Ohio Brewery News

Friday Six Pack with Michael Martin, Maumee Bay Brewing Company

Every Friday, we ask an Ohio craft brewery owner or employee to answer six questions about their path to the brewing industry, what sets their brewery apart and their thoughts on craft beer in Ohio.

Today we’ll chat with Michael Martin, brewery sales manager at Maumee Bay Brewing Company in Toledo.

 

What made you decide to get into the craft brewing industry?

I became a server here at the brew pub during undergrad, and that was when I first discovered craft brewing, and I just fell in love with it! The range of styles that brewers are able to make, and seeing that the industry is more of a community of craft breweries working together to bring great beer to the people!

 

Which of your beers do your customers enjoy the most and why?

The #FAKEJUICE New England Style IPA. Hazy IPAs are one of my favorite styles of beer, and the #FAKEJUICE has nice juicy flavors to it, and a smooth finish!

 

What’s your favorite thing about your brewery?

The atmosphere of the building absolutely. Being in a historic landmark built in 1859 and knowing the history and the beauty of the Oliver House make it such a fun place to be.

 

Besides your own, what Ohio craft beers or breweries impress you the most and why?

Findlay Brewing Company‘s cream ale series. My personal favorite is the Blueberries in Cream, but a cream ale is a nice smooth style, and the consistency that Findlay has been able to find with different variations of this series is quite impressive!

 

What advice would you give someone who wants to get into a sales career at a brewery?

The advice I would have for somebody who wants to get into a sales career at a brewery is the advice I received when I first started:

Be like a sponge and absorb as much as you can, as quickly as you can! In this industry, there is so much knowledge to be obtained it can seem overwhelming at first, especially if you have little craft brewing knowledge. Jump on as many learning opportunities as possible and take advantage of the knowledge your brewers can provide you, it will help tremendously in the field and in the sales position.

 

Where do you think craft beer is headed? What do you think craft beer will look like five years from now?

I think craft beer is on the up and coming, with new breweries coming in all over the place it creates more of a strong community in the craft industry. Five years from now I think craft brewing is going to have a much larger market share in the alcohol industry, growing overall.