The innovator behind your favorite beers | Robert Vail (SHA’85)
Posted February 2024
Robert Vail (SHA’85) first developed a love for the intersection of food, culture, and hospitality as a kid, traveling the globe on his dad’s business trips. Upon completing BU’s Hotel and Food Administration Program and after several years working to open a chain of restaurants around New England, Robert was looking for a new opportunity in the food and beverage industry. When he interviewed to join a small team at the scrappy brewery behind Sam Adams Boston Lager, he didn’t realize he would be embarking on a three-decade career with the company. On this episode, hear about Robert’s journey to Head of Innovation at The Boston Beer Company, and how his philosophy of “science and music” drives his pursuit for new products, new flavors, and new ways to give the people what they really want.
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