AJ, Tour Operations Coordinator
Tell us about yourself!
I’m a Philly-area Homebrewer, Beer Guide, hockey fan, and weather nerd.
Favorite beer(s)?
Plan Bee Pickle, Triple Bottom Pilsadelphia, Frost Beer Works Lush, Mistress Brewing Mistress Daisy
What’s your favorite story from a City Brew Tour?
I once had the same couple on my tour in Boston and in Philly, two weeks apart!
Why do you love being a Beer Guide?
As a former classroom teacher, I love getting to teach people about beer.
If you could have a drink with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Jim Cantore, Wayne Gretzky, and Hans Zimmer, because they’re all experts in things I find fascinating.
What’s an interesting fact about you?
I taught high school band and elementary school general music for 11 years before leaving the classroom.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I’ve homebrewed over 210 batches of beer.
Ethan – Beer Guide
Tell us about yourself!
I’ve been a tour guide for almost two decades, and a beer drinker as long as I could be. When I’m not talking about beer, you can find me narrating sea lion shows at aquariums, lost in a NYC museum, or continuing my mission to taste every pizza slice in New York City (for quality control purposes, naturally). I’m also one of the hosts of The Beervengers podcast, where I go by my alter ego: The Beer Wonder.
Favorite beer(s)?
I love a sessionable IPA for summer days, a maibock with a charcuterie board and brown ale at an outdoor beer garden with friends.
What’s your favorite story from a City Brew Tour?
My very first City Brew Tour was for a couple: he loved beer, she was dubious. We made it our mission to find her a perfect beer. After 12 tastes, she stumbled onto a Gose and fell in love. To this day, I still receive texts with pictures from her whenever she has a beer.
What do you love most about your city’s beer scene?
People oddly underestimate NYC’s beer scene even though, before Prohibition, a heavy percentage of the US’s beer came from Gotham. In my time as a New Yorker, I’ve seen the craft beer scene explode, with all of the City’s boroughs finally represented. We’re small, so walkable brewery crawls are easy. Plus, we’ve got the subways, which means there’s always a ride home.
Why do you love being a Beer Guide?
Beer is meant to be social, so the best part of being a beer guide is the chance to meet people from all over and share a beer with them. I’ve now got drinking buddies across the US and around the world!
What do you wish your city was more well-known for?
The parks. Everyone immediately gravitates towards Central Park, but NYC has hundreds of tiny pocket parks scattered throughout all 5 boroughs. They’re the perfect place to grab a breather in the City That Never Sleeps.
What’s an interesting fact about you?
I once memorized pi to 100 digits for extra credit, and annually do a solemn recitation on March 14.
Anything else you’d like to share?
If you say you don’t like beer, you just haven’t tried enough yet!
Jonathan – Beer Guide
Tell us about yourself!
I am a Cicerone Program Certified Beer Server and have been a tour guide for the
better part of a decade. I have lived in multiple countries (and worked in more), and have used my love for international foods to drive my search for the best flavors in beer. I have a love for history and educating, which is why beer tours are the best. They have everything from tasting, history, and science all encompassed in a fun experience.
Favorite beer(s)?
I will always go for a Saison, but every beer is equal opportunity as long as it has layers of flavor and character.
What’s your favorite story from a City Brew Tour?
Picking one story out of 4 years of tours is the hardest thing to do! However, my favorite experience is to see the shock and awe when people find a beer they absolutely love, even if it is something they would never try on their own.
What do you love most about your city’s beer scene?
The diversity is the best thing about the NYC beer scene. With over 40 breweries, each one is different than the last. They all have their special niche, and quench any thirst you may have.
Why do you love being a Beer Guide?
I love educating, and as a Beer Guide, I get to teach people about history, science, and cuisine all from the lens of beer.
What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?
Honestly, I love food. So my free time usually involves eating or spending time at home with my pets, drinking good beer….and eating.
What’s an interesting fact about you?
I have lived in Hawaii, Mexico, China, multiple states in the US and worked in the Caribbean and even more states.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I have a pet rabbit and he’s a grumpy old man.
Eddie – Beer Guide
Tell us about yourself!
I love the experience of meeting new people from different cultures. The pandemic made me really miss and appreciate how fun it is when people from different cultures merge and mix with the greatest social lubricant, beer.
Favorite beer(s)?
Barrel aged farmhouse, sourdough farmhouse, and BQX Ipa.
What do you love most about your city’s beer scene?
It’s New York, post-pandemic — we are starving for adventure, culture, and fun! The beer scene has been really exciting.
Why do you love being a Beer Guide?
It keeps my social skills sharp, and of course I love beer!
If you were an animal, which animal would you be?
A New York raccoon — a true survivor and they have a mischievous nature that I can relate to.
What’s an interesting fact about you?
I love to do karaoke but I am horrible at it.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I’m a Star Trek nerd, and I love to pair different beers with Star Trek episodes (hint: after the 2nd beer all episodes are good).