1. Where is your brewery?

Tarpon Springs, Fl. Sponge capital of the world.

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

Bass Ale. 1979 (Drinking age was 18 in the dark ages). The real deal. Still used the Burton Union system back then.

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

Saison/Farmhouse ales! They lend themselves to everything I enjoy in a beer. Dry, moderate alcohol, spicy yeast driven flavors. The Florida weather is perfect for brewing saisons.

4. If you were stranded on an island (with a working fridge 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, no question.

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

There is a great community station in the area that plays a lot of Americana, local music, blues, to alternative, they even have a Native American music show. Each DJ has 2-3 hours to play whatever they want. If that’s not on… a lot of Wilco, Steely Dan and Stevie Ray Vaughan!(maybe a little Buffett).

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

Jolly Pumpkin. Love everything they do and for some reason, Tampa was one of their first markets outside of Michigan back in 2004-2005... La Roja was a game changer for me. Ron Jeffries was a huge influence and a big help getting me started. I was calling him (annoying him) two-three times a week asking advice in the early days about everything from bottles to keg conditioning. Eventually, Saint Somewhere became the second US brewery under the Shelton Brothers umbrella… Jolly Pumpkin being the first.

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

Saaz.

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

My backyard. We live on a lake in a fairly rural area. Nothing better after a long day than having a beer by the lake. Other than that a place called Mr. Dunderbak’s in N. Tampa. Ground zero. The entire Florida Craft Beer scene came out of that place. Saint Somewhere, Cigar City, 7venth Sun, Angry Chair Brewing, Six Ten Brewing, Loose Stool Brewing to name a few all started right there.

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

Think outside the box, so to speak. Fill a niche. Creat a niche if there isn't one to fill. Shortly, it will be difficult to break into the market with just an IPA, a stout, a porter.

10. Dogs or cats?

Cats. Like myself, they just don't give a shit.