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: BRADY WALEN

AUTHOR OF: THE DAILY PULL

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Brady Walen
Twitter handle: @thedailypull
Name of blog: The Daily Pull
Current location: Portland, OR

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Crystal Lake, IL

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

In high school, a group of friends pooled together some money at a backyard party to have somebody’s older brother buy us some beer. He came back with six packs of Mickey’s green grenades. It was the first, and last time I’ve had a green grenade.

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

I started college as an architecture student at Arizona State University. I finished college with a degree in Marketing from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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 love for craft beer started in the parking lots before and after Phish shows, where I was introduced to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Samuel Smiths Nut Brown Ale and Oatmeal Stout – always sold as ‘one for $3, two for $5.’

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

I feel like there have been quite a few beers and experiences that have worked to change my perspective on beer; in seeking out new and/or unique beers, I’m looking forward to more of these epiphanies.

Some of the more memorable include: drinking Three Floyds Ham on Rye and Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout. My perspectives were continually challenged in my visits to the Map Room, the Local Option, and the Hop Leaf while I lived in Chicago; and the options in Portland have only worked to increase the number and scale of these experiences.

Beer Blog Background

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

I started writing The Daily Pull in January 2010, about four months after moving to Portland from Chicago.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

I’ve been seeking out and drinking good beer for a long time. We moved to Portland, OR in August of last year; I was inspired by the amazing beer scene here, which is dramatically different from the beer scene we moved from in Chicago.

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

I didn’t want a name that included the words ‘beer’ or ‘brew’, and I didn’t really want to use a play on words associated with beer or brewing. ‘Pull’ refers to the action of pulling a draft beer handle, or drinking a swig from a bottle. For some of us, we experience either on a daily basis.

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

I use my blog to document my experience with beer. It allows me to look back on all the great beers we’ve had, events we’ve attended, and people we’ve met along the way. The blog, in addition to using Twitter, has been a great way for me to meet new like-minded friends. This was especially important to me as a newcomer to Portland.

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

Spending time with brewers and having them give private tours of their breweries is one of my favorite things that has happened as a beer blogger. Free beer is also very cool.

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

This is a tough question to answer because we have so many good local beer bloggers in Portland. I really like Brewpublic.com – these guys know and write about all the local beer happenings in the Pacific Northwest, and they’re great people too. Beernews.org is a great source for national beer happenings. And, I think the idea behind Taplister.com is awesome; I’m looking forward to watching this site and the idea behind it gain traction across the country.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

American IPA, Cascadian Dark Ale, Rye Ale

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Avery, 3 Floyds, Sierra Nevada

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

I’d work for Portsmouth Brewery, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I visited Portsmouth a few years ago, and have been looking for any reason to get back there. Working for a great brewer in town would be an amazing opportunity.

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

Not a homebrewer, but it’s something I’d like to delve into this year.

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

I don’t have any official beer certifications, and have never really given much thought to pursuing them.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Pork & Red Rye Ale

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Marketing Consultant

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’m passionate about food and beer. I’d own a small brewpub with awesome food and drink, with a focus on sustainability.

3. Are you married? Children?

Married to my amazing wife Jessica. No kids, but we have two dogs: Reno & Jack.

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

Cooking, eating, hiking with the dogs, road trips to the coast, riding bikes, playing music, traveling when we can, and hanging out with our friends.

Off The Beaten Path

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

Anything coffee: you can usually find me with a beer or a cup of coffee nearby.

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?

Two Brothers Cane & Ebel. This beer tastes like fall in Chicago to me, which are two of my favorite things.

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?

Upright Brewing in Portland made a beer earlier this year called Fatali Four, a Belgian style beer aged in Pinot barrels with Fatali peppers. There’s something about the flavor and spice combination that comes to mind when I hear ‘beer’ and ‘wench’.

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

I’d want to teleport from one place to another.

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

We went deep sea fishing on a boat that was way too small and ran out of gas two hours off shore. When that happened, our fishing guide pulled out a huge bloody knife – for a second we thought we were dead, but we’re still here. He used the bloody knife to connect and siphon another gas line to the motor. When he got the boat working again, we celebrated with a beer.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

Love it. Bacon makes everything better.

SPECIAL THANKS TO BRADY FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!

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: TAYLOR

AUTHOR OF: THE PERFECTLY HAPPY MAN

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Taylor (no last name por favor)
Twitter handle: @thePHman
Name of blog: The Perfectly Happy Man
Current location: Chicago, IL

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Oak Park, IL

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

Soccer and volleyball.

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

Though I sampled my dad’s beers from time to time as a kid, I had my first legitimate beer at 19.

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 had my first brew—a beautiful Guinness Draught—at an Irish pub in Seville, Spain during a semester abroad. Legit.

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 Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, and graduated with a B.A. in English.

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:

Though I haven’t been into craft beer for very long, I have already had a few beer epiphanies. The first came when I first poured a glass of Three Floyds’ Alpha King: it blew my mind from the second I smelled it. I had no idea beer could contain such incredible flavors and smells. The citrus and caramel notes combined to deliver a sweetness I’d never smelled before. Needless to say, Alpha Kind remains one of my favorite beers to this day.

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

My most recent epiphany came on the back of Dogfish Head’s Palo Santo Marron. I’ve been a big fan of tawny ports, and the insane pedigree of that beer further broadened my horizons and gave me an alternative beverage to enjoy while smoking cigars. You can’t argue with Dogfish Head.

Beer Blog Background

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

I conceived, designed, and launched The Perfectly Happy Man with a good buddy of mine in December 2009 … only a couple of months ago. That’s how long I’ve been reviewing beer.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

We started The Perfectly Happy Man for two reasons: community and aesthetics. We realized we had a small group of people who enjoyed beer and talked about it often—even brewed it at home—and it would be a good idea to figure out a way to stay connected. Furthermore, most of the existing beer sites/blogs and reviews we were reading online felt way too cluttered and highbrow for “commoners” like ourselves. Hence, The Perfectly Happy Man was born.

