Testimony:
"Matt Simpson, is by far the most informative beer expert I know. He kept our readers informed with valuable pairings, beer quality and tasting notes. And crafted an interesting and fun look into the craft beer world. Which made it easy for beverage managers, shop owners, and chefs to complete their beverage tasks! ( thanks Matt!)"
Carl H. Bradford 3
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"It was a pleasure to meet you this week at McCray's.
The dinner was great, especially learning about pairing beer with the menu items served. I have been to other such dinners (at Summits and other places) but found this one to be more informative ... and the food was better, also.
I'm still learning about the "wide world" of beer and look forward to seeing you again at another event soon."
Doug Guthrie
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"Matt's expertise in craft beer and food knowledge is unsurpassed. As a key contributor to RateBeer for many years, he's established himself among the world's most knowledgeable and influential craft beer experts and manages to distinguish himself among these peers. Matt also comfortably extends himself into people matters, negotiating conflict and facilitating agreement well. He's a strong ally and one you want on your side."
Joe Tucker
Owner
RateBeer.com
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"I have never met anyone that knows more about beer, much less how to pairs it with food, than Matt Simpson, The Beer Sommelier. I genuinely appreciate the tasting that you conducted at our recent party. Everyone was extremely impressed by your service and knowledge. I think that you have the coolest job in the world and I am very jealous!"
Chad Massaker
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"Matt was the MC for my 49th birthday party. It was a phenomenal success. Matt's depth and breadth of knowledge regarding this awesome beverage not only entertained the crowd, we all left with a greater understanding of why we like what we drink. Hiring Matt was one of my wife's best ideas. In addition to having a higher appreciation for beer, a spiritual awareness that beer is good for our marriage is becoming quite evident."
Lee Amason
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"I am the founder of Brewpot.com, a beer information website and I consult with Matt on a regular basis on many aspects of the website to make sure the website is factually correct. He writes and edits articles for the website and helps to ensure the integrity of the rating system. As Brewpot grows, I hope to be able to take advantage of Matt's expertise more. He is very professional and always produces great results, in a timely fashion and is very reliable."
Jay Jackson
Owner & Founder
Brewpot.com
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"My two best friends spent a lot of time planning my bachelorette weekend, keeping the details a surprise to me. The weekend kicked off with a group of 14 girls hanging out on a rooftop, and me being told there was a man waiting for me inside my friend's loft. Wondering if this was the typical 'we hired a stripper!' affair, I was pleasantly surprised to find the man waiting for me was Matt, beer sommelier (and not some guy in a g-string!) Matt was informative and entertaining, and was able to answer all the questions we challenged him with. My girlfriends had a blast, and it was such a unique experience! Assuming that 99% of Matt's presentations are given to men, I'd advise more girls to try him out. Afterall, girls like beer too!"
Moeko Wallis
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"We hired the Beer Expert for a girlfriend's bachelorette party — and he did a most excellent job entertaining the group and teaching us about tasting various beers. His presentation was a great mix of interacting with the group and giving brief informational talks on the specific beer selections and the beer-making process. Matt was great about customizing his time with us based on the type of event we were having — and the guest of honor's beer recommendations. His food pairing recommendations were right on — and the takeaway materials were great. We all left with a stronger knowledge of beer and (we think) more complex palettes. I look forward to hiring Matt for a future party. Based on the presentation, I know The Beer Expert could wow crowds ranging from amateur to expert."
Katy Beck Mallory
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"Having done many of the typical team outings, we were looking for a unique but casual event that everyone would enjoy. Our Tasting with The Beer Sommelier suited our needs perfectly. Matt was very accommodating with our requests and interests, so it was an easy event to plan. We had a great time with him and feedback from the team was very positive."
Lindsay Mandeville
Manager
Insight Sourcing Group
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"It was a great party -- all the girls had so much fun! Also, everyone we told about the experience was very jealous!"
