Portrait of a Brewer: Rob Wyngard, 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…

Rob Wyngard

of Modern Times Beer

What is your current title? 

Production Manager for Modern Times San Diego

Where did you grow up? 

All over. I was born in San Luis Obispo, moved to Albuquerque, then middle of nowhere South Carolina, then the suburbs of Chicago before moving to San Diego. What can I say? My dad didn’t like bosses.

What brought you to San Diego? 

College. I Went to Point Loma Nazarene University.

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

Jungle Juice! My brother is eight years older than me, so on his 21st birthday 13-year-old me got smashed on whatever bottles they had in the apartment poured into a giant bowl.

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

Buying a six-pack of Stone Pale Ale at the 7/11 on Voltaire and Catalina in 2001-ish. I’d had Sierra Nevada before and imports were all the rage, so I considered my 21-year-old self an aficionado. I must have been feeling flush because normally at that time it was quantity-over-quality, but it was unlike anything I’d ever tasted. After that it was Belgians.

What led you to consider a career in brewing? 

I started out running restaurants. I fell in love with wine and tried my hand at making wine. I struggled for years to find a foothold and get going, but never quite gelled, and after six years of trying to find full-time work, I needed to pivot. I figured I had some skills in working with chemicals and pumps. I knew about fermentation and had home-brewed, so figured I’d give it a shot. I instantly felt at home in the brewery in a way I’d never felt in the wine world. I found opportunity and support in what felt like a community, and community is very important to me.

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

I started at a small brewery in Orcutt, California, called Naugty Oak. Steve Kitts and his partner Emily are super-welcoming people that taught me so much. I learned to brew with Steve, worked on recipes, learned about yeast with Emily. It’s a small manual brewhouse, so you have to do everything, which is a great way to learn. I had worked with barrels in the wine world, so I brought experience and technique with those tools. If you’re ever in California’s Central Coast, stop in and check it out. I’m a big fan of their Mango Blonde and their Red Mexican Lager.

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

Naughty Oak: Assistant Brewer, Stone Brewing: Brewer, Modern Times: Cellar Manager and, now, Production Manager

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

There are so many individuals, but I don’t have a single brewer that was my “inspiration”. I had careers and mentors in previous careers, so I was looking for different inspirations in the beer world. In terms of technical skills, Steve Kitts at Naughty Oak really was the fundamentals. At Stone, I really benefited from working with Laura Ulrich, Cecil Menasco and Rich Carney. Ethan Spiro was my supervisor there and he did a great job of showing me you could work in a production environment, have fun and still get a lot done. Here at Modern Times, I work really closely with everyone, but I’d say Kelly Frolich has pushed me to be a more empathetic and better human, and Rachel Hotchko has driven me to think of brewing as my career and to gain professional skills versus just focusing on technical brewing skills. Tim, Andrew and Mat also get a shout out since they’re my bosses and I like my job.

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

Really ask what you want out of the thing. I have a passion for people and a passion for making. I experience culture and learn about history through food and drink. I have a high threshold for loud, wet, hot, repetitive work. All of this makes it a great career for me. If you’re in this for glory or cash, you’ve made a mistake. It’s long hours and a constant pursuit of improvement. There’s a push and pull between maintaining quality and being a business. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if camaraderie, collaboration and constant learning are your jam, then go from there.

What ultimate career goal would you like to achieve? 

I want to teach as many brewers as I can. I want to help further the industry in the direction of equality and inclusion as well as professionalism and personal development. I want to foster environments where discussions are valued and decisions are made collaboratively. Our industry has learned how to make a great product. Now we need to focus on being a great industry to work in. I want to contribute to that.

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

Naughty Oak Humulomungus rotating hop series IPA. It was my introduction to the Kiwi hops and a perfect example of how restraint can still create incredible aroma and flavor.

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

We did some IPAs at Stone right before I left that tasted great but were such a pain to make. I had to empty a tank after transferring to Brite and it took me almost three-and-a-half hours to get all the hop material out of the vessel. 

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

At Modern Times we work with a lot of fruit-forward hop varieties, and I enjoy those, but these days when I’m done with work I want a super-clean lager, so I’m on a real Noble hop kick. I feel like workhorses always get overlooked because they’re dependable, but when you get a Hallertau or a Saaz bag that’s on-point you realize why people added this into their drink in the first place. I’ll throw Talus under the bus for least favorite, but honestly that’s just because I don’t like coconut and I always seem to get that with Talus.

