Each week we get to know someone better who is working in the B.C. craft beer industry.
1. Who are you?
Nice to meet you, my name is Amy, 이소윤. I’m a full-time beer drinker (Normally 5 days a week, willing to drink overtime) Finding good beer and new breweries are my lifelong projects.
I’ve always dreamed of working and living abroad (I'm originally from Korea), and so I took this chance to experience it in a beautiful country. I could venture to hike mountains, skinny dip in the lakes and greet wild animals. Needless to say, I fell in love with Canada, the nature, culture and people. I experienced a whole new level of calmness and happiness. Can’t wait for my next adventure coming up!
2. What do you do?
I am currently working at Strange Fellows Brewing as an assistant manager. I used to have a 9-5 office job for a luxury cosmetic brand and worked for a boss like the one in the movie “The Devil Wears Prada”. This was even scarier in real life! During this time, I was wrapped up in the craft beer craze. Trying new brews, dragging friends to every brewery I could. Everyone I knew kept asking me the same question: “Why aren’t you working in beer?”
I have been working in this industry for over 4 years, but trying new beer and learning more about brewing makes me excited. It just never gets old!
3. What is your biggest pet peeve about the industry?
I think we need more diversity in the craft beer industry. When you go to the liquor store and look on the shelves, you see so many different variations of all types of beer, such as IPA’s stouts and pilsners...When it comes to who is making the product, who’s working at the brewery, and who’s making a decision, it’s kind of homogenous. The good thing is I can see the progress beginning, but there's still a long way to go.
4. What do you love most about working in the industry?
No doubt you've been told at some point that the best thing about craft beer is the people. The beauty of working in the tasting room is you can get paid to talk with people who love the same thing. Also, people who like beer? They are usually super chill, funny and cool. Agree?
5. What is your favourite beer right now?
I love sour beers. They are so unexpected and have many different opportunities in terms of adding fruits, hops, adjuncts and more!
One of my favourite sours is Funk Juice v12, raspberry and boysenberry sour from House of Funk. Sweetness and sourness are so well balanced and it’s as thick as a smoothie. I literally can drink tons of this. Also Lutin, a barrel aged wild saison from Strange Fellows. It’s aged in former white wine barrels with brett and has a dry, tart, lemony, white grape character. It’s a whole new set of flavours!
6. What local charity should we be paying attention to?
I was surprised by rental prices when I first got here and agree with the fact that homelessness and a lack of affordable housing continue to be identified as major concerns by Vancouver residents. I recently had a chance to learn about Covenant House through the Helping Hand project from my work. Covenant House Vancouver provides support, love and hope for Vancouver’s homeless and at-risk street youth.
You can follow Amy on Instagram at @myamy27