Craft Beer Rock Stars

 

It’s crazy how much the excitement that now surrounds the craft beer industry reminds us of the energy that used to (and to a certain degree still does) surround the music industry. And just as the music industry back in the day gave birth to the rock stars – people like Mick Jagger or Robert Plant, who became the faces of the bands they came from – there’s a similar thing happening with some people in the craft beer arena today.

There are industry players out there who have become so well-known that they actually have their own following. They have fans invested in them as personalities who can’t get enough of their take on things. Many have become as popular as the brands they represent. Some have become brands themselves, whether they intended to or not.

Just like bands, craft breweries have frontmen (or women) who speak for the organization. In bands, it tends to be the lead singer who becomes the voice of the group – they’re comfortable in public and they enjoy being on stage. They’re also usually a founding member of the band. The men and women who’ve become the faces and the voices of America’s most popular craft breweries are, more times than not, founders as well. They were there from the beginning and they remember when nobody cared. They have a passion for what they’ve built and can communicate that , Craft Beer Rock Starspassion.

Becoming a rock star doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years of touring and selling your music, yourself, and your band before you might have any real fans.

The biggest names in the craft beer industry have followed a very similar path. They’ve spent years traveling endlessly, presenting their beers to the public and to the industry. And gradually things changed. People started showing up not just to sample the beer – people started attending their events TO SEE THEM. The craft beer rock star was born.

As different as craft beer rock stars can be, they do share some important traits. Most importantly, they clearly love what they’re doing – it wouldn’t work any other way. It helps if you’ve got an infectious spirit and a great sense of humor, as those who’ve seen Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione in action will attest to. It doesn’t hurt if you once were a performing musician yourself as Stone’s Greg Koch was. As understated as Three Floyds’ Barnaby Struve might at first seem, his bearing and tattoos speak volumes about him and his brewery. Kim Jordan’s warm sensibility and her new-age graciousness capture the ethos of New Belgium perfectly.

And though we’ve mentioned just a few of our industry’s more widely known personalities, there are endless names that we’ve not who are all working tirelessly and speaking for brands that they care deeply about. None of them entered the game intending to do anything other than to represent their industry and to talk passionately about the craft beers they believe in. And in the end, it’s that passion that attracts and that’s a good thing!

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