Sisyphus Brewing

Why did you name your brewery Sisyphus? Where did the name come from? I have been asked these questions thousands of times, but I have in the past been afraid to give the true answer. “He’s the greek guy, you know the one that pushes a rock up a hill over and over again. We have a small brew system, so we are like Sisyphus, always brewing.” That’s my stock answer, and it’s partially right, but hides the truth with its seemingly peaceful musing. I used to spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about suicide. It seemed to be the only thought that permeated my head, nearly everyday, for many years. I was taught that mental health issues are shameful, and are not to be discussed. So I suffered in quiet, alone in my own head. My junior year of college, I took a philosophy class that introduced me to the philosophical essay, “The Myth of Sisyphus.” Which begins with a phrase that most certainly caught Suicidal Sam’s attention.