Don’t let this small town girl with a smile for all who enter the taproom fool you. Ashley’s a multi-talented, multi-tasking mom of two who works in both the Cornelius and Charlotte taprooms, plus she manages our social media channels like a champ. She grew up on a farm, which explains her love of animals, especially her two dogs, Nova and Comet. Her two boys, Michael (10) and Nolan (6), keep her hopping when she’s not creating content to bring the Lost Worlds brand to life for more than 15 thousand followers on Instagram and Facebook.

Ashley’s also no stranger to a sweet note. She’s a musically gifted girl with a 29-year history of playing the trumpet, clarinet and guitar. When she’s not picking up an instrument, you might find her hiking with her boys or with a disc in her hand when playing with a local disc golf team, the Scorpions.

Get to know Ashley in this question and answer speed round, and next time you’re in one of our taprooms, give her a high five. You may even end up on our Instagram feed!

What attracted you to the craft beer industry and specifically, Lost Worlds when there are so many other options in the area?

Working in the hospitality industry for the past 19 years, and in various types of bars for over 12 years with a focus on craft cocktails, I was ready for a change, and craft beer was calling my name! I'm a huge beer lover, so working in a brewery is a perfect fit. I love learning about the brewing process, smelling the beer while it's brewing, and interacting with guests who come in to enjoy the fresh product. Lost Worlds has always been one of my favorite local breweries! I have been enjoying our beer since we opened in 2020 -- I lived right around the corner at the time. The culture is amazing and I love that adventure is part of our branding. I love a good adventure and that's what we hope for everyone that visits the brewery, to find their next adventure!

You work in both Cornelius and Charlotte locations, how are they different and in what ways the same?

Each location has its similarities, but also some differences. We have several events that are the same at both locations, like music bingo, trivia, run club, and cycle club, to name a few. Since we are not just a brewery, but also an entertainment company, it's nice we offer similar events at both that give that familiarity to guests when they visit. Our brand is very consistent in our taprooms and out in the public for easy recognition. The popularity of our beers vary between locations – we pour a lot more IPAs in the Charlotte taproom, especially Hazy IPAs. It is also great how much we love dogs at both locations, with the difference being we allow doggos in the taproom in Charlotte, but only in the Biergarten in Cornelius since we brew the beer there.

What makes you excited to come to the taproom each week?

Each week packs a different adventure because of the unique events we host, which makes coming to work exciting in itself! It's always great to see our regulars and all the new faces that visit the brewery. Not to mention, my coworkers make coming to work exciting because we always have fun together. Being behind a bar is one of my passions and helping guide guests to find what brew they like is always exciting.

You also run our social media as a content creator. What do you enjoy most about this role? What's your secret to capturing the essence of the brand?

What I enjoy most about running our social media as a content creator is I get to help tell the story of our brand on social media and reach thousands of individuals. I also help with engaging our followers, people who have never been to our taprooms, and individuals who are regulars, all while creating content! I love capturing moments on camera to tell our brand story and produce reels that showcase the tasty brews we offer. Creating content for big events we have coming up and following it up with a recap of the event is also so fun for me. I enjoy chatting with our brewers to learn more about our brewing process so I can give accurate information when creating content about our beer.
My secret to capturing the essence of our brand is being consistent with what I create and ensuring it stays on point with our brand. I also ensure our brand values are reflected in the content I create and share on social media and I never hesitate to reach out and ask questions if I am unsure of something. When people walk in the taprooms of Lost Worlds they are greeted with a warm welcome and I transfer that over when engaging with individuals on our social media. We want people to visit the taprooms and become inspired to find their next adventure, whatever it may be. When I create content I always keep that in mind and write things that will inspire people to explore someplace new and then share about their adventure with us during their next visit!

Since Charlotte is our newest taproom. How do you describe Lost Worlds Charlotte to someone who's never visited?

I would explain our Charlotte taproom as an extension of our brand and how it offers an opportunity for people who live in the city, or are visiting, to try our beer that maybe wouldn't be able to otherwise! The taproom is full of artifacts that bring our beers to life and give guests a different experience than other breweries. We are always searching for adventure-seekers and being on the Little Sugar Creek Greenway is an awesome way for individuals to explore nature in the city and enjoy a tasty brew or cocktail along the way. We also have a full bar and an extensive specialty cocktail menu that encourages people to explore different flavors through their drink choices.

What's the best adventure you've ever been on?

I would have to say Oahu, Hawaii in 2006 when I was in high school! My high school marching band was invited to march in the 65th Anniversary of the Pearl Harbor Parade and we got to bring a surviving veteran and his wife, the Christenberry's, along with us. I was there for an entire week and got to explore the island! I enjoyed a guided tour of Oahu where parts of my all-time favorite movie Jurassic Park were filmed, went hiking up the Diamond Head State Monument in Waikiki, visited the Dole Plantation, attended a luau, snorkeled in Hanuamu Bay, visited the Polynesian Cultural Center, laid a wreath with the Christenberry's at the USS Arizona, and explored the USS Missouri, along with many other fun activities. We got to play music at the USS Missouri and during the parade, which was a very unforgettable experience. The trip was rich with history and cultural experiences. I come from a family of military veterans, so this trip was special on many levels.

What's your favorite style of beer and what's your favorite Lost Worlds beer?

Such a tough question, because I love all beer equally, but I would have to say blonde ales are my go-to favorite. I don't think I can choose just one favorite Lost Worlds beer though! Enterprise is easily one of my favorites, but the Kuba Coffee Blonde Ale, Taniwha Boysenberry Sour Ale, and the Goseck Black Lager are a few of my favorite seasonal brews.

Meet Ashley Funderburk, Adventure Guide and Social Media Manager