Josh Hare
Founder & President
Josh Hare is the Founder & President at Hops & Grain Brewing in Austin, TX. He fell in love with artfully crafted beer and the fantastic community that supports it when he was living in Boulder, CO in the early 2000’s. He moved to Austin in 2005 to pursue a career in triathlon and the running specialty retail industry and eventually helped to open the city’s most successful running retail store. After searching for beer sponsors all over the state with no success, Hare decided to open his own brewery, focused on the highest quality products and marketing them to an active city loyal to locally produced goods. Since 2011 he has been overseeing the day to day operations of the brewery from recipe & product development to quality management. Since day 1, the mission at Hops & Grain has been to enhance the human experience through the medium that inspires them the most, the artful and deliberate expression of thoughtfully crafted beer.
pair/pour
A cold River Beer with a side of Noah's Mill Bourbon
Bob Langner
Director of Operations
I grew up working on a dairy farm and when I moved to Texas I worked on a chicken farm. I soon left the farm life for bar life, but then left the glamorous life of running bars for the more romantic life of making beer. I started at Hops & Grain cleaning kegs and working hard to learn about the operations of the brewery. Now as the Director of Operations I enjoy seeing the company grow and that I have influence on our growth. I enjoy the quality of life that Hops & Grain affords me and the comradery that comes with it.
pair/pour
A Pale Mosaic… with another A Pale Mosaic.
Sam Houdek
Brand Ambassador
I’ve spent the last few years working in music venues, guiding river tubing trips, and touring the country with several different bands. Although I was a beer drinker prior to these experiences, it was these past years that really turned me into an enthusiast. When bartending at venues, I spent more time than I would like to admit cracking Lone Star after Lone Star after Lone Star: so on my nights & days off I would spend my time drinking real beers like the damn fine ales we make at Hops & Grain. After leaving my previous bartending job: good luck and serendipity lead me to the opportunity to pour those damn fine ales for a living. While I still odd job around and play in three different bands, Hops is not only my work home, but where I take my friends & family to hang out even when I’m not behind the bar.
pair/pour
My favorite combo is a cold Zoe and an afternoon at the greenbelt. Although come September, I’ll have to sub the Zoe for a River Beer!
Luke Vicic
Tap Room Manager
My good friend Tiernan first introduced me to Hops & Grain back in the days of the tiny taproom. I knew almost immediately that it was a special place. What followed was a multi-prong 2-year assault on the company’s defenses. I made friends, I looked for openings, and I drank a lot of great beer. One day, Tiernan called me to let me know he had just seen a post that the taproom was hiring. I shot a text over to Bob Galligan who told me to “send him a rez.” That was two years ago and I am proud to say that I now run the taproom. I could not feel more blessed or humbled to work with such amazing people and for a company that puts integrity above everything.
pair/pour
My favorite combo is a Greenhouse IPA and laughter.
Danny Clay
Lead Brewer
I have been working at Hops and Grain for over 3 years now. I started at the bottom of this great brewery, working my way from the taproom to the canning line, and from Packaging Manager to Lead Brewer. Now I’m doing the work that I truly love - making quality beer for our great community. Born in Wisconsin, raised in the DFW area, I have been an Austin resident for an aggregate of over 12 years now. I have two wonderful kids and a beautiful wife. I am a huge sports fan and a Texas Ex. I love doing pretty much anything outside, especially if it involves water or a fire, and having a cold beer in my hand.
pair/pour
My favorite beer/food combo would currently have to be a cold River Beer and an Austin Daily Press Lucy (sandwich) with bacon.
Clessie Hilliard
Brand Ambassador
Before I was hired at Hops & Grain, I was a bartender for a restaurant that had a very nice beer and scotch selection. Every Saturday I worked with another bartender who is extremely knowledgeable about these things. Exploring new beers quickly became my favorite part of this job. I loved helping my costumers find new styles to enjoy. My co-worker eventually left to work at Hops & Grain. Any time I saw him after that, I was even more relentless with the questions. Finally, another position opened up and I immediately jumped on the opportunity. Turns out he gave me good information all along, and I got the job. My favorite thing about my job is every time some one tells me they don't like IPAs and they end up drinking three Mosaics in a row. It just warms my heart.
pair/pour
One of my favorite combos is a simple one, to just enjoy a shift beer with my coworkers!