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

There’s an ancient Egyptian proverb (that may or may not be real) that proclaims, “The mouth of the perfectly happy man is filled with beer.” It seemed as fitting a name as any and we rolled with it.

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

Our biggest goals are to have fun with beer and never treat its exploration like a job. We’re out to educate others and ourselves about the wonders of the stuff, and hopefully show people that it is much more accessible than it appears. And we want to also put our chips down for responsible decision-making when it comes to beer … to own beer, not get owned by it.

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

Like I said before, I haven’t been blogging on beer for very long, but it’s been awesome to experience the cheer of the extended beer community. We’ve been on some tours, talked with some brewers, and had some great conversations. Being on the web has allowed us all to make some great connections. At The Perfectly Happy Man, we’re all about people, so that’s been a huge bonus.

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

Jury’s still out on that one … time will tell. I dig any site that does things differently than everyone else. In the beer world, that’s rare. We’re still trying to figure that one out ourselves.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

This changes all the time. Currently I’m high on IPAs, APAs, and Brown Ales.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Easy. Three Floyds (IN), Dogfish Head (DE), and my local Chicago favorite, Metropolitan Brewing.

3. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

I love rocking Old Style and a brat or Maxwell Street Polish at Wrigley … Go Cubbies!

The Personal Side

What is your current day job?

I work downtown Chicago for a creative web firm.

Off The Beaten Path

1. 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?

Rogue Dead Guy Ale. So much flavor, and also, it’s called “Dead Guy Ale.” What could be more appropriate?

2. 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?

“The Beer Wench” … hmm … the British might shed some light on this one. I’d go with a standard English Ale. But brewed with cheap perfume.

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

Years of pondering this very question have led me to a final choice: shapeshifting.

4. What are your thoughts on bacon?

Savory and versatile. Bacon makes terrible cooks seem not so bad.

True story: The Wench has a tendency to get star struck. But the “celebrities” in my world are the typical “celebrities” for the rest of our society. Forget Brad Pitt, I am completely enamored with amazing chefs, fabulous winemakers, crazy brewers and the biggest beer geeks in the industry. If I was a 13 year old, my room would be full of posters of people like Dr. Bill, Sam Calagione, Michael Jackson and Ray Daniels.

Speaking of Ray Daniels …

I first learned about the Cicerone Program in the Spring of 2008 while I was visiting Chicago. At that time, my blog was relatively new and my overall beer knowledge was beginner at best. Nonetheless, the program was intriguing and I always kept it in the back of my mind.

Fast forward a year. Being the awesome stalker that I am, I was one of the first beer to discover Ray Daniel’s presence on Twitter — @Ciceron_Org. Naturally, I bombarded him full force with all of my wenchness. I can only assume that Ray was extremely apprehensive at first. But, as with all my Twitter stalking victims, he realized that it is easier to concede to the cunning and forceful ways of The Wench than try to ignore her.

This past September, I had an awesome opportunity to take the Midwest by storm and play “guest of honor” at The Great Lakes Brew Fest. The trip brought me to the city of Chicago for a few days. And after countless emails requesting to meet for a beer (or two … or five), Ray finally succumbed to my bewitching — errrr aggressively persistent ways and agreed to meet me at Hop Leaf for dinner.

Although the conversation that night was relatively light, I was completely blown away by Ray’s level of beer knowledge. To this day, I think that Ray Daniels is the foremost knowledgeable person on beer that I have had the honor of meeting. In fact, I’ve been rather enamored by him — on a strictly professional level, of course. (wink wink).

My old goal used to become the “female version” of Michael Jackson. Now, I think my goal has been slightly altered. I want to be the “female version” of a Michael Jackson/Ray Daniels hybrid. Maybe one day you will see The Wench teaching at Siebel. Hey, you never know!

I’m proud to say that I recently passed the first level of the Cicerone Certification Program — aka Certified Beer Server. My goal is to reach Master Cicerone Level by the time I reach 30, which is coming up sooner than I’d like.

Well enough about me, right? I’m very proud to introduce you all to THE ONE, THE ONLY … RAY DANIELS!!! …

(photo credit: Matt Taplinger © 2008)

RAY DANIELS INTERVIEW

Full name: No one knows that! Ray Daniels will do, although I will say that my given name is Ray and not Raymond.
Twitter handle: @Cicerone_Org
Current location: My desk, Chicago, IL

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

I started 9th grade at my eighth school due to the fact that my father was in the US Army. I came to consciousness in the small town of Alamagordo, NM and when I went to college and lived in the same dorm for four years, that was the longest I’d ever lived anywhere. Along with way, we spent time in Fort Irwin, CA (near Barstow); San Antonio, TX; Enid, OK; Indianapolis, IN; El Paso, TX and finally Montgomery County, MD—near Washington DC.

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

I made one attempt each at baseball and football during my grade-school years and sat on the bench during basketball season for two years in junior high before finding distance running to be more in line with my aptitudes. In high school I ran cross-country and track for two years with fair success, but I didn’t stick with it. In college I did a bit of intercollegiate fencing (saber). After 20 years of country club sports (golf & tennis) as an adult, I returned to endurance sports in my 40s and I completed several marathons and a number of triathlons including the 2003 Wisconsin Ironman. I did a bit of outdoor adventure racing during this period as well.

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

Not quite 12 years old.

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

The very first beer I can remember drinking was given to me by my father in a hot parking lot shortly after the 1969 Indy 500. I suspect it was a Schlitz (his regular brand at the time) and that it was dispensed in hopes of knocking me out to staunch my complaining.

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 matriculated at what was once known as the agricultural and mechanical college of Texas, better known these days as Texas A&M University. I began as a biochemistry major and in fact got my BS in that field. But the many activities and opportunities of a major university were too much for me to resist.

I began writing for the campus newspaper during my first semester and running programs for the student union (the MSC for you Aggies out there) by my sophomore year. Soon I had declared a second major in Journalism so that I could take their courses in writing and reporting and by the time I graduated, I had as many hours in English and Journalism as I did in Chemistry and Biology. I flirted with politics, both campus and real-life but never really connected there.

