"There's a guy we interviewed who has a brewery in L.A. and he made a real good point that beer is the beverage where the haves and have nots can all have it," said producer Mike Cooley. "We found a world that fascinated us."
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"Beers of Joy" looks at people who aim to make the best beer. There's also a chef whose specialty is cooking with beer; and students studying to become master "cicerones," the highest certification level for those with an exceptional understanding of the beverage. The test to become a master cicerone is grueling. And the filmmakers admit they were not rooting for everyone to pass the test!
"As a director, no. I got to tell you. I was rooting for something great to happen that would be dramatic and the film definitely pays off in the drama department," said co-director and co-writer David Swift. "As a human, I wanted them all to pass."
The beer lovers who made this movie did some globetrotting get their stories. But they also learned about the beer world right here in America.
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"I think we're more creative here," said Swift.
"They can put oysters and orange peel and anything you want to do," said co-director and co-writer Scott Owen. "So it's been exciting to be part of what they're doing in the U.S. because it's definitely cutting edge."
"Beers of Joy" is available now on-demand, Amazon Prime and iTunes.