Profile | How Hong Kong craft brewery became a passion project for co-founder Scott Powrie, and his ambition to climb some of the world’s highest peaks
- California-born Scott Powrie, founder with his wife, Leigh, of craft brewery Double Haven, tells Kate Whitehead about using the brand to do good things
- He recalls a career in which he switched gears from racing car engineer to helicopter pilot, and explains why he’s taken a break to climb two 8,000-metre peaks
I was born in 1978 in Camarillo in the US state of California, where my dad was stationed at Point Mugu Naval Air Station. We moved to San Diego while my dad was deployed on the aircraft carrier USS Midway. After he became a Blue Angel – part of the US navy’s elite group of pilots who travel around the country doing air shows, showing what military aircraft can do – we were stationed at Forrest Sherman Field, at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida.
When I was three, my dad died in an air accident, practising for a show. My mum, younger sister and I moved back to California, where my uncles and grandparents lived. My mum was my boy scout leader and my sister’s girl scout leader, so as soon as I could walk, we were always camping somewhere.
My mum had me in lots of sports, I was always playing soccer or baseball, surfing or at the beach. I skied and did snowboarding, and we went to the nearby desert where we would ride motorcycles and go camping.
Off to the races
I went to Palomar College, in San Marcos, California. I was a squirrelly kid and wasn’t that interested in studying. I was very active and trying to put me in a chair didn’t work. After two years, I got an Associate of Arts in General Education and was eager to join the workforce.
When I was 21, I got a job working at a fabrication shop, Alumicraft, which built off-road race buggies. I enjoyed off-roading and fabricating as a hobby and had modified my truck to make it go faster and put bigger tyres on it, but this was my first time doing it as a job.
In 2001, I began working for Fortin Racing, where I learned engineering and how to work on my first racing car. That car won many races and gave me a good reputation in the industry.
Hong Kong flight
When I was 24, I decided to switch gears and become a helicopter pilot and enrolled at a flight school. I worked during the day at the racing job and at night or in the early mornings went to school to learn ground education and to fly. It was hard work and a couple of friends took me out because they thought I needed a break.
