Despite earning a degree in Political Science - my career path rapidly diverged from the Sisyphusian exercise we call government. Before the dot-com bubble burst, I turned to the vast resources of the web to supplement my education unlocking a career in software. But pixels & bits are fleeting. I craved something concrete, something physical I could make, share and enjoy with others.
In 2009, I decided to jump head first into homebrewing. A hop shortage and knowledge that these glorious bines once flourished throughout the Connecticut River Valley sparked a deal with a local farmer to plant 60 rhizomes. They were in the ground before my first homebrew kit arrived!
It only took 3 extract batches to recognize that I wasn't brewing. I could no sooner call myself a brewer than someone baking brownies from a box could call themselves a chef. So I switched to all-grain. In 2010 I won (not on merits, but enthusiasm) the opportunity to go to Sierra Nevada Beer Camp. This incredible experience only re-enforced my goal to pursue a career in the craft beer industry.