ROGER A. BAYLOR
1117 E. Spring St., New Albany, IN
mayorbaylor@gmail.com
(502) 468-9710
Any licensed establishment can list its beers, but not every establishment organizes its beer offerings into a purposeful, complementary statement of intent, such that a unique identity is created, and return patronage encouraged. A beer list should be stylistically varied, exhibiting the same forethought that goes into the food menu, wine list or cocktail program, and this “beer thinking” process is what I’ve been applying successfully throughout my 40-plus years in beer.
What Am I, a “Beer Guy”?: It’s an unconventional CV, but then again, neither my work history nor accompanying life experience is ordinary, and there exists no job title for the role I’ve been playing throughout the past four decades — because, in essence, I invented my own job description.
Basics: I was born in New Albany, Indiana on August 3, 1960 and have lived in Floyd County ever since, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University Southeast in 1982, with a major in philosophy and minor in European history.
42 years of innovative beer business experience: I’ve been an entrepreneur and an educator, working in Southern Indiana and Louisville as a bartender, package store clerk, brewery owner, restaurateur, writer, polemicist, homebrewing club founder, beer and brewery tour operator, as well as traveling extensively and playing the part of all-purpose front man for a sociocultural and commercial movement (now known as craft beer) that didn’t even exist until the late 1980s.
My Greatest Hits: As a co-owner (1989 – 2018) of New Albanian Brewing Company Pizzeria & Public House and later NABC’s Bank Street Brewhouse in New Albany, Indiana – various components of which were founded in 1987, 1992, 2002 and 2009 – I played a major role in metro Louisville’s contemporary beer renaissance, later serving as beer director at the short-lived Common Haus Hall (Jeffersonville; 2022-2023) and Pints&union in New Albany (2018-2023).
Writing and Communications: My “Hip Hops” columns on beer-related subjects have been a fixture since 2005 in Food & Dining Magazine, where I currently work part-time as digital editor and print contributor, writing profiles and features. Previously I was a columnist at both the New Albany Tribune (general interest; paywall) and LEO Weekly (beer-related “Mug Shots”), as well as founder of the NA Confidential blog (2004 – 2020). Visit RogerBaylor.com for more.
Other Achievements and Background: I’m a certified tourist ambassador, graduate of the Leadership Southern Indiana “Discover” program (2016-17), and former director on the board of the Brewers of Indiana Guild (2009-2016), Develop New Albany and the New Albany Urban Enterprise Zone (both 2007-2010). Beer has been a hobby for me as well as a profession, but I also enjoy books, music, cats, bicycling and cooking.
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