Seattle brewery owners for Seattle Weekly Voracious Food Guide

Ravenna Brewing Owner Tommy Ortega is focused on craft-brewing flavorful specialty beers, like a farm-style saison and a slow-burning jalape–o kolsch. Originally from Hermosa Beach, California, Ortega has quickly created a neighborhood fixture. Photo by Daniel Berman for Seattle Weekly.

 

Georgetown Brewing Company Founder Manny Chao at the Seattle brewery’s headquarters. Chao oversees a brand that produces some of the country’s most popular craft beers, from Manny’s to Lucille IPA.

Way back in August I had the great pleasure of photographing a section for the Seattle Weekly Voracious Food Guide profiling three different brewery owners known for their hard work and excellent craft beers. I photographed Tommy Ortega at his Ravenna Brewing, Manny Chao at Georgetown Brewing Company and Adam Robbings at Reuben’s Brews (blocks from my house!) It was so cool to step into these guys’ world and hear how they got their start – I had a personal interest as a beer lover and fellow small business owner. Compared to most of my assignments, these were wonderfully slow shoots. Me and the owners and a couple beverages, trying out ideas, hanging out and making pictures.