Cheers & Chat: Meet Keith Adams at "Beer Selfie"
As the Work For Your Beer community continues to grow into new beer-centric cities across the U.S. (and all around the world!), we love getting to know the active beer-lovers that make up our wonderful, weird little niche section of the social media world — which is precisely why we started our new "Cheers & Chat" blog series.
With each post in this new series, you'll get to know some of the stellar people behind the craft beer Instagram accounts we love to follow, as well as what led them to become such an integral part of the craft beer community.
We kicked things off earlier this year with @JenniferTheBeerdedLady, followed by @The_PintSized_Traveler. Last month, we spoke to @WeBikeForBeer.
And this month, for your quarantine reading pleasure, we chatted with @BeerSelfie — aka Keith Adams of Chico, CA.
Name: Keith Adams
Instagram Handle: @beerselfie
Your City: Chico, CA
WFYB: Hey, Keith, thanks for chatting with us! To kick things off, tell us, what do you do for work?
Keith Adams: My day job is in the IT support department at CSU, Chico. I manage communications, our Knowledge Base, software licensing, and whatever else comes up.
WFYB: Ah, you're a tech geek like we are, sweet! And when did your craft beer journey begin?
KA: I started looking for more flavorful beers in college. That was almost 20 years ago, so the options were limited. I went to Chico State so it was great having Sierra Nevada in town ($5 6-packs and $1 drafts!), but I was also trying lots of imported beers like Bass, Samuel Smith, and St. Bernardus.
WFYB: So, would you call Sierra Nevada your "gateway" craft beer, then? The first one you tried that made you want to really get into craft beer?
KA: Like Sierra Nevada Brewing, I was born in Chico in 1980, so we grew up together. When I first tried their Pale Ale, I thought it was awful. Way too bitter! Later, I came back to it and it became my go to, and it got me started exploring other beers.
WFYB: Nowadays, what would you say is your go-to beer style? And what is one beer in that style that you'd recommend trying?
KA: I drink more IPA than anything else, so I guess that’s my go-to style — but sours are really my favorite. I like pretty much every beer style, but I get the most excited when opening a sour.
WFYB: Is there a beer style out there that you just canNOT get into?
KA: I’ve tried and failed to enjoy smoked beers. I’ve had a couple that I didn’t think were awful (Live Oak’s Grodziskie comes to mind), but even then 12 oz. was more than enough.
WFYB: We are on the same page there, my friend. Smoked beers are not our thing. Moving on, what is your favorite brewery in your area?
KA: I already mentioned one hometown brewery, but everyone needs to know about Secret Trail as well. Their distribution is really limited. I think they have a handful of draft accounts, occasional bottles, and I think only one canning run so far, but they are making some great stuff. The brewery/taproom is a fantastic local hangout spot with food trucks and live music. Everything they make is good, but their Baltic Porter and Pale Ale are favorites.
WFYB: What would you say is the coolest brewery that you've ever visited?
KA: Stone in Escondido is a great place to visit. It’s a gorgeous place, the food is good, and the beer garden is really nice. Moonraker is another fun one to visit — Auburn is a cool town, and Moonraker has a huge covered patio and excellent beer. It’s also hard to go wrong in midtown Sacramento. Lots of great breweries within walking distance of each other.
WFYB: And what's one brewery that you have on your bucket list?
KA: I really want to do the Belgian brewery thing. Cantillon et al... The mix of history, culture, and beer sounds amazing!
WFYB: If someone asked you to do a beer share today, what would be the six beers you’d put in your mixed pack to share with them?
KA: I’ll go with a Nor Cal Sixer:
Sierra Nevada TITW Barrel-aged Maple Scotch
Secret Trail Barrel-aged Baltic Porter
New Glory Gummy Worms Pale Ale
Russian River STS Pils
Anderson Valley The Kimmie, The Yink and the Holy Gose
Tahoe Mountain Evolution of the Barrel
WFYB: Definitely adding all of those to our "Must Drink" list. What would you say is your preferred way to Work For Your Beer?
KA: Beer is a great fitness motivator for me. I know I need to get some exercise if I want to drink beer and stay healthy. Luckily, the day job has a really nice gym. I mostly lift weights and play basketball. I also really like hiking. Bidwell Park in Chico is a great spot to spend a few hours enjoying some nature and getting some exercise.
WFYB: Since you have been a part of the craft beer community, how have you seen it change (for worse or for better)?
KA: Craft beer has gotten so much more popular since I started. There is an amazing selection available now, and you can find someone just about anywhere to chat about beer with.
WFYB: What advice would you give to someone considering getting involved in the craft beer community?
KA: I recommend keeping an open mind to all beer styles. Ignore the people that tell you only certain types of beer are good. Try it all and decide for yourself. Then try it all again, because your palate has probably changed.
Thank you to Keith for taking the time to share his 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!