Meet the Gulf Stream Team

Dr. Ty Eriks and Sharee Eriks, Esq. Owners and Operators of Gulf Stream Brewing Company

Dr. Ty and Sharee Eriks are originally from the Pacific Northwest, but made Fort Lauderdale their home in 2013. Ty learned how to brew beer in dental school more than a decade ago. What started out as a fun hobby for broke young adults who couldn’t afford to buy booze, soon turned in to a true passion. Ty used his love of science to totally nerd out and explore how to develop recipe profiles to create “true to style” beers. He’d spend hours selecting the right water profile, confirming if reverse osmosis was needed for the style of beer (and which brewing salts to use), selecting complimentary grains and hops, and researching new hop strains. Sharee, the ever patient wife, learned to love and appreciate the beers fermenting in her bathtub. The bubbling sounds became the soundtrack to her law school exam study sessions.

In 2018, Ty founded Gulf Stream Brewing Company with a good friend who had a similar beer philosophy. In the summer of 2022, Ty and Sharee became the primary owners and operators.

Just as the Gulf Stream’s warm current flows up the eastern coastline, influencing the climate and amazing recreational opportunities in South Florida and beyond, Ty and Sharee strive to recreate that same warmth, abundance and fun with each beer they introduce! Gulf Stream Brewery is focused on balanced, creative, flavorful and unpretentious beers to be enjoyed in the South Florida sunshine.

Casey Johnson Brewmaster

Casey grew up in the Turks and Caicos Islands, enjoying crystal clear waters and sunny beaches for most of his childhood. He moved to Florida when he was 13 and later attended the University of Florida where he got his degree in accounting. Once he came of legal drinking age, Casey started to enjoy the wide variety of beer that was available, visiting his local bottle shop in Gainesville on a weekly basis to try as many different beers as he could. After graduating from UF and working as an accountant for 1.5 miserable years, Casey moved back to SoFlo where he met Sean. Sean worked for a brewery called Gulf Stream and wouldn’t ever shut up about how great it was. When an opportunity arose to support Gulf Stream’s brewing operations, Casey joined the team, and in August 2021 he became Gulf Stream’s head brewmaster. Even though it’s not something his younger self envisioned, Casey is extremely happy to work for an amazing company, in an industry full of great people, doing something he loves.

Sean De Vosjoli Director of Sales

Sean studied to be a perfumer in France but realized that he could use his heightened sense of smell and taste to help him discover the unique nuances in wine and craft beers. Raised to be an avid traveler, Sean has lived in Paris, Switzerland, Sun Valley, Beijing, and St. Thomas. In between adventures, Sean kept returning to South Florida, the home of his heart, and now his permanent residence.  His craft beer path begun at Islamorada Beer Company, and continued with Brown Distributing which gave him a wider insight into the business side of craft beer and distribution. Even then, Sean was an enthusiastic fan of Gulf Stream beer and would hype them up to anyone who would listen. The admiration was mutual, and Sean was invited to join the Gulf Stream Brewing family in 2019. Sean has built the brewery’s distribution footprint from the ground up (now at 800+ establishments and counting!) and is now developing our retail pipeline, landing accounts like Publix, Whole Foods, Total Wine, Disney’s Epcot & More

Alejo Caz Creative Director

Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Alejo grew up spending time in his dad’s print shop, where he developed an early passion for sketching, digital art, and design. After moving to Charlotte, NC, he spent several years in the hospitality industry, gaining experience in customer service, cocktail creation, and brand building while developing a deep appreciation for craft beer. After stepping away from hospitality to pursue music, Alejo found his way back through Gulf Stream Brewing, bringing together his love for craft beer and his creative passions for photography, videography, and graphic design. Whether he’s behind the camera capturing content, creating the next reel, or designing a new beer label, Alejo helps bring the Gulf Stream brand to life. When he’s not behind the camera, you’ll find him playing bass in his punk band or traveling the world with his wife and dog.

Craig Breton Senior Brewer

Born and raised in South Florida, Craig grew up spearfishing, skating, and drawing. While earning his Fine Arts degree at UCF in Orlando, he developed a passion for craft beer that would eventually shape his career. After spending a decade working in print and design, Craig hit the road full-time in an RV with his wife and animals, traveling the country and visiting breweries in every town along the way. Somewhere between the miles and the pints, he realized beer was his next calling. Eventually, Craig settled down with the Gulf Stream Brewing crew, where he combines his artistic background with his passion for brewing to bring unique flavors, creative ideas, and innovative techniques to our beers. You can catch him drinking pilsners at the bar and if you’re real lucky, you might even find him playing some alternative rock music with his band.

Kevin Santos Senior Sales rep

Bio

Ashley Nickell Taproom Manager

Bio

Kim Johnson Director of Social Media and Marketing

Kim also hails from the Pacific Northwest and has known our owner, Ty, his whole life and tortured him for most of it (she is his sister). Kim graduated from the University of Washington in 2002 with a degree in something sucky that has never paid the bills. She began working for her father’s dental practice in 1999, and in 2009 decided to double down on being around teeth all the time and attended dental hygiene school. Kim has been a practicing dental hygienist for more than 15 and is pretty damn good at it.

Ever the glutton for punishment, she decided to work for family once again and currently works at Ty’s dental practice AND joined the Gulf Stream team in September 2022 as the Director of Social Media and Marketing. Kim is a self proclaimed social media addict and has turned her incessant scrolling and clicking into an opportunity to support the family business. Kim is extremely excited to be working with her favorite sibling (Sharee), growing the brewery’s reach, and drinking great beer in the process.