We had the good fortune of connecting with RODNEY HINES and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi RODNEY, what matters most to you?
INTEGRITY. Okay, this is actually my second choice question of your list of questions offered. When asked about the business (and maybe life), I usually start with our mission. I want our/my work to be mission and purpose driven always. Admittedly, I feel like the repeat of a record on an old turntable with a cranky needle stuck in a groove. Integrity is both a grounding and a driving force. It’s about staying true. It’s about one’s moral compass. It suggests agility and openness. It grounds partnerships and collaborations. It can feel exhausting and it makes me/us feel whole.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our mission at Metier Brewing Company: To brew damn good beer and build stronger community to inspire bigger dreams for all.

It starts with award winning damn good beer. I love and am proud of our award winning coconut porter. Roasty character, mild, yet rich in flavor. The can shares the story of our kinship with local Black owned restaurant Jerk Shack. The can art was done by local Black artist Damon Brown. Another beverage I’m excited about and can not go a day without is our sparkling nonalcoholic hop water. Recently released, our sparkling hop water is crisp, citrusy, piney, and zero-proof. Our water is infused with hoppy aromas and a burst of energizing juniper, giving it a smokey earthiness. Adding the hop water to our line up provides more variety for those interested in non-alcoholic menu options. The can art is by local Black artist Jessie Lipscomb.

Okay, parts two and three of our mission: Build stronger community to inspires bigger dreams for all. Enough said? MBC employees are at the center of our community. From there, our community grows to include our customers and our neighborhoods. Next is the industry we’re in and others who touch it. Though growing in numbers, roughly 100 of nearly 9000 craft breweries in the US are Black owned. There are fewer women owned breweries. That’s why we partnered with local brewery Reuben’s Brews to launch Mosaic State Brewers Collective, a mentorship program aimed to help underrepresented people access and build careers in the beer industry. Lastly, we hope to grow our community with like minded, caring folks to inspire bigger dreams for all. While we all can dream, we know for some of us, there has been a limit or a ceiling on how huge we might dream. Time (again) to call BS on that.

As one of the few Black-owned breweries in the country, we know representation matters. That’s why MBC operates our flagship taproom in the Central District, one of Seattle’s historic Black neighborhoods. But our commitment to community does not stop there. At all of our locations—including the kid-pet-and-event-friendly taproom in Woodinville and our one-of-a-kind brewpub partnership with the Seattle Mariners, honoring the Negro league baseball league—we partner with vendors and charities and artists we know share our goal of building a craft beer space where everyone feels welcome.

Though some decisions feel like no brainers, few seem easy. Deliberate execution and follow through is work. Toughest moment as CEO is the feeling of being alone…. some times, inevitable. Mostly, I can overcome the feeling if I stop and permit vulnerability and trust by seeking help and guidance from investors, team members and friends.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I appreciate and need to stop to ask this question regularly. Thanks…felt good to stop to write the list of who and what comes to mind…..I think of family, teachers and ministers from my youth; informal and corporate assigned mentors; places and communities like my block in West Philly or my small liberal arts college campus in Maine; and those detractors I’ve wanted to say screw you to who questioned my aptitude and skills in education and work. One person who reflects a lot of this some how, is my dear friend/former boss Liz. Liz, has been integral to my development to feel and cultivate love.

Website: https://metierbrewing.com/

Instagram: Metier Brewing

Facebook: Metier Brewing

Yelp: Metier Brewing Company

Image Credits
William Muñoz Photography

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