Starr Hill Crew
Mark Thompson
Founder & Master Brewer
Hometown:
Charlottesville, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
The Love and spicy Thai food
Favorite Song / Band:
Life Is A Carnival by the Band and Grateful Dead
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Two things come to mind. The first memory is selling the very first keg of Starr Hill ten years ago to C&O Restaurant in Charlottesville and being able to go there today and still enjoy Starr Hill on tap. The second is watching co-founder Kristin Dolan sell beer in the early days. She would always say that great beer is such a gift. That saying turned into our mission... The Gift of Great Beer.
Kristin Dolan
Co-founder & Senior Pro
Hometown:
Boulder, CO
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Double Platinum and Nachos
Favorite Song / Band:
Kings of Belmont
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
There are so many... Starting out with an ugly broken down van and one really cool dude--Ross van Brocklin--to deliver beer and believing with all our hearts in the Gift of Great Beer.
Brian McNelis
Managing Director and VP of Brewery Operations
Hometown:
Williamsburg, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Beer & Pizza; Beer & Hot Dog; Beer & Seafood; Beer & Mexican food
Favorite Song / Band:
Too many to list them all but Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, U2, the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen are some at the top!
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
In the summer of 2010, I traveled to Crozet for a meeting with Mark Thompson, the founder of Starr Hill and its family of great American craft beers. I walked into the brewery to hear Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up In Blues" playing throughout the facility. I thought it was some kind of sign because I have been a major Dylan fan since 1974. This guy comes riding up to me on a forklift after loading beer in a truck and says, "Can I help you?" I said, "Yes, I'm looking for Mark Thompson." The guy says with a laugh, "Look no further, that's me." Mark and I hit it off from the start, and a year later, he called to ask me to join the Starr Hill team. The right Dylan song, at the right time, is always a good sign.
John Bryce
Manager of Brewery Operations
Hometown:
Richmond, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Jomo and Wayside Chicken
Favorite Song / Band:
Andrew Bird
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
A couple highlights... going to shows at the old Starr Hill Music Hall; La Tomatina reenactment (Aug. 2006); Nate tricking Matt Reich into eating onions; driving the world's most precarious reefer truck from Starr Hill to Starr Beverage; delivering beer with Ross (Starr Beverage) in 2006; company field trip to Blue Hole/Peach Orchard; firing up the bottling line for the first time.. It's been great to watch this brewery grow, and I think the Starrs are perfectly aligned for a bright future.
Pete Barry
Manager of Operations Maintenance
Hometown:
Arlington, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Oysters on the half shell and Dark Starr Stout
Favorite Song / Band:
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Still makin' 'em.
Josh Cromwell
Business Manager
Hometown:
Midlothian, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Double Platinum and a medium-rare steak or filet
Favorite Song / Band:
Pig by Dave Matthews Band
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Getting to work in the brewhouse and cellar during my first 2 weeks and getting to try the finished product. Looking forward to many more memories to come!
Robbie O’Cain
Manager, Quality Assurance & Yeast Management
Hometown:
Asheville, NC
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Double Platinum and Spinach & Ricotta Pizza
Favorite Song / Band:
Otis Redding
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Road trip to Smooth Ambler in West Virginia to pick up bourbon barrels.
Allie Hochman
Marketing and Sales Support Analyst 1
Hometown:
Merrick, NY
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Double Platinum with Mexican or Thai food
Favorite Song / Band:
Coheed & Cambria
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Watching fireworks on the Fourth of July at Floyd Fandango.
Crystal Wesch
Business Analyst 1
Hometown:
Eastern Shore, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Northern Lights with a burger (preferably Jack Brown’s) & sweet potato fries
Favorite Song / Band:
Avett Brothers
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Any outing with the crew, my first Bonnaroo experience, birthday celebrations & working Floydfest, bringing Starr Hill to Front Porch Fest, and the list continues….
