I first noticed Brandon just a few weeks after I started bartending at Lord Hobo Brewing Company in 2018. I worked behind the bar on Friday nights and on Sunday afternoons; Brandon worked weekdays in the brewhouse. On the rare occasions that our work schedules would overlap, whenever I saw him I was always drawn to him… his burly beard, light green eyes and strong features. Even though I made sure I was the bartender pouring his beer whenever he was in the taproom, I couldn’t work up the courage to say more than a few words to him. I was smitten. One Sunday afternoon, after the Lord Hobo hockey team won the Brewer’s Invitational Tournament, the team came back to the taproom to celebrate. I purposely positioned myself to work the side of the bar closest to their group so I could serve Brandon whenever he came up for a beer. I caught him looking my way more than a few times and I had a feeling the interest was mutual. The following week, on my birthday, Brandon sent me a Facebook message wishing me a happy birthday. I used that opportunity to chat him up and I suggested that we grab a beer together sometime. I consider that as making the first move, though Brandon will still try to say he asked me out ;) Our first date was two days later and we never looked back.

I’d seen Abbey around the taproom before, but it wasn’t until after the hockey tournament that I really, truly saw her. The way her coworkers naturally gravitated toward her, talking and laughing, made it feel less like she was working and more like everyone was having a good time being around her. I wanted to experience it myself. I couldn’t stop looking over at her. It was impossible not to notice she was something special. From our very first date, Abbey was upfront about her intentions, that she was looking for something serious and I knew right then that I wanted that with her. It didn’t take long before we wanted to spend as much time together as possible. Our lives intertwined in such a natural way that looking back it’s almost as if life before Abbey was nothing but a distant memory.

Our shared love of craft beer is what truly brought us together. Most of our early dates revolved around discovering new breweries, bonding over different beer styles, comparing flavor profiles and indulging in delicious pub food. We started a running list of every brewery we visited together and to this day, we’ve nearly hit 100! In between all the brewery stops, we’ve grown and experienced so much together as a couple. We’ve spent summers at the lake, traveled across the country, shared countless milestones, laughed endlessly and most importantly, truly enjoyed each other’s company. We moved in together in 2021 and adopted our amazing puppy, Daisy Dukes. She’s our pride and joy, and the source of so much happiness. In 2023, we bought our first home. Summer of 2024 is one that will forever go down in history, because that’s when Brandon (finally) proposed. Our love continues to grow stronger every day. We cherish each moment, feel incredibly grateful for the life we’ve built and are so excited for what’s ahead. All we’ve ever hoped for is a lifetime together making memories and doing the things we love, side by side.