Meet Ben Shaggy” Blaney | Head Brewer”

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ben “Shaggy” Blaney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ben “Shaggy”, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
My Yard Live Beer Co. has become a great community partner with San Marcos. We do a lot of events that focus on fundraising for local schools and youth programs, programs that employ and empower special needs groups, but personally my favorite project we’ve done and continue to do is a beer called “4Dudes Brew” which started with one of our first employees, James Zoul. The 4DUDES are a longtime group of friends with intellectual and developmental disabilities that partnered with My Yard Live Beer Co. to create the 4DUDESBREW beer series. We get together and Brew a beer of their choice that they help refine the recipe and are involved in every aspect of the brewing process. We then donate $1 of every pint sold to a donation of their choice, with the next release we will have raised just shy of $10,ooo dollars. https://www.myyardlive.com/4dudes-brew

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started home-brewing with my dad as a random hobby that sounded fun and then we got a little obsessed with it. That’s when I decided that this is what I was passionate about and wanted to pursue as a career. I landed a job on the packaging side at Lost Abbey and eventually learned every aspect of that brewery, I was at that brewery for almost 8 years and I still say it’s the hardest job i’ve ever left. I left to help run and expand another brewery that was short-lived but was valuable experience after that I was brought on to run the brewing arm of My Yard Live Beer Co.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of our first spots for a beer would be Mcilhenney Brewing down in Alpine, it’s a spot that I don’t get to enjoy as often as I would like. I’m an avid fan of camping as well so the trip would probably involve a lot of spots such as Anza-Borrego (if it’s not summer), Palomar Mountain, and definitely some beach camping at the Carlsbad campgrounds. There would probably be multiple trips to In-n-Out, Churchills Pub in San Marcos, and Julian Beer Co.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife Summer who let me jump into and supported my career change into brewing and is a constant rock for our family, and to Jamie Minotti and Mark McLarry who allow me to chase my passion and constantly push myself to be better in not only this industry but in life.

Website: https://www.myyardlive.com/