James Watt BrewDog es changed his life when he was 24 years old. James teamed up with a buddy, Martin Dickie, and began brewing their own beers in Martin's mother's garage, inspired by the bold and adventurous beers being made by a new wave of brewers on the West Coast of the United States. Their preference for intensely hopped and brutally bitter brews set them apart in a world dominated by cask bitters and mass-produced lagers, especially in Fraserburgh. Unafraid of criticism, they pursued their passion via painstaking research, experimentation, and boundary-pushing concepts, determined to show that beer could be more than a bubbly yellow liquid produced by worldwide brewers.

For James, 2007 was a watershed moment. BrewDog was born in a decrepit industrial area in Fraserburgh, sandwiched between a needle exchange and 'The Godfather of Carpets.' While Martin focused on brewing and production, James focused on expanding the company, handling accounts, and directing the brand's new style of irreverent marketing, which garnered national attention for years. Not only did the duo create some of the most innovative beers the UK has ever seen, but James also spearheaded Equity for Punks, a groundbreaking new crowdfunding effort that would be replicated by other firms across the world for years to come.