Nicole Mandala Oral History Interview, January 22, 2021

Partial Transcript: Okay. Go ahead and introduce yourself.

Segment Synopsis: Nicole Mandala introduces herself and provides some background on her early life. She was born in L.A. Country, and grew up in and around L.A. She notes that she grew up in a largely suburban area and that she spent a lot of time going to the beach and up to the mountains.

Partial Transcript: Did your, so did your parents grow up in California? Like how did you, how did they end up in that area, period?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala talks about her family background, noting that while both of her parents were from L.A., her grandparents were Italian immigrants, although she doesn’t feel that she was heavily influenced by her Italian heritage. She often spent time with her grandparents, who lived near her, while growing up.

Partial Transcript: So thinking back to the growing up in a very an area that had lots of different cultures represented, that being sort of, I guess, the general L.A. County area. Did you have exposure to different like to different dishes or different drinks or different music?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala talks about California, noting that it’s a very multiethnic state that has been heavily influenced by Mexican and Southeast Asian immigrants. She talks about how that impacted the music, food, and entertainment she consumed as a child, noting she enjoyed Japanese and Chinese food and Mexican music.

Partial Transcript: Um, so when you were in when you were not gambling in Vegas, but you were in school, what were you were you really good at playing cards at school? What were you interested in academically?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala recalls being a voracious reader as a child. She also enjoyed writing and history, but was often frustrated with her math and science classes. She explains that she moved schools frequently and enjoyed meeting new people and making new friends.

Partial Transcript: So then what was it what was it like to leave that area and come to a new a new school?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala talks about her memories of middle school, noting that that’s when she first became aware of social cliques. She states that she was friends with a variety of different students and didn’t hang out with one particular group. She also began attending summer camps while in middle school, which she enjoyed.

Partial Transcript: I see music stuff behind you. Are you into music now and were you into music then?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala talks about her interest in music, noting that it was a passion she developed while in high school. Living in L.A. allowed her to visit record stores and attend live concerts and her first high school job was at Tower Records. She talks about the different music genres she enjoys, and some of the musicians who are most important to her.

Partial Transcript: So when you when you were in high school, what are some of the things that stand out to you as, as like anchor points, whether that was personal anchor points or like the world at large?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala talks about her experience in high school. She started at a new school her freshman year, which meant that many of her friends were at different institutions. Additionally, many of her friends had already graduated high school, which led to her skipping school often to spend time with her friends and take on extra shifts at Tower Records.

Partial Transcript: Was politics something that was part of your family life, too?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala explains that she became interested in politics while in high school. She talks about different causes she was involved in, primarily anti-death penalty advocacy. Her parents were both liberals, although they didn’t often discuss politics at home. Mandala recalls that the internet was becoming increasingly popular at the time, allowing her to read a variety of different news sources and explore different issues.

Segment Synopsis: After graduating from high school, Mandala took a few years to travel. She explored a variety of places in Europe, spending extended periods of time in Amsterdam and London. While there, she developed an interest in beer and brewing that she ultimately took back to the U.S. with her.

Partial Transcript: What was it like? Did you come back to California?

Segment Synopsis: After returning to the U.S., Mandala settled in Boston for a few years. She talks about her life there, noting that she enjoyed the culture and history. She began working at a Tower Records shop in Boston as assistant manager and became involved in the local music scene. She also continued her interest in politics and became involved in a local political radio program.

Partial Transcript: So what, what led you to go to college?

Segment Synopsis: While in Boston, Mandala decided to pursue a degree in media studies at Emerson College. She continued to work while studying and initially planned on pursuing a career in the music or radio industry after graduating. Ultimately, however, working day shifts while studying proved unfeasible, so Mandala left her jobs at Tower Records and began working at a bar.

Partial Transcript: So what was it? When did it start to seem like a thing that you would make?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala describes her first job working at a bar and notes that at that time she also became interested in brewing and developing beers. She obtained her Cicerone Certification and pursued different brewing educational programs. She notes that around the time she was pursuing her Cicerone Certification there were a lot of new breweries opening in Boston, allowing her to get more exposure to craft brewing.

Partial Transcript: So thinking about that time in craft brewing...What did you like to make and what did customers want you to make?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala talks about her first job working at a brewery, Long Trail Brewing Company, in Vermont. She explains that it was a production brewery and that she didn’t work in beer development at the time, and instead worked on becoming proficient with the different forms of equipment used in breweries.

Partial Transcript: So were you a member of Pink Boots Society at that point?

Segment Synopsis: While at Long Trail Brewing Company, Mandala became a member of the Pink Boots Society, an organization of women brewers. She talks about her involvement in the society and her friendships with the founders and members of the society. She notes that there are more women involved in brewing now than there were when she first began, and that she feels the Pink Boots Society has had a positive impact on the brewing industry.

Partial Transcript: She came up to me one day and said, I think you should apply for this job. I was like, I've been here for like six months. What are you talking about? And she's like, I think you should apply for the job. And I did. And I got it.

Segment Synopsis: Mandala talks about leaving Long Trail Brewing and working at Stone Brewing Co., which she explains was a larger and more established institution. Shortly after she began working at Stone Brewing, she took a position helping to establish a new brewery site in Richmond, Virginia. She discusses what it was like to establish a new brewery, noting that she became very close with the other employees at the new site.

Partial Transcript: So did it work? Like how, how, what was the integration like?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala describes the process of hiring new workers, installing equipment, and building a relationship with the local community. She notes that the work was intensive and that she and the other workers were able to begin selling beers within six months of founding the brewery.

Partial Transcript: So you then went to another very big brewery...How did you end up in Portland?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala explains that after working at the Richmond site for Stone Brewing Co. in a management position that she wanted to return to the brewing process and work with developing beers. Widmer Brother Brewery in Portland had a brewmaster position open at the time, which she applied for and was offered.

Partial Transcript: What was it like? What was it like to come into this company at this time, when it was definitely...

Segment Synopsis: Mandala talks about her early experiences at Widmer Bros. Brewery. She notes that the other employees were very friendly and welcoming, and that she really enjoyed the beers they were putting out at the time. She also discusses living in Portland and her appreciation of Portland’s brewing culture.

Partial Transcript: What has it been like to this to to have this shift happen now? Like have you have you felt that have things sort of people have gotten used to it or used to this being a thing that happens?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala discusses the Brewers Association, an association of craft breweries. She talks about the advantages and disadvantages of the association, and how it has impacted different breweries’ identities and output over the years.

Partial Transcript: What has the impact of COVID been?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala talks about the impacts of Covid-19 on the brewing industry. She notes that it has been very difficult for many breweries to sustain themselves during the pandemic, as restaurants, bars, and tasting rooms were largely shut down. However, she notes that the industry has adapted, developing Zoom tasting sessions, keeping in contact through digital means, and selling to customers directly rather than through restaurants and bars.

Partial Transcript: How do you like Portland?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala reflects on her life in Portland, noting that she has liked living there, and that she likes the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys the culture and climate of the area and is appreciative of Portland’s brewing industry.

Partial Transcript: We've talked about a lot. And so I do want to give you the opportunity to, were there things that you thought I would ask you about that I didn't?

Segment Synopsis: Mandala talks about diversity in brewing, noting that while the industry has become more diverse over the course of the career, she still feels that the brewing industry should try to become more inclusive of people from different ethnic backgrounds.