Featured Beer Blogger: JESS HUNTER

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: JESS HUNTER

AUTHOR OF: DENVER OFF THE WAGON

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Jessica Hunter
Twitter handle: @jesshunter (clearly, I don’t believe in aliases)
Name of blog: Denver off the Wagon
Current location: Denver, CO

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

In the great sprawling area out by Fruita, CO in the western part of Grand Junction, CO. We may not be Napa, Belgium, or Kentucky, but it was a great place to grow up and learn about loving and buying product from your neighbors and community.

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

Soccer as my baby, ski racing as my love, and volleyball to keep me in shape for the other two. Those were my thing in high school. In college, I took up the recreational sport of trying to use Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale as my beer pong beverage of choice. Pretty soon, I was the last one standing.

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

Honestly? I was 7. I mistakenly thought my dad’s Coors Light (placed adjacent to my can) was my Sprite. After that mishap, I thought I’d never like beer. Boy, was I wrong. Makes me chuckle now.

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

Even though the above answer is honest (and contingent upon the fact that my folks don’t get hauled in for serving a minor) by true first beer was Speckled Hen. My dad is an English Ale drinker so I learned from his palate. For holidays, I’d have the distinct honor to crack open an English pub ale.

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 the best school in Colorado, the University of Denver where I studied Accounting/Finance, Leadership and Spanish. I got my MBA at DU, too. In undergrad, I was involved in the leadership program, our student government, one of the founding members of DUGS (DU Grilling Society), Admissions Office, Orientation Intern, Alpha Kappa Psi, Beta Alpha Psi, blah blah blah. I don’t do well with idleness.

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:

The first brewpub founded in Grand Junction is a place called Rockslide Brewery, and it’s still there. Growing up, we would always grab growlers and pop them open on a celebratory weekend, may it be holidays, blues weekend, or anything we wanted to make up. It’s the first cream ale I had, the first brewery where I learned the joy of growlers, and the understanding, amazing love, and care that went into beer. It was a place the community supported. That is what craft beer is all about.

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

Another cherished craft beer memory was camping later in high school with Oskar Blues’ Old Chub. At first, I couldn’t do it. Here’s this harsh word “scotch” and a dark beer and it was a whopping 8%. But once I tried it, I thought I was drinking magic. And more, I could stomach big beers. Fast forward several years and I’ve certainly done big beers, now a lover of scotch and all things whisk(e)y. Often when I’m sipping on Caol Ila or Bowmore, I send a silent cheers to my past self.

I lived in Dublin, Ireland for half a year while studying abroad. That experience was an incredible eye-opener to me as a beer drinker. It was the impetus of my passion for beer bubbling up in everything I did, but it hadn’t hit me yet. I also didn’t know I could consume so many hops upon my return to the States. I consider it my compensating bout from sweet and creamy Irish beers–anything and everything bitter. That was my big hop-head stage.

I also have one of my previous jobs working in a wine shop to thank for my return to beer. I love wine and I definitely love spirits, but after selling wine, I found myself truly gravitating towards all things beer. More, it’s great to combine the love for all three and see them intertwine in the various contexts of conversation, food, and memories both remembered and forgotten.

Beer Blog Background

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

We started late January this year (2011). So six months. And here’s to many more.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

I’ve one of my good friends and fellow lover of the Wench, PJ Hoberman, to thank. Sure, we all drank great product, knew our stuff, and could wax and wane about all things nose and tongue. But PJ got riled up after a fellow beer colleague, ColoBeer Man Jonathan Shikes, wrote his Portland beats Denver as a beer city article. One of the contingencies was due to the community development within the Portland beer world, attributing to education, events, and beer news. We knew Denver had a great booze scene, but nothing to date had brought it together in one medium. So, we gathered some friends and colleagues, started drinking more, and as soon as we knew it, we grew the blog from 11 folks to 25 contributors and we’re still expanding. We may still constantly fight Portland to be the number one beer city, but as Barney Stinson would say, “Challenge accepted.”

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

You’ve been to Denver International Airport, right? When you step in the train, there’s a little country guitar ditty and you expect to see cowboy hats and spurs on everyone’s boots. It’s ok, you’re not the only one. People still think of Denver as the wild west, and you know what? We kind of like it. Ok, we really like it. We combined that with our habitual trip of falling off the wagon and it stuck.

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

To inform and influence, first and foremost.

