In mid 1995, Custom BrewCrafters owners Mike and Luanne Alcorn set out to make a change in the landscape of beer selection in the Western New York area. Mike, having lived in New England, Colorado, and California prior to moving to the Rochester area in 1991, had been exposed to a plethora of quality, premium beer products. This along with his business travel around the USA and Europe had created a "thirst" and love for a more diverse beer character than that offered by the traditional USA beer industry. This thirst was quenched by the new craft - or micro brewing movement.