The bad news: James Swann, the beer guru at Whole Foods Chandler and the creator of its popular Friday Beer Class series, has given his two-week notice.
The good news: Swann is leaving to launch a new craft beer bar and nanobrewery in Chandler this fall.
The transplanted Englishman, known as “King James,” is one of the Valley craft beer scene’s most prominent figures. His resume includes stints at SanTan Brewing, which he helped launch in 2007, and The Hungry Monk. He also writes a weekly beer column for AZ Weekly.
Last month, he teamed up with Mudshark Brewing to create a tangerine-horchata beer called RoadZoda. Then he enlisted a group of Valley bar staffers to collaborate with Sleepy Dog Brewing on a double IPA called Wolfpack (which debuted yesterday on National IPA Day).
Swann also has been busy shooting a reality TV series, “Adventures in Brew,” with local Black Dog Productions. He describes the show as “just like ‘Gear Top,’ but instead of cars we talk about beer.”
For now, Swann doesn’t want to say too much about the new bar and nanobrewery, except that he plans to reveal the full details in a week or so.
