BeerFolk: BrewDad

I’ve come to know many people since we opened 99 Bottles. These people come from all walks of life. Most the time I don’t remember our first meeting. I meet so many people every day, live in the moment, and if you haven’t noticed… I don’t always look directly at people when chatting. It’s not that I’m trying to be rude, it’s how I retain my concentration on the topic at hand. Plus, I’m a little bit of an introvert.

Here’s one person I’ve met since we opened the store: BrewDad.

His regular|neighborhood beer store: Gravity Beer Market.

My first recorded meeting of BrewDad: March 28, 2007. It was an email received stating, simply:

-------Original Message-------
From: Mike Besser
Subject: Sam Adams Specialty brews
Sent: 28 Mar '07 23:02

Hello,

I am looking for the Sam Adams Special brews that where by Homebrews.
Heard they might be in a six pack 3 different brews. Was wondering if you
will be getting any? Or where I might find this.

Thanks,
Mike Besser
Olympia Resident

My email chain of responses indicated that we’d check on it, get back to him. I’m not sure how long that took as I don’t have the reply eventually sent, but BrewDad started making regular trips to visit us to pick up beers such as one of our Top 5 Bestsellers of 2007: Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat. Thank you, Mike, for your support over the years.

Since that time, I’ve gotten to know BrewDad a bit, but mostly in 2010 when I finally began to find “my place” at the store. He’s been a stay-at-home dad for a few years, is a homebrewer, and a lover of all things beer. Hence, the name: BrewDad.

BrewDad’s always ready to share a laugh and brighten someone’s day; though I’ve probably met Mrs. BrewDad, we generally see him alone or with his daughter, with whom I shared many things on PetVille and other silly facebook games. (Sorry for no longer sending items; like all games, this one has lost my attention!)

BrewDad gets out and about. He was a fellow blogger at the 2010 Beer Bloggers Conference in Boulder, Colo. He regularly blogs about his search for the ultimate barley pop: breweries he’s visited, festivals attended and beer news. I’m sure we’ll see many more interesting things as he continues to write over the upcoming years. You can also purchase pocket-size beer tasting notebooks from him; follow his contact info and he’ll hook you up.

So why is BrewDad deserving of a shout-out? His genuine love of beer. His search for the ultimate barley pop. His continued support of small beer stores, like 99 Bottles and Gravity Beer Market. His support of Washington breweries and brewpubs. But, most of all, his outgoing nature and enthusiasm in wanting to share craft beer. He is down-to-earth and isn’t afraid to regularly drink common everyday microbrews. He also enjoys trying unusual, rare beers and is willing to share (thanks for the sips of Sink the Bismarck at #BBC10!). There’s no beer “snob” in this man.

…and he knows how to properly commandeer a “beer pirate” table.

Get to know BrewDad:
Read the BrewDad blog
Follow BrewDad on twitter