Best Beard in Brewing
B Y J O H N H . WA L K E R
R
ob Jones says he’s had a beard “Ever since I could grow one.”
Rob Jones
Well, he grew a good one, because readers of Brew Scene have named his beard as the “Best Beard in Brewing” in the latest Reader’s Awards competition. “That’s great,” Jones, who is multimedia coordinator at New Bern’s Tryon Palace, said with a chuckle. “Really, there have been very few times in my adult life when I can remember not having a beard.” Jones said that on his wedding day, his then-future wife, Dawn, told him she wanted him clean shaven. “So I did and that was that,” he laughed, adding that the beard soon started to grow again. Jones has a full, reddish-color beard that can’t be missed. It is neatly trimmed and even.
but that got expensive,” he said.
Jones said he would advise
started brewing, information was
“So I learned how to do it myself.”
someone just starting to grow a
garnered from brewer to brewer
beard to be patient.
in person. Today, there is a wealth
Jones said the most common question he gets is, “How long did it take (to grow)?”
“Don’t touch it for three months, as it is growing to grow at
He said he really couldn’t
different speeds at different spots
answer that, because he started
on you face. Give it a chance to fill
growing his beard about four
in before you decide you don’t
years ago and that the effort is
like it and cut it off.”
more a work in progress than anything. And just like bad hair days, there are bad beard days as well. “Those days, I just try to keep it in check and keep it trim.” Jones said he makes his own
When he’s not brewing his own beer or working at Tryon Palace,
Jones, who has been brewing for
25
years,
teaches
the
owner Tim Dryden at Craven
job, but I want it to be neat and
dandruff, too.”
Community College at part of
“There was a time when I went to the barber to get it trimmed,
26
megabrewery is that instead of
“It’s buying local, and it really
their own beer.
on my skin and it eliminates
and curly ones.
such as Brutopia and from a
braces or dance lessons.
state, so it’s a requirement of the
longer hairs as well as stray hairs
a beer from a microbrewery,
teaching newbies how to brew
class
itchy skin as well as dandruff.
purchasing
CEO, it goes to help pay for
oils that work,” he said. “It’s good
He said he trims out the
in
children, coaching baseball or
a week,” he said. “I work for the
maintained well can result in dry,
difference
vacation home or yacht for the
Introduction to Home Brewing
a Saturday night hobo.”
the
time with his wife and their four
messed with several different
That’s right. A beard that is not
Jone said he tells people
the money going to buy another
“I trim it every week, once
trimmed. I don’t want to look like
can it totally be trusted?”
Jones might be found spending
beard oil to help with grooming. “I have sensitive skin, so I
of information on the web, but
with
Brutopia
Brewing
Craven’s Workforce Development department. “I
wanted
to
share
the
Jones said he began making
knowledge that I have gained
his own mixture because, just like
over the last 25 years of brewing,”
the trims at a barber shop, the
Jones said in a Craven Community
costs add up.”
College news release. “When I
does make a difference and it really does impact people and their lives.” Finishing in second place was Aaron Avery of Big Game Brewing in Kinston while Jones’ teaching partner, Tim Dryden of BrÜtopia, took third. 2nd - Aaron Avery (Big Game Brewing, Kinston NC) 3rd - Tim Dryden (Brutopia, New Bern, NC)
