An Alabama native having grown up in Cottonwood, Jacob joined our team as Head Brewer in June of 2021. Before coming to Fairhope, he worked at Folklore Brewing in Dothan for seven years getting his hands in the mix of just about everything over that way. Having started his career in the brewing industry bussing tables at Folklore, he worked his way up through the ranks to eventually work as a Tasting Room Manager and Brewer, and for the past few years as the Head Brewer and Production Manager. Jacob brings a passion for brewing and a love of dogs with him that will surely keep FBC headed in the right direction.
Our managing partner discovered his love for craft beer while living in Alaska for 6 years with his wife Michele. Looking for an adventure after law school down south, Brian and Michele moved to Juneau to work for the state government - only to learn that Alaska Brewing Company was a mere 10-minute drive away. After hitting up breweries all over Alaska and across the US, Brian had (unknowingly) been gathering research to put together a fantastic brewery down in Fairhope. Once he rounded up a guy making great beer and a few other beer lovers, The Fairhope Brewing Company was born. Brian has two children, Mary McCarthy and William, who know way more about the inner-workinging of a brewery than any little kid should!
Get in touch with Brian: brian@fairhopebrewing.com
Gil joined the crew as head brewer in July 2016 and did a fantastic job leading Fairhope Brewing in the right direction for 5 years. In June of 2021, Gil and Molly moved to West Virginia, where Gil has taken on the position of head brewer for an upstart company named Fife Brewing Co. We wish those guys the best!
Marissa and the brewery go way back... she used to work for an agency named VMR that was the first PR Firm used by Brian and Jim to help with the soft opening of the taproom in 2013. In 2017, Marissa joined the team as a part time (now close to full time!) marketing director. In addition to her main job of keeping Brian and Jim on task, Marissa helps plan events, promote events, and weighs in on a variety of topics related to the image of the brewery. She is married to Joe and has two boys - Dimmick and Jack. She is yet another member of the Roll Tide club at the brewery, and she and her family live just down the road in Montrose.
While Alysabeth is no longer our full time bartender, you may see her around from time to time. She is about to be hammering Physician Assistant school for the next few years, so give her a high five if you see her around. And yes, she was a fantastic brewery employee!
Dillon came aboard in February of 2017, transitioning from a role in the distributor world into that of the manufacturer. He previously worked for Bud-Busch Distributing as a special events manager and draft tech. Prior to that, Dillon served our country as a “weatherman” in the United States Navy from 2007-2011. All these skills have greatly contributed to his efforts at the brewery in things like installing a revamped draft system and telling us to rent a tent for an upcoming event thanks to the low pressure system coming over from the west. Dillon grew up in the Robertsdale area and is now married with two sweet daughters. If you see Dillon around the taproom, be sure to ask him about the brewery travels of his mom and stepdad!
Darius has been a Mobile/Daphne guy all his life. In addition to his love for pint glasses, Darius has always had special places in his heart for disc golf and logo pint glasses. He previously worked at Mobile Infirmary as a supply technician before joining the FBC team as a packaging pro in September of 2015. While he takes on any job needed on the packaging side of the brewery, his business card actually gives him the title of "Hype Man." Swing by the taproom on any Friday, and it will most likely be Darius giving you a fist bump and pouring you a beer.
While Dale in no way works for the brewery, he is often seen on the premises offering unsolicited and free business advice. And talking about music.
Now our resident "Old Man," John comes to us with almost 30 years experience in the beer business. He has served the beer industry on both the distributor and craft brewery sides of the business. John has lived here in Fairhope for almost 30 years and claims he is "all Fairhope by marriage" since his wife is 3rd generation Fairhope. When you find that new seasonal on the shelf or are excited to find one of our core beers at your corner store, it was likely John pulling the strings behind the scenes to make that happen!
Our former assistant brewer, Alex, started as a patron turned employee (you gotta love the brewery to work at the brewery!) The eastern shore native from Daphne fell in love with craft beer while studying at Auburn University. Returning home from school, learning far more about beer than anything in class, he was thrilled hearing of a brewery opening just down the road. After years of frequenting the tap room, he officially joined the crew in 2015 - but he moved on to a career on the appriasal world in late 2021.
Our managing partner grew in New Jersey and got his degree from Villanova University before heading to law school in Alabama. It wasn't until Jim got to Tuscaloosa that he learned there was more to beer than the light lagers he had reluctantly drank through college.
After graduating law school, passing the bar exam, and a few years of doing the legal thing, Jim was ready to move on to something a little more rewarding. Operating a brewery was the perfect opportunity.
