Brewer Magazine Q&A: Mark Wilson, Abita Beer

Mark Wilson, Brewmaster, Abita Beer — New Orleans

 

BREWER: How do you feel your job has had to adapt in the beer market compared to a few years ago?

WILSON: We are making so many new beers and constantly innovating. Seven or eight years ago we may have had one new brand per year. Now may have five or six new brands in a year.

BREWER: Who is your mentor in the industry and why? What have you learned from them?

WILSON: I can’t really name just one as I have learned from so many people in the industry. The collaboration among brewers is one of the most satisfying elements of the brewing industry. But the most important thing I have learned is that beer quality is the most important factor in a successful operation.

BREWER: Can you share a success story that you are proud of in your job or maybe a story of how you learned from a situation that has altered your thoughts on how you do your job now?

WILSON: We have done a couple of charitable beers, including Restoration Pale after Hurricane Katrina and SOS after the BP oil spill. We raised over $1 million for relief causes. It shows that our job is not just making beers, but that we are a part of our community.

BREWER: Can you touch on something your brewery has added lately that’s unique or making your business more successful (it could be equipment, technology or people)?

WILSON: We have added a new centrifuge that allows us to process our beers much more efficiently. It also allows us to filter some of our beers without removing some of the great aromas that are present.

BREWER: If you had one business strategy that you could implement to better the brewing industry, what would it be?

WILSON: That making beers consistently the same would be the way brewers/breweries are judged.