
As the country pulled out of pandemic times, Lapp worked to push the Two Blokes brand forward and honor the legacy of Symons through good beer. Lapp has helped oversee and assist in several transitions, including the purchase of Two Blokes by Rhett and Haley Anderson, a couple looking to plant their roots in the Lowcountry, they bought the brewery in April 2023.
Through the good and bad, sometimes family is all you have, whether it’s through blood or proximity. Two Blokes is thriving. The taproom is bustling, there’s growth in distribution and the vibes are back. Lapp is able to focus more on events like the coming Firkin Fest (held at the brewery on May 26), which highlights a tradition Symons left for everyone to enjoy.
Clay Palmer is Hops’ expert on all things craft beer-related in Charleston.
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