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

Justin Taylor and I started the brewery [Sloop Brewing in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.] after homebrewing for years. We began selling the beer at local farmers markets and, after a great response from the local community, began self-distributing to a few stores and bars. Justin has been doing the brewing and I have been taking care of all the rest.

What’s new at Sloop?

We recently fabricated a 3bbl brewhouse. We will also be releasing some new beers, such as a hopped-up wheat with Belgian yeast. We’re working on Brett and sour beers as well.

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

The consumer’s constant demand for the best and most creative beers, and then fulfilling those demands. We all started as consumers so we can all relate. The response from the community is really the best part of it.

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

Spend time with family and try new beers.

What’s your favorite food and beer pairing? 

Pork belly and barleywine, or cheese and wild/sour beers.

What’s your biggest accomplishment unrelated to your job?

My family.

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

That’s about the hardest question to answer. One of my favorite styles is American barleywine and you can’t go wrong with Dogfish Olde School after it’s been sitting around for a few years. I have been really into saisons like Victory Helios, many of the Hill Farmstead and Stillwater beers, and I have been drinking a lot of Lost Abbey as well. I just had a Lost Abbey Deliverance that was great.

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

Germany was great—Schlenkerla in Bamberg; Ayinger.Trying all the local ales in Scotland was also fun. I haven’t made it to Belgium yet.