Poe Discussions with Carmen & Jeanie: Stephen Demczuk

Jeanie and Carmen interview Stephen Demczuk, founder of Raven Beer out of Baltimore, MD. Stephen Demczuk, founder and president of RavenBeer, grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood in Dundalk, outside of Baltimore. He played lacrosse and football at the University of Maryland where he graduated in the biological sciences. He went on to receive a master's degree in cell biology at Long Island University, then attended Stony Brook University and received a master's degree and Ph.D. at the University of Oklahoma in biochemistry and molecular biology. This was followed by postdoctoral research in Geneva, Switzerland, assistant professor of research at Wake Forest Medical School, and continued his research as a visiting scientist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. By then, Stephen got the beer bug and moved to Luxembourg to continue research and eventually build a brewery in Belgium. He, instead, created the first beer-of-the-month club in Europe (Beer Around the World. He, for the first time in Luxembourg, would import beer from around the World. The beer was boxed and shipped to club members in 10 countries around Europe. Through the beer club, he met future partner Wolfgang Stark and together they brewed Raven Special Lager in Germany. The beer was marketed using an American theme using Baltimore’s master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. While in Luxembourg, Stephen created and broadcasted a weekly radio show, on beer and jazz, on Radio ARA broadcasted to Luxembourg and surrounding countries Stephen moved back to the US to brew Raven Lager in Baltimore. In 2012, with two partners, he built Peabody Heights Brewery. With the help of world-renown political cartoonist Kevin Kallaugher (Kal), he launched the award-winning Edgar Allan Poe series of beers, named after Poe’s short stories and poems. He sits on the boards of the Poe House and Museum of Baltimore and the National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre. Stephen has published over 100 articles that include original research articles, review and chapter articles in science, and articles on beer. Stephen is a proud father of two daughters. Nicole was born in Luxembourg and a graduate of the School of the Arts Institute of Chicago and Gabriella (born in Stockholm) a George Washington University graduate and former New York Times White House photographer, an award-winning White House Press Corps photographer, and multiple nominees for the Pulitzer Prize. Music by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/lorenzobuczek-16982400/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=157221">LAURENT BUCZEK</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/music//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=music&utm_content=157221">Pixabay</a>