Her thousands of Instagram followers know her as @BeerBabeJess, and while career copywriter and creative director Jess Merritt has gone a long way towards realizing her goal “to build bigger tables” within the craft-beer community via social-media, she may be poised to make her biggest impact as the author of her soon-to-launch publication, Rethink Everything You Know About Craft Beer (available now via Amazon). As the title implies, this latest offering from Rethink Everything Books aims to reshape skin-deep perceptions of the artisanal suds subculture, doing so by sharing personal stories Merritt has curated from more than 20 brewers, brewery staffers, consultants, fans and others associated with the beverage industry. “The book reframes beer as a connector, showing how community, not the product itself, is the most important ingredient,” said Merritt during a recent sit-down in advance of a book-release event taking place at Seek Beer Co. from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 8. (And if you miss her there, she will also be on-site signing books at the 2026 San Diego Beer News Awards, taking place at Harland Brewing’s Scripps Ranch taproom from 5 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31.) Read on for more about the book, its contributors and how to procure a copy.
What is your personal journey in craft beer?
I’ve been working in the advertising and marketing field for nearly 20 years. In 2018, I launched a craft-beer Instagram account and blog. What started as just a creative outlet soon grew into opportunities for fundraisers, brand partnerships and media passes to events around the country. While moonlighting as Beer Babe Jess, I’ve been hosted at hotels, breweries, restaurants and beer festivals, and will even be hosted as a guide for a group trip to Munich later this year. My motto is “all for beer and beer for all”. It’s my goal to shine a light on unique establishments, experiences and craft beer all over the world, and invite everyone to the table.
When did the idea of writing a book come to mind and how did you go about doing it?
I was asked by my friend Lindsey Meyer to contribute to another book in the Rethink Everything series: Rethink Everything You Know About Networking. My chapter of that book is centered around the power of unhinged authenticity, and how I grew my craft-beer social-media network. It was such an exciting opportunity to join that group of co-authors and be a part of the book release. I met the mastermind behind the series, Kyle Draper, at an author event, and he asked me if I’d be interested in bringing a book about rethinking craft beer to life. I looked at him and replied: consider it written. From there, it was off to the races, pinging all of my industry connects and asking if they’d share their stories.
Please share some nuggets from the books to give potential readers an idea of what to expect?
What I love about this book is that it’s a glimpse inside unique worlds, if only for a few pages. Across these chapters, you’ll meet 23 voices, each offering a personal lens into their corner of craft beer. Some stories are witty, some are gritty and some are quietly profound. All of them are human. You’ll hear from a brewery owner who started brewing on his grandma’s stove, a beertender who helped launch a diversity scholarship, an influencer who saw COVID lockdown as an opportunity to get creative with can-art photography at home. Read individually, these stories stand on their own. Read together, they reveal something bigger: this culture was built on care and community.
What was it like having the support of so many on this project?
I’ve been connected to most of the co-authors in one way or another, but now it almost feels like we’re fam. I’m a bit of a softie, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say my heart is incredibly full, and I’m so proud and appreciative of each and every contributor. They saw the vision and said “yes”. They trusted the process and shared their incredible stories – and for that I’m so very grateful. This book wouldn’t be what it is without them.
Where can people purchase your book?
The book will be available on Amazon.com in time for Women’s Month, March 2026. We’re also pitching it to a few local book stores in a couple of cities, so stay tuned for more on that. If there are any breweries who would like some copies on their shelves, drop me an email. I’d love to talk.
Seek Beer Co. is located inside the CRAFT by Brewery Igniter facility at 3052 El Cajon Boulevard, Suite 103 in North Park