Tisha Gainey has always marched to the beat of her own drum, and that path, while sometimes bumpy and overgrown, has led her to the craft-beer trailblazer she is today. In college, while her friends were cozying up to cosmos, Gainey was getting down with
quality beers like Sam Smith, Rogue and Guinness. In 2007, she tapped into her passion for craft beer and education by becoming a craft beer sales rep for a major distributor, quickly rising to the top in the male-dominated industry. Gainey then took the role as beverage director for a local restaurant group and helped curate those vital relationships between breweries, distributors and restaurants. In 2014, Gainey co-founded HB Productions as a way to both continue her passion for craft beer education and host stellar events that put the craft beer industry on full display. With award-winning events like the Tailspin Ale Fest, J-Town Craft Beer Festival and Owensboro’s Cheers on the Pier, Gainey and HB Productions are ready to take on new challenges, including launching Crowler Catering during the pandemic as a way to help local brewers, restaurants and small businesses.
Trevor Cravens has been knee-deep in the craft beer industry for more than a decade, but his taste for quality brew dates back to the ’90s when he discovered gateway gems like Rogue Dead Guy Ale. In 2009, Cravens became president of DRAFT Magazine, where he worked tirelessly for 10 years to help introduce craft beer to a wider audience and also host events around the country to support that mission. In 2014, Cravens co-founded Louisville’s HB Productions, with the award-winning Tailspin Ale Fest as the company’s first outing, and he has continued to share his passion for craft brewing, education and fun. “Discovering new beers and the experiences associated with that occasion is what makes craft beer so enjoyable to me,” Cravens says. “And while we are passionate about beer, we are definitely not beer snobs. Our goal is to make craft beer approachable for anyone.”