Meet your Beertenders!
Hello Flying Bike Enthusiasts!
We thought you’d like a chance to get to know some more about the awesome Beertenders that work the bar at the Flying Bike Tasting Room. Even if you are not a member (yet!), you're always welcome to come in and be served a great tasting Flying Bike Beer (or 2, or 3!) by one of these fantastic people. So sit down, pour yourself a cold one, and read along about some of our amazing employees -- Then come in and meet them!
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We lured Ryan Thrower (FBCB Member-Owner #1341) away from the excellent Six Gill restaurant & bar to come work for us, and in his own words he’s got a “huge passion for BEER” – and Trail Running (“beer is an excellent fuel!”). Ryan brings some previous experience in bar management to help us stay on top of things behind the bar, and a great welcoming presence every time you come up to the bar. He’s also interested in starting a running group from the brewery – so if you’re a runner, be sure to ask him about when he’s gonna get that going!
What’s your favorite thing about working at Flying Bike?
My favorite thing about working here is the interaction with all of the members. We all love beer. It’s a fantastic thing to have in common. Plus I am relatively new to the city and I feel like I made 1500+ new friends!!
How has this job matched your expectations for what you thought it was when you applied for it?
With any new job, you never know what to expect. My expectations, though, were very high. I had volunteered a few times and met loads of amazing people, which is an excellent sign. I feel that if all of us had to pick up garbage together for a living or count minutes go by, it wouldn’t be so bad because I genuinely enjoy every interaction I get to have with everyone.
What’s your favorite FBCB beer, and why?
It changes with my mood. I REALLY like the Saison, but I drink the Pale Hoppy Thing the most. I think the 1-Up mushroom beer is underrated and delicious. OK, I like them all!
What do you like best about the coop, this business model?
All of the volunteering done here keeps the passion alive. We are all in this together which creates a wonderful sense of unity. Amazing to be a part of this.
What are you most looking forward to, in the coming months?
I am STOKED for the winter warmer event we have coming up. I cannot wait to try everyone’s brews!!
Anything you’d like to say directly to the members?
Thank you to everyone for allowing me to pour you all beer and talk your ear off about beer and trail running. I love every day I get to work here and actually feel like I am missing out when I am not working and we are open. Come get a pint!
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Tess (FBCB Member-Owner #1253) hails originally from the east coast, but came to be in Seattle via Montana and Colorado (man we’re lucky she made it past those beautiful places to come all the way out here!). She’s got a great background in nonprofit work, leading volunteers at a large soup kitchen back east, as well as some web savvy technical skills that she still pursues on the side. Talk to Tess and you’re immediately put at ease with her style, and it’s very apparent that this gig is much more than “only a job” to her.
What’s your favorite thing about working at Flying Bike?
Feeling the positive and excited energy in the tasting room- many members have been anticipating FBCB’s opening, and it’s apparent that our members and friends are still in awe!
How has this job matched your expectations for what you thought it was when you applied for it?
This is a tough question, because I didn’t actually have too many expectations going into the position. I knew that I would be pouring fantastic beer for our community members, but wasn’t sure what the job would entail beyond that. The evolving nature of the co-op requires those involved to listen, learn, adapt and problem solve. As a beertenders, we hear a lot of feedback, and we’re in a unique position to relay information to The Board and to Kevin Forhan. Our suggestions and comments are so well-received, and I’m impressed at how quickly various ideas are implemented. Nothing is ever stagnant, and I look forward to helping facilitate new changes.
What’s your favorite FBCB beer? Why?
The Pale Hoppy Thing. All day. Citrusy, hoppy, SO drinkable.
What do you like best about the coop, this business model?
Collaboration, being able to draw ideas from a huge pool of very talented people.
What are you most looking forward to, in the coming months?
The Winter Warmer competition! Good luck, home-brewers!
Anything you’d like to say directly to the members?
You rock! Thank you for your company, support and drinking abilities.
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Scott Jensen (FBCB Member-Owner #1248) is a perfect fit for the ‘Bike, if for no other reasons than his interests are in craft beverages already (having worked as a barista and a manager for Ballard Coffee Co recently), AND his primary means of transportation is his loyal bike! Scott also experiments with small batch beer brewing, so that he can understand the mechanics of beer making, along with fooling around with the ingredients to see their effect on his final product. Another cool thing about him I recently found out, is that Scott taught English in Vietnam for a bit, and he’s got some interesting stories about that experience as well.
What’s your favorite thing about working at Flying Bike?
My favorite thing about working here is the member interaction with one another. I have worked in a few other restaurants and coffee shops, but I've never seen people just start up conversations with strangers like they do at FBCB. I love watching people getting to know their neighbors. That's what makes the Co-Op feel like a community establishment. The community is definitely alive, and I'm so happy to see people coming in to celebrate together.
How has this job matched your expectations for what you thought it was when you applied for it?
I didn't really have solid expectations for what it would be like to work at Flying Bike, but since working there, I am so happy with how it's been going. I love our member-owners, and it's rewarding to be plugged into a group of people whose lives are revolving around beer that are doing more than just sitting around drinking beer. I've been so inspired by the volunteerism of the board members and member-owners; I'm beyond grateful to be in the position that I am in now.
What’s your favorite FBCB beer? Why?
My favorite FBCB beer is constantly changing, but if I were to narrow it down a bit, I'm very partial to both the Saison and the Lavender Haze IPA. The saison has rich complexity; there is so much going on in it -- from the grain bill to the fruity-yeasty finish, it is a solid beer through and through. The Lavender Haze IPA has been my go-to on hot days. I find it incredibly refreshing; I love tasting a beer that has been seasoned or infused with unconventional ingredients.
What do you like best about the coop, this business model?
I would say the thing that I like best about the Co-Op model, more specifically at FBCB, is that our membership is open-ended. Membership is an invitation to get involved in owning a brewery -- and that is up to each person's interpretation. I like that the individual gets to decide their own level of involvement. For one person, being a member may mean $1 off pints from 3-7, where as for someone else, membership could mean an opportunity to get to know more about beer -- from producing beer to building and operating a brewery. Guests come into our brewery and ask about membership at the Co-Op, and I love seeing people's faces light up when they hear that they could be part owner in this project -- with all of us. It's an opportunity to get to know your neighbors, get to know how beer is made, and enjoy said beer with said neighbors.
What are you most looking forward to, in the coming months?
I am looking forward to our membership growing -- not specifically in numbers, but in strength and proximity. We are a lot stronger when we work together, and I can't wait to see how people channel their creativity in their involvement. It will be exciting to see our 18 taps get filled up with beer, and since membership has a say in what that is, I'm excited to see what our community of people like to drink. It will be fun to walk into the tasting room in a year and see how our beers have changed -- catered to the tastes of people who are drinking them. Not many breweries in the world can say that.
Anything you’d like to say directly to the members?
I would just like to thank the members for their support of us as tasting room employees. We've been so well received, and I'm so grateful to have the job that I do. It's an incredible opportunity to get to know the membership from behind the counter. And such a fun group of people to serve! I can't wait to see where we can take the Co-Op together.
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We at Flying Bike feel very fortunate to have these three outstanding folks representing your brewery and cooperative. Be sure and say ‘hi’ next time you’re in, and appreciate what an amazing addition to our Tasting Room these guys are! Three cheers for #memberdrivenbeer!
Beers!
