My Thoughts on Sam Calagione
I watched Beer Wars this weekend. All in all I see it is a good look at the brewing industry through sensationalist glasses ala Micheal Moore. The one story arc that stood out for me was the discussions with Sam Calagione of Dog Fish Head.
Full disclosure: I always thought this guy seemed kinda of like a jerk. Like he was bigger than the beer he was brewing.
I don’t think I could have been any more wrong based upon the picture painted in the documentary. You could tell that he has a true passion for the beers that he brews as well as, and this is more important in my book, the people that help him deliver on his dream.
INC. has published a good story on Sam this month in its magazine, printer friendly version below.
The Way I Work: Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione
Yeah I’m always up in the air on Dogfish Head and Calagione. I respect what they’re trying to do, but I just never like the beer that much (outside 60 and 90 minute). Like I just had Aprihop last night and ok fine, good idea, but I’ll never have another. I have a Red & White in the cellar, but I’m not sure if I’m excited.
All that said there ws a great article in The New Yorker last fall. Definatly the guy throws his heart and soul into the beer.
Well, I sent him a note today basically saying that I was wrong about him and that I appreciated his beers and his passion. He replied today with:
Maps props on taking the time to reply to what was probably a fairly common note that he gets. That goes along way with me.