Featured Beer Blogger: “THE FERM”

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: PHIL “THE FERM”

AUTHOF OF: DOS BEERIGOS

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Phil “The Ferm”

Twitter handle: @DosBeerigos

Name of blog: DOS BEERIGOS

Current Location: Boca Raton, FL

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Tampa, Fla. and moved to Boca Raton back in 2001 to go to college.

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

In high school I played Football, Basketball, and Track/Field.  Had offers to play collegiate football but decided I would be better suited partying.

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

Wow, uhh well I think I was 2 years of age.

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

I basically ran over and stole one of my parent’s friend’s Budweiser cans and drank it before anyone could find me.  There are pictures somewhere of me finishing the can sitting in just a diaper.

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 attended Florida Atlantic University (Go Owls!), and studied Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship.  While in college I fine tuned my beer drinking skills, as a brother of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity (I’m a Catholic in a National Jewish Fraternity!).  While I did not play any sports for FAU, I attended many games and enjoyed tailgating before and after them.

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 first was probably when I realized that there was beer available besides what was advertised on the TV.  Not coming from a beer drinking house I was sort of raised on wine.  Beer was really only around for social gatherings that my parents put on.  While in college I walked into a small privately owned grocery store and saw they had two aisles of beer.  I decided to try some and pick them mainly off the name.  Young’s Chocolate Stout stood out to me.  I thought Chocolate and Beer!  YESSSSS! Well needless to say I was let down, wasn’t a fan of it at all, but that did not stop me from continuing my personal quest for better beer.

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

I have had many, from social meet ups to beer releases.  Honestly the most amazing thing is the generosity within the Craft Beer Community.  I have not met many people that are selfish.  Many fans want to spread the word of good beer and are willing to share anything they have with you. One event in particular was attending the release of Cigar City’s Hunuhpu’s in Tampa. I got to sample so many different beers that they had brewed, but the best part was the people I met there who shared some of their rare and amazing beers with me. I probably will never have the chance to try so many exceptional beers in one night again.

Beer Blog Background

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

DosBeerigos.com has been up since the end of November 2009

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

Honestly, I started just to keep track of the beers that I have drank, and what I thought about them.  I have sampled over  700 different beers, and some of them I couldn’t tell you a single thing about.  About a month into the blog my partner got a promotion and we thought about closing the site.  I kept it open and continued writing using guest bloggers because I was getting some good feedback from people that knew nothing about craft beer.  So while I started it for me, it is now here for you!

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

It was natural; two best friends that shared a passion for beer.  We were Amigos that Love Beer! Hence, Dos Beer-igos

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

My goals for the blog are to show people that might not be in the craft scene that it isn’t as serious as a lot of people think it is.  Yes, there are beer snobs, but beer geeks are much more fun to hang out with.  This is really the reason we don’t take any one review overly serious.  We want to relate to everyone especially the person that doesn’t know what craft beer is all about.

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

Hmm, the coolest thing that ever happened was probably at the Hunahpu’s release at Cigar City Brewery.  While I was talking to Joey Redner and sampling some of my personal Homebrew, a random fan walked up and asked if I was the Fermentation.  I was sort of taken back, and happy to share some homebrew and take a picture with this daily reader.  You would think that having someone like Joey Redner try your homebrew would be #1, but to have someone tell me that they really enjoy reading my blog was soo much cooler.

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

I use the following daily all for different reasons;

• BeerAdvocate.com (Usually for trading only)
• MikeLovesBeer.com (this was the 1st beer blog I ever read on a daily basis, and have now became friends with him)
• DailyBeerReview.com (Another local South Florida blogger that I have much love for….Rob always brings something different to the blogs)

**I use Twitter a lot for my beer news…its amazing how many beer tweeters (is that a word?) are out there!**

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

Imperial IPA, Russian Imperial Stouts, and Hefeweizens

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Cigar City Brewery, Gordash Brewing Company, and Dogfish

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

I’d love to work at Cigar City.  Mainly because they brew beers that are not normal, they are complex, and have a fun time while doing it.  Great group of guys.  Ohh yah and it would put me back in my home town so I could be closer to my family (especially grandma!)

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

Yes, I have dabbled in homebrewing and love it! I have made 8 batches so far.  My current concoction on draft is an IPA that I used 1.5# of hops including citra hops (first time using them), added about 7 ounces of honey, and used Pac-Man Yeast.  It was a true shot in the dark, that turned out just how I like it….sort of sweet with a strong hop bittnerness on the back end. It is called Bitter Bastard IPA.

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?

I really enjoy BBQ with a solid IPA

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

I currently work for a business services company in South Florida, as the Vice-President

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?

Nope, I love my job, even if the beer industry came knocking I think I would consider a part-time gig, but wouldn’t give my day job up.

3. Are you married? Children?

Married to the love of my life and frequent guest blogger, “Cerveza Chica” (Kelly).

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

I am a huge fan of college football and basketball (FAU Owls). I also enjoy outdoor activities, such as boating, biking, and swimming.

Off The Beaten Path

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

I’d like to say I would be a Lager, because everyone loves a nice refreshing lager now and again.

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?

A Young’s Chocolate Stout, I’d finish my journey the way I started it.

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 would do a Belgium IPA.  The unfiltered yeast would give it a white look to it, the nose would be a tad bit sassy with a bite of hops, it would be nice fruity and flavorful on the attack, and then leave a bitterness on the palette urging you to drink more.

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

The ability to teleport, so I could travel all around the US and snag my favorite beers without having to pay for shipping!

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

While on a school trip to Spain, I requested that they serve me something local that is full of flavor.  The waiter served me a stew that was insanely tasty, half way through the meal he came back and asked me if I liked it with a smile on his face.  I replied “yes this is good, what is it” in very broken spanish.  He replied in perfect English, balls of the bull.  Yep I was eating Bull Testicles…..

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?  What is there to think about?

Are you holding out on me?  Where’s this bacon that you are speaking of!

SPECIAL THANKS TO PHIL FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!