Featured Beer Blogger: MIKE KIVOWITZ

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: MIKE KIVOWITZ

AUTHOR OF: BERGENATION

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Mike Kivowitz
Twitter handle: @Bergenation / Leafygreeninfo / @M1K3K
Name of blog: Bergenation.com & Leafygreen.info
Current location: North Jersey

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Springfield, NJ

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

Freshman High School Basketball

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

I think around the age of 13. I found a few bottles of some sort of lager lying around in my parent’s fridge. I think my grandfather drank it when he visited. All I remember is that it had chunks of sediment floating in it and it was beyond gross.

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

Like every other Jersey high schooler I used to get older people to buy me beer and I used to (totally about to incriminate myself) drink Bud Ice Bottles, when it first came out and had the ice themed bottles and Red Dog or Natural Ice or whatever cheap cans were on sale and drink when I worked at my job.

It was such a bad idea in hindsight. Then I got a bit more sophisticated and would hang out at friends’ houses and do the same. I eventually started to drink Guinness but I was still under the legal drinking age so imbibing in crap canned macro beers was ok for me. I remember making piles of my spent Bud Ice bottles outside my employer’s side door. It was a bigggg pile.

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 went to Ramapo College, a small school in North Jersey. It’s since tripled in size since I went, but still sits about 5 minutes from New York State where the bars stay open til 5AM. I have my Bachelor of Communication and studied design and technology. I didn’t play sports, but my close friends and I shot a bunch of videos, did some radio shows, made a few websites and martial arts too. I still do most of that now, 10 years after graduating.

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:

I honestly don’t know what that one definite beer is. I think it may have to do with my friend’s dad’s homebrews. We’d always go to Kieth’s parent’s house and his dad always rocked some homebrews for us to try. So, we’d drink a bunch of Keystone Lights and then kick back with a hoppy IPA and it was like… what is this. It’s amazing.

I think it also had to do with Yuengling. It was and still is my goto beer on tap if nothing craftier is available. It’s a great entry level beer with tons more flavor than your other macro beers. But I craved something else.

2. Have you have additional craft beer epiphanies since the first? Detail as many of them as you wish:

Yes, I sure did. Dogfish Head 60 Minute. This is probably many people’s epiphany, but I love them. The 60 Minute IPA changed my beer life. It made me realize how much I loved hops and what you can do with them. Then I discovered other crafty guys like Rogue and Flying Fish. They were some of the few beers available bottled around Jersey.

Beer Blog Background

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

I run two blogs and neither are beer centric but they do touch on beer. Leafygreen.info is a green product review blog and it is 4 years old. We have posted reviews for Magic Hat, Orlio Organics, Flying Fish and a few from Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada coming soon.

Bergenation is a hyperlocal blog focused on Bergen County, NJ. It’s where I live and it’s focus is on everything Bergen. Of course I like talking about bars and restaurants with good beer. It’s 6 months old and growing.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

I wanted to do something fun in the realm of green and taste test the food that was coming out in the organic market. I was a vegetarian at the time and I felt that trying before you buy was important, so what the hell… Leafygreen.info was born.

Bergenation is out there to go against the corporate run, everything is wonderful newspapers and give normal people a forum for discussion. I also like eating so this was a place to document it.

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

I love spinach and it’s a leafy green. It’s the nation of Bergen? My fiancé thought of it.

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

Growth. I want to be the go to site for people to find stuff whether they like our views or don’t. I want people to check us first.

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

Just the interaction and relationships with my readers. Being able to communicate with people on Twitter, on the site and via email. The relationships that I’ve built with companies like Dogfish Head, the friends like SimplyBeer.com and local companies like The Copper Mine Pub in North Arlington, NJ.

One of the best things that happened is the New Years Eve Dinner @ Dogfish’s Brewpub. Long story short, you’ll have to check the article out when it’s live @ Leafygreen.info. Sam was a riot and sitting my him allowed me to see how DFH really operates.

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

SimplyBeer.com – Peter’s a great dude with a great idea. I love the Beer Brawls and the local tastings are an awesome idea for people.

BeerMenus.com – I know it’s not a blog per se, but it’s a great resource for finding out what is available locally.

Hoptopia.com – I only found Lee’s site a few weeks back but it’s a great site with a ton of knowledge. I don’t think that guy sleeps.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

America IPAs
ESBs
Imperial IPAs

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Dogfish Head
Sixpoint
Victory

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

Dogfish Head and the reason is simply. They make a great product and the people that I’ve dealt with are wonderful. The New Years Eve dinner down there was the deciding factor. You’ll have to wait to see my review to really understand what I mean.

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

No, but I’m semi-apprenticing with Peter from SimplyBeer.com. He’s showing me the ropes so once I have some room, I’ll be able to do it myself.

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

Nope.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Pizza and 60 Minute. I don’t know. I’m not good at the pairing thing. I just guess and most of the time I fail.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Network/Systems Admin & Webmaster for a K-12 in North Jersey

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?

Problogger

3. Are you married? Children?

I will be in May and no kids yet.

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

Traveling, taking pictures of random things, camping, taking my fiancé to Target, thrift store, flea markets and antique stores shopping, graphic design and RSS feeds.

Off The Beaten Path

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

A Pale Ale. I’m mellow and easygoing then I’ll get louder and more talkative and you’ll want to switch to something stronger.

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?

120 Minute. I’d just chug it so I felt no pain.

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?

I’m into the natural thing so, something with hops (lots of hops), yerba mate, acai and vanilla. The Imperial Indian Wench’s Wealthy & Healthy IPA ?

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

Flight. I’d be able to travel so easily and without going to the airport.

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

I’m not that crazy or adventurous. I guess the craziest thing I’ve done is getting married. For years, I denied the thought until I met the right person, now I’m all about it. I even built a website to prove it… LoriAndMikeAreGettingMarried.com

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

After almost 10 years of vegetarianism, I can’t get enough of the pig. If you want to eat the best bagel sandwich, email me, I’ll give you the details, but think bacon.

SPECIAL THANKS TO MIKE FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!