WPTF Radio Staff with Bottle Theory: The New Apex Bottle Shop
Bottle Theory owner Pavel Chtcheprov joined the WPTF radio staff to share more about their new Apex bottle shop and sample some beverages for this podcast. Below is the podcast for all of our readers.
Bottle Theory is one of Apex's newest "bottle shops," offering local beer and wine to customers. Pavel Chtcheprov joined the WPTF studio to have the crew sample some beverages.
WPTF Radio Staff and Bottle Theory’s Pavel Chtcheprov
WPTF Rob Connett: Speaking of beverages, we are glad to have our guest in-studio this morning. He is with Bottle Theory in Apex. Pavel Chtcheprov is with us in-studio.
Good morning, Pavel! How are you?
Pavel: Great, thanks for having me.
Rob: Of course! So, for those who have not heard of Bottle Theory, you guys are located right on the Apex-Cary border there. Take me through your career path. What got you interested and started in the whole brewing–restaurant industry in the first place?
Pavel: Yes, so I got my first home-brewing kit for a gift at our wedding about 10 years ago. I started home brewing and really loved it. Started getting really into it and had always been discussing opening a brewery. In North Carolina, there are so many good beers, and we thought that we’d open a bottle shop where we could showcase all of the good stuff that this state and the US has to offer would be a better option.
We moved to Apex about four years ago and right off of the greenway there was supposed to be a little grocery store that was going to open up. We were really excited about that. Thought we could grab a beer and walk the greenway. We kept waiting and nothing happened, and over the pandemic, we thought maybe we should be the ones to open that. So, we came up with a business plan and found a great location just a few minutes from our house. It’s right off of the greenway and it’s called Green Level Market. We decided to just go for it and it’s been about a year and a half now and it’s been quite a whirlwind. So, yeah, that’s what we decided to do!
Rob: You mentioned the last year and half that you guys, I’ve been over there a few times and it’s right down the road from Green Level High School. Like I said, it’s a great location because you’ve got people that are right on the greenway right there. You guys are open, you’ve got the patio and everything, lights and it’s very easy to see right off of the road.
Bottle Theory’s new seating has amazing outdoor seating, just steps from the Greenway.
So what has the response been? Take us through a typical week for you guys at Bottle Theory.
Pavel: Yeah, we’re still growing. We still have people living less than a mile away that come in and say “we had no idea that there was even anything here because the building is so new.” We’ve got a lot of cyclists that come off of the greenway. We don’t have a giant sign… I want to keep the sanctity of the greenway for people who don’t want to see advertisements. So, we’ve got a little wooden sign that blends in to let you know where to get off. There are a lot of runners; a lot of cyclists. We have food trucks pretty much every day except for Mondays and Tuesdays. We’ve got a really good selection.
Our events – on Wednesday we’ve got a wine tasting where Zak, our wine director, showcases our cool options for the week. Thursdays I do trivia, which is actually today! 7 pm and we end with our signature beer-tasting round. Then Friday and Saturday usually the popular crowds come in. During the summer we’ve stopped doing wine school because we are so busy. But normally On Saturday, we do wine school. Zak, our wine director, leads you through a country. It's a 2-3 hour seated tasting that’s on our website. And then, the first Friday and last Friday, Tyler, his brother, the beer director, does a tasting and a tap takeover. There are a lot of events if you go to our website, apexbottletheory.com the calendar is full of stuff. If you follow us on Instagram or Facebook we do a lot of promotional material there and you can find out what’s going on that week.
Rob: You mentioned earlier bottle shop. So do you guys make your own stuff in-house, or is it all other breweries and other brands from around the state of NC?
Pavel: Yeah, it’s an interesting term. So “bottle shop” means that we sell bottles of wine and beer to go. We also have a bar and seating area. We can seat, I believe now with the new patio, 99 people outside and about 65 people inside. Officially we do not brew. We are not a brewery. However, because I do love home brewing, what we do is actually collaborate with breweries. Our last one was with Hop Fly, and we made a beer called Theory, and there’s a picture of a bottle. So then we collaborate with them, and then we can buy it back through the distributor (so you have to go through the distributor to sell anything in NC, and actually most states). So we do get to showcase some of our own creations, but officially it is all through other breweries. Like I said, there’s just so many great breweries in NC and the US that we make a collection and give it to you guys.
Rob: We’re talking with Pavel Chtcheprov, the owner of Bottle Theory. What would you say the business climate is like here in Wake County? Would you say that it’s a good place for someone like you starting a new business in Wake County? It’s a good location to start up your own industry, your own business?
Pavel: Yeah, absolutely. There are so many new people coming into the area. There’s always new construction. It’s a higher-end marketing. We’ve had a great response with our business. We’re actually about to open a coffee shop as well. That’s been a huge request of people who are working from home. So from 6am until about noon to 2pm we are going to be a coffee shop, and then transfer back to a bottle shop. Yeah, there’s tons of opportunity, a lot of clientele, a lot of people coming in with their ideas of opening a restaurant and food trucks. Yes, business is booming. If you’re interested, you should hop right in!
Beer Tasting
Rob: You’ve brought some of your friends with us. We’re going to some beverages here on-air. Walk me through the first one that you’re going to open up for us. What are we about to try here?
Pavel: So this first one is “Theory” from Hop Fly. It’s our collab that we brewed about a month ago. It is a hazy IPA, and uses Vic Secret and HBC 586 – those are two hops. It is a tropical, fruity flavor. We did put some hops into the whirlpool, so it is bitter. The way that I like to describe it is it is a West Coast-style beer for East Coast lovers or an East Coast-style beer for West Coast lovers.
Rob: Okay, let’s open that up. Let’s try it. I do like the idea that you said it’s tropical and a little fruity. I’ll admit, I like some fruity beers. It’s alright. We’ll get a little taste there. I’m looking at it right now, and it’s light in color.