The “business” of running events and activities was my forte and by my senior year, I was president of the MSC overseeing a wide range of campus entertainment and cultural activities. This experience inspired me to pursue an MBA which I later completed at Harvard Business School.

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 Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Mind you this was about 1987 and green bottle beers like Beck’s and St. Pauli Girl were still high-brow fare for regular beer drinkers, especially in the East and Midwest. I was in Washington DC on business for the Chicago-based pharmaceutical company I worked for and checked into a small hotel. With nothing else on my agenda, I headed to the bar for a beer and saw table tents for Sam Adams.

I was surprised that there was an American beer brand I hadn’t heard of; more surprised that it was from a recently started brewery. Being the type who wanted to know all I can about things that interest me, I ordered one without hesitation. I don’t know that I can honestly tell you _what_ I tasted in that first glass, but I do recall being amazed at the flavor—that it had flavor, for starters—and that it tasted really good and distinctly different from anything else I had had before. I was impressed.

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

I’m still having revelatory moments related to beer. They may be small, but they still register. Little surprises sometimes come from a new brewer or just a new beer, but nearly every month I have something that I count as a taste discovery. Some have settings and even sometimes plots; others come as soft explosions at my kitchen counter with no one present but those in my Twitterverse. Often I can’t recall them when prompted (like right now), but they come back to me when they are useful like while I’m teaching, brewing or judging.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

IPA is without question #1. Saison and Dubbel are probably 2 & 3 today. A lot of factors influence that, including what is currently being made well and available fresh. That changes over time.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Bells, Lost Abbey and all the others.

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

The one brewery that I’ve ever visited and came away feeling that I would gladly chuck my life and go to work for doing anything they had available was New Belgium. Most of all, I feel they are an incredibly well-managed company. When there’s a problem, they solve it rather than learning to live with it or overlooking it because it would be inconvenient or uncomfortable to deal with. They have values as part of their corporate goals and they put time, money and risk behind implementing those values in their business. They seem to value and respect the people who work for them. And of course I love Colorado, so that’s a bonus.

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

Yes. I’ve made some weird stuff, not all of it drinkable. Sake—the Japanese rice wine. I made some once but it turned out with a sort of green tinge. I was too afraid to drink it. A Ryeizen or Roggenbier—with 67% rye malt that took 6 hours to lauter. I don’t recall that it was worth the effort! Kvass—a 2% abv refresher from the Slavic lands—actually tasted pretty good when consumed about 48 hours after pitching. Probably the best beers I’ve made have been a Kolsch, a pilsner and some orange mead. These were all made in the early 90s when I was doing a lot of brewing. I think frequency plus mastery are the conditions that allow anyone to make good beer consistently.

5. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Every pairing is an adventure to enjoy. And in a sense it is a constant journey as the truly fantastic ones have a way of passing from my memory within a week or two, like punch lines to good jokes. (I can never remember the really funny ones.) I just visited my parents in southern New Mexico for Christmas and we enjoyed tamales with mole sauce for lunch both days I was there. I would have loved to have tried some Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale with that—or maybe some Chimay dubbel.

6. In your opinion, what are some of the best resources for people learning about beer? Books? Websites? Programs?

Of course, I’m partial to certain books I’ve written and classes at the Siebel Institute and through the Cicerone program. Probably the two books I recommend most are Randy Mosher’s “Tasting Beer” and anything by Michael Jackson (soft spot for Great Beers of Belgium, sixth edition which I published for the Brewers Association after Michael’s death).

7. What are your top 3 favorite beer blogs/beer websites?

Stan Hieronymus’ AppellationBeer.com is top of my list and I also like Jay Brooks’ BrookstonBeerBulletin.com and Tom Cizauskas yoursforgoodfermentables.com. All three are people I’ve known for a long time and respect and I enjoy what they have to say. That said, I’m open to new voices but don’t have a lot of time to troll for them. And of course I tend to hit blogs via Twitter links posted either by the author or someone who reTweets it.

(photo credit: Matt Taplinger © 2008)

The Professional Side

1. How long have you been working in the beer industry?

I’ve been self-employed since 1990 and did a lot of volunteer stuff in the beer world when I was still running a PR agency and getting started with beer. In 1996 I made the shift to beer as my business and my motto that year was “all beer; all the time.” I haven’t done much of anything else since then.

2. What was your first “real” job in the beer industry?

Kind of hard to say since I was self-employed. Creating and running the Real Ale Festival starting in 1996 might count. Writing regularly for publications from All About Beer to Zymurgy was happening at about the same time. But the first time I had a job description and got a regular check every month wasn’t until December 1999 when I was hired by the Brewers Association to edit Zymurgy and The New Brewer.

3. What beer certifications and credentials do you have?

BJCP National Judge (1993?)
Siebel Diploma Course in Brewing, Winter 1995
Herriot-Watt Graduate Program in Brewing & Distilling (I took key courses, but didn’t complete the diploma program.)

4. How many years have you been teaching at Siebel?

That started about five years ago when Randy Mosher and I created the Master of Beer Styles program. Since then, I’ve created additional courses and been asked to teach portions of nearly every course they offer under Siebel and World Brewing Academy.

5. What courses, if applicable, do you specialize in at Siebel?

The three big ones for me are:

• Master of Beer Styles (& Evaluation)
• Start Your Own Brewery
• Siebel Advanced Homebrewing Course

6. Outside of Siebel and Cicerone, do you teach about beer anywhere else? If so, where and what do you teach?

I do some custom training for distributors and retailers occasionally.

