Bold Character is more than just a catchphrase at Great Divide, it’s the philosophy behind what we brew, how we think, and what we believe. We’d like to introduce you to another Bold Character around here, Adam Dreyer.
When did you start working at GD?
In May of 2013; I had recently been laid off from my job with 5-Hour Energy as a local area marketing and sampling employee. I actually found out I was fired (along with about 200 other unlucky folks) while on a camping trip in Moab with my then girlfriend and now wife, Beth. My love for beer was deep but fledgling, and as a regular at GD, I would swing in, grab a Titan IPA (every time) and get to know the bar staff. The relationships I built turned out to be extremely helpful, as less than a month after being let go, I was offered a part time job telling the GD story, slinging beers for excited beer lovers, and sharing every bit of it on my Instagram account.
What’s your favorite GD Beer?
My favorite used to be Titan, but as I’ve worked at GD longer and longer, I continue to go back to Hercules. I love the grapefruit hop and malty sweetness of that brew. Oh, it’s also 10%. So there’s that.
What’s your favorite GD icon?
Favorite GD icon has to be the Hoss. What a man! Slinging an axe and smoking a pipe, wearing a flannel (hopefully buttoned up to the top) and some killer work boots make him the baddest man in the lineup.
What’s the weirdest thing a customer has ever said to you?
“Do you have any ales or lagers?” Is still the weirdest question I’ve ever been asked.
Is it ever difficult to breathe when you button your shirts up to the very top?
No, but sometimes swallowing food can be a little difficult. I just need to take smaller bites I guess.
You used to work for Red Bull, do you just have an endless supply to give you all of your energy, or do you think it¹s just going to be in your bloodstream for the rest of your life?
A little from column A, a little from column B. I still buy Red Bull from time to time; I’m extremely brand loyal and I actually enjoy the product to boot, so I’ll probably be crushing 12oz RB’s when I’m 90.
What would you like to tell the beer drinkers of tomorrow?
Get your ID out if you actually want me to serve you a beer.
But seriously, don’t be scared to try to new things. We all have a love/hate relationship with IPA’s, but just because the last IPA you had tasted like a dank, spicy armpit doesn’t mean they are all that way. It’s a diverse style, although likely overdone. But still. Don’t tell me you don’t like IPA. You can do it. How do you think I can grow so sweet a beard?
You get to see a lot of human interaction in the tap room, what has it taught you over the years?
I’ve learned that patience is key; nearly every person that comes through the door is going to have more than one question. Bear with them, serve them, love them, give them what they want (within reason), and move along. Try to remember them, if not by name, then at least by the beer they are drinking. It goes a long way to be able to walk up to a customer and ask “how was that -insert beer here-?” They’ll be impressed you care enough to remember what they’re drinking. That’s what they’re there to do, after all! Enjoying great beer, especially in a crowded, noisy taproom requires patience.
What is your favorite thing about working at GD?
I love the people with whom I work. I consider them my friends and would do anything for them. We get to talk about silly stuff, hard stuff, casual stuff, and all over a glass of cold and frothy brew (ideally, Herc). I don’t want just the people I’m serving to feel cared for, I want my friends and co-workers to feel that way too. Even more so than the folks that come in off the street looking for that elusive Yeti.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I love to run; it’s my usual pre-work hype or post-work decompress. I also love riding my bike, hiking mountains, skiing, playing guitar and playing my Xbox (come find me: Hap Happyton). I’m also a full time student at Metro State U seeking a marketing degree. My wife and I attend church at Park Church in the Highlands on Sunday mornings, and when the New England Patriots are on tv in the afternoon, you’d better believe I’ll be parked at Bull and Bush drinking some Man Beer and watching Tom Brady complain.
If you HAD to use Periscope, Tinder (for friends), or Pinterest, which would you choose and why? This is a life or death situation. Don’t ask questions, that’s my job.
Pinterest. Because I would secretly love to be crafty but I’m not.
Anything else you want to add?
Don’t forget to share beers with friends this winter! It’s way more fun that way, plus a full bottle of Barrel Aged Yeti to oneself is a great way to find yourself asleep on the couch at 7:30 at night.