Terra Madre Delegate Profile -
Crayne Horton, brewer
Fish Brewing Company - Olympia, WA
www.fishbrewing.com

One cool mouthful is all it takes to appreciate the magnificent brew inside a splashy bottle of Fish Tale Ale. Yes, this organic beer may cost more than your other favorite brews, but it's packed with flavor, mindful crafting and a conscientious environmental philosophy. That's a lot from a beer, but Fish Brewing Company founder Crayne Horton expects nothing less.

Crayne has had life long fascination with alcohol. At an early age, he conducted experiments with the distilling process and later wrote a book about home brewing, all the while collecting different alcohol brands and tastes. Searching for a real career, Crayne settled on education and pursued advanced degrees and overseas experiences. However, he soon faced boredom with the realities of teaching. The desire to brew bubbled to the top. The Fish Brewing Company opened in 1993 with savings parlayed from several years of teaching political science and history in Japan. (Asked about the origins of his brewery's name, Crayne answers simply, "I like fish.") Crayne chose Olympia, Washington, for several reasons, not least of which was the convenient location (with no micro-brewery in sight!) on the I-5 corridor between Seattle and Portland.

The company has reasons to be proud. Its USDA Certified Organic Fish Tale Ales were 2004 winners in the Organic Beer category at the Brewing Industry International Awards in London, with India Pale Ale taking First Place and the Amber Ale coming in second. Still locally owned, Fish crafts 4,000 barrels a year, making it one of the larger producers of organic brew in the world. "Brewing organic beers has been the best possible choice for our customers, employees, and shareholders. That decision has made Fish Brewing a stronger company financially, a better place for its employees to work, and a better choice for environmentally conscious consumers. Brewing and selling organic beer has been a win/win situation for all of us," explains Crayne.

Initially the President and Chairman of the Board, Crayne currently serves as Vice-President of Marketing. The move brings welcome balance to a life that includes his wife, two young children and a magnificent kitchen garden. These days Crayne Horton is a comfortable mix of brewmaster, classic scholar, father, husband, businessman and gardener. Though it's only Tuesday, Crayne is dressed for a Northwest Casual Friday in shorts, t-shirt and sandals. A mindfulness to savor each moment is embedded in his being. Just as bread gets stale or beer goes flat, so follows the importance of being in the fresh now. The Fish Brewing Company has a slogan: You should have tasted the one that got away. Yesterday is gone, today will fade into tomorrow. Not to worry. There's another fish leaping up the stream. -Mary Ellen Psaltis, Slow Food Olympia