Dustin Baker
Roadmap Brewing Co. | San Antonio
NOVEMBER 2023
Dustin Baker started his career as a middle school teacher in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and spent his time off in the city’s abundant breweries. One of his favorite spots, Grist House, offered an apprenticeship-for-a-day program for anyone interested in brewing, and Baker took full advantage, learning the basics of brewing. He brought some techniques home, and became a dedicated home brewer, giving out samples to his friends and colleagues. When a new teaching opportunity brought him to San Antonio, Baker started feeling burnt out from education, like he no longer had the impact in the classroom that he had hoped for. He took a leap of faith, and leaning into his passion for beer, decided to open a brewery.
In September 2018, Roadmap Brewing Co. opened in San Antonio—the city’s ninth brewery at the time. In just a few years, Baker and his team at Roadmap have dedicated themselves to brewing a wide variety of award-winning beers, like their “Alright, Alright, Alright” pilsner, which won gold at the 2022 Great American Beer Festival. But for Baker, it’s not just about the beer—it’s about utilizing his space and platform to invest in the community. In addition to offering the taproom to any groups or clubs that want to use it, as well as investing in the interests of his team members, Baker runs an employee beer series, where one employee per cycle designs and brews a beer (they have to have their hands in the mash on brew day), and donates 100 percent of the proceeds to the organization of their choice.
