Women and Beer

Name: Melanie Knepp

Title/Position: Brewer

Company: New Orleans Lager and Ale Brewing Company

Company Website Link: www.nolabrewing.com

City, State, Country: New Orleans, LA

Personal Email: watermelanie 13 @ hotmail. com

Former Career: Bartender/Server

Favorite Beer Memory: My favorite beer memory would be drinking my first beer. When I was seven years old, I mowed the lawn with my Dad and I can remember having my very first sip of beer. It was a can of Stroh's. Detroit's finest.

Proudest Beer Moments: Proudest beer moment was watching the first beer I brewed commercially roll off of the bottling line.

Hobbies and Other Quirks:traveling, drinking excellent beers, going to see live music, playing frisbee golf, and enjoying my dogs.

Short Biography: I got my start in the craft beer business selling Samuel Smith's on the Grateful Dead lot. I honed my skills as a server/bartender at bars and restaurants like Old Chicago and Papago Brewing Company in Scottsdale, AZ. It was places like these that helped me develop my love of great beer. I have traveled to Belgium, Germany and the Czech Republic solely for the purpose of discovering the amazing beers of those areas. My first commercial brewing position was at Abita Brewery in Covington, LA. I am currently the Assistant Brewer at NOLA in New Orleans, La. It is absolutely the greatest city and most excellent brewery I could ever ask to work in and for. I am the fourth employee of a start up brewery, currently studying under a Brewmaster who has been making beer for over 30 years! He was at the 3rd GABF! I am truly blessed to work in this industry and with the amazing people I do.