Luke Dickinson - Co-Founder/Brewer of Wicked Weed Brewing

1.               Where is your brewery?

 Asheville, NC

2.       What was the first beer you had that made you realize craft beer was going to be a bigger part of your life?

 Dogfish head Indian Brown Ale

3.       What is your favorite style to brew and Why?

 Double IPA, I am truly a hop head - the more hops the better

4.       If you were stranded on an island (with a working refrigerator that automatically replenished itself) and you could only have one beer for the rest of your life in that fridge, which would it be?

 Firestone Walker Pale 31

Brothers Walt and Luke Dickinson (from left) - co-founders of Wicked Weed Brewing

5.       What is your favorite music to listen to in the brewery?

 I love listening to Ray Lamontayne while I brew, just easy going music

6.       Which other brewery has inspired you the most? Why?

Dogfish Head Brewery. I worked for them for a while, but even before I worked there I was so amazed at their creativity and their fearless approach to ingredients in beer. I have always looked up to Sam as a business man and super creative individual.

7.       Single hop beer – which hops are you using?

We do a Single hop IPA series called Lupulin Lab IPA. We have done a bunch of them but my favorite so far has been a hop called Bravo, really citrus forward and lovely floral flavors.

8.       Where is your favorite place to get a beer after work and why?

I love this local bar called 5 Walnut. It’s actually a wine bar, but they have an awesome beer menu and really cool old school music every night. Always a good time

9.       What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone who thinks they want to get into the craft beer industry?

I think it is important to really think about why you want to be a brewer. It’s not a glamorous job, its alot of hard work, and not that well paying. But if you love it and know what you are getting yourself into there is nothing like being able to sit at a bar drinking what you made with your own hands and watching others around you enjoy something you did. 

10.   Dogs or cats? Dog

DOGS DOGS DOGS... I’m allergic to cats

Jeffrey Stuffings - Founder/Brewer Jester King Brewery

1.       Where is your brewery?

In the Texas Hill Country on the outskirts of Austin. 

2.       What was the first beer you had that made you realize craft beer was going to be a bigger part of your life?

I toured Avery Brewing Co. in Boulder when I was in college. Avery IPA was eye opening, and I knew I couldn't go back to mass produced lite beer.  

Jeffrey lucky enough to have met real-life ewoks

3.       What is your favorite style to brew and Why?

Spontaneously fermented beer. The process is special, surreal, and a little crazy. Fermenting wort by simply leaving it out in the open to become inoculated overnight feels like magic. It's also exciting because it involves making beer unique to a particular micro-climate.  

 4.       If you were stranded on an island (with a working refrigerator that automatically replenished itself) and you could only have one beer for the rest of your life in that fridge, which would it be?

I drink more Hans Pils from Real Ale in Blanco, Texas at home than anything else, so I'll go with that one. I like pale lagers with a lot of European hops. If Live Oak Brewing Co. in Austin ever gets around to packaging their Pilz in bottles or cans, I may have to go with that one. 

 5.       What is your favorite music to listen to in the brewery?

High on Fire, Choking Victim, The Aquabats 

 6.       Which other brewery has inspired you the most? Why?

Jolly Pumpkin in Michigan. They have done amazing things through wild fermentation and further opened my eyes to what beer can be when fermentation breaks the bounds of cultured brewers yeast. 

 7.       Single hop beer – which hops are you using?

We don't make one, at least not intentionally. Some of our wild ales fermented in oak barrels receive only a small bittering charge in the kettle with a single variety of hop, typically Golding. We aim for pretty low IBU with a lot of our barrel fermented beers, so one, small hop addition is all we do. 

 8.       Where is your favorite place to get a beer after work and why?

I don't get there much anymore because somehow I thought it was a good idea to have kids (I joke), but The Draught House in Austin, Texas. It has a laid back vibe and great sentimental value for me. 

 9.       What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone who thinks they want to get into the craft beer industry?

Just be aware that it's a lifestyle more than a job. If you love beer and brewing, it shouldn't be an issue. 

10.   Dogs or cats?

Dogs. Blind loyalty is easier to deal with. 

Brian "Spike" Buckowski - Brewmaster/Co-Founder Terrapin Brewing Company

1. Where is your brewery?

 Athens, GA.

