Beer guy bids farewell: Thanks and cheers to what's next

I'm not going to bury the lead — starting now, I'm no longer going to be the "beer guy."

Also, as of now, I am Greenville's downtown reporter for The Greenville News and GreenvilleOnline.com.

I've built a relationship with y'all, so I want to tell you why …

When I first began this column a year and a half ago, I can honestly say I didn't know where it would go.

We were rolling out a new eGreenville entertainment section. We decided craft beer in particular would have its own dedicated space. I — an environmental writer focused on the nuclear energy sector — was the person in the room most-interested in craft beer.

Yes, it was that simple.

Little did we know how important it would become, how passionate Greenville and the Upstate's craft culture is and how much room it has to grow.

Last September, I convinced our editors that this was worthy of front page news and not just a small column popping up every Friday. What exactly were Quest and Brewery 85 up to in opening new breweries? What in the world were they thinking? It takes at least $1 million to get one going.

This is serious business. USA Today, our mothership publication, agreed and picked it up, too — giving our bold entrepreneurs national exposure. And it wouldn't be the only time that would happen.

I discovered something pretty quickly at first: The beer column was about 10 percent of what I devoted my time to but about 90 percent of what people talked about with me.

So, with that, I challenge you with a question: What's the over/under on news reporters in the nation who claim the hybrid beat of "nuclear energy and craft beer?"

I can't say for certain — but I'm going to go with 1. If you can find another, I'll buy you a beer.

We're at a pivotal time in our business. Despite our loyal print readership, more and more people depend on getting their news digitally. We won't survive if we ignore that.

I remember as a kid going straight to the sports section and reading baseball box scores the next morning. My boys still tear off the sports front and tack it on the bedroom wall when the Gamecocks win big.

And I love going to the Drop-In store downtown to pick up some beer on a Friday evening and seeing people thumb through our entertainment section and put a name to a face.

But, it is what it is.

The truth is, we've discovered something that turns out to be quite wonderful: The interest in craft beer here requires more resources than I can give.

What was a 90/10 ratio became in recent months a 50/50 split. My coverage of South Carolina's efforts to attract California's Stone Brewing's expansion was nearly a full-time deal.

And let's be honest: Do you want the guy responsible for keeping a watchful eye on our aging nuclear station just 30 miles away spending so much time trying to keep up with the minute-by-minute news of Stone's next move?

I don't.

In a massive reorganization of our newsroom, our leadership has determined that the task of sharing the news of craft beer should be a full-time job and a duty best handled regionally with our sister publication, the Asheville Citizen-Times.

As we all know, Asheville is all about beer. There is no equal east of the Mississippi.

Imagine Napa Valley without a journalist devoted to wine.

At least that's my take.

I was asked if I wanted to pursue this new position.

I declined.

Personally, I believe the person in this role would need to spend a majority of his time in Asheville. The Asheville area alone has more than three times the breweries we have in the entire Upstate.

I'm a downtown Greenville guy. I live here in the heart of the city. There truly is no other place I want to be.

And beer lovers in the Carolinas deserve a commitment by us equal to the passion in their culture.

With that, I introduce you to Tony Kiss as your Carolinas beer writer here in Greenville. Tony has been at this beer thing for more than a decade up in Asheville, splitting duties as an editor with being a longtime beer advocate and columnist.

MEET TONY KISS

Like me, he will devote his full attention to a subject matter he is passionate about. I'm sure you'll be hearing from him soon.

I will remain a voice in our community - but in an expanded role.

As the downtown reporter, I'll be sharing in conversation with you. I want this community to be all it can be, and that requires shared interest in its culture and the public accountability that the community relies on and is my instinct as a journalist.

So, I think we can safely say the time has come for the nuclear energy and craft beer beat to join the world of the dinosaur and the dodo bird.

But make no mistake.

You will see me around the familiar haunts.

And when you do, let's have a beer together.