What’s your current role at the AHA, and how did you get started in the craft brewing industry?
I’m the Chair of American Homebrewers Association (AHA) Governing Committee. I’m also the founder of Seattle Beer School and work on sales, etc. at Floodland Brewing.

What’s new at the AHA and Floodland?
As far as homebrewing and the AHA is concerned, we are always looking for new and fun ways to keep members of the AHA happy, as well as exploring innovative ways of increasing membership. At Floodland Brewing, we are a mixed culture, bottle conditioned saison brewery with a major focus on utilizing local grapes, fruit, herbs, and honey. Things are always changing and morphing!

What’s the best part of being a part of the craft brewing community?
The ability to learn, change, and connect with other like-minded creators and innovators! Making and developing recipes and enjoying the fruits (or brews) of our labor makes life just that much better.

Name a favorite food and beer pairing.
West Coast IPA and breakfast burrito.

What’s your biggest accomplishment unrelated to your job?
Raising two very smart and very rambunctious kiddos (almost five-year-old Finian, and 15-month-old Mabel).

What’s your favorite beer from another brewery?
CZAF (Czech Pilsner) from Wayfinder.

What do you like to do in your time away from the brewery?
Cooking and gardening! We inherited a greenhouse when we bought our home and I’m learning new and fun ways to use it.

What’s the most memorable travel destination at which you’ve had a chance to sample the local beer and why?
Goodness, it’s been a minute since I’ve been able to travel (thanks COVID-19 and babies!), so I’ll have to say Portland, Oregon. I’m cheating because I just went a few weeks ago, but they really have an incredible beer scene. The quality across the city is top-notch and it’s a super comfortable vibe. Having food at every destination is very nice as well: it keeps your stamina up and is another great way to find killer pairings.