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!

INTROUDCING: JAMES MARKS

AUTHOR OF: COLUMBUS BEER GUYS

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: James Marks
Twitter handle: @cbusbeerguys
Name of blog: Columbus Beer Guys
Current location: Columbus, Ohio

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and Wexford, Pennsylvania (a suburb of Pittsburgh).

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

I was a pretty active kid. I played soccer growing up and then fell in love with running. However, its kind of a love-hate relationship these days. I ran both cross country and track in high school and inter-collegiately at Denison University.

3. How old were you when you had your first beer? If you can recall, what is the story of your first beer? Where did you have it? What style and brand was it?

I was 15 years old in Puerto Rico on Spring break with my family. It was a Heineken (I know I had to start somewhere; at the time I thought I was drinking an imported treasure) and I drank it at nightfall on the beach.

4. 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 Denison University in Granville, Ohio where I studied Political Science and Environmental Studies. I ran cross country and track at Denison (Go Big Red!); and beat the other Columbus Beer Guy, P.J. a couple of times! I know I’m going to owe him a beer for that comment.

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.”

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

I remember it as if it were yesterday. It was at ‘The Sink‘ in Boulder, Colorado. They have about 20 taps and was in new to the craft beer world. The bartender poured me his favorite beer, an Avery IPA, and I was hooked. I have drank craft beer since that day and never looked back. It made me the hop-head enthusiast I am today, and it is still tough to find an IPA that matches Avery’s brilliance.

Beer Blog Background

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

We started writing our blog over a month ago. Its fun and exciting. Beer is one of our favorite things in life and we hope we’re helping and informing Columbus residents what is out in the Columbus beer scene.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

The first inspiration would be all the amazing beers that are available in the U.S. Without the amazing brewers and beer, we wouldn’t be blogging about it. The second inspiration would have to be ‘Beer In Baltimore”s blog. Their goal is to create a stronger beer culture in Baltimore and that is our goal in Columbus. We’re pretty new to this and their blog has been a great example for us; and we hope we’re a great source for Columbus and others.

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

We live in Columbus, we love beer, and we’re two guys. I guess we’re not too innovative for a couple of liberal arts college graduates! Is it to late to ask for a refund on my tuition?

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

Our first goal is to create a stronger beer culture in Columbus by informing our readers what is going on in their communities. We want to be the first to know who has what on tap, what beer stores received something really unique, and also inform our readers what bars and beers are great for them to try. As for achievement, we hope to become a great resource for our readers as well as continue our education on the craft beer world.

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

It would have to be a tie between this interview (thanks Beer Wench!) and our first Columbus craft beer tweet-up that we organized.

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

First has to be ‘Beer In Baltimore‘, they were pretty much the reason we started blogging about beer in Columbus. Plus we have a little bit of a football rivalry between his Ravens and my Steelers. ‘Beernews.org‘ is another as they allow us to read more in detail what is happening with our favorite breweries and beers. The last would be ‘Beer Advocate‘ as its a great resource for all beer connoisseurs. We also love ‘The Beer Wench’ site!!!! We get to learn about all the exciting and knowledgeable beer bloggers out there!

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

I’m a hop-head so IPA’s, but I also love an American Strong Ale, and a Quadrupel (have to love the Belgians)

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Avery, Stone, and Dogfish Head

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

It would have to be Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado. I lived in Boulder for two years and loved going to the tap room and chatting with the guys there. For such a small brewing staff, the are quite ingenious with their innovative big beers and they end up tasting amazing.

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

I am not a homebrewer. It is something I would love to get into someday, but with so many amazing breweries and beers out there, I don’t want to waste my time creating something that is subpar.

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

No.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

It would have to be a Double IPA with a strong cheese pairing. MMMM cheese!

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

I currently am studying for my masters in secondary education. As for trying to survive financially, I work part-time at Columbus Running Company.

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?

My dream is to open up a craft-beer bar. Nothing trendy or over the top; just a neighborhood-feel beer bar with the best micro-brews on tap. I hope someday I can make this dream come true.

3. Are you married? Children?

I am not married, but my girlfriend currently resides in D.C. And someday hopefully she’ll be my wife, if she takes me and my beer-loving ways. As for children, I have a 3 year old German Shepard/Chow mix named Asics. He is also a huge beer lover!

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

I am a so-called runner. I’m training for the Pittsburgh Half-Marathon currently, so we’ll see how that goes. I’m also huge into sports and can be found on the couch on any Saturday or Sunday watching my Steelers and Penn State Nittany Lions win!