Pavel: Yep, it is a hazy IPA officially, and it is a very popular style of beer, probably the most popular style of beer that we sell right now. Cheers!
Rob: Cheers, Champ and Harrison!
Champ: That’s really good! Yum.
Harrison: Yeah, I taste the bitterness in it.
Theory: Hazy IPA
A collaboration with Bottle Theory and Hopfly.
Pavel: Yes, it’s traditionally when Hop Fly is brewing that they don’t put any hops into the whirlpool so it’s all fruity with very, very little bitterness for this style. I really like to showcase the HPC 586. The weird name is because they haven’t come up with an official name yet. It’s these experimental hops that dry out. I just love the pineapple flavor that pops out.
Rob: I was just about to say that I can taste a little pineapple in that. Okay, so that’s what that is.
Champ: You were trying to figure out the fruitiness in it?! I thought it was orange!
Rob: Alright, you’ve got a second one.
Pavel: So the second one is one we do not sell. The only place that you can get this is California and Pennsylvania. It is Flight of the Elder. I just came back from California from a business trip. It is the classic West Coast; that coveted West Coast that used to be really hard to get but now it’s available all over California thankfully. It is in a bottle, and a completely different flavor than West Coast. It’s going to be dry and it’s going to be piney.
Rob: Dry and piney; is that a nod to wine because West Coast, is that wine?
Pavel: Well, it’s West Coast because it was brewed on the West Coast! So this is the traditional IPA when you think IPA probably about 10 years ago when people were called “Hop Heads” and tried to brew the hoppiest possible beer.
This is really well-balanced. This is what most people think IPAs are: clean, bitter, hoppy.
Rob: Cheers!
Pavel: Cheers!
Champ: Mmmm – that is really good too!
Harrison: Oh, that’s smooth. That’s very smooth. I might like that a little better than the first one.
Pavel: Piney is amazing.
Rob: And you said this is only from California and Pennsylvania?
Pavel: Yes, The reason Pennsylvania is that you can only buy where it distributes. Obviously in CA is where the breweries. The reason Pennsylvania is that the owner of one of the pubs is friends with the owner of Piney. When you offer it to anyone in a state, you have to offer it to everyone in the state. But, that’s the only two places.
Rob: Ah, wow, ok. We’ve got a few minutes left. We’re here with Pavel Chtcheprov, the owner of Bottle Theory in Apex trying some of the beers that they have, except that one from California. But this one that we’re about to try you guys do offer at Bottle Theory. It’s more of a local one.
Pavel: Yes! This one is Skyline from Petty Thieves Brewing. Petty Thieves is in Charlotte, and owned by Ted Rosenau. He’s a good friend of mine. We actually brewed together for brew camp at Sierra Nevada about 5, 6, or maybe 7 years ago. There were 10 of us, 11 of us actually, that selected around the US and we got to go to beer camp at Sierra Nevada. It was a really cool experience. We’re the only two that went into the industry afterward.
Rob: Sierra Nevada – I just visited that. My wife and I made a trip out to Asheville last month, and got to tour and did the whole experience. It’s a really cool place, I mean that place is enormous!
Pavel: It is Disneyland for adults!
Rob: Yes! When we drove up to it, the winding roads that take you all the way back there; we were just blown away.
Pavel: Gorgeous facility.
Rob: Very fancy. Very nice. If you’ve never done it before, or if you’re ever in Asheville, go check out Sierra Nevada Brewing. A very cool place.
Again, what is this called?
Pavel: This is Skyline. It is a light lager, and it is the beer that you’re going to be wanting to drink on the 4th of July while you are sitting on the beach.
Rob: There we go! Grab a case this weekend. And how would you describe this one, Pavel?
Pavel: I’m going to describe it the way they describe it: it’s their take on Bud Light. Or Natty Light.
Rob: (Laughs) Alright, so a little lighter.
Pavel: Yes, very light. Very crisp. Very drinkable. It’s 4.5%, and you can have a lot of these and you’ll still be okay.
Rob: Oh, that’s smooth, too. That’s really smooth. Yeah, yeah, yeah! I now understand what you mean. You can easily have a couple for 4th of July! Can we get that at grocery stores around the area?
Pavel: They are attempting to go into grocery stores. Right now you can only get it at a bottle shop like us. The only place locally that you can get this is at Bottle Theory.
Rob: Go check out Pavel, go give him a visit! Bottle Theory in Apex. Getcha a couple of cases of those. That is really good and would be great for this holiday week.
Pavel, thanks so much for joining us and being with us in studio. We really appreciate it. Your address, website is what real quick for more information on Bottle Theory?
Pavel: Our address is 3675 Green Level West Road. It’s the intersection of Green Level West Road and Green Level Church in Apex. Our website is www.ApexBottleTheory.com, and our Instagram is @BottleTheory.
Rob: Pavel at Bottle Theory – go check them out! Thank you so much, Pavel!
Pavel: Thank you so much for having me!
Listen to the podcast here!
About Bottle Theory
Bottle Theory is a bottle shop and taproom in Apex, NC, selling fine wine and craft beer. The bar also serves wine by the glass, rotating selection of draft beer and cider, coffee, and tea. Locally owned and operated by Pavel and Kelly Chtcheprov, Bottle Theory is pet-friendly and family-friendly, and hosts food trucks, trivia, and seasonal events. Whether you’re catching up with neighbors over a juicy IPA or picking up a bottle of wine for your dinner party, we strive to provide something special. Located on the Apex-Cary border in the Green Level Market, Bottle Theory has both indoor and outdoor seating, and is steps away from the Greenway. Visit www.ApexBottleTheory.com to learn more.