Bill Butcher

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What’s your current role at your brewery, and how did you get started in the craft brewing industry?
My current role at Port City Brewing Company is President. I get to help guide our team in making sure that we are brewing world-class quality beer, and presenting it in a world-class quality manner to our customers.

I have been in the drinks business my entire adult life, and I have always enjoyed great quality, full flavored beer. I got into the craft brewing industry because I thought that the Mid Atlantic region could use more local options for craft beer. As I researched the market, I found that as of 2010, Metro DC was the only major metro area in the United States that did not have a local craft packaging brewery. We had brewpubs and great beer bars, but no one was brewing craft beer for the market inside the Beltway.

I believed that if we could produce consistently great quality, the market would give us a shot!

What’s new at your brewery?
We just formed a partnership with La Tingeria to operate a full time restaurant at our brewery! La Tingeria specializes in authentic Mexican street food, and have been named as one of the Top 100 Very Best Restaurants by Washingtonian Magazine in 2023 and 2024. They have also been named by Food & Wine Magazine as a top 50 taqueria in the USA!

Our customers have given us great feedback on their tacos, especially the Tinga chicken and Birria beef tacos.

What’s the best part of being a part of the craft brewing community?
I appreciate the collegial spirit that our industry shares. While every brewery has a different approach and different ideas, I like that as an industry we are supportive of each other. That is what makes our industry special, and it is worth making the effort to sustain that spirit.

Name a favorite food and beer pairing.
Belgian Wit-bier and Maryland Blue crab cakes. Local favorites that are natural complements!

What’s your biggest accomplishment unrelated to your job?
Our team has collected and donated thousands of pounds of canned goods to ALIVE, a local food bank that helps Alexandrians in need. I’m proud that our community is consistently there to help support those that need it.

What’s your favorite beer from another brewery?
I find myself ordering quite a bit of Raised by Wolves from Right Proper around DC and Northern Virginia.

What do you like to do in your time away from the brewery?
I like to fly fish and spend time outdoors at our farm on the Rappahannock River in the Virginia Piedmont.

What’s the most memorable travel destination at which you’ve had a chance to sample the local beer and why?
I am always grateful to frequently visit Colorado and drink their beer! The beer scene is vibrant, and the folks in Colorado are passionate about their craft beer. It blends well with the outdoor culture and the beautiful Rocky Mountains.