USA: Bruce MacDonald - the new chief executive officer of Mad River Brewing Co.

The Mad River Brewing Co.’s board of directors announced on April 19 that the company’s new chief executive officer is Arcata resident Bruce MacDonald.

A graduate of Cornell University, Bruce MacDonald previously held executive positions at Johnson & Johnson, Sara Lee Corp., West Farm Food and most recently served as vice president of sales and marketing for the Sun Valley Group in Arcata, Eureka Reporter posted on April 20.

Though new to the beer industry, MacDonald anticipates developing a career in the “fastest-growing segment of the fermented hop and barley business.”

The new chief executive office said that the American craft beer industry is growing at a rate of 12-14 percent annually because of a revitalized interest in unique flavours. Before the nation’s three major brewers, Coors, Budweiser and Miller, began to dominate beer production in the United States, individual regions produced distinctive beer.

We’re making old-style beers that have more flavour and more body than the modern beers that are put in aluminium cans and mass produced, MacDonald declared.

In his opinion, beer made by major brewers tends to be light and have fewer flavors than brews in an attempt to appeal to a range of consumers.

More and more, restaurant-goers are discussing what kind of beer to pair with the food they eat. Just as individual wineries produce unique products, craft breweries manufacture distinctive beers that have attracted consumers. According to Bruce MacDonald, people are asking for beer based on what they’re eating, which is quite a change from the way it was.

Since Mad River Brewing Co. was founded 16 years ago, the business has grown to more than 30 employees who are “passionate about the business,” said MacDonald’s. The brewery holds beer tastings Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round.

E-malt.com, the global information source for the brewing and malting industry professionals. The bi-weekly E-malt.com Newsletters feature latest industry news, statistics in graphs and tables, world barley and malt prices, and other relevant information. Click here to get full access to E-malt.com. If you are a Castle Malting client, you can get free access to E-malt.com website and publications. Contact us for more information at marketing@castlemalting.com .