So, I was just at Pizza Port Carlsbad, and I ran into Bryant Webster. We talked about life, we talked about beer, and we talked about Bagby's. Bryant said "You know, I actually interviewed there." And I said, "That would be perfect for them and for you." And Bryant said "Really?" And I said "Are you kidding me?" And then I broke it down:
Sales - At one of North County's busiest bottle shops, Bryant was consistently battling it out with another dude (Sean Kelley) for top sales. That era was the bottle shop's most profitable. Ask Vince or Gina or Brad. Why? Because he knew his shit. When a newbie walked in, he'd ask them some questions, understand their level of sophistication, and then connect them with a beer. He remembered their name. You know how I know? Because he remembered MY name. He remembered my friends' names. And we all kept coming back. My point is- Bryant connects with people. He has a good work ethic and he's honest.
Knowledge - Look. You're hiring bartenders at Bagby's. I know you know a lot about beer. Bryant knows more. He won't act like it, but trust me he does. And not even in a douchey, "I've had Pliny The Younger 5 times" way. He's brewed it, he's judged it, he's gone on beer tasting road trips, and because of his experience at the bottle shop, he's tasted a TON of beers. He could hang with bartenders at Hamilton's or Churchill's or whetever.
Palette - This is something you can't fake. I've seen Bryant pick out hops, specific types of wood, and articulate flavors in a way that make the patrons go "YEAH! That's exactly what it's like." Everyone can bullshit. Not everyone can articulate. I'm sure Jeff is going to make good beer. Bryant can break it down, and tell the people why it's good beer.
Charisma - I almost wrote "enthusiasm" here, but here's the deal- Bryant cares about beer. He cares about it. And that bleeds over into the rest of the bar staff and even customers.
Otter - Have you ever taken one of those Myers Briggs personality tests? Well, there's an archetype that is known, colloquially, as the Otter. A personality type that mingles and that people intuitively like. Bryant is that guy. You like him. We like him. Customers like him. You know what's going to help your sales? Having an otter on staff.
So, there it is. That's my pitch. Bryant has the sales record, the knowledge, the palette, and the charisma for the job. If you don't hire this guy, you're fucking nuts. You will have missed out on a hard working employee that's humble, who people like, and who knows his shit.
~ Jeremy Ricketts