This profile first appeared in Yankee Brew News.
The sign at Crooked Current in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, says it all: Beer So Local, It Probably Knows Mark Ambrose.
Not from Rhode Island? The name probably doesn’t ring a bell. If you’re in this state, however? The man is beloved from Woonsocket to Westerly, and you have probably seen one of his hundreds of selfies with beer patrons, brewers, and business owners. I sat down with Mark recently to find out how he has become the infamous ‘Mayor’ of the Rhode Island craft beer community.
Were you always a fan of beer?
I liked beer, but I didn’t know much about craft. I was a Sam Adams kind of guy. I don’t have a ton of technical knowledge about beer; I just know what I like!
How did you get into the Rhode Island beer scene?
About two and a half years ago, I pulled a ticket out of my stocking one Christmas for a free beer dinner at Burgundian in Attleboro. It was a five-course dinner, each course paired with beer. The chef comes out and talks about the food; the brewer comes out and talks about the beer. I didn’t know anybody there, but I started making friends with the people at my table and thought: this is pretty good. So, I kept going to them!
I met [Buttonwoods head brewer] Morgan, Phil from Tilted Barn, I people from Allagash, Notch, and I started wondering: where’s his place? Where’s that place? I figured I have GPS, I’ll go find them. So, I just started going to places by myself, introducing myself, and after a while I decided I’m going to do a selfie with the server. That’s where it all started.
Ah, the infamous Mark selfie. You always have the exact same face in them, the same angle, the same big smile….
I look at them sometimes and think, wow, it looks rehearsed, but it isn’t!
Do you try to hit every brewery in Rhode Island, or do you stick to favorites?
I try to rotate so no one feels neglected, and I try to group them geographically. For example, If I’m in the Pawtucket area, I’ll do Crooked Current, Guild, Foolproof. If I’m in Cumberland, I’d go to Ravenous, Lops, then swing by Bravo. The challenge when you’re by yourself is you don’t have an alternate driver, so I have to pace myself. But I always want to see what’s new.
Is there anything you tend to avoid?
I don’t drink barley wines. I had some at a beer share last week — man. They’ll knock you out.
Now the big question: Where did the title ‘Mayor’ come from?
I don’t know for sure! The Three Dudes Podcast guys call me the Mayor of Beertown. And then for Christmas, my friends got me a shirt that said You Can Call Me Mr. Mayor.
How do you feel about the title?
I’m pretty humble about it. I’m nobody! I’m just a guy who drinks beer.
But that’s part of what makes you interesting. You’re not a brewer, you’re not an industry professional, you’re just someone who loves beer and this community. And yet you carry real weight in this state.
Yeah, I guess I’ve put on more weight since I started drinking.
Stop it. Now, tell me about the release of the Mark Ambrose Ale at Crooked Current.
[Head brewer and owner] Nichole [Pelletier] had told me weeks earlier she had a surprise for me but couldn’t say what it was. So we were sitting at the table getting ready for the Three Dudes Brew podcast. Nichole pours three tasters and I look up at the board; there’s an empty slot at the top where a beer should be listed. We had the Neapolitan, the Banana Split, and then nothing listed for the third. I kept thinking, why am I here? Eventually, we tasted the third beer and Nicole said it was experimental…. and then she said it was the Mark Ambrose Ale. Named after me. Then she pulled out the t-shirt; I’d sent her a photo of me and her in our Crooked Current shirts, and she’d put it on the label. I turned redder than I am right now.
Quick break from the interview to insert a quote from the master brewer herself! “Rhode Island is the smallest state, our craft beer community is incredibly connected, and few people embody that better than Mark Ambrose. His name recognition and genuine support for local breweries are unmatched. What many people don’t know is that the idea for Mark Ambrosia Ale wasn’t actually mine. The concept originated from a social media post made by Thom Cahir back in April. My friends Heather and Joe brought the post to my attention, and the second I heard it, I thought it was brilliant; not only as a beer concept, but as a way to recognize someone who has spent years championing Rhode Island’s craft beer scene. Before moving forward, I reached out to Thom and asked if he’d be comfortable with me bringing his idea to life. He enthusiastically gave his blessing, and I was honored to take a crack at it. So, while I may have brewed the beer, the credit for the original idea belongs to Thom, with Heather and Joe deserving plenty of credit for encouraging me to run with it. I’ve always said social media can be both a blessing and a curse. In this case, it gave us a great friend in Mark, a fun collaboration of ideas, and ultimately a beer that celebrates the community spirit that makes Rhode Island craft beer so special.”
Now back to Mark!
That’s kind of the pinnacle for a beer fan, isn’t it? A beer named after you? Where do you even go from there?
Honestly, I was a little worried I’d be stepping on toes when it happened. I’m sure there are people in this community who’ve been around a lot longer than me thinking, hey, where’s my beer?
But it’s been an incredible opportunity to meet people. Coming out of COVID, I lost my wife, I was working from home. I wasn’t going anywhere, I wasn’t seeing anybody. And where do you meet people these days? Not a movie theater. Not a restaurant. Old man bars are kind of hit or miss. But at breweries, the servers got to know me, regulars got to know me. I’ve made a lot of friends. There’s something really nice about walking into a place and having people know you.