EP-142 Rick Muschiana of Sovengard
You\u2019ll sometimes hear people describe craft beer as a sort of zeitgeist all its own, coming out of nowhere to upend a century-old domination of the big corporate brewers, rising like punk rock to legendary status by following its own rules, and changing people's expectations for what beer can be in the process.\xa0 And a lot of that\u2019s true, though it didn\u2019t happen in a vacuum. Way back in episode 18 with Gary Fish of Deschutes, you hear a much more contextual perspective. Which is to say: craft beer, at least in its current form, is part of something much bigger that\u2019s changing about the way we eat and drink. The slow food movement that has transformed so many of the world\u2019s dining experiences from city to city, bringing things like "farm to table" into our common vernacular. Phrases like "know your farmer," which sounds a lot like "know your brewer." And "locavore," which sounds a lot like "drink local." All these things were setting a stage that craft beer now dances on. It just happens to be a part in the play where beer is stealing the show a bit.\xa0 And that brings us to today\u2019s guest, Rick Muschiana. I first met Rick when he was working at Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids. Back in episode 10, we talked to founders Jason and Kristen Spaulding about their unique community and sustainability-focused brewpub. Rick helped them grow that operation, playing roles in marketing, sales, and operations.\xa0 He then went on to lead Michigan sales for Virtue Cider in Fenville, Michigan.\xa0 And then he took the plunge into his own concept, focused on a sort of Nordic style of cuisine alongside great beer, wine, and more in a restaurant and garden concept called Sovengard in Grand Rapids.\xa0It's there you\u2019ll find the culmination of Rick\u2019s former professional experiences, but also something more fundamental\u2014the influence his parents had on his perspective on food, beverage, and hospitality. They remain an influence to this day.\xa0 The result is a place in Grand Rapids unlike any other.