7. How many books have you published? What are the titles of said books?

My bio currently says that I have “written, edited or published more than a dozen books on beer.” That’s a lot easier than giving all the gory details of what I did for every book that lists me in the credits or on the cover. Here are some of those details:

Author (or co-author) of:

• Designing Great Beers
• 101 Ideas for Home Brew Fun
• Brown Ale (with Jim Parker)
• Smoked Beers (with Geoff Larson)
• The Perfect Pint

Editor of The Brewers Association’s Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery

As the publisher for Brewers Publications from 2001 to 2008, I was the “acquisition editor” and overall publisher on all of the following:

• Standards of Brewing, By Charles Bamforth
• The Compleat Meadmaker, by Ken Schramm
• Radical Brewing, by Randy Mosher
• Farmhouse Ales, by Phil Markowski
• Wild Brews, by Jeff Sparrow
• Brew Like a Monk, by Stan Hieronymus
• How To Brew, by John Palmer
• The Best of American Beer and Food, by Lucy Saunders
• Brewing Classic Styles, Jamil Zainasheff & John Palmer
• Michael Jackson’s Great Beers of Belgium (6th Edition), by Michael Jackson (posthumous)

8. How long have you been a BJCP beer judge?

I first took the exam in the fall of 1990 and had accumulated enough points to become a National judge by 1992 or 1993. (I did a lot of organizing and judging at national events.)

9. What is one of the most disastrous experiences you’ve had as a beer judge?

I can’t recall anything really awful. Although if you over do it the night before, it can certainly be challenging. These days I don’t hesitate to use a spit cup anytime I feel I need to reduce my alcohol consumption during judging.

There were years at GABF when I was training for the Chicago Marathon (which is run in October) and I would get up at 5 am to go run 8 or 10 miles before hitting a big breakfast and then judging all day. I don’t think I’d try that now!

10. What is one of the coolest, landmark experiences you’ve had as a beer judge?

Probably the most fun was a casual judging I did with Michael Jackson at a competition in Minneapolis (at the old Sherlock’s Home). Michael and I and another judge (Steve Hamburg maybe?) stood in front of a dining room full of homebrewers with microphones and tasted the best of show beers, commented on them and selected the winner. I remember it in part because Michael recommended my book to the assembled homebrewers—a very big deal for a first-time author!

CICERONE

1. How long have you been running the Cicerone Certification program?

Since its inception! We began administering exams on January 1, 2008, but I’d been developing the idea for nearly a year before that.

2. What was your inspiration for starting the Cicerone program?

Bad beer. Or rather bad beer service. I had had enough of servers—and often times managers—who didn’t know the first thing about the products they were serving or the draft systems they were using.

3. Why did you choose the name Cicerone?

First of all, I needed a unique word in order to be able to create a certification trademark. People can’t earn the exclusive right to use some title if the title is common and unprotectable. Second a lot of people in the beer business had told me they didn’t want to play second fiddle to the wine world and that I should stay away from any use of the word “sommelier”—which was something I agreed with.

So I started looking for a word and several things coalesced when I found “cicerone.” I had been looking, making things up and creating some really awful labored constructions (how about being a “Marquis de Cereviseae”?) before I found it. I knew what I wanted, but couldn’t get a grip on it with a single word.

Then when I saw “cicerone” in a thesaurus, I knew, literally right away, that was my word. What I saw immediately was the literal meaning: a cicerone is a “knowledgeable guide to arts and antiquities.” What better name for someone who is to be a knowledgeable guide to the ancient art of brewing? I was hooked on that alone. But there was a subliminal effect that I didn’t figure out until much later that I’m sure played a big role in my immediate and visceral reaction to the word.

“Cicerone” and “sommelier” have some linguistic similarities in that they both start with a sibilant “s” sound and take three syllables to pronounce (at least the way I say them). Finally, they are both words of foreign origin. I liked the faintly exotic feel of “cicerone,” but I loved that it was not French and also that it was not German because I didn’t want to be closely associated with either of those given their positions in wine and beer respectively. The Italians are known for their love of great food and great beverages and there’s even a craft beer movement in Italy, so I loved the fact that the word came from Latinate roots.

Finally: the word has a history in English. The Brits have used it for 400 years and you can find it in English dictionaries, but it is pretty unknown among anyone who doesn’t do crossword puzzles.

4. How is the Cicerone program different from all the other beer certification programs?

Well, there’s a judge certification program called BJCP here in the US. They focus on giving homebrewers feedback about their beers: stylistic adherence, brewing faults, etc. They assume a homebrew setting and focus on what the brewer CAN control. Our program looks at commercial brewing and for the most part, at what the brewer CAN’T control—like how the beer is stored and displayed and poured and paired. Mind you, there is some substantial overlap between BJCP and Cicerone with regard to styles, flavor and brewing process and ingredients. But the Cicerone program also gets into draft systems, bottle pouring, beer handling and storage and of course beer and food pairing.

As you know, I’m a veteran of the BJCP and still accumulate points every year in their program so that I’ve been an active judge for nearly 20 years. It is a great program, but we have different goals. What Cicerone does is to focus on people who sell and serve beer for a living: bartenders, wait staff, sales reps for distributors and breweries. Basic servers don’t need to write essay questions to be able to present a beer at tableside so we give them a multiple choice exam. At the same time, there’s a ton that an expert on beer could—and should—know that goes beyond off-flavors, style knowledge and judging skills so we have exams that cover those topics in progressively challenging forms for the second and third levels of the Cicerone program.

5. What does it mean to be a Certified Cicerone?

That’s easy: it means that the individual has demonstrated mastery of a specific syllabus of knowledge related to beer. That knowledge-base is published on our website in the “Master Syllabus” and the full criteria are given in our description of the three levels. The Master Syllabus runs about 19 pages in outline format and we make it available to anyone who wants to view it without restriction and we constantly solicit feedback on it from people in the beer and retail service industries. That syllabus is our “holy grail”—the starting point of everything we do and all that we are trying to do in terms of improving beer service.

6. What are you goals for the Cicerone — what do you hope to see it become in the coming years?

First is to improve the quality of beer service nationwide. Everyone who touches beer from the packaging line to the customer’s mouth needs to understand the ways that they can ruin beer and be motivated to keep it tasting great. The further you get away from the brewery, the more real abuse you see for beer. The Cicerone Certification Program seeks to improve beer handling & serving knowledge in all those places where it is lacking today.