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

I was into outdoor adventure guiding in college and I loved that. There was a teaching element and a technical element as well as the human touch. I’d enjoy doing that again. After I lose 20 pounds, of course.

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? 

Depends on how your teams are organized, but if you consider your packaging team outside of “making beer” then you need to get your head right. Packaging is way undervalued. A good packaging operator makes the ship run smoothly. It’s highly technical and the last position to ensure your product is right, but for some reason, all too often the industry treats it like “less than”. That’s just not true. If you’re talking about a legit carpet-walking position, procurement never gets noticed until you’re out. No one says thanks for ordering but as soon as you’re missing hops then they’re trying to ruin your life. In the last two years that position has been brutal and I admire every person working to keep the raw materials flowing. Shout out to Abigail at Modern Times.

What is your favorite beer style? 

Czech lager

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

Milkshake IPAs. They deserve all the hatred they’ve gotten.

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

I’m a big fan of breweries that do one thing and do it as well as they possibly can. Now I’d never want to work at one as I’m a spaz and would get bored, but I always admire the focus. I think craft has done an amazing job of exploring our creative limits, potentially to the detriment of a focus on quality and consistency, so breweries that focus on those inspire me.

What is your favorite San Diego County brewing company? 

I live pretty close and there’s not a single beer I don’t like from Fall. I don’t know that team at all, but I know their product and it’s spot on.

What is your favorite brewing company outside of San Diego? 

Lots of spots. When I’m visiting my mom in the suburbs outside of Chicago it’s the Oswego Brewing Company. Last time I visited my brother in Tennessee, Smith and Lentz were really good. My buddy Pedro in Charlotte brews at Devil’s Logic. And now that Keith Shaw is in Austin at Fast Friends Beer, that’s my favorite brewery before it’s even open. In the end, my favorite is the one I haven’t tried with the conversation I haven’t yet had.

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

Spencer Brewing at St. Josephs Abbey, Pivovar Broumov in the Czech Republic, and I’ve never been to Maine, so I’ve never seen Allagash. 

What are your favorite local beer events? 

Well it’s been two years since I’ve been to one, but I’d say anything small. I’ve done a lot of beer and wine festivals in my career, and I still can’t figure them out. I’d rather go to a cask-tapping than a thousand-person “you’ll never taste it again” beer festival any day.

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

It would all depend on the opportunity. I don’t have a dream place to live. I love San Diego and don’t intend to leave, but there’s amazing places all over the world, and anywhere there are people there is beer.

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

Runs the gamut. I like to get started with something smooth like some Otis Redding. Once in the rhythm of the day, something I can listen to for a long time, so being a child of the ‘90s, it’s a ‘90s alt mix. I like to set Spotify to Foo Fighters radio and let it do its thing. To wrap the day, when I’m tired and done with everyone, it’s usually bluegrass or folk. If I’m feeling political, Woody Guthrie. Also podcasts…so so many podcasts.

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

I started in restaurants so the idea of mise en place has always been a part of my approach. Be prepared, be organized, work clean, clean as you go, all of these things are important for a successful brew day. And for the love of God, document everything.

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

I cook, I woodwork, I camp with my kid.

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

Lancer’s in University Heights is my corner bar. Plus, their pool tables are level and clean and the beer bottle list is good. 

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

Whatever local sausage with whatever local lager. It’s everywhere in the world. It’s best from a stall with plastic chairs, and it’s always filling and refreshing, especially after a long travel day.

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? 

So I bartended my own wedding reception and I did it for a very specific reason. I could stand at the bar and talk all night with all my family and friends. Everyone had to come to me to get a drink and everyone drank plenty. I got to see everyone and not “do the rounds”. We had pizza and charcuterie boards. It was simple and the best party I’ve ever thrown. I’d do that party again. Same people, same menu.

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

Just a guy who likes to make things and talk to people. I’m passionate but very content with where life has brought me. I’m excited to see what’s next but not so eager to run headlong at it. I figure life’s going to change no matter what so let it come in its own time. Meanwhile, I’ll just try to do right by the people around me and make something I can be proud of.

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].