What’s your current position at your brewery, and how did you get started in the craft brewing industry?

I own the brewery [Moonlight Brewing Co. in Santa Rosa, Calif.], so that means I do basically everything from maintenance to deliveries and paperwork.

What’s new at Moonlight?

I am working on a new expansion at a new location a few minutes away.

What’s the best part of being a part of the craft brewing community?

First, I’d say it is the community itself. One would be hard-pressed to find an industry that has such camaraderie and cooperation. It is like a huge international family. Additionally, what we produce is delightful in that it makes us happy as well as our customers. Most days I just stop in wonder that this joyous activity is an actual profession. (There are sometimes “other” days, however.)

What do you like to do in your time away from the brewery?

Travel and reading, although mostly still about beer! Hanging out outdoors with my grown daughters is always a favorite!

What’s your favorite food and beer pairing?

Stinky cheese and beer, with good company. Which beer and which stinky cheese matter less than the variety of options to choose from and the adventure of something we haven’t tried before.

What’s your biggest accomplishment unrelated to your job?

Raising two sharp daughters…although there is still a bit more work to do there!

What’s your favorite beer that your brewery does not produce?

Bogedal 215 from Denmark. Few breweries understand that the word “beautiful” can (and perhaps should) be a beer descriptor, and this brewery just makes beautiful beers. Anything from Dupont will always get my attention, too.

What’s the most memorable travel destination at which you’ve had a chance to sample the local beer?

Tough question. I’m torn between two. The first time I was at the Great British Beer Festival in 1981 was the first time I had real ale. It was jarring to everything I knew…and then I was in love! Equally jarring was my visit to Pilsen and Prague. I had assumed Pilsners were just lame, light, boring beers. I had no possible concept that these Czech Pilsners could be so vibrant and heavenly, yet be so light and delicate. Both these occasions made me reject so much of my understandings of what beer is, could be, and should be.