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To work at BrewDog you have to be a number of things. The first and most important thing is being passionate about craft beer. You also need to be dedicated to the craft beer revolution and willing to travel many miles and speak to many people to see out this cause. Finally, you must be interested in hats, weird haircuts and Scrabble.

Lucky for us, our bar manager Andy fits all those requirements and if you haven’t been served by him or are yet to frequent BrewDog Edinburgh, now’s your chance to say hi and find out a little bit more about him in the process.

So Andy, how did you come to find yourself behind the wheel at BrewDog Edinburgh?

“Originally from Australia, I ditched my life down under in 2000 when I moved to London in search of craft beer fueled adventures. It was here that I started working in The Rake – one of London’s finest independent craft beer establishments – and to this day one of the loudest champions of BrewDog beers in the Big Smoke. It was here that I got to know James and the rest of the gang and it wasn’t long before I was continuing my craft beer journey north of the border and at the helm of BrewDog Edinburgh.”

Nestled shoulder-to-shoulder with a melee of vodka-soaked student bars and a smattering of night clubs, BrewDog Edinburgh still manages to offer punters something a little bit different and a little bit edgy in an area of the city that is traditionally a haven for those about to rock:

“BrewDog Edinburgh sits on part of the Cowgate that is synonymous with students, stag dos and tourist pub crawls and it’s in amongst this that we’ve managed to offer people something different. As well as over 150 bottled beers from the world’s best craft brewers we also offer a little slice of sanctum in a place which lovers of craft beer are quickly calling their own. On top of this we’ve got friendly, knowledgeable staff and a certain quirkiness as well; like operating a board game amnesty where we offer a pint to everyone who donates a board game to the pub that we don’t already have!”

So while Andy is introducing countless numbers of people to the joys of craft, which beer does he have waiting a home after a long day’s work?

“It has to be Hardcore IPA. I love the bitterness. I love the hoppiness. It’s a beer with so much body and character that lingers with every mouthful. Unlike other beers there really is nothing I could compare it to. Hardcore is Hardcore. It’s super unique!”

Unfortunately for the likes of Andy, working behind the bar means that he doesn’t get to enjoy BrewDog Edinburgh’s wares until the end of his shift; which leaves it up to the clientele to savour the beers of his behalf:

“One of the most rewarding parts of the job has to be introducing someone who has never tried a good beer or appreciated beer to some of the varieties we have here. You are quite literally introducing someone to an entirely new world and something they have never experienced before. We spend quite a bit of time chatting to people who would normally drink something like Stella or Carlsberg to make sure we find them a beer they will enjoy. 9 out of 10 times we hit the spot and they come back for more.”

As well as matching people’s palettes to the range of beers available, Andy is also a dab hand at food and beer pairing or, more specifically, pizza and beer pairing.

“The bar is quickly becoming renowned for our homemade pizzas and cheese boards we’re shortly going to be expanding our menu to include burgers sourced from local butchers too. At the moment though, we’re keen to help people pair their pizza with the right beer. For example, if you’re having the veggie pizza I recommend you pair this with the light bitterness and fruitiness of Punk IPA. When the burgers come alone I’ll be recommending Hardcore due to the bitterness that works well with rich meats and Gonzo Porter for cheese boards; the chocolatey sweetness of the porter complimenting the texture of the cheese.”

So, in short, why does Andy think you should visit BrewDog Edinburgh today, tomorrow, and the day after that and the day after that?

“Beer, food, staff, atmosphere, awesome selection. What more could you want?”

Want to say hi to Andy? Drop him a line at andy@brewdog.com

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