Kraig Torres / Hop City Craft Beer & Wine
Kraig Torres is an experienced beer tasting professional with over 8,000 beer ratings. He is a 20-year Atlanta resident with an entrepreneurial background. As an avid beer enthusiast, he has traveled the world drinking beer in pubs and breweries. His specialty is beer/food pairings. In 2009, Kraig made the leap from amateur imbiber to professional drinker by founding Hop City Craft Beer and Wine. Hop City is craft beer heaven – home to the East Coast’s largest selection of sudsy fun – with over 1,900 unique ale and lager opportunities every day. Hop City is not just a beer destination – with over 1,100 wines, most from small producers, Hop City can be equally engaging to your inner oenophile.
Kraig was the first person to jump in to the beer Growler scene in Georgia, starting with just 12 taps, and expanding to 60 in 2011. Beer Advocate has awarded Hop City an A+, their highest rating; and RateBeer considers Hop City one of the country’s top 10 retailers. Kraig was a 2012 finalist for Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year and in both 2014 and 2016, Hop City was ranked among the fastest growing businesses in the city.
In 2012, the state of Georgia could no longer contain Kraig’s ambition: Hop City Birmingham opened – and to great acclaim. It quickly became the top beer destination in Alabama. Not only does Hop City carry every beer available in AL but all 66 of our taps in Growlertown are available for by-the-glass enjoyment. This makes Hop City a beer-lover’s paradise. Sit and enjoy a beer, shop the amazing selection, then sip on a pint while putting together a new homebrew creation. In December 2014, Kraig opened his 3rd Hop City in the highly anticipated Krog Street Market in Inman Park. The newest Hop City was quickly voted “Best New Place to Grab a Pint” by Atlanta Magazine in 2015. Much like Birmingham, the Krog Market location has a full-service bar, growler station and all the great beer and wine selections our fans have grown to expect.
Most recently, Kraig announced his newest venture – a beer bar with gourmet kitchen in the newest phase of Avalon in Alpharetta – slated to open April of 2017.
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Jonathan Baker / Monday Night Brewing
Jonathan is the reasonably qualified creative guy at Monday Night Brewing. He develops and maintains the Monday Night brand, including all design, social media and our obsession with Bryan Adams. He graduated from Emory in 2005 with a BBA in Marketing and a minor in Religion. His background is in marketing strategy consulting, where he worked with some large beer brands that you’ve definitely heard of.
He is married to the lovely Sarah, and has a daughter named Addie Gray and a pitbull mix named Eden who comes to the brewery everyday. She’s a lover, not a fighter.