Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Thacker.
Michael, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
About eight years ago, I began my craft beer journey with a Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat, prior to that I only drank wine or spirits as I didn’t care for the taste of mass-produced beers. From there, I spent several years trying different styles and flavors until 2014 when I began to see other people writing about craft beer and making money doing it. I had already been writing blog posts and articles on the topic of Christian theology and decided to tap into the potential of craft beer writing by combining both my passion for writing and craft beer. At the same time, I decided to study more on the topic and really try and understand it on a deeper level than just simply drinking it. I went on to obtain my Beer Server Certification through the Cicerone Program and my Beer Steward Certification through Master Brewers Association of America.
Over time, I developed my own style of writing about craft beer as I gained more experience writing for publications such as The Beer Connoisseur Fort Worth Magazine, Dallas Observer, Chilled Magazine, and the like. In 2016 I began to conduct research on the potentials of blogging, and that is when I went on to form The Craft Beer Voyager blog. Through the years, I only wrote on the blog from time to time without getting serious, it wasn’t until just recently that I began to really dig deep and try and make it turn into something by writing blogs daily as well as writing my first craft beer book that was just released this year.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It was definitely not a smooth road by no means as I have faced various challenges over the years that include financial issues, career changes and my daughter having cancer. Dealing with my daughter’s cancer for the past two and a half years has been the toughest obstacle of them all. Luckily, I got to spend quite a bit of time at home during her treatments simply do to the fact that I was working for my dad’s business at the time. This allowed me to spend quality time with my daughter and my wife, who at the time of diagnoses was pregnant with our son. Only by the grace of God and the wonders of modern medicine were we able to push through till the end of treatment. Ending treatment only a few months ago, it has really helped free me up to once again pursue my blogging and book writing.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Craft Beer Voyager – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
My company is a simple blog that all about the craft beer scene that includes independent breweries, beer reviews, beer and food pairing, pubs, events, and travel stories, all of which is written by me. I also write books that include the craft beer scene and Christian theology and philosophy. I also blog about Christian theology and philosophy on my Clarity Outreach website as well as teach on my Clarity Outreach YouTube channel and speak at various events.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plans for the future are to continue blogging and writing more books about the craft beer scene while traveling to more craft beer centric locations. Each book will feature a different city and will be somewhat of a magazine/book hybrid that will cover the city’s breweries, a featured brewer and pub, beer reviews from that city’s breweries, and more. I also plan on writing more Christian theology and philosophy books with one coming out soon that covers my daughter’s treatments and the reality of pain and suffering.
Pricing:
- Craft Beer Voyager Fort Worth Craft Brewery Guide Book-Hardcover: $22
- Craft Beer Voyager Fort Worth Craft Brewery Guide Book-Softcover: $12
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.craftbeervoyager.com
- Email: craftbeervoyage@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craftbeervoyager/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craftbeervoyager/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/beer_voyager
- Other: https://clarityoutreach.org/
Image Credit:
Joshua Glover-Anthem Brewing Photo; Shaun Mcalister-Cannabis Event Photo
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