Portrait of a Brewer: Andrew Schwartz, Modern Times Beer

There are hundreds of hard-working brewing professionals giving their all to help maintain the storied reputation San Diego’s brewing scene has earned over the past several decades. Some have risen to great fame among industry pros and craft-beer enthusiasts. Some ply their trade in obscurity (and are more than happy to do so). Some are Instagram famous, trendsetters with cult followings that would rival social-media influencers. And while they share plenty of similarities, each is their own unique person with their own likes, dislikes, methods, techniques, inspirations, interests and philosophies. The goal of San Diego Beer News‘ Portrait of a Brewer series is to not only introduce you to local brewers, but to have some fun delving into the aforementioned areas so you can get to know them a little better and appreciate them and their contributions to the county’s standout brewing culture. All that plus stellar portraits from brewery lifestyle photographer extraordinaire Matt Furman.

Today’s featured brewer is…

Andrew Schwartz

of Modern Times Beer

What is your current title?

Innovation and Product Development Manager at Modern Times Beer!

Where did you grow up?

Syracuse, New York.It’s upstate!

What brought you to San Diego?

The illustrious and exciting Modern Times Beer job posting.

What was the first beer and/or alcoholic beverage you ever had?

Most likely a taste of Labatt Blue, maybe while watching a Buffalo Sabres game.

What was your a-ha moment that turned you on to craft beer?

The extremely bitter taste (or my perception at the time) of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

What led you to consider a career in brewing?

Reading about saison in Belgium. The marriage of wild harvested yeast and bacteria with historical brewing traditions; a dichotomy of control and abandon.

Where did you first apply for a brewing job and where did you get your first brewing/brewery position?

I first applied to work as a pub brewer in a small joint in Syracuse. We had a very idiosyncratic brewing process that I’m unsure anyone uses to this day, and for good reason.

What breweries have you worked for over your career and in what roles?

I worked for this place in Syracuse as a brewer, then I went to Ithaca Beer in Ithaca, New York. I started in the lab and eventually became a production brewer.

Who have been the individuals that have helped you the most to learn and advance in your career, and how?

I could easily list a page of folks that have helped, inspired and made brewing special for me. To name a couple folks, I would start with Mat Sandoval, Kelly Frolich and Tim Kamolz, the folks I work with every day who continually push and guide me. There’s also Averie Swanson of Keeping Together who taught me to appreciate the science of beer while still making wild things, and Bob Kunz of Highland Park Brewery has always pushed the boundaries of his beer and is always willing to chat and listen about any topic.

What singular piece of advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a professional brewer?

Take joy in your craft and read…a lot!

What ultimate career goal would you like to achieve?

I would like to brew four seasonal beers yearly. And I would like to drink those beers with friends. And like the seasons, we revisit those beers together, and our lives together. But like the years, the beers slowly drift together and apart, not unlike our friendships.

What is your favorite beer you’ve ever brewed, be it on a professional or amateur level?

I brewed a sour beer with spelt, oats…ya’ know, the works. And I let it sit in my cool garage in New York for five months. In the spring, I added cherries to the keg. In the summer, I kegged the beer off and left it for my friends as I moved to San Diego. In the fall, they were married and they drank this beer.

What is your least-favorite beer you’ve ever brewed on any level?

My first professional job, I was getting paid to do this job, and my boss at the time added a whole pumpkin pie to a keg of beer. That wasn’t really something I found enjoyable.

What are your favorite and least-favorite hop varietals at present?

Favorite has to be Strata with its wafting weed aromatics and stone-fruit flavor. Or maybe Simcoe, the old classic. The least favorite, the least favorite…

If you weren’t a brewer, what do you think you would do for a living?

Working on a recipe for lightly alcoholic herby fruit fizzes. Or reading books somehow.

In your opinion, what non-brewing position is of great importance at a craft-beer company but often gets overlooked or less credit than those making the beer?

Of course, everyone in production is so important to the final product. The beer really is better when the team is tight, happy and on the same page. I think any position can be overlooked and probably is most of the time, but those that are excited and appreciative of the work that goes into these beers, those are the diamonds.

What is your favorite beer style?

My favorite style is saison in that it can be truly representative of place, of brewer and of moment.

If you could wipe one style of beer off the face of the Earth, what would it be?

But what is style, really? The one style I’d wipe off Earth is corporate greed and the human urge to consume, consume, consume to no end.

What single brewing company’s beers and/or ethos/style has been most influential on your style?

Allagash seems to do things right.

What is your favorite San Diego County brewing company?

North Park, dude! Although I spend the most time at Fall.

What is your favorite brewing company outside of San Diego?

Highland Park Brewery in LA

What three breweries that you haven’t yet visited—local or elsewhere—are on your current must-see bucket list?

Allagash Brewing, Oxbow Brewing and Sacred Profane Brewing

What are your favorite local beer events?

I really miss the Festival of Funk. Currently, the Mostra Anniversary and Collabapalooza.

If you were to leave San Diego, where would be the next-best place you’d want to brew?

Somewhere in Mexico would be alright. Maybe Portugal, Japan or Slovenia?

Which musical genre or artists are on your brew-day soundtrack/playlist?

Corona, La Bouche, Obi Onyioha, Night Ranger, Steely Dan, Tirzah

What motto rules the way you brew and approach brewing in a professional brewhouse?

What is the point of this beer?

When you’re not at work, what do you like to do for fun?

I like to ride my bike, stop by some local places, pick up some beers or maybe a wine, ride a little further, have a sip, read a book, watch the sunset and make some dinner.

Where do you like to drink off-the-clock?

Whistle Stop

What is your favorite beer-and-food pairing of all time?

Modern Times Celestial City with a bit of old Parmesan.

If you could somehow plan your last beer dinner before dying, what would you drink and eat, and who would you invite to join you?

I would hope I could organize a small and intimate feast where we had fresh fruits, lots of fresh vegetables, a little cheese and a little nice crusty bread. Won’t you join me?

Who do you think you are (a purposely broad question)?

I think I am a person who is answering purposely broad questions! But when I think about that, it seems to change, dissolve into someone who is enjoying a beer and needs to remember to enjoy things more frequently. Cheers!

If you’re a brewer at a San Diego brewing company and would like to be featured in our Portrait of a Brewer series, drop us a line at [email protected].