Bryce Hirschberg: Crafty Celebrity Stories

Director, screenwriter, producer and actor Bryce Hirschberg joins The Beer Connoisseur for the next installment of Crafty Celebrity Stories, which features the best tales of ale (and more) from leading actors, celebrities and persons of interest.

Bryce wrote, directed, produced and starred in his debut film Counterfeiters, which won multiple international awards. He also worked on multiple short films before Counterfeiters, including Baer and Regret.

Beer drinkers like to laugh. What’s the funniest drinking story you can share with us?
Man, so many memories come to mind. But this story might be the funniest: Ironically I wasn't drinking all that much, below the legal limit in fact. See I live on my boat in Marina Del Rey, CA. A 40ft Carver Motor Yacht to be specific. I've lived on it for about 7 years, 6 of them with my brother. We love to take the boat out and it's usually filled with my choice guy friends and lots of beautiful women! One day I decided to take the boat out with a big group. Everyone was drinking and partying and having a blast! However, on the way back into the marina the boat sheriff pulled us over and boarded our boat! This is NOT the first time I've been boarded so I know the routine. Gave them my license, passed a breathalyzer (thank God), and showed them all the necessary paperwork etc. Mind you, this whole time these 'crazy' drunk girls are just pestering the crap out of the police officers. Finally, they thought that they could get me on one specific infraction. Did you know you need to have one life jacket on board per person? We probably had 30 people onboard. But OF COURSE we knew that. They were shocked. So I started pulling out all the life jackets and everyone started putting them on. I had the sheriff take a picture of all of us!

Who's the coolest person you've had a beer or drink with?
That's easy! Besides, of course, my best friends who I always drink with, a few years ago, when I was in college, I ran into Mark Cuban at Sharkeez in Manhattan Beach, CA. We had a beer, chatting about life; it was a short conversation but an interaction I'll never forget... a very, very cool guy!

What are a few of your favorite craft beers and why?
I am a sunny Southern California kid and an aforementioned boat owner so I prefer the refreshing taste of what Golden Road has to offer these days! Anything from the Mango Cart to the Dodgers Blonde during baseball season, to the Medianoche IPA.

Do you have a favorite (craft) brewery or breweries and why?
I love to represent and support local and along with Golden Road, Firestone Walker is literally down the road from my boat in Marina Del Rey. Some of the wild ales are pretty unique. My friends and I have been getting really into the sour beers that they have been offering too. Like alcoholic Kombucha in my opinion. It has to be healthy for you, right?

Have you attended any beer events or festivals that you particularly enjoyed? What made them stand out?I've never actually been to a proper beer event! Only the occasional Cinco de Mayo or St. Patrick's Day festivities that shut down the streets of Venice, CA. Also always fun! I assume they'd be similar, lots of happy drunk people outside with live music playing and all-you-can-drink wrist bands. My kind of place!

What new projects in film & TV do you have brewing?
Great question! In film, I have my debut feature film, Counterfeiters is now on YouTube where the world can watch it for free, other than on other streaming platforms like before! With this Coronavirus keeping us all indoors, I want to contribute some free entertainment to the world! I'm also writing a sequel to Counterfeiters, and as soon as the movie world is open for business again, I'll be producing my next movie, Masks, a teen scream horror film, a la Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. And as far as TV goes, if you have Netflix... you'll be seeing me this month!