Meet Jess,
Seattle Lead and Beer Educator Extraordinaire. Jess has been working with us since October of 2019, and boy do we feel lucky to have her! While the past year and a half have been no walk in the park, Jess has somehow managed to make it feel like one.
The best way to describe Jess’s work ethic may very well be “all hands on deck.” She’s got her hands in a little bit of everything and when she doesn’t understand something, she’s quick to dive in to change that. “It's just always been important to me to understand,” says Jess, “even if I'm not working directly in every aspect of it, [i like to] understand every part– from the front of house to the back of house.”
Jess has worked in the beer industry for 5 years now, getting her start at Reuben’s Brews in Seattle. “It was tough to get into this industry,” notes Jess, “I felt like I had to continuously prove [myself].” Nonetheless, Jess took to this challenge, vigorously immersing herself in all things craft beer while working at Reuben’s. She notes how she would regularly wander to the back to see what the brewers were up to, asking a slew of questions and striking up conversations about the brewing process whenever given the opportunity. “I think it's good to not only know what's going on, but to actively try and participate in it” says Jess.
This eagerness and determination to learn the ins and outs of craft beer is what propelled Jess into the idea of Beer Education, something that became an important part of her role at Reuben’s. During her time there, Jess built and ran Reuben’s beer education program alongside another coworker, Shawna Cormier. Together the two worked to teach classes and host pairing events for companies and private parties on behalf of Reuben’s.
Shawna, a home brewer and Certified Cicerone, encouraged and inspired Jess to grow her knowledge in all things beer– eventually convincing Jess to also become a Certified Cicerone and to complete the Beer Judge Certification Program so that she could judge at home brew competitions. The two became fast friends, unified by their love for local craft beer.
Prior to meeting Jess, Shawna started what is now known as the Seattle Beer School (SBS)– a beer education and events company. It wasn’t long before Jess became involved in that too, helping Shawna host and teach at events across Seattle and online. The pair have now taught and hosted upwards of 25 events for the Seattle Beer School, while simultaneously co-hosting a podcast called Cheers to Beers.
“My whole life is based around beer” laughs Jess.
Jess’s knowledge on all things beer is nothing short of impressive, and if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to attend one of her classes, we couldn’t recommend it more. She’s incredibly well-versed and well-educated on the world of beer, making for an exceptionally fun educational experience. Her and Shawna also do a wonderful job at creating an inclusive space in which they hope folks of all backgrounds feel welcome.
Be on the lookout for more events run by Jess, such as the Fremont Dungeness Fest down in Seattle on July 10th. And if you can’t make that, be sure to stop by the taproom to pay her a visit! She’d love to answer any questions you have about our beer or suggest delicious food pairing options for your favorite to-go beers.
