Robert Turley

Head Brewer, Community Beer Works.

- Paul McMorrow

Robert Turley sees potential in his hometown of Buffalo, N.Y. “When you look around here, you don’t see as much industry anymore, but you see the effects of industrialization, and it’s suited for making beer,” he argues. “Beer can be a driver of productive American jobs in this area.” As head brewer of the fast-growing Buffalo nanobrewery Community Beer Works, Turley and his brewing crew churn out flavorful American ales that reflect the city’s character. “This is where I’m from; a large chunk of this company are Buffalo natives,” Turley says. With a bigger production space and a Niagara Falls brewpub in development, Community Beer Works will be able to reach even more of its neighbors. “The name says it all: We have a desire to not only make beer, but to build a better community.”

1. Get obsessed

Before Robert Turley was a brewer, he was a home cook and baker. Home brewing, a habit he picked up from a roommate, scratched the same itch. Turley credits Ithaca Flower Power IPA for turning him on to better beer. He quickly grew obsessed, building his own equipment and buying grain by the sack. “I was making beer in my basement constantly,” Turley recalls, “and I decided I had to make this a career, because, otherwise, I was going to go broke.”

2. When things fall from the sky, catch them