What was your story before joining Yuengling? I grew up in the shadow of the brewery; my grade school was the next block up from the brewery, and the local Catholic high school just a few blocks away. Before working at the brewery I worked in various local plants and factories.

How did you learn to brew? On the job training, cleaning tanks and vessels by hand. As well as being mentored by the late great Ray Norbert, Yuengling employee for 52 years, Brew Master for over 32 years.

Did you have any professional training? If so, where?I attended the Master Brewers course in Madison Wisconsin 11 years ago, and received a diploma from the Sieble Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois, in 2010.

When did you decide to be a professional brewer and why? It wasn’t a plan, I just needed a job, and as the craft brewers started rolling in 30+ years ago, we realized this could actually take off, so I started taking things more seriously and started asking questions, which didn’t happen too often at our brewery.

How was the transition to a professional brewing? I wouldn’t exactly call myself a professional, we just do what we love to the best of our ability, and put out the best beer we can. It’s easy to make a good beer, with the quality ingredients we buy, but to do it consistently with old equipment is a testament to the work ethic and dedication of the brewers.

How did you end up at Yuengling? I was not satisfied with my job at that time, and while driving down the brewery hill one day, I yelled to a guy crossing the street, if he had any jobs open, well it happened to be Mr. Norbert, and he said ‘come on in’, and he even filled out my application for me, told me to get a physical, and report the next morning with warm clothes in the beer cellars.

What’s an average day like? Reading reports, returning e-mails, making my rounds thru various departments, checking in with Pottsville engineers, monitoring CO2 levels, and meeting with the brewhaus foreman, to go over schedules and any issues. Directing rail traffic to proper destinations, releasing empty rail cars, ensuring both brewing departments have all raw materials to brew. Meeting with maintenance department to keep equipment running and maintained. Meeting with Mill Creek brewing foreman, and brewers, setting schedules, checking production and quality of beers.

What about brewing did you learn the hard way? You’re dealing with Mother Nature, raw ingredients change monthly or yearly. If something can go wrong, it will. Making the same beer, day after day, is more challenging than you realize.

What’s your favorite memory of working at the brewery? Being promoted to Pennsylvania Brewing Manager the same day my wife, Donna, was hired in the accounting department full time, was a great day for us.

How has the brewery changed since you started? The amount of beer we currently brew at the old brewery is crazy, especially with the older equipment and limited tank space. Also, seeing the modernization of equipment, and actually being part of building a new brewery is a once in a lifetime experience, enough to write a book about.

What other brewers do you look up to or enjoy? The brewers from around Pennsylvania are a great bunch, we’re a close knit community, and will help each other in any way, that goes for the small brewers in every state. But to not acknowledge the Yuengling family would be wrong, I have worked for 3 generations so far, and without their commitment and dedication to the beer business, the local community and my family would be worse off. We have it very good in a great business.

What is your favorite beer you brew at Yuengling?Premium is my daily choice for a beer, but on weekends, my wife and I mix the ‘Tavern Style Porter’ with ‘Chesterfield Ale’ for an old fashioned ‘Half and Half’.

What are some new beers in the works? We just finished an award winning ‘Summer Wheat’, made with all authentic German ingredients and top fermenting Ale yeast. We are also starting to develop a new winter seasonal.

What is your favorite food with beer? A plate of Carpaccio, with Parmesan Reggiano, peppers, capers, a hunk of crusty bread, and washing it down with a ‘Chesterfield Ale’, in a tall skinny pilsner glass.

Who is your favorite band and why? Tony Bennett, Michael Buble’, Al Green, anything sexy. We dance to R&B, old school stuff, Earth-Wind & Fire, Philly Funk Band, etc.

What is your favorite movie and why? Any John Wayne or Mel Brookes movies, cowboys and comedians.