HeavySeas Beer's Hugh Sisson [5 Questions]

One of the best things about craft beer is that the beer is made and the companies are run by people who care about what they do. Also, many breweries are local or regional companies which means it's made in your area. All of this lends itself to one on my favorite things about the industry: you can actually know the people that brew your beer and run the companies that produce the brew that you love!

With that in mind, we're launching a series of articles where we'll talk with people from throughout the craft brewing industry and ask them a series of five (or sometimes more) questions so that you can get to know these fine people a bit better.

We're happy to introduce our first guest for this series, Hugh Sisson, the founder of HeavySeas Beers. We've long been fans of the brews that Hugh's brewery puts out and have had the pleasure of meeting him at various beer events around Boston. So, with that said, we'll jump right into the interview.

Drink Craft Beer: How did you get into craft beer?

Hugh Sisson: Sort of accidentally.  I was in the pub business in 1980 and to differentiate our bar I decided to make it a "beer bar".  At that time there were mostly only imports available that were even remotely interesting, but obviously as craft became available we put those beers in the mix as well.  We were successful enough with the concept that we decided in 1984 to look into making our own beer - a radical concept at the time as it was illegal in Maryland and there were maybe 4 brewpubs in the country!  Did some research and in 1987 put a bill in the Maryland legislature to legalize brew pubs (fulling expecting it to fail!).  The bill passed and in 1989 our pub became Maryland's first brew pub and I was the brewer.

I stayed there until 1994 when I left to start Clipper City Brewing Co/Heavy Seas Beer.

DCB: What was the turning point (a beer or moment) that made you love craft beer?

HS: I was always a fan of better beer ever since I had been an undergraduate student studying in London - with English ales being my first benchmark for quality.  As craft began to come on the scene obviously my attention began to swing in that direction.  My brother lived in San Francisco for a while and brought back some early Anchor Xmas beer - back before it was always the spiced ale.  (I am pretty sure that over the years Xmas Ale eventually became the Anchor Liberty Ale.)  Anyway, that was something of an eye opener and it was sort of down hill from there.

DCB: You walk into a magical beer shop with every beer currently available. You can put together one six-pack. What do you walk out with? Only one beer can be from your brewery.

HS: From my brewery it would definitely be our Loose Cannon.  Other selections - Victory Yakima Gold and Sierra [Nevada] Celebration for starters.  Also I'm a big Allagash and Ommegang fan so something from each of those guys.  There are so many really good brewers it is REALLY hard to pick just six.

DCB: What would you be doing for a career if you weren't in beer?

HS: I always wanted to be an actor so if the beer thing hadn't worked out I may have given that a shot.  However, I am just as happy that I took the path I did.  As an actor the romance of poverty can wear pretty thin.

Truthfully I have always felt pretty blessed - I like what I do and have really enjoyed being in small business.  I love the creativity and the day to day challenge.

DCB: What do you drink when you're not drinking craft beer (or beer at all)?

HS: I am a pretty big wine buff – have been doing a radio show on wine for years – so that is usually my second beverage choice.  Am also a big Bourbon fan.

DCB: Where do you see the craft beer industry going in the next year? And, in that vein, can we get a sneak peak at what new to expect from you in the coming year?

HS: The industry is going to get more crowded and competitive.  I also think there will be a lot of changes in ownership (over the next ten years) as folks like me get to the end of their careers and need to develop some sort of exit/succession plan.  Craft as a segment – better beer in general – is certainly here to stay.  I just hope that as an industry we maintain the edge we enjoy now and don’t become too main stream.

For Heavy Seas we will be focusing on trying to do a better job of everything we do now.  We are actually going to reduce a few items so we can make more of others.  Also we will be giving even greater focus to our cask ale program.

DCB: Thanks so much for your time, Hugh! Best of luck with Heavy Seas in 2012!