Ninkasi Brewing
Two friends share a pint at a small beer bar in Eugene, Oregon and begin a conversation that undoubtedly involves the craft they are imbibing.
Back in 2005, neither Jamie Floyd nor Nikos Ridge knew exactly where their friendship would lead. What they did know was it would probably center around beer.
Born and raised in Eugene, Nikos moved to Manhattan to begin a career in finance. After five years, he began to pine for the West Coast lifestyle of his hometown and moved back to Eugene in 2004.
Simultaneously, Jamie began to discover his love of brewing. Born in Livermore and raised in Cupertino, California, Jamie moved north to attend the University of Oregon in 1990. He brewed his first batch of homebrew in the kitchen of a campus co-op called The Lorax. That first stout propelled Jamie into an 11-year brewing career at Steelhead Brewery in Eugene.
Author: Caroline Porsiel
Caroline Porsiel is a master distiller and liqueurist based in East Ellijay, Georgia. She founded House of Applejay, a fine spirits and liqueur distillery, in 2022 with her mother, Sabine, crafting award-winning products like Applejay from Ellijay, Mt. Frozen Knob Vodka, and Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. The distillery won a 2024 Best of Georgia Award and a 2025 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. As a founding member of the AMBRU Campaign, launched in 2020, Porsiel advocates for the global recognition of American Brandy and Rum. She continues to drive innovation in the craft spirits industry from her active distillery in the heart of Georgia’s apple country.