Off The Beaten Path

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

I would be a Double IPA. I can be pretty cranky at times, so thats the bitter affect, but I can be sweet, which many Double IPA’s offer. Plus I have a kick in me sometimes and that matches the ABV %.

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?

Toughest question yet! I’m going to drink from my favorite brewery, and even though I’m not religious in anyway, I’m going to drink “The Reverend” from Avery’s Holy Trilogy Series. Maybe I can go to beer heaven!

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?

Well Beer Wench, it seems that everyone loves you, so I would pick something sweet. I would try to replicate something like Dogfish Head’s Fort. A nice tart fruit beer that has a kick in it. I have a feeling you’re the life of the party and you want everyone to have an amazing time, so “The Beer Wench” would be the high-alcohol jolt fruit beer!

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

If I was a superhero, I’d be Batman. He gets all the ladies, drives cool cars, and I can do the creepy Christian Bale voice pretty well. If I was a new superhero, my powers would consist of teleporting. I mean how cool would that be, if their was a beer on tap somewhere crazy in the world, I could just snap my fingers and be there! Can someone please create a teleporting machine!

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

If I told you, I’d have to kill ya, and no one wants that Beer Wench!

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

First reaction – YUM! Second reaction – I want some NOW! Third reaction – must wipe slobber from face. No, I think bacon is amazing. I think people are getting very innovative and creative with bacon these days, either using it in desserts or in other intriguing dishes. It is one of my favorite delicacies and always is a great pair with beer.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JAMES FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

GO BUCKS!

CHEERS!

SURLY GIRL SALOON TEAMS UP WITH THE BEER WENCH FOR AN ATYPICAL BEER TASTING

COLUMBUS, Ohio – COLUMBUS, OH May 28, 2008 – Surly Girl Saloon has joined forces with local beer blogger, The Columbus Beer Wench, to create a completely unique beer tasting experience.

Known for consistently listening and responding to the wants and needs of its community, owners Liz and Tim Lessner jump at any opportunity to support its local beer loving population. The Wench recently co-hosted a successful beer tasting at one of the other Lessner local establishments, Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails, this past April.

This time around, The Beer Wench has partnered up with Surly Girl Saloon co-owner and General Manager, Carmen Owens as well as Andy Wuelfing , a local beer representative from Premium Beverage Supply, to co-host a beer tasting in the back room of Surly Girl Saloon.

The Surly Girl Saloon proudly handles 24 beers on draught – everything from ridiculously hop-heavy IPAs to ridiculously malt-heavy Belgians. Infamous for its originality, Surly Girl Saloon offers one flavor of cupcake every day, including Chocolate Cayenne, Fresh Banana with Peanut Butter Buttercreme, and Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Mmmm. Beer. Cupcakes. Beer. Cupcakes. Can anyone guess the premise of the tasting yet?

Surly Girl Saloon, in conjunction with The Columbus Beer Wench, invites the citizens of Columbus to explore the uncharted territory of a beer, cheese and cupcake pairing on Sunday, June 8th. The theme of the actual beer tasting will be a battle of India Pale Ales versus Belgian Ales. Tasters will learn the different nuances of each of the two styles, all while enjoying delicious fresh baked cupcakes and select styles of beers and cheeses.

The official tasting will take place on Sunday, June 8th from 5pm until 8pm in the back room of the restaurant. The event will cost $20 dollars a head and includes the beer, cheese and cupcakes. Lara Yazvac, bartender and catering consultant for Surly Girl Saloon, developed the pairings, including all of the cupcake flavors, and will be preparing the cupcakes for the tasting. The IPAs will be paired with the cheeses while the Belgians will be paired with cupcakes. The current cupcake pairings include:

Piraat Triple IPA with an orange and cardamom cupcake

Brasserie des Rocs Grand Cru with a Tommy Knocker Nut Brown Ale and cheddar cheese cupcake with bacon cream cheese frosting

Lindeman’s Framboise with a lemon rosemary cupcake

Lindeman’s Pomme with a goat cheese cupcake

About Surly Girl Saloon

Co-owners Elizabeth Lessner, Marcy Mays and Carmen Owens envisioned Surly Girl Saloon in 2004 as a pirate ship-meets-rock&roll bordello with an inspired draught beer selection and Southwestern-influenced menu. Opened in late 2005, this restaurant/bar features sassy comfort food served 11am-2am every day as well as plenty of clever adult beverages and beers with the bonus of a small venue for free entertainment many nights of the week. Surly Girl Saloon has been recognized both locally and nationally for some of its unique weekly entertainment like Punk Rock Aerobics and Open Mic Comedy, was voted Best Bar Food in Columbus by a local publication this year, and has been featured in the likes of Spin, Bust, Esquire (as a “Best Bar in America”), Budget Travel and many other publications as a worthwhile destination in Columbus.

