Welcome to our “Cheers & Chat” series, where we introduce you to some incredible humans behind popular beer Instagram accounts.
This month, we spoke with @brewnetteontop, AKA Rachel, who is based out of Syracuse, NY. Rachel shares a bit about her beer journey and how she works for her beer through ninja training!
Work For Your Beer: Let’s dive right in. How did your craft beer journey begin?
Rachel: My husband has always been a craft beer lover, and while I enjoyed the occasional beer here and there, my go-to beverage was wine. For our anniversary I surprised him with Luke Comb concert tickets in Asheville (his favorite artist and craft beer heaven all in one!). After spending the weekend brewery hopping and taking tours, I was officially a hop head. Now I spend my free time visiting any brewery I come across and learning the ins and outs of homebrewing!
WFYB: Do you remember what your “gateway beer” was? The first one you ever tried, that got you into all the rest?
R: My first visit to Green Man Brewery in Asheville was when I first fell in love with craft beer. On our brewery tour, we tried numerous samplings but one beer, in particular, stood out: a hoppy tropical IPA called Trickster. When we walked out of Green Man I made sure I had a 4-pack in hand!
WFYB: So, would you say IPAs are your go-to style?
R: Yes, my favorite style is a New England IPA — give me all things hazy! I would definitely recommend Julius from Treehouse Brewing Company. It is a great representation of the style. Bursting with fruity and tropical hops with a soft, pillowy mouthfeel and well-rounded bitterness… you can’t go wrong with this IPA!
WFYB: Okay, so, you’re a hop head. We love that. But… is there a beer style that you just can’t really get into?
R: German-style bocks, I’ve tried a few and just don’t find them enjoyable.
WFYB: Let’s shift gears a little bit and talk about breweries. What would you say is your favorite brewery in your area?
R: Meier’s Creek In Cazenovia. The taproom is spacious and so inviting, they have a great variety on tap and their food is always delicious!
WFYB: What would you say is the coolest brewery that you ever visited?
R: Two Tides in Savannah, GA, hands down. Tucked inside a renovated house, the taproom on the second level features multiple cozy tasting rooms with brightly colored murals, arcade games, and balcony patios. Plus, their IPAs and sours are unmatched!
WFYB: What’s one brewery (or beer) on your bucket list?
R: I have been dying to travel to Colorado to visit WeldWerks. I’ve tried a bunch of their beers and have enjoyed them all, so I can only imagine how great it would be to try one directly from the source!
WFYB: If someone asked you to do a beer share today, what would be the beers you’d put in your mixed pack to share with them?
R: In no particular order:
WFYB: What is your preferred way to Work For Your Beer?
R: My favorite way to work for my beer is weightlifting, but I try to get some form of exercise in as much as possible even if it’s just taking my dogs for a long walk or playing volleyball.
Maintaining a healthy balance between beer and exercise is so important!
WFYB: Okay, but we’ve seen all of your insanely impressive Ninja training and competition videos. How did you get into that?!
R: When my local gym temporarily closed due to an increase in covid-19 cases I had to look elsewhere for an opportunity to exercise. I heard about an obstacle training gym a few towns over that was still open so I signed up for an open gym. I always loved watching American Ninja Warrior and was so inspired by the strong women competing, so I figured this could be a fun way to try something new and get some exercise in. After one open gym I was hooked; I have never had so much fun working out!
It’s easy to fall into a rut with weightlifting, but with ninja training, every session is different and challenging, both mentally and physically. I feel like Super Woman flying through the air and it is so empowering to complete a course.
Much like the beer community, the ninja community is amazing! We are one big family of athletes that encourages and supports one another through success and failure every day. My only regret is not starting this journey sooner!
WFYB: Do you usually reward yourself with a beer after each training session? Or do you pace yourself more throughout the week?
R: This varies a bit depending on how involved my training sessions are. Some days I’ll come home completely exhausted from a hard workout and know that I need to properly nourish my body so I can recover and be ready for the next day. Some days I’ll want to grab a beer to celebrate reaching a new goal or gaining a new skill!
WFYB: What advice would you give to someone looking to try ninja training?
R: Have fun with it! When’s the last time you were on a giant playground?
It seems intimidating, but you are much stronger than you think!
You don’t need to be extremely strong to play around on the obstacles, it’s all about technique. Side effects of ninja training may include increased strength, confidence, and a few bruises here and there.
WFYB: Okay, final question: why do you love the Work For Your Beer mantra?
R: I love the little community that #workforyourbeer has created on Instagram! I haven’t met 90% of these people in person, yet we all support and hold each other accountable by tagging each other in our workout posts! It’s a fun way to show others how we love to move and what awesome beer we are rewarding ourselves with.
Thank you to Rachel for taking the time to share her story with us here on the Work For Your Beer blog — and cheers to even more opportunities to chat with incredible members of the craft beer community!
Want to be considered for an upcoming feature? Email cheers@workforyourbeer.com to set up an interview!
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