About the Beer Buyers

Michael Smith, Beer Buyer at the Downtown Food Co-op

Michael is a local beer enthusiast that spends his free time reading about beer, riding bikes and spending time with his family. A graduate of the brewing program at the University of California at Davis; he has honed his skills as a home brewer over the last twenty years. His twenty years of experience in the beverage industry comes through in his product selection as the Beer department manager at the Community Food Co-op in Downtown Bellingham. Michael is a lover of all quality beers and, favors IPAs, Belgian Saisons Bourbon Barrel aged beers.

James Weddle, Beer Buyer at the Cordata Food Co-op

Welcome to the Bellingham co-op beer blog.  I’ve been around the food coop for 15 years, six of that as the beer dept. buyer/manager.   Three years downtown and three years at the Cordata store.  I am passionate about offering some of the best beer in Bellingham. I have tasted just about every beer we’ve ever carried so don’t ever hesitate to ask my opinion on the many options we have in our store.