No brewery is an island. Now that we’ve been open for two years we’ve needed some help, and a few stalwart friends have stepped up to the challenge.

These are their stories.

This week: Alex Placito.

Hi.

What’s shakin’.

Tell us a little about yourself.

Almost 30, born in Syracuse, grew up in Rochester. Came out to Buffalo for school (Philosophy/Linguistics), and I stayed here cause the people are awesome. Did a few gigs before landing at my job as web programmer 6.5 years ago. Really into cocktails, and very much enjoy cigars, metal music and charcuterie. Got into homebrewing with my friend Eric and joined the NAH and Sultans. Slowly got more into the beer community, which I would now call my home.

How did you get involved in the CBW gang?

Met Ethan and Dan at Bidwell in the CBW planning days. Dan suggested Eric and I join the NAH as he was also then-president. A few months later, I was part of a “random trio” with Ethan and another guy from our club. We met at the barren CBW space and brewed an English IPA (that later turned downright rancid), and that’s where I also met Rudy for the first time, and some other folks in the homebrewing community (Sultans, specifically). Over time I got to know everyone a bit more, and helped out where I could. Now I volunteer whenever I can and people have started to assume I work there full time, which is cool with me. I love being able to stand behind a product that everyone loves instantly.

What started you down the rabbit hole that is good beer?

Oh, like most people, I drank lots of Molson Canadian at Mister Goodbar shortly after turning 21. Eventually I switched to trying Blue Moon, and then my friend Jeff started introducing me to beers like Delirium Tremens, Schneider Aventinus and St Bernadus. I started to buy beers from Long Trail and Great Lakes at Wegmans, instead of the 30-packs of Molson. Eventually someone I worked with who was a bouncer at Goodbar told me about their beer club, and Jeff and I went to check it out. He moved and Eric and I kept up the tradition, which fueled our growing interest in craft beer and eventually homebrewing.

Duff’s or Anchor Bar?

False dichotomy.

Anything else we should know about you? Any parting words of wisdom?

Because beer.

Any other questions for Alex? Leave them in the comments!