Portrait of a Brewer: Anthony Chen, AleSmith Brewing

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…

Anthony Chen

of AleSmith Brewing

What is your current title? 

Head Brewer, Brewer & Cellar Manager

Where did you grow up? 

San Gabriel Valley – Los Angeles

What brought you to San Diego? 

I studied at and graduated from UC San Diego.

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

Taiwan Beer from my grandfather

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

AleSmith had a release party in 2007 for Evil Dead Red Ale. It wasn’t like any other beer I’d had before. I realized how good beer could taste and all the complexities of flavor you can get from beer.

What led you to consider a career in brewing? 

I was tasked to report about a specific culture of a city for a cultural anthropology project in college and I ended up choosing to focus on San Diego’s craft-beer culture. I learned a lot and became very interested in the industry.

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

AleSmith Brewing was the first place I was interested in working at and applied to. I have been with them ever since.

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

I started out as an intern at AleSmith, then worked up to my current position. It’s been quite an experience–being with the company back when we were just seven people to now over 50 and still growing.

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

Peter Zien and Ryan Crisp have been critical to my growth at AleSmith. Peter gave me the initial opportunity to be part of the AleSmith family and he was the one that got me involved in the Beer Judge Certification Program. His continuous encouragement is probably the main reason I’m currently in this industry. Ryan was–and still is–a huge support for me, providing me with high-level training, teaching me what it means to be a professional, and always pushing me to be better.

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

What you put in is what you get.

What ultimate career goal would you like to achieve? 

I wouldn’t quite say this is the ultimate goal, since I always believe in a path forward and ultimate would mean an end to a path, but I would love the opportunity to study at an internationally renowned brewing university.

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

I highly enjoyed brewing Hi Hoaloha. It is an American pale ale brewed with Koshihikari rice (cereal-mashed) with Galaxy hops. Getting the cereal mash to work with our brewing system was a challenge I enjoyed solving, not to mention it tastes great!

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

I distinctly remember a Flanders red ale experiment I homebrewed with dregs from another craft brewery which ended up tasting awful. I learned my lesson not to propagate from dregs again.

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

Favorites: Chinook, Huell Melon, Nelson Sauvin. There’s a home for every hop in the different beer styles that exist.

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

I would probably be a farmer. I would be able to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of my physical labor.

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? 

The people that provide good marketing of the product are super important. Building brand exposure while educating the market is key.

What is your favorite beer style? 

For a while now, it’s been barleywine.

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

None, if a certain beer style helped someone appreciate beer, I can respect it.

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

I’ve always respected Firestone Walker. They seem true to their roots and processes while constantly innovating even as the bigger brand that they are.

What is your favorite San Diego County brewing company (yes, you have to choose one)? 

Um, AleSmith Brewing.

What is your favorite brewing company outside of San Diego? 

Current favorite: North Coast Brewing.

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

Brouwerij de Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren, Samuel Smith Old Brewery, D.G. Yuengling & Son.

What are your favorite local beer events? 

San Diego Beer Week events that involve beer pairings and take-home-the-glass specials.

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

New Zealand

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

Classic hip-hop, classic rock and Taylor Swift

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

No wasted steps

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

Hang out at the dog park

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

O’Brien’s Pub

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

Pilsner Urquell and dark chocolate chips

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? 

A liter of Hofbrau Oktoberfest and lamb leg for appetizer, half order of a Rigoberto’s carne asada fries with a pint of AleSmith IPA for the main course, Adnam’s Tally-Ho and Neapolitan ice cream sandwich for dessert, and a Mickey’s Malt Liquor for post-dinner. This would be with my family.

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

A blip in history