Photo Project Features Many of California’s Best Known Brewers

Mitch Steele of Stone Brewing Co. sips a beer at the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens. The photo is part of California BrewMasters, a project by professional photographer Nick Gingold, who photographed and interviewed more than 45 of California’s best known brewers. Gingold is turning to Kickstarter with hopes of publishing the photos in a coffee table book.

When Nick Gingold started photographing some of California’s best known brewers in 2012, it didn’t take him long to discover how to make a brewer act natural in front of a camera. “As long as we kept a beer in front of their hands, they were happy,” said Gingold.

Two years later, Gingold has photographed and interviewed more than 45 brewers—most with beers in hand—and the results are stunning. (Scroll down to see more of his work.) His subjects include Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker Brewing Co. and Chuck Silva of Green Flash Brewing Co., just to name a few.

Gingold—a native of Newport Beach—was inspired to start the project when he attended the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival in 2012. “There are a lot of books out there that are guidebooks or on the beer itself, but what impressed me at that festival was the community behind craft beer,” said Gingold. “Because I specialize in portraiture, I wanted to start talking to brewers and see if they’d give me a bit of their time.”

Now, Gingold is looking for a bit of help from Kickstarter to publish California BrewMasters, a coffee table book featuring his photographs and interviews. The project will only be funded if at least $25,000 is pledged by March 18. To learn more about the project, visit the California BrewMasters website and its Kickstarter page. Selected photos are also on display at City Beer Store in San Francisco until the end of March.

Vinnie Cilurzo, the co-owner and brewmaster at Russian River Brewing Co., in the brewery’s barrel room in Santa Rosa. Photo by Nick Gingold.

Ben Cook, the founder of Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, which brews Orange Wheat, in a grove of orange trees. Photo by Nick Gingold.

Brian Hunt, the founder of Moonlight Brewing Co., in the hop yard at Abbey de St. Humulus in rural Santa Rosa. Photo by Nick Gingold.