Brew Some Good Vibes
MAGGIE FORREST ON THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR OF BEING A CRAFT BREWER
Art by Alyssa Doust
In middle school, each month a professional in some field would come in and talk to the class about their career. I didn’t pay much attention because I didn’t want to be a firefighter or a nurse or a carnival barker (because I already was a clown!!) . But one month, a baker came in. She talked about how there was a connection between the treats she made and how it brings people together. The importance of choosing the right ingredients and marrying them in holy matrimony in one delicious bite was euphoric. She put her whole heart into the DLTs (delicious little treats) and the joy it brought to others was an addiction. After that I was set: I wanted to be a baker.
In high school, a local bakery opened up. I figured this was my time-a to shine-a. At first, it was amazing. I put my whole doink into it. I loved baking cakes for 86th birthday parties and dog weddings (no cap!). People would tell me that they’d never had a better scone!
I was a star baby!! I was drunk off the love of a town where the average age is 55.9. I loved being a part of people’s lives in a weird ghost-like way. But as the years went on, I started to lose the lovin’ feeling. It started to feel like a job rather than a passion, and seemed like I was only doing a service.
At the ripe age of 21, I retired from the baking world. The glitz and the glamor hit a curb like someone texting and driving with a hot mocha latte in-hand. I was pursuing an agriculture degree for some reason. What on this goody green earth am I gonna do with that?! Then one silly semester, I took a brewing class with Cheryl Parker and I was hooked like a wiggly worm. It felt like a new medium I’d never considered. Baking with liquid? Uh, yes please!
A couple years later and I’ve had a few different jobs within the beer industry, and I can speak with great gushy love that it’s where I belong. There are many reasons why I love it, so I’ll start rambling and you’ll start listening. Blam-o!
First off, I’ve never felt more connected to where I live and my community. It’s not a wrestling match for who makes the best beer; rather, it’s a collaborative experience with like-minded people. Many of the breweries along the Seacoast specialize in different styles and techniques and none of them are hard-fast secrets. I’ve asked brewers about their process and they tell me in detail their reasoning behind how and why. Everyone is excited about their passion and strives for people just starting out to succeed.
Piggy backing off that, community support for breweries is awesome. Working in an establishment with committed regulars brings warmth to my soul. We’re a part of someone’s routine, just the same as grocery shopping or doing laundry. Little vignettes happen all around us all the time.
Seeing beer that I or my friends made at restaurants has been craaaazy! People in the Seacoast that I don’t even know are drinking something I had a part in making. It’s just pretty cool!
Another bitchin’ reason why the industry is so cool is that it melds together different mediums. I’ve been fortunate enough to brew my own recipe and have a friend do the label art. It means the moon and the stars to me that I’m able to share a space within my job with my creative friends.
Bringing it home, breweries act as a space to host events that bring the whole town and their mothers in for a party. Musicians play little ditties on warm summer nights, local artists are able to display their pieces, and sometimes we can even host a bumping magazine release party B-)
I’ve realized that I strive for a means of stability within my profession. The intricacies of balance between hard work and listening to your heart is difficult as all hell. It’s douchey and cliche, but actually believing you can do something and setting out to achieve those goals leads to incredible things and makes your life abundantly more enjoyable. I am ever more grateful for the people who have given me an opportunity to explore new creative ventures, and I’m stoked for this journey into the brewing abyss. Drink a beer, love your friends, and fuckin’ party man.
“If you work really hard, and you’re kind, amazing things will happen. I’m telling you, amazing things will happen” - Conan O’Brien