Featured Beer Blogger: JON WEBER

DRINK WITH THE WENCH PRESENTS:

The Beer Blogger Interview Series

Curious what goes on in the minds of your favorite beer bloggers? Well, The Beer Wench is and she has embarked upon a mission to interview as many beer bloggers that she can — from all over the world. Are you a beer blogger? Do you want to share your story? Send me an email!

Pics of Jon courtesy of Lev Perrey.

INTRODUCING: JON WEBER

AUTHOR OF: BEER OBSESSED

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Jon Weber
Internet nicknames: 22oz Bomber,jwebco
Twitter handle: @beerobsessed
Name of blog: Beer Obsessed, The Beer and Brewing Journal
Current location: Berkeley, CA

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Oakland and stayed there until I was 35. I haven’t gone far. The family and I live in Berkeley currently. I love the East Bay and haven’t had a desire to live anywhere else! Outside of occasional earthquakes, it’s pretty much perfect for us.

2. How old were you when you had your first beer? If you can recall, what is the story of your first beer? Where did you have it? What style and brand was it?

Outside of quick sips from my parents’ beer when I was a kid and not really liking it, I distinctly remember drinking canned Budweiser at a friend’s house. His Dad had cases and cases of it in the garage. I did not care for the taste of beer at all….in fact I could only take a couple sips. I suppose the only thing I had to compare it to was Coke or Pepsi so of course I wasn’t going to be much for it.
Later in high school there were keggers at different houses on the weekends so I eventually got used to the taste and funny thing, turns out it gave me more courage to approach the ladies. So what if I was slurring my words?

Pics of Jon courtesy of Lev Perrey.

Craft Beer Epiphany

Every craft beer enthusiast has at least one pinnacle craft beer experience that completely changes ones perspective on beer. I refer to this mind-blowing moment as a “craft beer epiphany.”

What was your first craft beer epiphany? Recall as many details about it as you can. Have you have additional craft beer epiphanies since the first? Detail as many of them as you wish:

There have been a couple. The first one was not an actual epiphany but more realization of good beer. At some point in my early 20’s, I started enjoying beer like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Anderson Valley Boont Amber. I would also occasionally grab some Samuel Smiths, Newcastle, or an Optimator. I really enjoyed the flavors and I naturally started drinking the darker beers in the colder months and lighter ones in the summer.

The real epiphany wasn’t that long ago. When I was on paternity leave for my first daughter, I would take her for long walks up in the hills. I figured that since I had an ipod, it would be a good opportunity to listen to some podcasts. I listened to a few from NPR and some wine shows, as I was more of a wine guy at this time. Then I decided to try a couple beer ones. I don’t know how it is now but there were way more beer podcasts available at the time (2006) so I went with that.

Long story short, after walking around listening about beer, I would get thirsty. One day I had just heard a review of Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout. It sounded like a really interesting beer. They happened to have it at the store I stopped in at on the way home. I drank the beer. Loved it and the rest is history. I pretty much wanted to try every beer I could find, of all the different styles, since then.

Pics of Jon courtesy of Lev Perrey.

Beer Blog Background

1. How long have you been writing your beer blog?

It has been a little over two years now.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

Well, I didn’t really like the concept of blogging at the time….I just didn’t get it really. Since I was trying a lot of beers and taking pictures of them, I needed an outlet. I was writing reviews, attaching photos and sending them to my friends. One guy said “hey, you should start a blog”. Well, I sort of got it but what sold it to me was just the idea of being able to archive all of my beer and brewing info somewhere. That’s where it started.

Also, people got tired of me going on and on about beer so this was a great outlet.

3. Why did you chose the name of your blog?

I started on blogspot before getting my own domain. I was searching on all the typical names that were of course taken, “beer journal” stuff like that. A band that I was listening to a lot at the time is named The Obsessed. I looked up “beer obsessed” on blogspot and wala, it was available. When I moved to my own domain and wordpress, I was pretty shocked to find that beerobsessed.com wasn’t taken.

4. What are you personal goals for your blog? What do you hope to achieve with it?

You can’t make a living beer blogging so you do it for fun and/or to satisfy something inside. Although, I have seen some opportunity open up for people because of their blog. Their might be something for me beyond the blog but not sure what. The future is a wonderful thing.

My goals have been changing and evolving. I like working with web design, html, and CSS. I like taking photos of beer…even more nowadays. Some of my photos have been getting out there. I like doing portraits and product shots. There are a lot of photographers at my day job so I get the opportunity to try different equipment which is great. It would be nice to get some work eventually shooting shots for somebody. Not for a living but as a semi-professional.

I used to say I do it for free beer but that doesn’t hold up well anymore. I have sunk money into all aspects of this. I would be way more ahead if I paid for the free beers and not blogged!

5. What is one of the coolest things that happened to you as a result of being a beer blogger?

I’d say recognition from folks, whether it’s a “love your blog” or “great picture”. I wouldn’t get that otherwise. Mainly though it is meeting some very cool like minded people. As a parent with young kids, it is difficult for me to get out to events so I have to pick and choose carefully. I remember going to my first National Homebrewers Convention and feeling a pretty strong connection with everybody. I kept thinking “I’m with my people!”. I feel the same way about the individuals I have met along the way as well.

