Where are you originally from and how did you end up in Hawaii?
I am originally from Gilbert Arizona, The house I grew up in is actually 3 miles away from Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. I enlisted in the United States Army in 2001 and was stationed at Schofield Barracks after basic training. After completing my term I just couldn’t make myself leave the island.

How did you first get into craft beer? Do you remember the first craft beer that got you hooked?
I actually have Troy Terorotua to credit for my love of craft beer. I wasn’t really an experienced craft beer drinker until I started working for him at REAL. He actually loves to tell the story about how I drank Guinness for many years. I’ve always loved Stouts and Porters though and I will always have a special place in my heart/beergut for Deschutes Black Butte Porter. That was the first craft beer I ever tried.

How do you decide what beers to put on tap at Brew’d?
Deciding what beers to run on tap is a mixture of listening to the demand of our guests, our staff and really what’s available.

Are there any beers or styles that you always have to keep on tap?
IPA, Imperial IPA, Stout, Wheat Beer, Sour/Wild Ale & a flavorful Belgian Ale

What beer style would you like to see gain more popularity?
2 words. Berliner Weisse! I truly love that style beer and would love to see more available on island. I think Breakside Brewery did an amazing job with their Passionfruit Sour and while it’s not a traditional Berliner Weisse they really pushed the boundaries and created a fun, interesting beer.

What is the most satisfying part about your job?
While we are a “beer bar” we are also a neighborhood pub. When I look around and see a new face or neighbor drinking a beer they have never heard of and just enjoying themselves and their surroundings it is a really good feeling.

Do you work with your counterpart at Real to bring in interesting beers? Do you try to keep the lineups different?
Anthony runs the beverage program over at REAL and yes we do talk quite a lot. Whether it be building orders of some of the more limited items or just deciding what to carry from a newly available brewery we’re always in cahoots with each other. We do also try to make sure we are not running too many of the same beers at the same time. Sometimes they will have an event for a brewery and BREW’d will just run the different kegs back to back or vice versa.

What breweries that are not currently distributed in Hawaii would you most like to see get here?
It’s funny because now quite a few do have distribution in HI just not our island. Alesmith, Avery, The Lost Abbey, The Bruery, Great Divide and Stone just to name a few from Maui/Stone Craft Beverages. Otherwise Odell Brewing Co, Crooked Stave, Firestone Walker, Founders, Victory, Cigar City, Hair of the Dog and obviously Russian River & The Alchemist.

What’s your favorite dish at Brew’d to pair with a beer (and what beer?)
There’s just something really fun about pairing a smoked beer with our Bacon Cheesecake. The Mikkeller Rauch Pilsner comes to mind.

What beer do you like to drink after a long day of work?
I wish I had a more profound answer, but a big citrusy/piney IPA is what I normally crave after any day and every day.