Pulkit (PK) graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and then began working in the beer industry as a Process Engineer for Ballast Point Brewing, where he focused on packaging lines and nitrogen beer. He soon discovered a need in the market for software that expanded beyond standard inventory management systems, where there would be an emphasis on the brewing process and quality, not just inventory tracking. In January 2018, Pulkit launched Beer30. In December 2022, Pulkit was selected into the Forbes 30 Under 30, Class of 2023, in the Food and Drink category.

pka@the5thingredient.com

With more than a decade of sales, retail management, and business analytic experience in the craft beverage industry, Aaron loves the opportunities that he has every day to make a difference for small business owners across the country. He is an Advanced Cicerone, Certified Pommelier, Certified Cheese Scholar, WSET Level 2 Spirits Certified, as well as the Secretary of the Board for the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame. He enjoys working with small breweries across the world, helping them to leverage their tools, their data, and their team to continue to grow and thrive in a fast-changing market.

After growing up in New Jersey, Alexa made her way down to Sunny South Florida where she kicked off her sales career! She worked in sales for a local Kombucha Company and then earned her Cicerone beer server certification at Wynwood Brewing Co. in Miami where she fell in love with the art of craft beer. Curious about beverage production on a larger scale she worked for Coca-Cola Bottlers of South Florida before changing careers and joining the Beer30 Software team! Alexa’s extensive experience in the sales industry has allowed her to provide a consultative approach to her sales interactions, always searching for the best solutions for her customers! Forever available with an optimistic attitude, Alexa continues to share the art of craft beverages with everyone she meets!

Josh graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology with a B.S. in computer science and has since worn many hats in the software field. After starting out developing news and data feeds, he went on to work with a range of data driven companies delivering custom enterprise-wide software suites to global AAA companies. He has experienced the software lifecycle across many industries, including news, reinsurance, gaming, sports, and now brewing!

Inspired by a friend who needed a website to buy and sell vintage Japanese toys, David built his first website, and never stopped. During his years in tech he has built websites and applications for nonprofits, lawyers, gamblers, artists, and now breweries. In addition to his work as a software engineer, David has run the royalty department and been an IT director at a music publishing company, been the lead baker at an award-winning pie bakery, run a Jewish Student organization, and worked as a music booking agent.

John has 6 years of experience in the brewing industry. At Ballast Point Brewing, he worked his way up from packaging to cellar work running a centrifuge to brewing, cellar, and lab work in a dedicated sour and barrel aging facility. Of note, he spent many hours dialing in the in-line carb and nitro process with one of the process engineers, Pulkit. In 2019 John explored a new career path in software development and was lucky enough to reconnect with Pulkit who offered him an opportunity to intern with The 5th Ingredient where he's spent last 3 years using that physical experience to inform and build better brewing software.

Stela grew up in Bulgaria and recently moved to New York to pursue her dreams. She has a passion for technology since childhood and this has led her to become an engineer with Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science. She is excited to implement her experience in Quality Assurance and Software Development to ensure that Beer30 and Bucha30 are running at the highest standards of quality.

Originally from Texas, Andrew moved to San Diego in 2015. At the time, he was working in the Durable Medical Equipment (DME) industry, but then he decided to persue software development full time. He found a coding bootcamp called LEARN Acadmy, where he not only learned to code, but also met Pulkit and Ryan and was introduced to The 5th Ingredient. After graduating from LEARN, he worked as a contractor and eventually became one of the first T5I employees. Today, he helps manage the engineering team, and still writes code himself regularly.

Gabi is a craft beer community-builder. After graduating with her Master of Public Policy from The University of Texas, she led customer-focused teams at technology companies of all sizes, while cultivating her love of craft beer via blogging, beertending, and homebrewing. Gabi joined The 5th Ingredient in 2023, and is most energized by helping our customers achieve their goals of creating community around their own brands of craft beer.

Leah has worked in the beer industry since 2015 and was an avid beer enthusiast long before that. She has worked in production and front-of-house roles at Hops and Grain Brewing, Catawba Brewing Company, Sanctuary Brewing, and Wedge Brewing. Additionally, she served as the Executive Director of the Asheville Brewers Alliance. Before joining the team at The 5th Ingredient, Leah was the Operations Manager at 12 Bones Brewing.

Currently, Leah serves as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Pink Boots Society and is a self-proclaimed process nerd. She’s excited to work with breweries to help them better understand and improve their operations by making data-informed decisions.

Tom brings a wealth of experience to his role at The 5th Ingredient. With over a decade of customer-facing experience in the software industry, Tom has honed his skills in understanding and addressing the unique needs of a diverse clientele. A co-founder of Railroad Brewing Company in 2016, Tom has a passion for craft beer evident in his entrepreneurial endeavors and eagerness to contribute to the brewing community. At The 5th Ingredient, Tom leverages his expertise to assist breweries in optimizing their data and operations, ensuring smooth and efficient business processes.

Shadae grew up in Las Vegas, where their dad first introduced them to homebrewing -- little did they know that such a simple hobby would launch them into an amazing career! They moved to Colorado to earn a B.A. in English from the University of Northern Colorado and later completed an M.A. in College Student Personnel at Bowling Green State University. After several years working in higher education, Shadae shifted into beer full time in 2021, earning a Brewing Science certificate from UNC and working in both front-of-house and production roles.

Most recently, they come to The 5th Ingredient from Left Hand Brewing Based in Northern Colorado, Shadae is an active member of the Pink Boots Society serving as their local chapter leader and on national committees. As part of the CX team, Shadae is excited to help breweries get the most out of our products while keeping the focus on what matters most: making great beer.

Rachel spent 6 years at Oozlefinch Brewery in Hampton, VA, working her way up from Lab Tech to Head Brewer and eventually to COO. Her affinity for beer stemmed from a love of life sciences and a desire to create. She has spent the past 6 years learning all the ins and outs of brewing from developing a brewery lab, running a packaging line, brewing, and eventually heading all brewery operations. She is excited to take her experience in brewing and help others brew more and brew better through thoughtful data management and creative solutions.