Gene Fielden

A native of Berkeley, California, Gene Fielden lived for stints in Washington, DC, Leipzig, Budapest and Boston before settling in San Diego. As the buyer and manager at Bottlecraft North Park, he curates an unparalleled selection of beers, wines, ciders, meads and spirits from around the world. He is the head of staff education for the firm, charged with grounding all employees in the fundamentals of beer styles, their historical resonances and modern-day incarnations, and also leads monthly beer-and-cheese classes in conjunction with storefront partners Venissimo Cheese. He views one important aspect of his position as that of being a “matchmaker”, finding the right beer for each person, regardless of whether they have heard of it before stepping into the shop. He has written a weekly column for San Diego Beer News since its debut in August 2020 and has made media appearances care of several beer-focused podcasts.

Neighborhood: University Heights

Family: Longtime partner Taylor 

Favorite Beer Style(s): Lagers, West Coast IPAs, true lambics and smoked beers!

Favorite Local Beer Events: Modern Times Beer’s Festival of Funk, Burgeon Beer Co. anniversaries and any occasion at North Park Beer Co.

Craft Beer A-ha Moment: My very first beer was a Duvel sipped out of my father’s glass in the warren of pedestrianized streets near the Groote Markt in Brussels. It arguably set me on my current path!