You can find Jim behind the bar hosting our Live Trivia just about every Thursday night.
Jim is married to Cindy, whom he met while working for a judge in Macon, Georgia, and they welcomed their son Hank to the world in July of 2014. They all live happily on Fish River with Flipper the Dog and Herschel, the other dog.
Get in touch with Jim: jim@fairhopebrewing.com
Our brewery's "official" legal counsel started drinking craft beer at the Chimes while in law school in Baton Rouge. (though her heart reminds with her undergraduate school, THE University of Alabama). Her passion for craft beer and IPAs was solidified in Alaska where she and Brian moved to postpone growing up. After moving back to the lower 48, Michele decided growing up was overrated, and convinced Brian to open a brewery. In addition to working as a full time corporate attorney, she also reviews the brewery's contracts and assists with public relations and special events.
Get in touch with Michele: michele@fairhopebrewing.com
Though born in Iowa and raised in California, Brandon made the wise decision to attend college in Fort Collins, Colorado, where, in the early days of New Belguim Brewing's rise, he fell in love with craft beer. His post-college career in professional theater didn't leave much room for a beer budget, but it did introduce him to his wife Sarah and give him an excuse for visiting the country's breweries under the guise of working for a touring theater company. Eventually, Brandon and Sarah married and moved first to the craft-beer-happy town of Durham, North Carolina and then to the craft-beer-rich region of Southern California. In 2014, Brandon, Sarah, and their then-infant son finally found their way to Fairhope, AL, and nearly immediately to Fairhope Brewing Company. After first making himself a regular, Brandon began making the brewery new tasting paddles, bottle openers, and tap handles. These days, he makes beer.
Get in touch with Brandon: fischer@fairhopebrewing.com
James was our local sales rep until recently an offer came to him that he could not refuse. So we wished James well on his way on the sales side, but he still bartends for us every so often As you might guess, James is a proud graduate of McGill-Toolen Catholic High School - though the football teams he played on were not quite as successful as the 2015 team. He has been associated with the brewery since the beginning, even so far as the first $5 beer at the brewery was bought by James (that $5 still hangs on the wall by the taps).
The newest member of our team, Austen was born and raised in northeast Ohio, outside of Cleveland. He has made his way around the USA with stops in Vegas for Americorps as a hiking trail builder, San Diego (a craft beer mecca), and then back to Ohio where his mom had gotten sick (she's good now though). Austen went back to school and worked at Kent State where he met his girlfriend, Helen - a Fairhope native. Upon graduation last May, Helen persuaded Austen to make another move, this time down to Fairhope. And after all that, he finds himself on the production side at the brewery helping get some great beer out the door (an on occasion, helping out behind the bar in the taproom).
Tom is a former IT professional, stay at home dad, and the list could go on for a while. Tom joined the brewery officially in August of 2014 after working 3 years active duty in the Coast Guard where he still serves in the reserves. Tom did a fantastic job keeping the overall operations in order in his time at the brewery, but he ahs since moved on to the world of contracting and home restoration.
Our Partner and former Distribution Coordinator for central and north Alabama fell in love with craft beer as one of the first members of the Alabama craft beer advocacy group Free the Hops. As an officer in Free the Hops, Gabe was Vice President when the ABV increase was signed into law and President for four years during which the bottle size increase and brewery taproom reform were signed into law as well. Gabe and his wife, Julie, have a daughter named Cecilia who shares a birthday with the brewery (though they consider their rescue dog, Doji, to be their first child). Gabe is a graduate of Auburn University and lives in Birmingham, AL.
Chad is originally from Mobile and moved to Fairhope in 2017 when he married his dream girl - Lauren. His past includes some time jamming in a band, a stint as a firefighter in Mobile, and a few years as a sales rep on the distributor side of the beer world. In addition to his passion for selling (and drinking) delicious craft beer, Chad loves music, especially good ole rock and roll. When asked to describe his role, Chad offered this gem: "I’m the feet in the streets pedaling delicious liquid for all to enjoy." If you are out enjoying a beer and see Chad walk in, give him a high five!
Mimmsy joined the team in the fall of 2021 as a part time barback. Quickly realzing her love for all things craft beer, Mimmsy took on a full time position on the production side helping with the canning line and now working as assistant brewer. She graduated from LSU in 2018 with a major in Natural Resource Ecology ("Geaux Tigers," so she says). Prior to joining the brewery, Mimmsy worked for Wildlife and Fisheries in Lousiana and as a 6th grade teacher, but she has always wanted to work in the beer industry. She has two dogs that she is happy to talk about any time, and if you see her drinking a beer it's likely Blue Steel.