James Murray is the Vice President of Brewing Operations at Ballast Point Brewing Company. He has over 14 years of experience in the Brewing Industry including raw materials procurement, packaging, fermentation science, engineering, distilling and brewhouse operations. Through his guidance and management, Ballast Point Brewing grew an average of 87% year over year from 2010-2016.

Prior to joining Ballast Point Brewing, James spent 3 years teaching Pre-K and Kindergarten students at North Country Academy in Bethlehem, NY. He earned at Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do at the age of 14 before transition to a boxing career and winning several national championships, including a Silver Medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 16. James studied Business-Marketing at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY before moving to San Diego to pursue a career path in the bourgeoning Craft Brewing Industry. He has managed a multitude of departments at Ballast Point since joining in late 2004.

James has a passion for teaching and mentoring team members as they grow and succeed in the alcohol beverage community. Through his leadership Ballast Point has won over 350 medals in major beverage competitions and has become one of the Top 25 Brewing Companies in the United States.

James has been happily married for 10 years and is the father of 2 wonderful daughters. He enjoys music, cooking, and spending quality time with his family. He also enjoys traveling the globe and experiencing new cultures.