Eddy Torres - South Florida El Lector Cigar City Brewing

1. Where is your brewery?

Tampa, Fl, not in Ybor.

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

Technically it would be Sam Adams Winter Lager but I always give credit to Ommegang's 3 Philosophers and Victory Golden Monkey.  Those two really changed me for good.

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3. What is your favorite style and why?

It really depends on my mood.  For the most part a really hoppy session IPA really hits the spot but I really enjoy sipping on a nice barrel aged stout.  I really do enjoy every style of beer, except for Lichtenhainers.  Not a fan of smoke in my beer.

4. What has been your favorite memory working for Cigar City, thus far?

Honestly, it's the comradery with my co-workers and other breweries.  Being able to travel to other cities like Boston and Denver to share our beers with other craft beer enthusiasts. 

5. 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, what would it be?

This is going to sounds so masturbatory; but honestly, fresh Guayabera.

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

My real preference is someone's house to share some bottles with friends.

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

Volunteer.  Try and get involved with any local beer festivals or brewery events.  Let your presence be known.  Do your research.  When someone sees you know what you're talking about, putting work in, and donating your time, they will take notice.

8. Any sales trends that you've noticed lately? What do you predict as far as popular styles and/or specific Cigar City beers emerging in 2016?

I definitely see a shift towards more sessionable beers.  CCB Lager is poised to be a big mover for 2016.  Also goses, berliners, and wild ales will continue to grow, especially here in Florida where it's so hot.  People want to down something refreshing.

9. What music do you listen to while working?

If doing computer work, usually something low key and electronic heavy like Puscifer or Aphex Twin.  Most of my work however requires me to be on the road driving in which case I blast metal all day.  Pantera, Mutoid Man, Dillinger Escape Plan, Deftones, amongst many others.

10. Dogs or cats?

Dogs for their loyalty.  I am allergic to cats anyways.

Jim Crooks - Masterblender Firestone Walker Barrelworks

1. Where is your brewery?

Buellton, California

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

1991 San Luis Obispo County; Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.  The idea of beer completely flipped in my head.  I could finally understand what I was tasting.  So much depth.

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

I've worked hard at keeping an open mind with regards to classifying beer into categories. Regardless of style, if the beer in my hand at that moment is a well-crafted, balanced beer with layers of depth, free of off-flavors, then I'm enjoying it.

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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?

Is that island in the tropics, temperate or frigid environment?  For consistency, drinkability, and technical merit, I have always loved Duvel for all those aspects.  It's been one of those beers I've geeked out on over the years, and just chance that we now work hand-in-hand with this company.  I'm in heaven.

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

Soul-funk with a bit of alt-country pop.  Think Curtis Mayfield meets Blitzen Trapper.

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

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From a technical standpoint, the people at New Belgium and Sierra Nevada have offered so much of their time and expertise to me.  I owe them.

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

Saphir.  For the versatility of using it in Lambics as well as Pilsners.

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

Firestone Walker Barrelworks, Buellton.  It's hard to find a fresher and more diverse selection of beer in the SY Valley. 

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

Constantly reach out to the older industry statesmen for advice.  There's no shame in asking questions to people who know more and have already made the mistakes.

10. Dogs or cats?

Dogs.

Trevor Rogers - Founder De Garde Brewing

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1. Where is your brewery?

Our brewery is located on the Oregon coast, just outside of Tillamook.

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

That's a difficult question! It's certainly been awhile... I suspect it was Rodenbach. Can't recall which though! Really, I came from a wine background and a good friend introduced me to a broad range of great beers, both domestic and imported, in a short period of time. The excitement and desire to be involved happened very quickly.

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

Probably our Lambic inspired beers. The process of making the wort is such a small part of the creative process. The beauty is in the long transformative maturation and fermentation. Seeing the slow progression over time as different strains of our local yeast and bacteria exert their influence is inspiring. The final composition is also one of the most challenging and artistic things that we do: selecting barrels, sampling, and ultimately hoping that the composition expresses itself as desired and imagined. We quite simply don't have control as most breweries do because of the complex nature of honestly wild fermentation, and the extreme breadth of organisms creating a unique 'ecosystem.' We have to embrace the beauty of being ultimately submissive to the beer.

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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?

Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze.

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

No music. I like hearing what happens around me, and I find a beauty in the presence of the barrels and my thoughts without the interruption of extra sound.

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

Another difficult question... The traditions and history (and expertise!) of Cantillon, and the unparalleled blending skills of they and Drie Fonteinen are humbling. Likewise, Tilquin came out of nowhere and blew my mind.

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

Well, we love our three year old Oregon grown Cascade and Willamette hops. Put them in almost every beer! Probably more to the question though (hops that actually provide character to the beer), we've been very much loving dry-hopping with Azacca recently. It seems to provide a wonderful ripe stonefruit and tropical character to complement the citrusy notes in many of our ferments. Ask me again next week, and I'll possibly have a different answer. We like to try new things.

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

Either home, or our taproom. Home, to relax and think about the beer. Our taproom to socialize and share beer with like minded beer drinkers.

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

Be ready to work incredibly hard. Be prepared to sacrifice a lot. Be aware that you will almost certainly make a modest income. We consider ourselves the most fortunate brewery around because of the modest recognition and success we achieved, and the market was decidedly less competitive when we started than it will be in the next couple years. But passion, love and great product go hand-in-hand, and are always apparent to the consumer I believe. If you've got those, the first pieces of advice aren't a burden.

10. Dogs or cats?

Cats. Well behaved dogs may apply as well.