Brewery Ambassador

Q. What do you do for Karl Strauss Brewing Company?
A. I am the Brewery Ambassador. That basically means I educate new employees and the public about craft beers.

Q. What are your hobbies?
A. Beer, Cooking, Acting, Reading

Q. What is your favorite part of your job?
A. Absolutely everything. I really enjoy teaching people about beer and the brewing process. I am really excited about where my position is going. Not only training the staff but getting people to know about the perfect food and beer pairings.

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Ryan enjoying a beer at Hofbrauhaus in Munich.

Q. Do you remember the first beer you ever had?
A. The first beer I ever had at legal drinking age was in Germany at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. They have very large beers in Germany. I went on a tour of Europe and got to try a bunch of different beers in various countries. I made a trip back to Munich a couple years ago and plan to attend Oktoberfest in 2008.

Q. When did you really get interested in beer?
A. I have always been interested in beer, when I graduated from college I asked for a home brew kit and started brewing.

It is interesting how different countries are known for different styles of beers. San Diego is an ideal place for the craft beer drinker because there are so many great breweries here. San Diego brewers are making some really innovative and interesting beers - using new hop varieties from all over the world and pushing the limits of beer styles in general. Another reason to never have to leave San Diego.

Q. What is your education?
A. I grew up in San Diego (North Park) and attended La Jolla High School. I majored in Theatre at San Diego State University and also studied abroad at Oxford, Balliol.

Q. What do your friends think about your job?
A. My friends are insanely jealous of my position at Karl Strauss. My roommate is a sommelier (a wine guy). His job is to educate people about wine. It is cool because I am a beer guy so together we have some pretty quality stuff at our parties.

Q. What's one thing people should know about beer?
A. People should approach beer with an open mind and try to appreciate it for what it is. A lot of work goes into creating that beer and appreciation should go along with that.

Q. Favorite style of beer?
A. My favorite style of beer... is... well there are so many... Lately, I have been picking up Belgian Trappist style ales. I will tell you that they are expensive, so I have to limit myself to two a week.

Q. How can the average beer drinker learn more about craft beer?
A. The average beer drinker can learn more about craft beer by going out and drinking it. Take a moment to evaluate each new beer. Know the style of beer you're drinking. Notice the colors and flavors; treat it like you would a glass of wine. See if you can educate your palate and understand the differences by just hanging out and enjoying your beer.

Q. Do you home brew?
A. Yeah, I did a couple of Hefeweizens last summer and they went over really well. I did a Belgian Tripel that went over okay... I was not too happy with the way it turned out so I let my roommates drink it. The next brew that I want to do is a Barleywine that I want to age until Christmas time for special release at my house.

Q. What was the last perfect pair you prepared?
A. The last perfect pair I made was Pork Chops with a Fire Roasted Chili Sauce and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes. I paired it with our Stargazer I.P.A. because it cleanses the pallet and stands up to spicy flavors.

Q. Name two of the best things about beer.
A. 1. It promotes friendly relationships.
2. It is an awesome addition to baseball.

Q. If you could have a superpower what would it be?
A. Turn water into beer. "Oh right, I already do that when I homebrew!"

Check out pictures below from a private tour lead by Ryan Ross at the brewery.

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