Levi Duncan
Team Lead - Brewer
Hometown:
Las Cruces, NM
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Northern Lights with Enchiladas or Dark Starr and a bowl of ice cream
Favorite Song / Band:
Nutshell by Alice in Chains and Black Label Society
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
I love the smell of the brewhouse! I will never forget the first time I worked in the brewhouse and how excited I felt. For me, that feeling is forever connected to the smell of brewing beer... Awesome!
Levi Erickson
Brewer
Hometown:
Belen, NM
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Green Chile Chicken Cheese Enchiadas and Festie
Favorite Song / Band:
Anywhere from Deftones to Mstislav Rostropovich
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Tasting the first batch of Monticello from the fermenter right before bottling. The culmination of beer research and development.
Timmy Green
Brewer
Hometown:
Charlottesville, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Chicken wings and any cold beer--like Pale Ale or Northern Lights
Favorite Song / Band:
Lovin' It by Little Brother
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Dumping water on Matt Briggs on his birthday!
Dio Fazlali
Team Lead - Warehouse Technician
Hometown:
Tehran, Iran
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Jomo and Pizza
Favorite Song / Band:
Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Just having the Gift of Great Beer end of your shift is the great memory of yesterday.
Trey Cherry
Brewer
Hometown:
Charleston, SC
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Dank fish tacos with fried plantains and Dark Starr Stout
Favorite Song / Band:
Sublime
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Working with Timmy and Robbie everyday.
Alan Hagen
Cellarman
Hometown:
Redwood City, CA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Jomo and Bratwurst
Favorite Song / Band:
Badfish by Sublime
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Working at my first festival and meeting Starr Hill at Bonnaroo 2008. THe hospitality of the van Brocklins and everyone else there made me fall in love with the brand and the people.
Sam McElwee
Cellarman
Hometown:
Charleston, WV
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Michoacana tacos and Double Platinum
Favorite Song / Band:
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Working with the cellar team everyday and filtering The Gift during Hurricane Sandy.
Alex Rodriguez
Cellarman
Hometown:
Rochester, NY
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Cryptical and anything
Favorite Song / Band:
Soulive
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Getting to work with Trey and Robbie everyday.
Skip Roberts
Warehouse Technician
Hometown:
Charlottesville, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Double Platinum and Lasagna
Favorite Song / Band:
Aesop Rock, Small Black, Tycho and STS9
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Working with Dio everyday!
Bruce Peepers
Packaging Technician
Hometown:
Akron, OH
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Northern Lights and Steak'n'cheese
Favorite Song / Band:
Disco Biscuits
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
I get to work with Rod Stewart every day.
Rodriquez Stewart
Packaging Technician
Hometown:
North Memphis, TN
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Tacos and Jomo
Favorite Song / Band:
Curren$y
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
I get to work with Chuck Nasty every day.
Phil Shaw
Packaging Technician
Hometown:
Reston, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Festie & Pizza
Favorite Song / Band:
Dieselboy, Landing Force
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Getting hired
Mike Andres
Market Manager, VA & SC
Hometown:
Roanoke, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Double Platinum and Steak (medium rare)
Favorite Song / Band:
Dirty Work by Steely Dan
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
When Nate remembered my name at DelFest after meeting him countless times before.
Emma English
Key Accounts Manager
Hometown:
Chicago, IL
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Dark Starr Stout and Dark Chocolate Desserts!
Favorite Song / Band:
That’s tough... “If you only knew” by Shinedown is definitely a favorite
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Working at the NOVA Beer Fest with a volunteer who couldn’t stop shouting, “We have LOVE for you! Come share the LOVE! Come ask me for some LOVE! Free LOVE over here. Who needs some LOVE?!”
Alisha Ames
Market Manager, VA
Hometown:
Sterling, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Boxcar with Porter Cheesecake (great job Black Bear Bistro)
Favorite Song / Band:
Right now I am really feeling some Zac Brown Band
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
First time I went to the brewery on Main Street back when I was in college living behind the Corner. I never knew seeing that local band live there and drinking my first Starr Hill Jomo was going to change me so much! But that is what Starr Hill is all about. As Mark would say, his hope is that everyone tries a Starr Hill for the first time listening to a local band, and that is exactly how my journey started. I am sure that there will be many more to come, and I look forward to seeing several others try their first Starr Hill beer the same way!
