Here at Short’s we talk a whole lot about science; the science of hops, cider, bottling, and much more. An integral part of the brewing process, we take our science very seriously. We have a dedicated lab filled with fancy science stuff and a Quality Control / Quality Assurance Department staffed by three of the coolest nerds we know. In the past on the blog we’ve introduced you to Sam “the science man” Decamp, our QC/QA Analyst and Tyler Glaze, Short’s Quality Manager, but have you met our pal Leslie?
This week we’re shining the Short’s Spotlight on Leslie Nagy, our Quality Assurance Assistant. She sport’s snazzy goggles, only the raddest of plaid shirts, and sometimes even a lab coat all while working in our very own science lab. Leslie is super duper smart. Leslie uses her smarts to keep our beer pouring from taps and bottles tasty and fresh 24/7, 365 days a year. Read on to learn a little more about Leslie.
What’s your name? What do people call you? What do you call yourself? My name is Leslie. Most people call me “Lezlie”, but close friends and family usually call me Les or Leslie. I call myself Leslie.
How long have you been with Short’s and in what roles? I have been with Short’s for just over a year now! I have been a Quality Assurance Assistant, and now since Sam is currently in school, I’m not really “assisting” anyone anymore and am running the lab myself.
Give us the short story of your life before your Short’s story began. I grew up right here in Elk Rapids. My parents are cherry farmers, so much of my childhood was spent working on the farm. After I graduated high school, I lived in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa for a year and did a lot of traveling in Southern Africa in general. When I returned, I attended Kalamazoo College and got my bachelor’s degree in chemistry. I worked at Kalamazoo College for two years before I moved south to Nashville, TN (specifically East Nashville) where I worked in a biochemistry lab doing research on metabolism of carcinogens and drugs by cytochrome P450 enzymes. I lived there for four years before I came back to Northern Michigan to drink beer, do beer stuff and work at Short’s!
What is your favorite thing about living in Northern Michigan? Everything. My family is here. I love that there are four seasons here. More than anywhere else I’ve lived, it just feels like home.
Which beer (or cider) style best describes your personality? Hot Loins?
What is your favorite mythical creature? I’m going to be boring and say unicorns. Even though it’s boring, it’s true. I love them. You’d soon realize that after walking into my house (sorry, Mike!).
If you could have any kind of taco RIGHT NOW, what would it be? (Don’t skimp on the details, we want a full description). Simple does it for me. Just beef, onion, cilantro, fresh lime and a corn tortilla. It must be a corn tortilla!
Where is your favorite place to drink a Short’s beer, and what beer would you be drinking? In the winter, I like to curl up next to a wood-burning fireplace and drink a few Goodnight Bodaciouses. By myself. In the summer, my favorite place to drink Nicie Spicie is on my parents’ pontoon boat on Elk Lake (with other people)!
What’s your favorite thing or idea right now? My favorite things right now are my pets. Brady (whippet dog named after Brady’s Bar in TC) and Miles Edward O’Brien (tuxedo cat named after the Star Trek TNG character). In the winter my dog wears a ridiculous red dog snuggie to keep warm and in the summer he chases and catches frisbees in the air. He doesn’t have much hair and he’s super fast. I just taught my cat to jump up on my shoulders on command.
