Sam Hendler, Steve Hindy, Annette May, Karl Ockert and Ramon Tamayo receive honors
Boulder, Colorado. – The Brewers Association (BA) – the nonprofit trade association dedicated to small, independent American craft brewers – announced the winners of its 2022 Industry Awards this week. Five members of the brewing community were recognized and awarded for their dedication and service during the Craft Brewers Conference® in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Brewers Association recognizes people who have inspired, championed and innovated within the craft brewing industry since 1987. New this year was the addition of the Mentor of the Year award to recognize volunteers who have provided exceptional guidance throughout the Brewers Association’s youth mentorship program and championed those who face barriers to access and advancement in their career paths.
The winners were nominated by their peers and determined by vote of committees made up of members of the Brewers Association Board of Directors or past winners.
“Whether inspiring and mentoring future leaders, pushing the boundaries of brewing innovation, or protecting the rights of craft brewers, this year’s winners have had immeasurable positive impacts on the community. craft beer. We are grateful for their contributions to the advancement of craft brewing and the examples they have set for others to emulate,” said Bob Pease, President and CEO of the Brewers Association.
2022 Industry Awards Winners
FX Matt Defense Industry Award
Sam Hendler, co-founder of Jack’s Abby and president of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild (Framingham, MA)
This award is named after the late FX Matt of FX Matt Brewing Co. and is given to an individual or company for their contributions and efforts in championing the small brewing industry.
Since taking over as president of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild (MBG) in 2020, Sam Hendler, co-founder of Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, has been a force in advocating for the craft beer industry.
A master at building and nurturing key relationships, Sam successfully negotiated one of the most progressive franchise law changes to date, ending a 10-year battle with distributors. of Massachusetts beer.
During the pandemic, Sam was in constant communication with the Governor’s office, the Liquor Control Board, the Brewers Association and the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, advocating for the brewing industry while helping translate regulations to guide and reassure the community. brewing. Sam is the kind of person who always says “yes” when it comes to championing the industry. He is respected by his peers and is generous with the sharing of resources and knowledge. Sam’s contributions to breweries in Massachusetts and the rest of the country are immeasurable.
Brewers Association Recognition Award
Steve Hindy, Founder, Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)
This award is presented annually to an individual or company whose inspiration, enthusiasm and support has contributed to the craft brewing movement.
In 1984, Associated Press foreign correspondent Steve Hindy returned to Brooklyn from the Middle East, where he discovered homebrewing. A few years later, Steve convinced his neighbor and homebrew partner Tom Potter to quit his steady job at a bank and join him in starting a brewery. Tom agreed and they delivered their first batch of Brooklyn Lager to Teddy’s in Williamsburg. The bottle bore a logo designed by the legendary Milton Glaser.
Fortunately, Steve and Tom pulled it off and today their dream is seen in over 30 countries on five continents, wherever Brooklyn Brewery beers are sold. Steve is the author of “The Craft Beer Revolution” and co-author of “BEER SCHOOL” with Tom Potter. In 2020, Steve was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Entrepreneurship at Cornell.
Steve has also been dedicated to the growth of the brewing industry as Chairman of the Brewers Association Board of Directors, founder of the Association’s Market Development Committee and longtime Chairman of the Relations Committee. and marketing, including the development of the independent craft brewer seal. .
Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Craft Brewing
Karl Ockert, Karl Ockert Brewing Services
This award is presented in honor of Russell Schehrer of Wynkoop Brewing Company to an individual or company for their innovative contributions to the brewing industry.
Karl Ockert entered the world of brewing and began his nearly four-decade career when Dick and Nancy Ponzi needed a brewer to help design, build and run their new microbrewery which opened in 1984. Hired as the first head brewer for what was then known as Columbia River Brewery, Ockert used his fermentation science degree from UC Davis to brew in the pioneering brewery in Oregon. The brewery later became known as BridgePort Brewing, where he worked until 1990 before taking a position with Anheuser-Busch in Newark, NJ.
Returning to BridgePort in 1996, Ockert helped make it one of America’s premier breweries. He remained at BridgePort until 2010, when he left to work as a craft brewery consultant and take on the role of technical director at the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. In 2015, Karl returned to brewing, joining Deschutes Brewery as Director of Brewery Operations.
Today, thanks to his experience, his talent for collaboration and teamwork, as well as his vast network of fellow brewers and industry veterans, Karl helps his customers, big and small, to achieve their goals through his business, Karl Ockert Brewing Services, LLC.
Brewers Association Mentor of the Year Award
Annette May and Ramon Tamayo
The Brewers Association’s efforts to foster equity in the craft brewing community through its mentorship program has connected dozens of mentors over 15 months with entrepreneurs, professionals seeking to develop their knowledge and their skills, and those looking to break into the craft brewing industry for the first time. .
As the program enters its second year, this new award recognizes a volunteer mentor for outstanding mentorship of program participants and for demonstrating extraordinary commitment to advocating for those who face barriers to access and advancement. in their professional career.
Annette May is a founding faculty member of Schoolcraft College’s Brewing and Distilling Technology program and the first woman to earn Cicerone® certification. Annette continues to be a mentor in the program and provides mentorship in serving and tasting Beer and Craft Beer 101 for budding and advancing professionals.
Ramon Tamayo, Director of Brewing for Magnolia Brewing Co., continues to mentor the third cohort by providing technical brewing and brewery safety mentorship to participants at all stages of career development.
The Brewers Association recently announced the selection of the third cohort of the mentorship program; with 34 participants, it is the largest cohort to date. Learn more about the Brewers Association Mentorship Program or apply to participate as a mentor or mentee.
In addition to individual industry awards, the Brewers Association also organizes two prestigious national and international professional brewing competitions – the Great American Oktoberfest and beer world cup®.
For more information on previous winners and nomination information for the 2023 awards, please visit here.
Contact: Meg Weldon (on behalf of the Brewers Association), 970-963-4873 x212
About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the nonprofit trade association dedicated to America’s small, independent brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents more than 5,600 American breweries. The BA Independent Craft Brewer Seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers from small independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including the beer world cup®, Great American Oktoberfest®, Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, FLAVOR™: An American Craft Beer and Dining Experience, Homebrew Con™, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The new brewer® magazines, and Brewers publications® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the United States. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the vibrant world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com® and on homebrewing via BAs American Homebrew Association® and free Brewing Guru® mobile app. follow us on Facebook, Twitter and instagram.
The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, orientation or marital/family status. The BA complies with the provisions of Executive Order 13672 and relevant rules, regulations and orders of the Secretary of Labor.
