Meet Haidar Hachem | Co-owner/head brewer of Shojo Beer Co

We had the good fortune of connecting with Haidar Hachem and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Haidar, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Prior to becoming a brewer, I was in the field of engineering. My 9-5 was sitting in an office and then going out after work was over. But this has completely changed ever since I became a brewer.

My work is kind of intertwined with my life; not in a bad way either. What I mean to say that is when I work, I brew, clean and drink!

But now what’s happened is that as a part of brewing, to work you need to grow. So how do you grow? You go out, meet other brewers, learn from them and drink!

So what is kind of great is going out, learning, but at the same time having an awesome time doing it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
All I have to say is that I am still learning each and every single day.

What’s different about the path that Mari and I took with opening Shōjō Beer Co is that we are still working our main jobs (Mari a digital marketer & myself as a brewer at Lincoln’s Beard), but we’re doing this alongside and at the same time as we are growing our brand/business.

We are lucky enough to have the folks over at Prison Pals Brewing Co contract brew our beer for Shōjō at the same time as brewing their own beer. I am also lucky to be working with Daniel Steigerwald and the Lincoln’s Beard team because I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

It was definitely a different industry and profession to jump into from engineering. It takes a larger toll on the body and I definitely get home more tired than I used to when I was engineering.

What I would say I’m most excited about is the fact that everything is happening so fast and that Mari and I are currently looking for a place to open Shōjō!!!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
That’s easy, I would take them to Lincoln’s Beard, Strange Beast, Maxwell Bros & Cry Baby Creamery as well.

I would definitely take them on a beach day so we can visit spots like Scape Goat, Swizzle Room & Behn Mi.

And we would definitely hit Wynwood to check out the art and food scene there as well.

I would also have to take them to North Miami to have some dranks and food both at Offsite & Kojin as well.

And then Kendall because that’s where I reside and we would definitely hit up Arcade Odyssey.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would have to say that there are two people I owe my success to.

The first being my father. Having him as a role model/figure to look up to growing up shaped the person I am today and I am eternally grateful for that.

The second person would have to be my boss John Falco. He gave me my chance and my first job as a brewer at Strange Beast Brewpub & Pizzeria which catapulted me to where I am today.

Fun Fact: John Falco married Maril and myself at Lincoln’s Beard Brewing where I work today!!!

Website: https://Shojo.beer

Instagram: @thirsty_samurai_piggy, @shojobeerco