About Carmen Owens

A former manager of Betty’s Fine Food and Spirits and a veteran of the industry, Surly Girl Saloon managing partner Carmen Owens has helped develop the current food and drink menu. Her current fascination with all things cupcake led to their presence as a dessert at SGS and now to an event which will hopefully bring together 3 of her favorite things for the public: beer, cupcakes, and learning about new ways to enjoy beer and cupcakes.

About Premium Beverage Supply

Premium Beverage Supply is based out of Hilliard, Ohio and distribute the world’s finest craft and specialty ales, lagers, and spontaneously fermented beer.

About The Columbus Beer Wench

The Columbus Beer Wench is a local Columbus based beer blog written by Ashley Routson. With the goal of becoming more educated on the world of beer, The Columbus Beer Wench invites blog readers to join in her venture towards becoming a beer connoisseur. As of this February, The Wench has been hosting informal beer tastings with local citizens at a various local establishments. The “Drink With The Wench” events have been successfully bridging the interactive realms of social media with the real world Columbus community.

Whether or not you believe that the economy has entered a recession, inflation is undeniable. An enormous increase in transport expenses due to the rise in fuel prices has resulted in an increase in the price of products and services across all categories. On top of that, the American dollar has become severely devalued. These two factors alone spell disaster for any company.

Disaster is brewing in the world of beer making.

Inflation is not the only issue affecting brewers. Since early fall 2007, brewers have been faced with an unprecedented worldwide shortage of hops and an unusually short supply of malted barley. And it is only getting worse.

American brewers are dealing with a 10- to 15-percent shortfall in the worldwide supply of hops, largely caused by farmers cutting back on the crop. Recently, rain and drought added to the shortage by significantly diminishing yields. Organic hops are almost impossible to find.

In early October 2007, fire destroyed a 40,000-square-foot warehouse operated by hop company S.S. Steiner. An estimated four percent of the U.S. hop crop was lost at a cost of between $3.5 million and $4 million.

The craft-beer industry is at the edge of turmoil, as high expenses cut into profits and threaten the closure of several microbreweries and brew pubs. Craft brewers across the country are scrambling to adjust recipes.

A hops shortage is not the only problem facing brewers. A reduction in the production of malted barley has more than doubled the of the average price for barley in the past two years.

Climate change may be one factor in the shortage of both hops and malted barley. Both barley and hops have turned into global commodities, driving up prices and further reducing the supply.

How long will this shortage last? Well the good news is that, accompanying the high cost, hops has become an enticing crop for farmers. Unfortunately, it takes three years for hop crops to fully mature, so the shortage will continue for a bit longer.

It is important to note that the rising costs of both beer and food also impact restaurants, especially the smaller, local establishments. Do not be surprised to see a spike in menu prices over the year.

As much as it may hurt the wallet, we need to make sure we keep spending money on craft beers. It will help insure that some of our favorite small craft breweries will still be around a year from now!

HERE is an excellent article about the Hops shortage in Home Brew Beer Magazine.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

LOCAL RESTAURANT TEAMS UP WITH LOCAL BEER BLOGGER FOR UNIQUE BEER TASTINGS

COLUMBUS, Ohio – COLUMBUS, OH April 4, 2008 – Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails has joined forces with local beer blogger, The Columbus Beer Wench, to develop an original beer tasting initiative.

With the goal of becoming more educated on the world of beer, The Columbus Beer Wench invites blog readers to join in her venture towards becoming a beer connoisseur. As of this February, The Wench has been hosting informal beer tastings with local citizens at a various local establishments.

The Beer Wench recently reached out to the owners of Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails for potential collaboration. Known for consistently listening and responding to the wants and needs of its community, Tip Top owners Liz and Tim Lessner jumped at the opportunity to support its local beer loving population.

In turn, Tim Lessner reached out to The Beer Wench for local input on Tip Top’s beer menu.

This past Friday, The Beer Wench met with Tim and Steve, Tip Top bar manager, to brainstorm ideas. The three minds collaborated to create the distinctive concept of a “community inspired beer menu”.

The concept is rather simple. Let Columbus citizens choose the beers they want Tip Top to offer on its beer menu. Let them also choose the ones that should be discontinued.

Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails, in conjunction with The Columbus Beer Wench, invites the citizens of Columbus to explore this new concept on Sunday, April 20th. The inaugural Tip Top “Drink With The Wench” will take place from 5pm until 8pm. The event will cost $15 dollars a head and includes the beer, various appetizers and Tip Top’s infamous sweet potato fries.

Tasters will sample six different beers, three from the current Tip Top menu and three new beers. Each person will have the opportunity to provide input to which of the current beers should be discontinued and which of the new beers should be offered on the Tip Top beer menu. Beers chosen by the group will be featured as local selections. All guests are encouraged to stay and socialize further after the tasting. As always, the kitchen and bar will be open till close.

The Columbus Underground has also volunteered to collaborate as a partner in this effort.

About Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails
A tipsy downtown neighborhood bar featuring Ohio Comfort Food, mean whiskey concoctions, draught microbrews, pinball, smiling faces, whiskey, Columbus pride, great local and not-so-local music, Cafe Brioso coffee and delicious pies. Located in the heart of downtown Columbus: The Independent Art Capital of the World!

http://www.tiptopcolumbus.com/

About The Columbus Beer Wench
The Columbus Beer Wench is a local Columbus based beer blog written by Ashley Routson. With the creation of “Drink With The Wench,” Ashley has been successfully closing the gap between the interactive realms of social media with the real world Columbus community.

http://www.thecolumbuswench.wordpress.com

YOU have been cordially invited to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the re-legalization of the manufacture and sales of beer and wine.

In one of his first addresses to Congress as president, FDR announced his intention to modify the Volstead Act, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within the United States and its territories. Congress passed the Beer and Wine Act, which exempted both beer and wine from the Volstead Act on March 22, 1933 – just two days after FDR’s inauguration. It became effective on April 7, 1933.

The Beer and Wine Revenue act was followed, in December 1933, by the passage of the 21st Amendment, which officially ended Prohibition.

And now for the official announcement:

You are all invited “Drink With The Wench” and celebrate legal beer drinking!

WHAT: 75th Anniversary of the Beer and Wine Revenue Act

WHO: The Wench & EVERYONE who A. loves beer B. likes beer C. hates beer but wants to come out

WHERE: Josh’s House, Italian Village (email me for the address)

WHEN: MONDAY. April 7th – start 6pm (Stragglers are free to come whenever).

WHY: In celebration of the re-legalization of beer drinking in the United States.

HOW: Bring your favorite domestic beers to share and taste with the group!

“Drink With The Wench” Background
My ultimate goal for this group is to start up a gathering for fellow beer lovers and hopheads in the Columbus area. The invite is open to anyone and everyone interested in learning about and drinking beer. Ideally, I’d love to meet up with people who are more knowledgeable about beer than I am — and are willing to assist me in my voyage to beer connoisseur land.

I intend on this being a great social forum and conversation starter for beer lovers across all levels of expertise. Even if you do not know me, I still encourage you to come out and play. Everyone that has turned out has had much fun thus far.

There have been lots of new faces meeting me out, as well as some lovely regulars. I’m really enjoying meeting new people and sharing great conversation!

As always, I will be bringing along copies of a tasting sheet I found at Ratebeer.com. It helps serve as a great learning tool and conversation facilitator.

Last night’s “Beer Tasting & Board Gaming” has been the most successful “Drink With The Wench” event to date! Although there was significantly more beer tasting than board gaming, the whole night could not have been any better. The Beer Wench was in great company and would like to thank everyone who came out for making the event a tremendous success!

Roughly 20 people turned out for the tasting, bringing a delightfully broad variety of beers. The group had an excellent balance between Beer Wench regulars and brand new faces (just about half and half). We even had a brave soul join us from Canton!

Upon arrival, each guest was handed a glass for tasting purposes. Starting around 7pm, beers were randomly selected (in no specific sequence) and tasted. At least 23 beers were tasted throughout the evening. I compiled a list of the beers that were tasted, to the best of my knowledge. Some beers may be missing from the list. I am more than happy to update it if people are willing to send me additions or corrections.