Kristen Hungarland
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"It was wonderful to work with you. Your expertise was an added element to creating a successful and entertaining event for all attending guests. I am happy to have been able to connect with you to collaborate for this event and hope to work with you again in the future. Many thanks."
Cortney Van Jahnke
Creative Projects Director
Rm.Fifty5 - AVA Lounge - Inc Lounge
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"I was at the Peace Corps beer tasting (at Rebecca Wellborn's place) and just wanted to tell you what a great time my friends and I had! You were great - not too formal, always ready to answer random questions. And the selection was interesting - had no idea that beer could resemble champagne or that dark beer could go great with chocolate brownies. Having a list to take home was great! Just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed the tasting and learned a lot. Thanks for keeping us in touch with what you're doing in town."
Christine Jolley
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"Matt's knowledge of the craft brew industry, his enthusiasm and his exuberant personality made our recent Beer Tasting Fundraiser a great success. I would definitely recommend "The Beer Sommelier" to any group looking for a unique and enjoyable fundraising event."
Rebecca Wellborn
Atlanta Area Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
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"Thank you for your help at the Standard. I think everyone had a great time and your Sommelier abilities made it much more interesting. We raised over $2500, to plant trees in the area. You helped us make this a success."
Joe Staley
Special Events Director
Trees Atlanta
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"Matt presented a "Beer 101" to our wine group and did a wonderful job. He made a group of wine lovers appreciate the finer points of skillful brewing. He got rave reviews from our members!"
Richard Kaplan
Atlanta, GA
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"Social 360 wants to thank you so much for your contribution to our recent event. Having the "Beer Sommelier" at our event definitely added some extra pizzazz and a nice educational touch to beer drinking! I have heard many compliments about your friendliness and depth of knowledge about beer from participants at our event. It was definitely a great move to have you come out and we appreciate your willingness to be flexible with our crazy schedules!
Best wishes with the business and we hope to work with you again in the future!"
Brooke Baxter
Social 360
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"When it comes to beer, I have never met anyone with more passion, knowledge or energy than Matt Simpson. He possesses the heart of a teacher and the likability of, well....of beer."
Joey Redner
Tampa Bay Times/St. Petersburg Times Beer Columnist
Founder, Cigar City Brewing
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“In the many years I’ve known Matt Simpson, I’ve been fortunate enough to reap the liquid benefits of both his Cellar and brewing, on numerous occasions. And behind every beer shared, was (and still is) a story!
In the days of Dogwood Brewing, Matt would often host meetings and tastings at our facility, wherein, dozens of different beers would be sampled and discussed in one evening. These meetings continue to this day, in the form of Ale Atlanta…of which, I’m a proud member.
Tastings such as these have demonstrated Matt’s unique ability to not only describe the origins of the beers provided, but the flavor profiles and palates as well. I’ve found his depth of knowledge in these areas absolutely exceptional.
Having also had many beer-related discussions with Matt, I can certainly attest to his understanding of all aspects of the brewing process. In fact, intellectual dialogue, across the entire subject, has occasionally become lively debate. But all along, I have always considered him a fellow professional.
And if he ever had a question regarding anything in the arena of craft brewing, he’s never been afraid to ask those of us in the trenches, just to get a valid answer, without any speculation. His passion has always been evident, almost to the point of fanaticism!
There’s no question in my mind that Matt has the expertise, understanding and vigor to impart his beer knowledge to anyone so inclined to listen. Whether it be an education in beer, or simply a fun time, Matt’s your man!”
Crawford Moran
Co-Owner/Brew Master
5 Seasons North
Owner/Brew Master
Dogwood Brewing
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“I’ve found his knowledge of beer and brewing to be quite competent, and have had many conversations with him about brewing techniques and methods.
I have also attended several of the tastings he’s hosted through Ale Atlanta and RateBeer. I am always amazed at the wide selection and variety of exclusive and rare beers his groups are able to acquire. After the thousands of different beers and vintages he’s sampled through the years, I’m certain his perception and appreciation of beer are on a much higher level than most.