Second is to improve the actual quality of the interaction between customer and server. That means giving servers the tools they need to inform consumers about beer in useful ways—whether that consumer is just discovering beer or has 20 years of experience exploring it.

Finally—and in some ways, most importantly—we want to avoid creating a snobbish atmosphere around beer. I hope that everyone who participates in the program will understand that there is a lot to know about beer and that no matter what level they have achieved as a Cicerone, there is still more to learn, more to explore, more experience to gather. Indeed, one of the greatest things about Andrew Van Til, our first Master Cicerone, is that exact attitude—the fact that he knows that there is still more to learn even for him and that he is open to those experiences.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Director, Cicerone Certification Program.

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’d make Certified Beer Server certification mandatory for all servers in all bars in America—scratch that, the world! (And Certified Cicerone would be mandated for all distributor and brewery sales people as well as retail beverage managers.)

3. Are you married? Children?

No & Yes. I have two great kids, one in high school and one in college. Both are doing great things with their lives and I really enjoy spending time with them and their friends.

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

I like to make things from dinner to furniture. In recent years I’ve done some welding. Output included a coffee table, a tandem bike and a wrought-iron cross. I’m involved with some electronics currently (Arduino anyone?)—although that may turn out to have beer applications. Photography comes and goes. When I’m not working so darn hard, I like to kayak, orienteer and otherwise be active outdoors. Lately, I’ve been riding a unicycle from time to time around my neighborhood, just because I can. I have done some flying and hold a private pilot’s license in gliders but I haven’t done much with that now that I’m not spending time in Colorado.

5. Who are some of your greatest mentors in the industry?

That’s an interesting question. At this point, the people who I may have considered mentors at one time I now consider to be colleagues. John Hall from Goose Island has certainly always been a good source of thinking and advice, but we’ve worked together on so many things over the years and had so many different relationships as a result that the flashes of avuncular mentoring that went on were always mixed with a need for him to take care of his own business. And that’s kind of the way it is when you are self employed—and maybe when you are in the beer business. People are friendly, supportive, colleagial—but they have to look out for their own interests, do their own work as well. Others I’ve had rewarding relationships with include Charlie Papazian, Michael Jackson and Fred Eckhardt.

6. If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, you would it be and why?

Ben Franklin would be high on the list. I think he’d be fascinated with the technology and politics of today—and after a short period of adjustment, he’d take it all in stride and have some insightful things to tell us about how to do things better.

And I’d bring Michael Jackson back if I could. In addition to his great writing and incredible work ethic, he had a wonderful ability to speak truth to power in the beer industry that I don’t think anyone else possesses today.

Off The Beaten Path

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

Maybe an American Brown Ale—and I mean a really hoppy one, too! Rich malt base with a depth of flavor that reveals something new as you try it in different situations and with different foods. Citrus and piney hop notes that demand attention but leave you wanting more. (!)

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?

Right this minute, I’d pick Brewdog’s Tactical Nuclear Penguin. Mainly because it is the most talked about beer that I haven’t had. There’s the collateral benefit that facing the executioner would be far easier after consumption and the fact that I might use such a brew in a successful escape attempt.

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 think a blonde saison or a spiced hefeweizen. Rich, spicy, highly carbonated, luxurious blond head, irresistible, intoxicating …

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

I’ve long said that I would love to have the gift of universal fluency. I would love to be able to talk to anyone, anywhere at any time. And while that may seem pedestrian, I think fluency in every tongue would far more interesting that being able to bounce bullets off your chest or burn things with your eyes. It would probably also prevent you ever needing either one of those talents.

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

Flown a glider through Colorado mountain wave where pockets of both lift and sink were driving the plane either up or down at rates in excess of 1000 feet per minute. While the ups took me an altitude of 18,000 feet, the inconsistent mixing bowl of eddies nearer the ground made for some very sweaty-palmed landings!

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

Generally in favor, but it’s currently just an occasional guest star in my diet.

SPECIAL THANKS TO RAY DANIELS FOR BEING SUCH A ROCKSTAR MENTOR AND ALL AROUND AWESOME DUDE!

(PS: Will you marry me?)

CHEERS!

Although the two previous days in Chicago were spectacular, from the perspective of The Beer Wench – the third evening was “la piece de resistance.” (For those of you who did not grow up spewing out French sayings, I’ve attached the definition …)

pièce de ré·sis·tance n. pl. 1. An outstanding accomplishment: “The bison is an evolutionary pièce de résistance, the result of thousands of years of genetic development under the toughest weather and geographical conditions” B.J. Roche. 2. The principal dish of a meal.

Monday brought yet another day of prowling the floor of the NRA show – indulging in countless foods such as gelattos, chocolate truffles, gourmet cheeses, lots of artisan breads, pizzas, soups, dips, sandwiches, more cheeses, more chocolates, more breads … and every type pf cuisine you could imagine. On top of all that food, I also had the opportunity to have lunch with the Illinois Restaurant Association. We were served a lovely salad of fresh greens, yellow raisins, toasted pine nuts, a huge brick of goat cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette. The main course was Chicken Marsala over basil orso pasta. Surprisingly (for it being meat) … I gobbled down the dish. To finish it off, we were served a rather large individual apple tart, finished with a thick cinnamon whipped cream and fresh berries.

NOW ON TO THE IMPORTANT PART.

Once again, we left the show to embark upon yet another culinary tour of Chicago. This time the cuisine was mainly beer.

First Stop: The Gage, a restaurant and tavern situated on Michigan avenue directly across from Millenium Park. Newly opened, The Gage is known for its upscale comfort food, fine wines, boutique beers and whiskeys in a sultry and vintage decor.

I ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc — but before I could enjoy it I was stolen away to meet two very important people in the world of beer. Both are with the country’s leading importer of fine beers — Merchant Du Vin — and are known nationally (if not internationally) for being beer connoisseurs. In fact, both also serve as beer consultants to hotels, restaurants, bars and the like.

Merchant du Vin sets the strictest standards for the beers that bear our importing label. All Merchant du Vin beers are “authentic”—meaning they are naturally made, without chemicals, additives, or preservatives (sometimes referred to as “adjuncts”). Secondly, the beer must be an outstanding representative of its style, and produced by a brewery of superb reputation. As a result of these standards, Merchant du Vin’s benchmark breweries appear on nearly every list of the top beers in the world.

After listening to me rattle on about my beer blog and passion for beer, the younger of the two beer gurus (a local Chicagoan) found it pertinent to give me a proper beer tour of Chicago. Of course, I could not resist, and so my coworker and I piled into his car for a most memorable beer experience.

Second Stop (although the first of the beer tour): Clark St. Ale House. Unfortunately, we could only srounge up enough meter money for a half an hour – so our time here was brief. My beer of choice was the Southern Tier IPA, which was served in a pretty small Brandy sifter. During the first half of its consumption, the beer was too cold to really embrace its true flavor. My beer guru companion informed me that the whole point of the brandy sifter was so that I could warm the beer in my hands. By the time I reached the end of the glass, the beer reached a desirable temperature and was quite enjoyable.

While at Clark St. Ale House, I had the opportunity to purchase “The Beer Enthusiast’s Guide to Chicago.” Although it is slightly outdated, the content of the guide was extremely well organized and helpful. Unfortunately, it is very rare to find and I was extremely lucky that I could procure a copy. And the icing on the cake? The bartender informed me that the author of the guide was none other than my beer guru companion sitting next to me. How about them apples?

Third Stop: Goose Island Brew Pub – Clybourn. Now, if being given the beer tour of Chicago by one of its most renowned beer connoisseurs wasn’t awesome enough already – at Goose Island we were accompanied by one of the world’s leading writers on beer. (Names will be added when permission is granted).

My first beer: Reserve Imperial IPA 9.0% ABV “At Goose Island, we live and die by hops. With our Imperial IPA, we pushed the hop limit to the extreme. We took three of our favorite hops, Tettnang, Simcoe and Cascade and balanced their spiciness with tons of malt… then we added more hops and more malt until this beer was exploding with citrus aromas and flavors… you’ll smell the hops from a yard away. What will surprise you is how drinkable it is. Served in a Tulip.” The Beer Wench gives it two thumbs up!!!

My second beer: Saison ‘08 6.5% ABV “Brewed by our Fulton brewers here at LPB, Saison is a Belgian-style farmhouse ale traditionally brewed in the cooler months for summer consumption. The Saison strain of yeast works at warmer temperatures and produces unique fruity and spicy aromatics with slight tart character.” This was the first time that I had ever tasted this particular style. The Beer Wench takeaway? It definitely has a unique earthy (manuresque) characteristic. According to Wikipedia, “what truly makes saisons unique is the fermentation which is closer to a red wine fermentation. Taking place at temperatures upwards of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), these ales are incredibly phenolic; peppery, floral, often reminiscent of the spice found in a bordeaux wine.” As a lover of bordeaux wine, my palate is inclined to prefer saisons as well. I look forward to further exploration.

Food wise, we enjoyed the fresh baked pretzels (cheddar jalapano and regular) as well as the sausage and cheese plates (complete with artisan bread and olives).

Fourth Stop: The Map Room, “A Traveler’s Tavern: Don’t Get Lost.” Traveling with “celebrities” definitely has its perks. Especially traveling with beer celebs on a beer tour. At the map room, my coworker and I were given a personalized no holds bar beer tasting led by the pros.

And here are the beers … (drum roll please):

1. To drink, we all started out with the De Ranke XXBitter … aka “a really f*ing hoppy beer.” Delicious. It got better as the night progressed and the beer became warmer.

2. Saison Du Pont, “a barnyard ale. Brewed in spring to last throughout the summer in order to fuel the workers.” We used this beer to cleanse our palate and jump start the tasting. Once again, I’m very intrigued by the Saison style.

3. Lindeman’s Gueze Cuvee Renee, “ Possibly the oldest beer, Gueuze, or Geuze, (pronounced “GOO-za”) is unseasoned, wild-fermented wheat beer. The brewers blend aged lambic and younger lambic, to taste, and a bottle refermentation occurs after capping. It is highly coveted by gourmands in Belgium who lay it in their cellars like wine. Golden color, cidery, winey palate; reminiscent, perhaps, of bubbly dry vermouth with a more complex and natural flavor. Style—Gueuze Lambic.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

Numbers four and five were tasted side by side, as they are different variations of the same style from a brewery called Westmalle. “Bottle-conditioned Dubbel and Tripel Trappist Ales brewed by the Abbey of Westmalle, one of only seven Trappist breweries in the world. The monastery is located in the village of West Malle, Province of Antwerp, Belgium, and was founded in 1794. Both the Dubbel and the Tripel are considered by many tasters as the benchmarks for the style. Westmalle Dubbel was first brewed for consumption within the Abbey around 1836; Westmalle Tripel was introduced in 1934.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

4. Westmalle Trapist Tripel Ale, ” Glowing orange-gold color, herbal aroma, and complex flavors that meld rich malt sweetness, warmth, hops, and powerful drinkability.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

5. Westmalle Trapist Dubbel Ale, “Brown-amber color, subtle dark-malt aroma balanced by Belgian yeast character. Deeply malty, with a subtle and dry finish that hints at tropical fruit.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

6. ORVAL, “Brewed and bottle-conditioned at Orval monastery founded in the 1100s in the pastoral Belgium countryside. Fermenting three times with three different malts and two types of hops give great character and complexity. This vintage-dated chardonnay of the beer world can be cellared up to five years. Sunset-orange color; a fruity and slightly acidic bouquet, firm body, profound hop bitterness, and long, dry finish.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

7. Samuel Smith IPA, “The rich Samuel Smith strain of yeast at The Old Brewery dates from the early 1900s. Hops are hand-weighed by the master hop blender, and the brewing water is drawn from a well sunk over 200 years ago. First introduced to the U.S. market in 1978 by Merchant du Vin, Samuel Smith beers quickly became the benchmark ales for the emerging craft beer movement. To this day, they remain among the most awarded. All Samuel Smith beers are vegan products, registered with The Vegan Society. Samuel Smith’s IPA: A restrained maltiness and an emphasis on the aroma and flavor of hops from England’s finest vineyards.” Source: Merchant Du Vin.