Sheila Garcia
Director of Sales & Marketing
I've worked in the marketing world for 15 years and love connecting with people and supporting the community that in turn supports my company. Landing this job at Hops & Grain Brewing melds all the things I love the most! Working with amazing people, partnering with a community that shares our passion for supporting small businesses, all the while keeping sustainability front-of-mind... oh and beer!
pair/pour
I love to enjoy our award-winning ALT-eration with BBQ from Micklethwait Craft Meats, so good! If you're wondering what award ALT won, it was a Gold Medal in the 2012 World Beer Cup!
Frazier
Brewer
Howdy my name is Frazier, though most people just call me Frazier, I'm a Brewer here at Hops & Grain. I guess you could say I got my job here through dumb luck & osmosis. I started hanging around the original taproom not to long after the doors were open for business. That first Alteration, for me was the proverbial Kool-Aid I was hooked for good after that. After a while Hops & Grain started to grow & eventually the powers that be decide to give this ol' dog his day. Ain't the most glamorous story but as they say in Hollywood it's historically accurate. I was lucky enough to get to know all the employees here before I started & that's one of the best things about working here to be able to say that everyone of my co-workers is a friend. The access to beer is a nice bit as well let's not kid ourselves.
pair/pour
A good dark beer, aka PorterCulture, paired with whiskey, make no need to go fancy if you don't want to, that everyday bottle or whatever's in your back pocket will do just fine - Slainte.
Alex Bentz
Packaging Team
I originally hail from New Orleans and came to Austin 8 years ago to help a friend remodel her house and immediately fell in love with the city. I moved here inside of a month and started working for a local restaurant. Their extensive tap wall helped further my initial exploration of craft beer and planted the first seeds of interest for working in this amazing industry. Fast forward to the present and you simply find me as a burgeoning beekeeper that feels lucky to work for a most excellent brewery. My down time often finds me attempting to melt my face off with the heaviest of metal or kicking back in my robe with a good book.
pair/pour
A stacked shrimp po-boy, and a tall Green House IPA that will surely quell the infernal fires that burn within. Ave!
Peder Pederson
Cellaring Team
Proudly born and raised in the SLC! If i'm not at the brewery loving everything that is beer, you can see me outdoors loving everything that that is outdoors... With a Green House in hand...
pair/pour
Greenhouse IPA with life!
Andrew Serafino
Packaging Team
Just a few things to know about me are that I love good beer, my dog (Rupert), and the Dallas Cowboys. Before joining the Hops and Grain family I sold beer and beer accessories at Spec's while teaching psychology at Texas Lutheran University.
pair/pour
As mentioned above I love good beer, and my favorite beer, hands down, is A Pale Mosaic. It pairs well with hours upon hours of YouTube research confirming the fact that Dez DID in fact catch that ball.
Jonathan Flores aka “Flo”
Cellaring Team
A daily dose of tacos, beer, friends, family, love, and smiles make my world go round. I worked for a vodka distillery for nearly seven years before I found my true passion in the beer industry. Cellar by day, centrifuge by night, and in the tap room from time to time serving fresh cold beer. Days I'm away from the brewery, I'm either playing bass with friends in "The Instrument", riding my new bicycle around the city, or spending the day being lazy at home with Archer - man's best friend and sweetest pit bull you'll ever meet. Who could ask for a better life?
pair/pour
River Beer. It pairs well with another River Beer and Hulk Hogan's theme song, "I Am A Real American".
Chelsea Milliken
Brand Ambassador
& Green Thumb
My name is Chelsea. I hail from the Great Lake State of Michigan, where I first got behind quality craft brew. When I moved to Austin my eye was on the craft beer industry. It really called to me. Hops and Grain stood out and seemed in line with my values. I came from working on small organic farms and to me quality craft beer felt similar to that endeavor. I tend the bar here and care for the plants. One of my great loves in life are plants. When I am not pouring beers I am usually hiking with my dog Keeta or gardening.
pair/pour
I love to pair a cold 78702 with dirt on my hands and sweat on my brow.
Garrison Kriegel
Brewer
I started as an an avid home brewer. Worked for a number of years in the beer/wine dept. at Whole Foods Market. Started at Hops and Grain in January 2016 and have been a brewer here since May 2016. When not brewing I'm a big reader, dealer of vintage/industrial furniture, and junk hound.
pair/pour
Favorite pairing would be any beer that I have brewed with any food that I have cooked.