Brewers are a diverse bunch. We spend our days talking to as many as we can (in the interest of bringing you the best brewing-related content possible), and despite stereotypes that suggest a monolithic definition of brewer, we can unequivocally state that there is no single trait that defines one.
However, we have found one particular trait to correlate strongly with brewing great beer, and that trait is a risk-taking palate that seeks to taste as much great beer as possible. While it’s certainly possible to brew great beer without tasting much that others brew, more often than not, the brewers who inspire us have spent time tracking it down, trading for it, and tasting their way through the best the brewing world has to offer.
I recently saw a clip from former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, where he was asked what it takes to make a poet. His answer? “You just have to read. It’s really such dull advice—there’s no key to it. You just need to read poetry for 10,000 hours.”