Earlier this year, the San Diego Brewers Guild bid adieu to the only executive director it had ever known. That individual, Paige McWey Acers, had served as the volunteer-run trade organization’s administrator for a decade, guiding initiatives such as San Diego Beer Week, festivals and Tap Into Knowledge educational events, while handling the day-to-day business of the Guild. The search for someone to replace her in that role took months, and in the end the Guild’s Board of Directors appointed one of their own, Erik Fowler. Best known for his high-profile work as an employee of Miramar-based yeast company, White Labs, Fowler is a certified Cicerone who has worked for breweries in numerous capacities. As he transitions into his new role, we booked some time to ask him questions about his past as well as his focus for Guild’s future.
How did you get into craft beer and the brewing industry?
My passion for beer and brewing grew from being a San Diego kid who turned 21 during the biggest craft-beer growth boom our county had ever seen. Each week a new brewery or beer bar opened its doors, inviting beer geeks into their taprooms. I immediately felt welcomed into the community and never turned back.
What has your industry experience entailed leading up to this new chapter?
I’ve ben fortunate to work in about every position a brewery could offer over the last 15 years. I quickly realized I preferred brewing at home as opposed to commercial brewing, and initially found myself in sales and service roles. I became a certified Cicerone in 2013 when most breweries had no idea what the certification was, which made trying to grow my career interesting. Around the same time, I was in the first cohort to graduate from the new-at-the-time Business of Craft Beer program at SDSU. I went from beer and wine retail to being one of the first employees of the now-defunct ChuckAlek Independent Brewers. I then worked for Stone Brewing, helping open their J Street Taproom. Most recently, I ended a nine-year run at White Labs and White Labs Brewing, serving as the Head of Hospitality and Craft Hospitality.
What inspired you to throw your hat in the ring for the Guild’s Executive Director position?
I have served on the Guild’s Board of Directors for the last year-and-a-half, and have really enjoyed the contribution I was making. I’ve enjoyed working to genuinely better our industry, our city, and our friends’ livelihoods and businesses. The Guild has been a staple for San Diego since 1997 and has had help from an amazing set of people since its inception.
How do you feel your experience, particularly over the past decade, will help you excel in your new role?
White Labs provided experiences and growth that not many companies could have offered. Not only is White Labs one of the largest ingredient suppliers for the craft community, but we had two commercial breweries and taprooms. It was always something new and allowed us to, in real-time and in a commercial setting, live the struggles our brewery partners were experiencing. I’ve worked with countless guilds and breweries over the last decade and it’s easy for me to see where the breakdown in support and relevance is. The Guild needs to be relevant and provide value. We can’t expect members—both breweries and suppliers—to provide membership fees, event fees, staff time and engagement if we’re not providing value or transparency to our value.
What areas do you expect to focus on out of the gate?
I’ll keep saying it…value. With the hard work of our board members and volunteers, we look to ensure we’re providing relevant and transparent value to our members. We need to continue finding ways to listen to our local industry and members and provide what they need. This is going to take time, but I am confident that throughout 2024 we will pivot some of our initiatives to include more focus on the individual breweries and the beer enthusiasts that make up our community.