Portrait of a Brewer: Lexi Russell Martin, Duck Foot 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…

Lexi Russell Martin

of Duck Foot Brewing

What is your current title?

Brewer at Duck Foot Brewing

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Billings, Montana, but have spent most of my years here in San Diego. 

What brought you to San Diego?

My parents moved our family here from Montana for my dad’s work, back then he was a self-employed contractor who did very custom projects mostly in LA and Orange County. He’s happily retired now. 

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

My dad let me try a sip of his MGD when I was a kid. I hated it, obviously. 

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

I most remember having a Karl Strauss Mosaic Session IPA and thinking, “Wow, this is really good…I wonder what else is out there that isn’t Natty Light…”

What led you to consider a career in brewing?

I had several life-altering events happen in quick succession back in 2017, and I decided that I needed to change what I was doing. I sat with myself for a while and decided that I’d like to pursue a career in beer production. With no background in beer, but a great knowledge of chemistry (from a degree I pursued in college that I’ve still yet to finish), a background in customer service and a great love for drinking beer, it seemed a pretty logical choice for me, and the transition was quite smooth. 

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

Honestly, I never officially “applied” for this position. I entered the beer industry with the end goal of working in production. Once I got my foot in the door as a bartender at Duck Foot, I began to pester co-owner Brett Goldstock about letting me learn to wash kegs. After almost a year of incessant asking, I was taught to wash kegs and soon made my way into the cellar full-time. The rest is history as I’ve learned each role and moved up the ranks at Duck Foot year over year. 

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

I was a hostess and then server and event ambassador at Karl Strauss Brewing, and then moved over to Duck Foot Brewing where I’ve been a bartender, cellarperson, assistant brewer, and, now, brewer. 

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

Matt Akin has been the number-one person that helped me advance my knowledge and brewing skills. He is an incredibly talented, compassionate, brilliant and legendary brewer, and I am honored to work with him each and every day. The other huge influence I’ve had is all of the incredible women of the Pink Boots Society. I’ve had some priceless opportunities and have learned so much through being a part of this wonderful organization. From Hop & Brew School in Yakima to our monthly local educational meetings, I truly owe my success in the industry to the Pink Boots Society and all of its members.

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

Make sure your core and back are strong! Brewing requires lots of heavy lifting, and keeping yourself in shape throughout your career will greatly reduce your chances of getting injured. 

What ultimate career goal would you like to achieve?

My long-term career goal is to become a Master Brewer and a Master Cicerone. Someday, my husband and I want to open up a baseball-themed taproom together. 

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

My favorite beer that I’ve ever brewed is probably the Turn of Darkness imperial stout at Duck Foot. We brew it going into wintertime each year and, once it’s ready, it’s about all I drink all season. I can take no credit for the recipe, but I do brew it. 

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

We used to have a hazy IPA (which will remain unnamed here) that reminded me of drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth. It was a bestseller somehow, but luckily for me, we don’t make that beer anymore. 

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

At present, Strata is my favorite hop to work with. We just made a single-hop Strata IPA and it is phenomenal and unique. When I’m not drinking Turn of Darkness, you’ll catch me drinking that. 

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

Well, I left the SCUBA industry to come over to beer, so I think if I wasn’t here, I’d probably still be doing that. It was definitely a unique profession and a lot of fun. 

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?

I think one of the most underappreciated roles in the beer world is cellarperson. Without cellarpeople CIPing tanks, packaging beer and doing all the other miscellaneous things, brewers would be totally hosed (pun intended). Cellarpeople end up doing a lot of the grunt work that make a brewery function and they need to be celebrated. 

What is your favorite beer style?

Hands down, my favorite beer style is West Coast IPA. Of course, there are tons of styles that I love very much (hello, saison), but no matter what time of the year it is, what I’m doing, or who I’m with, if I’m handed a well-made West Coast, I’m happy about it. 

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

Smoothie IPA or milkshake IPA. I know they’re really trendy right now, but I quite enjoy drinking my beer without having to chew on it. 😉

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

Honestly, I don’t think I really have a personal style yet. I don’t usually get the opportunity to collaborate on our recipes very often as we are currently pumping beer out as fast as we can make it. On that note, I would have to say that my dream brewery would be sustainability-focused, with organic and ethically sourced ingredients, and donate to as many charitable causes as possible. In that way, I think that Pure Project has been an example for me of pursuing that business model. 

What is your favorite San Diego County brewing company?

Can I choose my own?! Okay, fine…other than the obvious, I think that Societe is my favorite brewery in San Diego. The bartending staff there is unparalleled, their beer never disappoints and it gets bonus points for being very near to my house. 

What is your favorite brewing company outside of San Diego?

Goldwater Brewing in Scottsdale, Arizona is probably my favorite brewery outside of San Diego. My husband and I used to frequent it when he was there for business trips and we always had a great time there. The beer is good and the location is beautiful. One of their tasting rooms also happens to be right down the street from the San Francisco Giants’ spring training fields. 

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

I would love to visit Mallersdorf Abbey in Germany and meet Sister Doris, the last beer-brewing nun. Someday I definitely have to visit Cantillon…and maybe we’ll throw in Guiness just because I’ve heard that the tour is rad. The truth is there are so many places I want to visit that I have no idea where to begin. 

What are your favorite local beer events?

As far as festivals go, I’m a big fan of Collabapalooza. I love seeing so many local brewers bonding with each other and making good beer together. As far as other events, Pink Boots San Diego put on an arm-wrestling tournament during Beer Week a few years ago. Everyone had a unique persona (think Lucha Libre) and battled it out on stage for a championship belt. The proceeds went to Pink Boots, which funds educational scholarships for women in the industry, so it was a win-win. 

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

If I had to move out of San Diego, I’d move somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. If I was to continue brewing up there, I’d want to be somewhere with a decent community in place already…I’m thinking maybe Portland or Bend. Trees and snow make me happy. 

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

I have a tendency to put on early 2000s Alternative music or ‘90s rap. My internal emo teenager self tends to come out when I’m given control of the music. Although we always do Funky Fridays in the brewery before the bar opens. 

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

Check, double check, and check again. It is so easy to make a devastating mistake in beer production. Even the most seasoned brewers have opened the wrong butterfly valve at some point in their careers. I try to take the extra second to double-check what I’m doing before I turn anything on. 

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

My husband and I are baseball fanatics and adrenaline junkies. We play beer-league softball or co-ed soccer almost every night of the week. We travel as much as physically and financially possible, and enjoy hiking, biking, diving and anything else that has a hint of danger involved. In our other free time, we are usually hanging with our three dogs–Winston, Bailey and Owen–and their leader, King Charles the cat.

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

There is a family-owned restaurant near our house that has incredible food and a phenomenal rotating beer list. We are there every Sunday night with our neighbors for dinner. Otherwise, I’m probably drinking from my kegerator at our house. 

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

I’m a sucker for dark chocolate and cheese. One time I had a tiramisu paired with a chocolate-forward stout and I could’ve died happily right there. 

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 think this is the most difficult question yet. I’m a big foodie so it’s hard to decide. There would definitely have to be Bavarian pretzels involved and lots of stone-ground mustard. As long as the food and beer keeps flowing, I don’t really care what’s on the table. I’d invite all my closest friends and family, my DF fam, and, honestly, anyone that was interested in coming. Death is supposed to be a party, right? 

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

I am an ally, a fierce feminist and an animal-lover. I am a wife, a dog mom and a sister. I am an environmentalist, an empath and a strong, independent woman. Words can’t really define people…I think you have to experience someone in-person to really get a feel for who they are. I try to be the best person I can be each and every day, both for myself and those around me.

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].