All that being said, I consider Matt a great resource for everything beer. His place in the Atlanta beer community is one that has brought insight and education to the fore front.
Brian “Spike” Buckowski
Co-Founder/Brewmaster
Terrapin Beer Company
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“I have never thought of “entertaining” during a Thanksgiving holiday with my family. But I enlisted a pro, Matt Simpson in “brewology, to do something simple, like a beer tasting. In my layman thinking, I thought he could use his expertise to talk about all the interesting beers I had seen in the local specialty stores. This, to pass time while the turkey dinner came together and bring the adults in a circle for some fun and MAYBE a little knowledge.
In no way did I expect the end result of what I thought would be just a time passer. Mr. Simpson, came armed and erudite with a collection of beers we’ve all seen but didn’t dare buy. We learned just enough chemistry to be fun, yet not overwhelming. We walked away knowing the difference between an ale and a stout. We knew we preferred an amber verses a lambic. Ask Matt about lambics-his knowledge of these obscure brews is endless. Some even walked away with new nicknames, such as a Hop Head, etc. It was the most fun any of us ever had learning. Matt Simpson is the consummate professional in his field, an enthusiast of all hop libation and an incredible host of barley carbonated events.
Thank you for a great event. Can’t wait to enlist your extensive “brewology” services at our next gathering!”
Suizan Osvick
Square Peg Marketing
Dallas, TX
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“I have been a professional brewer for 14+ years and having known Matt Simpson since 2002, I can attest to his finely trained palate for beer and food matching and his ability to know good beer when he drinks it. He is well versed in working with the media and has superb people skills.
He is definitely one of the ‘movers and shakers’ in the Atlanta group of beer cognoscenti and whoever hires him for his knowledge will be very lucky indeed.”
Julie Baggett
Brewmaster, New Vulcan Alehouse
Former Brewer, Anheuser Busch
Former Brewer, Abita Brewing
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“I have known Matt for several years and have been impressed with his pervasive passion and enthusiasm for fine beer. Matt has worked hard over the years in helping produce the beer website known as www.thebeercellar.com that endeavors to promote the world of Southern beer. He is also an active member of Atlanta’s premier beer taster’s organization – Ale Atlanta.
Matt is extremely personable and well-versed in beer styles and beer culture. He contributes reviews of commercial beers to www.ratebeer.com and rarely misses a gourmet beer tasting in the Atlanta area. He is also a valued contributor to the Atlanta Beer-Talk email discussion group.
Matt Simpson is truly fervent in his love for exceptional beers. You would be hard-pressed to find someone more deserving of your careful attention and consideration.”
Owen Ogletree
Founder & Editor – www.ClassicCityBrew.com
Staff Writer – Southern Brew News
Founder & Director – Classic City Brew Fest and Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting
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“I wish to express my appreciation to you for your contributions to the BrewMasters of Alpharetta. You add more content than many of those who claim the BrewMasters as their only (brewing) club. You take an active role in discussions, demonstrating advanced home-brewing knowledge, as well as knowledge of the many beer styles. You were, time and time again, able to describe specific beers, in terms of malt and hop flavor and aroma, as if you had intimate knowledge of the (BJCP) guide and were able to correctly compare them to the style. You obviously have many years of experience and it shows.
In addition, we see you month after month, bringing samples that demonstrate your advanced ability to brew great beer. These are not examples of standard styles. These are beers that are difficult to brew and on the forefront of brewing trends. One memorable example was a Double IPA that you shared with me. It demonstrated a thorough understanding of this new style and the techniques needed to brew such a complex ale. Only an advanced home-brewer would take on such a challenge and be successful in his efforts.
I would also like to thank you for volunteering to give presentations at our meetings, sharing your understanding of beer. From the unique Belgian styles, with their widely varying sub-styles, to creating and explaining Eisbock beers, you have willingly given presentations that have been thought provoking and original in content. It is my hope that you continue to attend our meetings and share more of your knowledge.
Craig Sikes
President
The BrewMasters of Alpharetta
