Some of you may know him as the former president of Phi Kappa Tau, some of you may know him as the man Honey Boo-Boo scolded for being “bad at his job,” but most of you know him as one of the kindest souls to grace Appalachian State’s campus; meet William Bayless.
William is a senior public relations major and recreation management minor at Appalachian State, expected to graduate in May 2017. He loves the feeling of being outdoors, is a seasoned traveler, most recently traveling to Poland, and good news ladies, he’s single! While William will graduate with a communications degree, his true passion lies in the art of brewing and creating the perfect craft beer.
Sitting down with William, I asked him how he got interested in the craft beer industry. He said, “I grew up living near Asheville, which is one of the countries biggest concentration of small-batch and craft breweries. I used to hate the taste of beer, especially more bitter IPAs, but it gradually grew on me. I came to realize that making beer that is different from the larger breweries, and that you can call your own, is very special.” As someone who isn’t a fan of beer, and doesn’t know a lot about what it takes to create the perfect beer, listening to Wlliam explain it is both easy to understand, and enjoyable to listen to. Anyone who meets him knows he puts 100% into everything he does, and this topic is no different.
William gradually began to like the taste of beer once he started to understand the craft and the time, as well as love, that is put into the process. His taste buds depend on the season. In the winter time, he prefers to drink a heavier and more malty (barley or oats) beer, such as a porter or stout, which is a beer that fills you up. In the spring and summer time, William likes time to drink beers that are lighter, or are more heavily hopped (giving the beer a bitter taste), and are refreshing. These are the kinds of beers you can enjoy after doing something outside like hiking or jumping in the river. His favorite summertime brew is a Hefeweizen, a type of beer brewed with more wheat than malts, a special yeast, tastes very bready and like bananas or cloves.
William is pursuing his passions by working as a marketing and sales director intern for Blowing Rock Brewery and Alehouse (Blowing Rock Brewing Co.), learning how the company manages their public image and media accounts. He also conducts business with clients and collaborative organizations as an intern. I asked him to break down what he does on a dail basis: “I help run the social media, attend beer tastings, and create marketing content such as handouts with descriptions of the beers we brew, and online newsletters. I will also help in planning some smaller events, either philanthropic or for the release of a specialty brews.”
Down the road, William hopes to take what he’s learned from working in both the restaurant and beer industry, and through through service experiences, and open his own business. He would like to open a brewpub (a restaurant that is also a brewery on the same site) that gives back to the local community in some way. With his heart, I have no doubt he can, and will, make this happen.
William is a man with a plan, intelligence, faith, and an incredible amount of love. While you’re perfecting your craft, we will always be cheering you on!
Image Sources:
William Bayless’ Photos