What’s your current position at your brewery, and how did you get started in the craft brewing industry?
I am the brewer/proprietor/keg washer/delivery guy/fix-it guy [at BRU Handbuilt Ales in Boulder, Colo.]. I started homebrewing a while ago and it quickly became an obsession.
What’s new at BRU?
We’ve just put Citrum IPA in our first bottles and will be starting to sell it to liquor stores. We are really excited that we can start offering our handbuilt ales at additional locations.
What’s the best part of being a part of the craft brewing community?
The camaraderie. Everyone helping each other is really inspiring. I’ve never seen that in any other industry. Also the chance to talk to people who are as passionate and excited about beer as I am.
What do you like to do in your time away from the brewery?
I don’t have much time as I’m also a full-time chef, but when I get a moment I love going on bike rides with my wife, playing with my dog, or checking out tap rooms. And, whenever I can make it to Mexico, surfing as much as possible.
What’s your favorite food and beer pairing?
There is nothing better on the planet than tacos and beer. Tacos, just like beer, can take many different forms so they are a match made in heaven. In fact, I’m craving a BRU Citrum IPA and a roasted chicken and green chile taco.
What’s your biggest accomplishment unrelated to your job?
Unrelated to my brewing job, but related to my chef job, it would have to be this past year when my food was nationally showcased on The Cooking Channel. Unrelated to any job: meeting my wife.
What’s your favorite beer that your brewery does not produce?
That is a hard one. It depends on the season, the day…but there are a few I gravitate toward. Dogfish Head Burton Baton, Odell Double Pilsner, Great Divide Yeti, Upslope Pumpkin Ale, Allagash Curieux. There are so many great beers out there, I could go on and on.
What’s the most memorable travel destination at which you’ve had a chance to sample the local beer?
I recently did a trip starting in San Francisco and finishing off at Sierra Nevada Beer Camp in Chico, Calif. I toured a ton of breweries on the way, tasted a ton of great beer, and finished it off brewing a unique and floral American IPA. It was an amazing beer and food trip.