What a wonderful yet drooling opportunity to speak to Jackie Dodd aka @thebeeroness of Instagram. Her photos are so mouthwatering it was hard to do this interview. Jackie is the creator behind food and beer. She encompasses beer components in all her dishes, resulting in some tasty dishes… some… I mean all! With so many great recipes on her page, I am surprised more people are not following her. Well, don’t miss this opportunity to read her full story, as well as giving her a follow on her page.
Tell us a few interesting facts about yourself.
JD:
- I grew up on a farm (pigs and alfalfa).
- I have 7 sisters (no, they weren’t trying for a boy, they were trying for a dozen) and it was so strange that we were in the newspaper when I was 10.
- I have a Masters in Psychology
- I used to be a social worker for gang kids in South Central Los Angeles
- I’ve been to 17 countries
We’d love to hear about how your passion for beer came about? When did you decide to fuse your passion for beer and your passion for food together?
JD: I’ve always liked beer, but when I got more into cooking and being a nerd about food and the science behind that, beer soon followed. I cared a lot about where my food came from and that carried over into beer. I think beer is fascinating, the history, the process, the people, the flavors, I just love everything about it.
We absolutely love your photos on Instagram. They are drool worthy. Do you have a tip for other influencers when it comes to photography for their gram or their blogs?
JD: Thank you so much! I struggle with a lot of self-loathing, which I have used to push me forwards rather than hold me back. Never think that you’re done. Ever. There is always more to learn, more ways to evolve, something else to tackle. Just keep learning and growing and asking yourself what you want to learn next.
With the craft brew scene growing exponentially through great innovation and with the beer industry experimenting with different flavors, how exciting has it made personally for you to cook with these new flavors?
JD: People ask if I think I’ll ever run out of recipes and that’s essentially the reason that I know I never will. Brewers are always putting out new and exciting beer, and there is always something to inspire a new dish. It’s really fun to see what’s next, there is always something new.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential for success?
JD: I spend some time around the music industry in LA and the thing I saw overall is that people want someone to root for. Whether it’s music, acting, Instagram, beer, we want someone to root for. Be that person. Be likable, relatable, doing something that people can get behind.
Why did you start your Instagram account?
JD: It was a long time ago, at the beginning of Instagram and I just wanted to peek into people’s lives and show them a bit of mine. It’s also fun to share with people in a more casual way than on a blog. People fascinate me, the world is so big and amazing and I want to see inside people lives no matter what part of the world they’re in. A kitchen in India, a backyard in Wyoming, a rooftop in London. It’s so fun to see what other people’s lives look like. I guess I’m a bit of a voyeur!
The greatest lesson you’ve learned in this business is…
JD: If it’s not “Fuck yeah” it’s “no”. It’s so easy to get pulled in so many directions with people wanting you to do things with them or for them, but you have to respect the people who follow you and trust you. You have a responsibility to them and to your brand to stay true to why you started in the first place. Maybe I could have made a lot more money had I said yes to everything, but I want people to know that if I ever tell them about the product, or do a partnership with a brand because I believe in it and I use it myself.
What do the next 5 years look like for you? Is there something we all should be on the lookout for?
JD: My book comes out this year! It’s up for pre-order now in Amazon and I’m so excited! It’s my 3rd book and by far my favorite. It’s called Lush: A Season-by-Season Celebration of Craft Beer and Produce.
After that, I’m hoping to push forward more on my photography business, CraftBeerPhotography.com
What marketing strategies do you find work best to appeal to your audience?
People like food and beer, so it’s not hard! I try to stay true to my brand, and I try to give a diverse arrangement of recipes, from meat to vegan food, and breakfast to dessert. I’m like an Italian grandma, I want to feed everyone!
How has your Instagram feed evolved over time? Any specific turning points?
JD: At first I was so unsure than anyone wanted to see it! I still struggle with the question of “do people want to see me? Or should I just put up food and beer shots?”
I used to only put up iPhone photos because for some reason I felt like it was cheating to use my DSLR photos, but I’ve gotten over that. I love photography and I get so excited to show everyone the photos I take!
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
JD: If you ever had a problem with a recipe, please reach out! I try to check my email and messages as much as I can and help people troubleshoot recipes. It’s not super common that people have issues with my recipes, but sometimes they need to make changes based on the beer or food they have in the part of the world they live in and I’m happy to help. I like helping people, maybe it’s because I was a social worker right out of college!