8. Three Floyd’s Boheameth, “A massive American Barley Wine; caramel-sequel and hoppy appeals.”

Fifth Stop: Delilah’s, “one of the great whisky bars of the world.”

According to Center Stage Chicago, “Delilah’s owner Mike Miller is to whiskey what Hemingway claimed to be to bullfighting—an aficionado. He not only runs the bar with hands-down the biggest selection of whiskeys in the city (he advertises more than 300, and the specialty is, yep, bourbon), but has written scholarly articles and given lectures on whiskey around the country. From his resume, the uninitiated might think Miller runs a quiet, cigar-and-snooker type joint, but Delilah’s rocks. With DJ styles ranging from punk Mondays to play-your-demo Thursdays, the music is eclectic, and loud.” The owner spent the evening sitting at the table with us. As for beer, I savored a Samuel Smith’s IPA while having the opportunity to taste some truly exquisite Bourbon.

Overall, this was one of the coolest beer experiences I have ever had. It was my best beer experience in Chicago, by far. I am very excited to have important friends in the beer world and look forward to them playing mentor to me.

Thank you to all those people who made this night as awesome as it was, you rock!

As I’m sure you can imagine, we were quite exhausted after the first evening in Chicago. Luckily, I was able to sleep in a little before hitting the floor at the NRA show. The show was held at McCormick Place — which consists of approximately 2.7 million sq. ft. of exhibit halls.

The show was absolutely ENORMOUS. The floors were full of booths upon booths upon booths of food vendors. There were dozens of cooking demonstrations and thousands of product samples in every direction. After eating the equivalent of my body weight in free food, Christian and I opted to leave the show early in order to soak in some Chi-town culture. The intention was to go to the Cubs game, however, I used my feminine wiles to convince Christian that The Art Institute of Chicago Museum was a better choice. (Although a huge fan of sports — baseball has no interest to me and I could care less about the Cubs).

After a few hours of enjoying art, we embarked up on yet another restaurant hopping adventure

First Stop: Quartino, “an urban Italian neighborhood restaurant and wine bar offering authentic regional Italian food and wine in a lively, welcoming atmosphere with attentive and personable service.” We opted to sit in the bar area, in lieu of the dinning room.

For Quarantino, Chef/Partner John Coletta developed a menu representing the best of Italy’s culinary regions. The small plate style menu, served in reasonable portions and designed for sharing, is perfect for large groups and adventurous diners ready for a unique experience. Christian and I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with John Coletta, as he was friends with the couple next to us and had joined them for a drink.

For my beverage, I chose a 1/2 carafe of 2006 Dolcetta D’Alba — while my Christian went with the Orangecello Martini (a twist on Limoncello). Food wise, we shared the Sicillan Eggplant Bruschette, Variety of Olives, Duck Prosciutto, Roasted Beets Salad with ricotta salata and walnuts, Tri Culour Salad with lemon and EVOO, and the Seared Sea Scallops with lemon and caperberries. We also had a generous supply of bread and olive oil throughout the meal.

Remember what I said in the previous post about going to the locals for advice? Well, as it turns out — the friends of the chef that were sitting next to us also happened to be food connaisseurs, specializing in the city of Chicago. They gave us a list of must see destinations and sent us on our way.

Second Stop: The Frontera Grill. All you foodies can just hate me now. Frontera Grill was the winner of the 2007 “Outstanding Restaurant” award at the James Beard Foundation Awards.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in the best restaurant, eat! And although we were full of Italian deliciousness — Christian and I could not resist the temptation of Frontera Grill.

Food wise, we went with the Trio, Trio, Trio: a sampling of Ceviche Fronterizo, Ceviche Yucateco and Ceviche Playero. ( Ceviche Fronterizo: lime-marinated Hawaiian blue marlin with tomatoes, olives, cilantro, jícama and green chile. Ceviche Playero: Baja bay scallops, Alaskan king crab, Honey Manila mango, Mexican papaya, pineapple and jicama with Oaxacan pasilla, grapefruit, lime and garlic (my personal favorite). Ceviche Yucateco: steamed organic shrimp and calamari tossed with lime, orange, habanero, avocado, jícama and cilantro.)

Throughout the evening we also enjoyed three orders of Taquitos de Pollo: crispy taquitos filled with chicken and poblanos, with homemade sour cream, salsa verde, añejo cheese and guacamole. Despite my chicken aversion, I gobbled these delicious treats down faster than they could be delivered (it was the fabulous guacamole that tricked me).

As for the beverages, margaritas were the choice drink of the evening. I enjoyed a classic margarita with fresh lime juice, citron liquor and blue agave tequila. Christian opted for more creative versions, including a bacon infused margarita and a margarita made with rhubarb (it was NEON pink — no joke). We both also indulged in shots of top shelf anejos tequilla with some people we met at the bar.

Apparently we lingered too long, because the couple we met at Quartino ended up stopping in too. They were shocked to hear that we had not made it to any of the other locations and demanded to show us around town — and how could we refuse? At that point, we were also joined by the president of the NRA of New Zealand as well. The five of us piled into a taxi to tour the town some more.

Third Stop: Carnivale: “a reflection of Latin culture and community, as explosive an passionate as the people themselves. The kaleidoscope of bright colors, salsa music and playful decor ignites the sense of being in a Latin house party, all in a unique Kleineresque setting.” The decor of Carnivale looks just as one would think it should.

