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!

INTRODUCING: LYSSA BEYER

AUTHOR OF: BEER IN MY BOTTLE

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Lyssa Rachel Beyer
Twitter handle: @beyerlr
Name of blog: Beer in My Bottle (a blog for the Hub site of the Green Bay Press Gazette)
Current location: Green Bay, Wis.

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Kimberly, Wis.

2. What sports if any did you play growing up, through college and beyond?

I play basketball, but the last time I’ve done so competitively was in middle school.

3. How old were you when you had your first beer?

Probably around sweet 16, though I didn’t drink too often throughout high school. College is where the party begins.

4. If you can recall, what is the story of your first beer? Where did you have it? What style and brand was it?

If memory serves me, I was in an upstairs bedroom of an older house. I’m sad to admit this, but I’m pretty sure it was a Coors Light. I guess I couldn’t have expected my taste buds to be completely developed the first time around, so that’s my excuse. And that’s probably all that was available anyway.

5. Where, if applicable, did you go to college? What did you study? What additional activities, organizations, sports did you partake in during college?

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire with two Bachelor of arts degrees, one in print journalism and the other in Spanish. Una cerveza, por favor.

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.”

1. What was your first craft beer epiphany? Recall as many details about it as you can:

My ultimate craft beer epiphany revolved around drinking some homebrew. There is nothing more satisfying than enjoying the hard work you put into brewing, especially if it turns out good. I remember driving home from work one day, and thinking to myself, I could really go for one of those beers I made. That day, when I craved my own beer, I felt like a new person. As much as I had experimented with tasting new beers before that day, it has since been my mission. I have not stopped drinking yet.

Beer Blog Background

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

I started blogging about beer while interning at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in June 2008. I’d been writing on and off since my MJS blog ended in August ’08, and starting in January I restarted my more-regular blogging career at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. I try to post twice a week.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

I was living in Milwaukee, surrounded my breweries, brew pubs, stores with aisles and aisles of beer from around the world. With all this at my fingertips, I couldn’t help but explore. And I love writing. So, I wrote about it.

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

My blog at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was called A Beer a Day, which I still believe in, but I thought I should change my personality while living in Green Bay. I’m hoping to get more involved in home brewing than I had been in Milwaukee, so thinking about putting Beer in My Bottle seemed appropriate.

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

I hope to learn a lot about craft beers and the home brewing process. Through readers and their comments, I’m aiming to find more ways to get involved in the beer world: festivals, bars and exotic beer tastings. Most importantly, I hope to inspire other people to become just as involved and obsessed with the beverage and everything it has to offer.

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

After my internship with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, I decided I wasn’t ready to get a real job anywhere, so I randomly moved to a furnished apartment a walks-length from the beach in Florida. I went down there without a job, but with the strong intention of getting ahold of something part time. There was a beer bar between my house and the beach. They were looking for a new server. I talked with the manager, and found out he had been reading my blog. Before I walked through that door looking for a waitressing job, he knew who I was. Needless to say, I spent four months living in the sunshine and serving beer to my fellow beer-loving patrons.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

Wheat, India Pale Ale, Winter Lager

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

I’ve made about 5 homebrew batches in my career as a beer lover. The most fun batch we made was not any already-named style at all, but rather we went to the store and picked our grains by smelling them. And some by their exotic names. It was fun, and the beer turned out great! We also added citrus peel to that batch. Definitely a brew to make again!

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

None of the above, though I’m considering pursuing at least one of these sometime in my life!

4. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Dinner and beer. Doesn’t matter what I’m eating, or what kind of beer I’m drinking. In fact, I think the most fun pairing would be a meal I’d never ate before and a beer I’ve never tasted!

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Currently I work as a copy editor at the Green Bay Press-Gazette, laying out pages and writing catchy headlines so that if you have enough time to put down your pint and pick up a paper, I might intrigue you to actually read a story. But actually, I work nights, so is this really my day job?

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?

I would travel the world and write about all the beer I could find. I love blogging, and I love traveling. Oh, and I love beer. Would they pay me to do that?

3. Are you married? Children?

Nope. And nope.

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

Running, snowboarding, scrapbooking, I dabble in fishing — more specifically with a fly, reading, baking, socializing (I think that can count as a hobby).

Off The Beaten Path

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

Any type of Ale, because that means I’m top fermented, and something about that just sounds more appealing.

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?

Blue Moon, because it’s always been my favorite. Are they going to give me an orange slice?

3. What are your thoughts on bacon?

I prefer turkey bacon. Not big on grease. Though, if I had enough beer the night before, this could be a different story.

SPECIAL THANKS TO LYSSA FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS TO WOMEN IN BEER!