Dave began his career in the beverage/hospitality industry over 30 years ago as a barback and has been in the industry ever since. He attributes his curiosity to keeping him in the business and really enjoys the constant opportunity to both learn and teach in the industry. “Whether it’s standing in front of a class or sitting in one,” Dave says. “The more you know, the more you realize what you don’t know.” He believes his greatest accomplishments so far are passing the Master Cicerone Exam and having the opportunity to teach at the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Since 2010, Dave has served as a panelist with BTI/Tasings.com, specializing in beer. His approach to tasting and judging requires him to pay careful attention to each ingredient and to consider the aroma and flavor of each while writing his descriptors and assigning scores. Dave also considers the brewing process--from the initial brew to the bottling of the final product—in order to analyze where flaws may have occurred and write informed suggestions for improvement where necessary.

Dave’s current projects including publishing articles for the Mash Tun Journal along with his responsibilities as the Craft Beer Manager at Wirtz Beverage.