Short term: we are looking to be part of the GABF tradition in Denver. After all, this mecca of all things beer happens in our backyard and we’d like to add to the educational and fun aspects of beer. That, and we’re still trying to stay afloat with all the boom in the beer, wine, and spirits industry.

Long term: Encouraging people to buy local is one. Helping to create a model for other booze cities in want of community is another.

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

I love meeting people. And I have met some of the coolest people through the craft beer community, either as the consigliere for Denver Off The Wagon, or just as a craft beer enthusiast. Hearing and learning their stories and swapping with my awkward and quirky ones over a pint is always a hoot. As DOTW grows, it’s interesting to see the booze community in Denver shift towards caring about their local product. We’re in a brilliant time, not just for craft beer, but for American palates. Rad.

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

Obviously, The Beer Wench. Duh.
I also love reading through our friend’s to the east, Drink Up Columbus.
I like checking in with Beernews.org or Jonathan Shikes’ stuff on beer in Colorado with the Westword.
And I still love the brewery journey from PJ Hoberman’s Starting a Brewery, although I’ll always be a bit biased.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

Oatmeal stout, breakfast stout, barrel aged stout, rye stout, irish stout, milk stout, coffee stout, barrel aged stout, imperial stout, wheat stout, doppelbock…

So yeah, stouts. And loving saisons and sours this year.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Cruel, cruel questions. For my local favorites, I’d have to do Great Divide, Avery, and Upslope. If I’m going outside of that, I’ll have to do Lost Abbey, Mikkeler, and Russian River. And I’m throwing in Victory because they do great stuff in the craft beer industry, debunk the whole “one upsmanship” and just make damn good beer. Also, if Belgian nuns made beer, I’d probably cut off my hair and join.

Dear Bell’s and Founders: please come to Colorado.

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

Avery Brewing Company. It’s local, it’s entrepreneurial, it has a sense of humor (please reference the Dictators Series) and my God, I love those beers. To be a part of the close Avery family, while maintaining the community involvement and education and yet rocking in their distribution channel, I would be all kinds of giggly.

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

No, I’m not. But I’m honored to be a part of the quality control process, market research, dish cleaner, elbow grease, etc.

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

Alas, I do not. I’d like to start going for certified beer server and I’d like to eventually sit for the cicerone. I’m planning to be in this industry for awhile.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

American Craft Singles and Cantillon. Or Goose Island Bourbon County Stout and McDonald’s French Fries–they’re from the same company, right?

In all seriousness, give me a medium rare steak, greens for digestion and to keep up image, and a delicious Belgian Quad or sour. That, or a delicious imperial stout with bread pudding.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Remember that whole superhero conversation we had once, Wench? It’s basically that, except I drive a bus. And I work in higher ed.

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?

Actually, one of the big reasons I work in higher ed is because my dream is to go back to school, pick up a law degree, and work in the brewery industry (or liquor law reform). While Colorado has some pretty liberal liquor laws, some are a little backwards and are not written with the smallest producers in mind.

3. Are you married? Children?

Well, it depends.

Not married. No kiddos. But I do has lots o’ whisk(e)y. That’s family, right?

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

I’m big into everything Colorado–camping, fishing, skiing, and Rockies baseball. Skiing holds my heart. I also love grilling and planning dinner parties themed around all things ranging from Bourbon and Beer to Mustaches and Captain Planet. I’m also addicted to music and movies, but fate cursed me with the inability recall movie lines.

Off The Beaten Path

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

According to a friend, Belgian Dubbel because there’s something about me not appearing feminine on the outside but then turning out to be “delicate,” “floral,” and “pretty.” But at the same time, it’s sturdy, doesn’t rock easily, and is a beer drinker’s thing. Basically, not an easily style to master.

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?

Bud Select. I want something worse-tasting in my mouth because if I’m going to void my bowels when I die, at the least the executioner will have to clean up something worse than that beer. So at the end of the day, I may be dead, but he’s cleaning up after me. Jess 1, Executioner 1.

Ok, again. kidding. Lost Abbey’s Deliverance. [Pause] Perfect, right?

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?

Imperial ESB with stinging nettle. Either that or a slightly sour imperial stout. I’d have a drink of that any day. Snap.

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

I’m a closet geek for X Men and all things graphic novels and I’ve always wanted to be Phoenix (not to be confused with Dark Phoenix). I’m talking the cadillac of powers: telepathy, telekinesis, the Phoenix Force, and obviously brains.

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

I think we’re just going to keep that between my ears.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

Proof that Jesus loves us.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JESS (my uber beer girl crush) for such an AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!