Tommy Kelley
How did you get into the beer industry? Why does beer matter to you?
I started working at Free State Brewing Company as a bus boy my junior year in college while attending the University of Kansas. I worked my way up to being a bartender within a year, which sparked a close friendship with the brewers. After graduating with a business degree in 2009 and not being able to put it to immediate use due to the failing economy at the time, I started to train in the brewhouse. I immediately fell in love with the job and industry as a whole, and knew it was something I wanted to be a part of the rest of my life. Beer has allowed me to meet some of my closest friends and colleagues to this day. I literally owe a lot of my success in life to beer, and for that, I am thankful.
Why do you judge at the World Beer Cup? What does judging at the World Beer Cup mean to you?
Judging at the World Beer Cup is such a honor. I've been lucky enough to have been invited to judge a handful of times, and have had the opportunity to judge with some of the folks in the industry that have inspired me throughout my career. I am able to take the discussions we have at the table back to the brewery and improve the beer that I make.
What else would you like the world to know?
I am an avid fan of Kansas City Royals baseball, and anything/everything hip-hop related.