6. What are you top 3 favorite beer blogs/beer websites?

That’s a tough one…kind of like asking what your three favorite beers are. I look through a few blogs and my interests ebb and flow. It really depends. I like the big ones of course: Brooksonbeerbulletin, lewbryson,etc. I like Jesse Friedman’s photos on beer and nosh. I’ll cruise through those. Many others as well, depending.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

I should have guessed this one was coming. I guess I can’t go out with Charlie Papazian’s line….
I like all styles but historically I have always loved a good amber. I grew up on Anderson Valley Boont Amber as a favorite. I have a bit of a crystal malt sweet tooth in general. English Browns are another favorite style and one I love to brew. To round it out, I love IPAs. There, a nice contrast to the first two. I have been drinking IPA quite a bit lately and I’ll go between more dry ones and ones with a nice malt backbone. There really is some good range there in the style (underneath all those hops).

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

#1 Triple Rock, it is the closest brewery (well brewpub) to my house! More importantly I love their beer lineup. Red Rock and IPAX are great. Now that Roger Davis is brewing there I love it more. He has put out some interesting beers lately that are a great complement to their regular beers. I think Roger Davis is one of the most talented brewers out there. Russian River for sure. I love all of their beers. To round it out, St. Bernardus. Their Tripel and 12. Wow.

3. If you could work with or for any one brewery, which one would it be and why?

Probably Russian River. Outside of their great beers, it would keep me in the Bay Area. Their production brewery is a new space and it looks to be nice and roomy….for now!

4. Are you a homebrewer? If yes, what is the most unique and interesting beer recipes you’ve brewed as a homebrewer?

I do brew beer and make mead. I don’t have the time for brewing up extreme or unique beers. So when I brew, I tend to stick to session-able, standard styles: porter, amber pales, IPAs, English browns. I enjoy the time and it is a great way to relax.

Mead is pretty quick to put together so I have been concentrating on that lately, I have used oranges, oak, cinnamon, clove, raisins, cherries, many others. Right now I have more opportunity to try wild stuff with mead.

5. Do you have any beer certifications (BJCP, Cicerone, Siebel, American Brewers Guild)?? If so, what are they?

Yeah, I have the Cicerone Certified Beer Server. I heard about the Cicerone program on the way to work one day via a podcast. I checked out the website and did some quick studying on beer lines and serving. I paid the money and took the test. Happily I passed. I got tripped up on the questions surrounding the physiological affects of alcohol on the body but otherwise did good.

I really love the Cicerone program. I came back to beer after enjoying wine for years. The wine industry has the sommelier program. So having something for beer makes sense. It is good to have a program to show what someone knows about beer. If I ever open a small tap room somewhere, I would make any prospective employee take, and pass, the certified beer server exam.
I would like to go for the full cicerone someday and would like to maybe go for being BJCP judge as well. Perhaps when my kids are older and I have more time.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Favorite pairing? Since it is crab season here in NorCal, fresh dungeoness crab paired with Lagunitas Pils. Wow.

Photos in this entry are property of Jon Weber.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

I am a QA manager at a software company.

2. If you could change your career at this very moment, without any restrictions on what you could do, what would you want to do and why?

Hmmm, could be two things: either running a web/digital design house. I’ve worked in all aspects of video and audio engineering including some production work and I love photography and site design as well, so let’s wrap it all up into a business and I could run it along with a staff of designers. The other option would be a partner in a brewery/brewpub. Maybe even a silent partner who makes some of the initial decisions but leaves operations alone.

3. Are you married? Children?

I have been married for over 6 years and we have two daughters, 7 months and 3.5 years in age.

4. Outside of beer and writing, what are some of your other hobbies?

Bicycling, playing the harmonica, photography, vacations to tropical places when possible! I also love music, sound of all types, and motion/video arts.

Photos in this entry are property of Jon Weber.

Off The Beaten Path

1. If you were a style of beer, what style would be an why?

An imperial stout. I am big and sometimes a little intense or brash at first. I can be tough to approach but once you get to know me I am a very likeable and sometimes a bit complex.

2. You were caught smuggling beer illegally, which has now been made punishable by death. Right before you are sent to the executioner, you are offered one last beer. What beer would you chose and why?

St. Bernardus Tripel. I’d slam the 750 and enjoy its smooth glorious flavor. I’d feel the buzz coming on and it would take the edge off (um, that’s a bit of an understatement).

3. If I contracted you to brew a beer (or design a beer recipe) called “The Beer Wench” — what style would you chose and what, if any, extra ingredients would you add?

Well, how about an Imperial Blonde? I’d start with a Belgian Blonde recipe, up the pilsner mail and get to where I want to be gravity-wise by adding honey instead of sugar, which would also help the beer from being too thick . It be Tripel-like probably in the end and would go down easy to ensure wench-like behavior. I’d ferment with WLP 530…since this is the same yeast as used in 21st Amendment’s Monk’s Blood (a favorite beer of mine). We’d have to call this beer “Wench’s Blood”. Wow, I just scared myself with my own recipe….

4. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

The ability to fly. Hands down.

5. What is one of the craziest things you have ever done and lived to tell the story?

Probably shooting very large propane tanks with .50 caliber shotgun slugs and enjoying the fireball that immediately follows. Other than that, probably running down the street naked and then “explaining” it to the cops.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

Love the stuff. Great on its own or can rescue any dish that is in trouble. I want to try it dipped in chocolate and covered in chopped almonds.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JON FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!