Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Brewmaster Steve Dresler has announced that he plans to retire next year.
Dresler has been in charge of Sierra Nevada’s brewing program since the early 1980s, after joining Sierra Nevada in 1983.
Under Dresler’s direction, Sierra Nevada won eight World Beer Cup awards and 31 GABF medals, the company reports. He has overseen the development and production of almost all of their new beers for more than 30 years.
Last year, the Brewers Association awarded himDreslerthe Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing, an honor selected by a committee made up of members of the BA’s advisory board. Sierra Nevada is the first and only two-time winner of this award, the company says.
Of Dresler’s retirement, Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman said, “It’s bittersweet. Steve is an iconic figure in our brewery and in the industry. His talent and personality are legendary, and he has set the tone in our production department for years. I wish him all the best in this much-deserved retirement.”
Although Dresler will work into 2017, Sierra Nevada will post the head brewer position immediately in order to allow time for an extensive search, as well as for Dresler to help train the selected candidate.
