We’re excited to announce Chris Swersey as our new International Business Development Manager. Chris has more than 30 years’ experience in the beer industry, and his passion for hops and dedication to the craft make him a perfect fit for our team.
Chris’ commercial brewing journey began in 1992, making him a veteran of the beer scene. Having honed his craft in small and mid-size breweries, Chris spent years perfecting his skills, gaining a deep understanding of every aspect of the brewing process, and winning awards at the World Beer Cup (WBC) and Great American Beer Festival (GABF).
He then spent over two decades playing a number of pivotal roles for the US Brewers Association (BA), where he served as Supply Chain Specialist, helping ensure brewers had access to the highest quality raw ingredients, and Technical Brewing Projects Manager, overseeing the Technical Committee and competitive technical research grant program.
For many years, Chris served on and then chaired the committee that publishes the BA Beer Style Guidelines that form the basis for beer competitions around the world. Chris has served as a judge for some of these competitions since 1996, including the WBC, the GABF, Brussels Beer Challenge, Euro Beer Star, South Beer Cup, the Indies, and the AIBAs.
Chris also stepped into the role of Competition Director for GABF and WBC, where he helped elevate the international standards of brewing excellence for over 20 years, while gaining invaluable experience in raw material and beer sensory.
As a commercial technical brewer, innovation brewer, and avid homebrewer, Chris has spent his career constantly experimenting with new raw materials and brewing techniques. This includes a deep exploration of the diverse world of hops in all possible product formats, including whole fresh and dried cones, T90 pellets, LUPOMAX® enriched pellets, SPECTRUM, bittering extracts, PHA aroma extracts, HopHaze® and of course HPA’s powerhouse varieties.
Having admired HPA for many years, Chris is excited to be part of a team that’s passionate about sharing the unique flavours of Aussie hops with the world. His genuine enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge will be an invaluable asset for our brewing customers. Chris will be out and about visiting breweries and attending tradeshows, primarily in the US and Asia. If you’re a brewer in these regions, looking to explore our range of Aussie, international, and innovative hop products, you can contact Chris with technical brewing questions or hop product queries at chris.swersey@hops.com.au or on +61 476 792 104.