Rachel Early
Market Manager, NC
Hometown:
Calabash, NC
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
The Love with pretty much any type of seafood
Favorite Song / Band:
Incubus is my all-time favorite, but I love me some country, too!
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
I’d have to say my best experience is the first time I had a Starr Hill beer. It was when I was still living in NC, and it just happened to be The Love that stole my heart. Now here I am, 4 years later, part of the Starr Hill family!
Kara Egber “Kegber”
Market Manager, DC, MoCo, & NOVA
Hometown:
Fairfax, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
The Love with nothing. I drink my meals! Just kidding…The Love paired with seafood
Favorite Song / Band:
Anything by Beyonce
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Trying Starr Hill for the first time and learning not only is the beer brewed in Virginia but the company is heavily involved in the music scene. Talk about a perfect marriage of all my worlds.
William Donaldson “Willy D”
Market Manager, TN
Hometown:
Montgomery, AL
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Northern Lights w/ Grouper (fried or baked) & grilled asparagus
Favorite Song / Band:
Jerry Garcia Band, “Let It Rock” & “Jack-A-Roe”
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
During my first sales meeting up in Crozet, VA, I had the privilege of taking a day-long tour of the brewery and our brewing process from ingredients to bottling. The tour was the coolest learning experience I have ever been a part of… especially the knowledge I learned from the brewmasters and mad scientists we have working in our brewery! A close second is getting to meet the Starr Hill Team for the first time at Bonnaroo 2012, enjoying great music with my co-workers was just too cool!
Brian Shields
Market Manager, PA
Hometown:
Conshohocken, PA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Northern Lights and Grilled Baja Fish tacos
Favorite Song / Band:
Older stuff like the Dead and the Allman Brothers, right now I’m listening to a lot of Railroad Earth, Greensky, and The Infamous Stringdusters
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
So far, it’s been a great ride working for Starr Hill. Being able to drink a Northern Lights at the Dave Matthews Band Concert when they came through Philly in December was pretty amazing. It was one of the best concerts I’ve seen in a while. The whole culture and environment that Starr Hill has created is definitely something I’m proud to be a part of.
Kristina Leventis
Sales Representative, MD
Hometown:
Baltimore, MD
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Of course, I want to say the best pairing of food and beer is the classic burger and a pint of cold, refreshing brew, but I will say I also enjoy a beer with Mexican food. A nice cold one along side fresh, beer battered fish tacos--move over Margarita!
Favorite Song / Band:
"Sunday Morning" by Maroon 5
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Although it's only been a short while with Starr Hill, I can say I have already made so many memories and experiences. A memory that really made me feel like a part of the Starr Hill family was our company BBQ. Being able to officially meet everyone, throw back a few cold Festies, and indulge in some great food really made it official for me as part of the Starr Hill crew. Like Mark says: "It's not a job, it's a lifestyle."
Natalie “Natty Boo Boo” Roberts
Office Manager
Hometown:
New York City, New York
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Turkey burger & Jomo Lager
Favorite Song / Band:
Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Going on a mini road trip with the Starr Hill fam down to Richmond for the Psycho Kilter Release Party and listening to Robbie sing along to Creed…priceless.
Gabe Strauss
Tasting Room Manager
Hometown:
Charlottesville, VA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Salty...
Favorite Song / Band:
Wilco or "No Speak No Slave" by Black Crowes
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Working FloydFest 2011.
David Foky
Tasting Room Guy
Hometown:
Ardmore, PA
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Soft pretzels and Starr Light Pilsner
Favorite Song / Band:
Bach to bluegrass and Pink to Pink Floyd.. Everything.
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Walking into the brewery and being greeted by the smell of a new batch being cooked. Amazing still.
Bill Rockwell
Tasting Room Staff
Hometown:
Union, NJ
Favorite Starr Hill Beer:
Beer & Food Pairing of Choice:
Northern Lights and Mexican food
Favorite Song / Band:
Rock bands of the '70s
Favorite SH Event / Festival / Memory:
Too early to tell