While there, we ordered a round of Caipirihnas — the national drink of Brazil. Caipirihnas are made with cachaça (pronounced IPA: [ˌkaˈʃasɐ]), sugar and lime. Cachaça is Brazil’s most common distilled alcoholic beverage. Cachaça is made from sugarcane alcohol, obtained from the fermentation of sugarcane juice which is afterwards distilled.

Fourth Stop: Sushi Samba, a Chicago sushi bar. Unfortunately, we arrived there late on a Sunday night and the kitchen was in the middle of closing. We did, however, enjoy multiple orders of Sawagani, flash fried Japanese river crab as well as some more delicious Caipirihnas.

Luckily, Chicago closes down early on Sunday nights — because after Sushi Samba I’m not sure I would have been able to make it anywhere else. Tired and full of delicious food and drinks, Christian and I parted ways with the group and returned to the hotel.

Up next: Day Three

Now, usually I only write about food when it has relevance to beer. However, I cannot resist writing about my experience at the National Restaurant Association Show this past weekend in Chicago. (Disclaimer: there will be much blogging about beer experiences as well. I had the honor of meeting and drinking with what I would like to call “beer celebrities”).

A last minute turn of events and really great people (including both of my bosses) made it possible for me to travel to Chicago for the NRA show this past weekend. As a result, I was exposed to some of the most extraordinary cuisine and beverages as well as particularly intriguing people.

To avoid overwhelming my readers with an excessively long post about each experience, I have decided to break my blogs down by the days. Unfortunately, I experienced too much food and beverages at the show itself to remember and record anything. My blogs will be about the experiences of each evening around the city of Chicago.

One thing I’ve learned from traveling is that the best way to tour a city is to do it through the eyes of the locals. They are the experts and can direct you to the best places in town. (Bar tenders and servers tend to be excellent sources of information!)

My colleague, Nate and I arrived in Chicago too late to visit the NRA Show on Saturday. Instead, we just went straight to meet up with our friend and potential client, Christian. Being very familiar with the city of Chicago, Christian was prepared to give us one whirlwind of a tour.

First stop: De La Costa, “an alluring new restaurant and lounge from celebrity chef Douglas Rodriguez.” Christian and his colleagues had eaten there the night before and he wanted to show us the unique concept. It is known for having one of the best ceviche bars in the city. The interior design was one of the most unique that I’ve ever seen — it looked like a set from Cirque Du Soliel, complete with marionettes. The menu looked absolutely delicious and I definitely drooled over the dishes being brought out by the servers. We sat at the bar, where I had a wonderfully balanced glass of Cabarnet that was recommended by the bar tender. The three of us shared a platter of fish tacos and then moved on to our second destination.

Second stop: Michael and Louise’s Hop Leaf Bar. Despite the name, this bar did not have very many “hoppy” beers available. In fact, the majority of beers were Belgians! The interior of the bar and the demographics of the crowd reminded me a lot of Bodega — mostly Young Professionals, with a few Baby Boomers mixed throughout. The Hop Leaf is a little bigger though, with two floors, and serves a rather unique array of cuisine. My first beer was Three Floyd’s Alpha King Ale, which was one of three beers available on draft upstairs (which is why we quickly found room at the bar downstairs). For round two, the boys went Belgian while I opted for the Lagunitas IPA. Food wise, we all shared the Sausage Plate, a variety of organic sausages w/ with bourbon pancetta white beans, and the Braised Frog’s Legs w/ salad of arugula, fennel, tomato, preserved lemon and basil oil. (Despite not normally eating meat, I actually tasted and ate many meat dishes in Chicago … as you will observe).

Third Stop: Relax Lounge aka The Pharmacy. Christian’s colleagues were finally able to catch up with us at this lounge bar. Personally, I automatically understood the concept. In fact, it is what drew me to the bar in the first place. Outside of the lounge was a medium sized neon green cross. Anyone who has been to Switzerland knows that the green cross = pharmacy. I cannot think of any better medicine than some good quality booze. The interior of the pharmacy was swanky with low lit candles. The men’s ad women’s bathrooms were connected by communal sinks — talking about keeping people honest!!

Fourth Stop: Green Zebra, one of the most renowned Vegetarian restaurants in the country. Upon arrival, I was tasked with selecting the wine — which was a delicious Piedmont blend. We ordered several small plate dishes to share including *Grilled Asparagus, Hudson Valley Camembert Beignets, Truffle *Citrus Glazed Halibut, olive oil polenta, Ramps, picked wax beans *Crispy Tofu, Thai basil, baby bok, Jasmine rice *Curried Potato Potstickers, cilantro lime sauce, fresh coconut *Slow Roasted Shittake Mushrooms, in crispy potato with savoy cabbage *Herbed Goat Cheese Ravioli, Green Garlic, asparagus, dill etc. The food was amazing. We also indulged in dessert … an ice cream of which flavor currently escapes me (caramel coconut sorbet?).

Fifth Stop: Pops For Champagne, aka “Pops.” Open since 1982 in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, Pops for Champagne is the nation’s most acclaimed champagne bar and Chicago’s most elegant live music club. After getting a glass of champagne from the elegant wine bar, the group of us went and enjoyed some excellent jazz music in the club downstairs.

Sixth Stop: Fado Irish Pub, located in the heart of the restaurant district of downtown Chicago. Fado’s location in Columbus does not impress me in the least and I had a terrible food experience there. Chicago, however, was a different story. TALK ABOUT A TRUE IRISH PUB. The environment was so lively, complete with live music. I even ran into a real Irish guy (around my age) who was visiting Chicago. If an authentic Irish guy chooses this place as a destination during vacation, you know it has to be quality. True to stereotypes, the boys ordered us rounds and rounds of Guinness.

Needless to say, I slept the entire cab ride back to the hotel (which unfortunately was 30 min). My greatest regret was never taking any pictures. I suppose that is also a good thing, since it meant that I was too busy having fun!

Next up: Day Two!!!