You probably recognize so many of the friendly faces behind our Tap Room bar and if you’re lucky, even spent quite a lot of time chatting about all things beer and what we do here at the brewery. If you haven’t been so lucky to get close and personal with our amazing staff, we are happy to share some fun facts in our “Meet the Team” blog series. If you want to check out more of our awesome team, find the blog posts here.
Today we are happy to introduce you to one of our Lead Bartenders, Levi, who helps the whole Tap Room run smoothly and make sure you are having a great experience drinking and learning about our beer! He is a perfect person to ask about all things craft beer and brewing thanks to his beer-centric background, as you’ll soon learn.
Levi grew up hunting, fishing, camping, skiing, and mountain biking after living all over the Midwest and East Coast, ultimately landing in Wisconsin, which was where he was introduced to the craft beer scene and culture in college by his dad. “Wisconsin has an amazing beer culture. Wisconsin never lost the tiny micro brews,” said Levi. “There were and still are small breweries around my moms in Madison. My college had a bar on campus and was in walking distance was Fox Tails Brew Pub. Fitgerz Brewery by my dads opened 1884 and is still cranking out beer.”
On top of just drinking the good stuff, Levi was lucky enough to have an Uncle who home brewed and whenever possible Levi would pop in and help, which quickly turned from hobby into passion. After moving out East and entering the restaurant scene, Levi decided that he wanted to hone his skills to become a better and more education bartender and brewer. “I started working on my cicerone certification. I’ve scene passed my level one and am studying for my level two,” said Levi. “With each level, I want to use the knowledge not only for my own personal gain, but to help guests who come in to be able to find the beer they love. Or if they have questions on a style I am able to accurately inform them.”
Today Levi enjoys working in an industry focused on brewing and serving up fresh suds. His favorite thing about his job and the industry itself? “I love the fact that we’ve taken the rule book for brewing and thrown it out the window. We respect the old styles but we aren’t afraid to push the boundaries,” said Levi. “Also, I love the smells of brewing. The sweet smell of mash steeping, the bitter hop aromas, and the whiff of fruit from the yeast.”
So, what can you find Levi drinking these days? “I’m really into Pilsners and slightly hoppy lagers. Salmon Pants by Warpigs is a favorite of mine,” said Levi. “The DBco Clapp’s Cream Ale is very light and refreshing. Definitely my desert island beer.”