2. What was the first beer you had that made you realize craft beer was going to be a bigger part of your life?

Samuel  Adams Boston Lager. 

3. What is your favorite style to brew and Why?

Anything with Rye. Our first beer we ever did was Rye Pale Ale back in 2002. It won a gold medal at the GABF the same year. I just like to brew different beer styles adding rye and see what happens. 

4. If you were stranded on an island (with a working refrigerator that automatically replenished itself) and you could only have one beer for the rest of your life in that fridge, which would it be?

Unfiltered Pilsner Urquell.

5. What is your favorite music to listen to in the brewery?

Anything from Black Sabbath to Beethoven. 

6. Which other brewery has inspired you the most? Why?

Rogue. John Maier is a brewing legend. 

 7. Single hop beer – which hops are you using?

Right now for our fresh hop beer it's Simcoe. We also do a red rye IPA called Mosaic and we use 100% Mosaic hops in that. 

8. Where is your favorite place to get a beer after work and why?

At the Terrapin tasting room. I like to watch our fans come in for the tour and enjoy the atmosphere and our beers. 

9. What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone who thinks they want to get into the craft beer industry?

Depends on what they want to do in the industry. If it's starting a brewery, be over capitalized, and be careful who you get in bed with. There are a lot of bad people out there that will try to take advantage of you. Brew clean. 

 10. Dogs or cats?

 Cats! We have a brewery cat at the brewery. Her name is Lil' P.

Luis Brignoni - Founder/Owner of Wynwood Brewing Co.

1.       Where is your brewery?

We’re in the Wynwood Arts District in Miami, FL.

2.       What was the first beer you had that made you realize craft beer was going to be a bigger part of your life?

Avery IPA.

3.       What is your favorite style to brew and Why?

IPA’s.  I love the smell of hops in the boil.  I also love dry hopping em!  Creating different blends or salads of hops.

4.       If you were stranded on an island (with a working refrigerator that automatically replenished itself) and you could only have one beer for the rest of your life in that fridge, which would it be?

It would be between Oskar Blues G’Night and our Wynwood Fox.  I love imperial reds.  I truly appreciate the balance between the malt character and the hops.

5.       What is your favorite music to listen to in the brewery?

All sorts of music.  From salsa to rap.  Depends on the mood.

6.       Which other brewery has inspired you the most? Why?

Recently it has been Great Divide.  I’m a huge fan of their culture and quality.  I also love their brewery.  It’s right in Denver and when we went for CBC it was truly an inspiration.

7.       Single hop beer – which hops are you using?

Tough question! They’re all good. Right now, I’d say Nelson Sauvin.

8.       Where is your favorite place to get a beer after work and why?

Our taproom.  I love talking with some of our regulars and having a pint.

9.       What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone who thinks they want to get into the craft beer industry?

I hope you love cleaning, long days and nights, and working your ass off for little or no pay.  It’s awesome.

10.   Dogs or cats?

Absolutely dogs.

Mikkel Borg Bjergsø - Founder & Owner Mikeller

1.       Where is your brewery?

We are based out of Copenhagan, Denmark, but we don’t have a physical brewery, but brew on many different countries and breweries.  Mostly in Belgium, Norway, US, and Denmark.

2.       What was the first beer you had that made you realize craft beer was going to be a bigger part of your life?

IPA from Danish Brøckhouse (now closed).

3.       What is your favorite style to brew and Why?

Spontaneous fermented beers (lambic-stlye).  It is the least controllable and it takes the longest to make.

4.       If you were stranded on an island (with a working refrigerator that automatically replenished itself) and you could only have one beer for the rest of your life in that fridge, which would it be?

Orval.

5.       What is your favorite music to listen to in the brewery?

Many different kinds.

6.       Which other brewery has inspired you the most? Why?

Three Floyds.  They make excellent beers and their approach to brewing and the way they communicate it is next to none.

7.       Single hop beer – which hops are you using?

So many, 20 different kinds.

8.       Where is your favorite place to get a beer after work and why?

One of my own bars.  We have 3 in Copenhagen, 1 in Stockholm, 1 in San Francisco, and 1 in Bangkok.  So far.

9.       What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone who thinks they want to get into the craft beer industry?

Be prepared to work and be realistic.  Your beers are not the best in the world – you should always work to make them better.

10.   Dogs or cats?

Cats for sure.