Season IX: Jack Dyer, founder, Topa Topa Brewing Company, Ventura, CA

Sitting down with Topa Topa Brewing Company founder Jack Dyer felt like meeting up with a penpal. I’ve been drinking Topa Topa beers pretty faithfully for the last several years, so it was cool to meet their maker. Headquartered in Ventura, California, Topa Topa produces some of the freshest beers around — in fact, Jack told me, they can’t seem to make enough of their flagship beer, Chief Peak, for all the demand. We sat in Topa Topa’s brewing facility and Jack shared with me about where he grew up (hint: it’s not where you think), his roots in a a family of people with a heart for service, the moment he quit his day job to start a craft brewery, and how the company’s values play out in the call for environmental and social justice. Heads-up: you probably want one of Topa Topa’s beers in hand while you listen.

Instagram: @topatopabrewingco

Website: topatopa.beer