And now for the beers. Drum roll please …

Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale

Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

Siletz Paddle Me IPA

Stoudt’s Double IPA

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA

Samuel Adams Brown Ale

Great Lakes Conway’s Irish Ale

Great Lake’s Blackout Stout

Bells Expedition Stout

North Coast Brewing Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Rogue Chocolate Stout

Founders Brewing Kentucky Breakfast Stout

Sapporo Reserve

Leinenkugel’s Big Butt Doppelbock

Allagash Tripel Reserve Belgium Ale

Huyghe Brewery Delirium Tremens Belgium Ale

Unibroue La Fin Du Monde

Pinkus-Muller Organic Hefe-weizen

Weihenstephaner Kristall Weissbier

Green Valley Organic Wild Hop Lager

The selection of beers people brought truly exceeded my expectations! I was extremely impressed by the collection of beers tasted throughout the evening. All the attendees really put some time and thought into the event, and I really appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm and effort.

CMH Gourmand surprised us with pints of Denise’s Ice Cream. He brought both her Guiness and Carrot Cake flavors. Both were hugely successful with the group. After receiving a brilliant suggestion from Tim, Jim created an original ice cream float, combining both ice creams with Rogue Chocolate Stout. The result was a rich combination of malt and cream = pure Beer Wench heaven.

Palate and preference varied from person to person. Some preferred the fruitier Belgium style ales, some the super hoppy Double IPA, and others the heavier malty stouts. There was definitely something for every palate. Most people were willing to step outside their comfort zones to sample unique beers brewed in different styles from personal preference.

Across the board, one of the most unique and impressive beers of the night was Founders Brewing Kentucky Breakfast Stout. The house host, Roland, was the provider of the stout – which he bought from Grapes of Mirth in The North Market. This beer is extremely limited and only available through special order. Here is the official description:

Kentucky Breakfast

A bit of backwoods pleasure without the banjo. This stout is brewed with a hint of coffee and vanilla then aged in oak bourbon barrels. Our process ensures that strong bourbon undertones come through in the finish in every batch we brew. We recommend decanting at room temperature and best enjoyed in a brandy snifter.

Specs:
10% ABV
25 IBUs

Color: Black Unfiltered
Cellar: 2 years
Availability: Quarterly (limited production, pre-order only)
Serving temperature: 42 f
Glassware: Brandy snifter

The Beer Wench review: Founders Brewing Kentucky Breakfast Stout: bottle, 4 pack, 10% abv. Appearance: spare/light brown head, fair lacing, muddy body, dark ruby black color. Aroma: heavy malt, heavy coffee, heavy bourbon, average doughy yeast, light resin hops, smoke, vanilla, port. Palate: full body, oily/ alcoholic texture, soft carbonation, astringent finish. Flavor: average duration, heavy sweetness, light acidity, heavy bitterness. Overall: Very strong coffee and bourbon aromas. It reminded me of coffee flavored liquors, such as Van Gogh Double Espresso vodka and Patron XO Cafe (coffee tequilla). The flavor reminded me of bourbon infused vanilla extract. Would make an excellent accompaniment to dessert (bread pudding with bourbon – most definitely.)

Special thanks to CMH Gourmand for creating the concept of “beer tasting and board gaming” and to Roland for unselfishly offering up his place of residence. Without the both of you, this would not have been possible. Lastly, thank you to everyone who came out. I’m looking forward to making this a regular “Drink With The Wench” event and hope to see all of your faces out with me again!

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/?feed=rss2&p=83 1 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=72 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=72#comments Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:51:40 +0000 Wenchie http://thecolumbuswench.wordpress.com/?p=72

A little known fact about the Beer Wench: she is a gamer.

Now, I’m not talking about X-Box, Nintendo or Wii. Oh, no. I’m an avid BOARD-gamer. And while I do love the classics – I’m not talking about Monopoly or Scrabble or Clue.

The Beer Wench loves to play obscure, hard core strategy, super complicated – VERY geeky board games.

Upon discovering this fact, my friend and local food critic Jim (aka CMH Gourmand) suggested that my next “Drink With The Wench” be a beer tasting and board gaming event. Of course, I thought the idea was brilliant. (After all, it does combine two of my favorite things.)

My friend and loyal “Drinking With The Beer Wench” buddy (he has been to every event) – Roland – has offered to host my event at his house in Victorian Village. As always, the invite is open to all Columbus residents and I encourage new faces to join us. Email me for location information.

So not to discourage “normal” people from attending, the night will be divided into two different groups – the hardcore gamers & the not so hardcore gamers. The games will be provided by us (everything from Settlers of Catan to Movie Trivia). There will be something for everybody. All we ask is that – all who wish to participate in the beer tasting portion of the evening – bring a unique beer to taste, drink, rate, and talk about.

If this is successful, we hope to make the beer tasting and board gaming event a regular occurrence.

And now for the official announcement:

You are all invited to the next “Drink With The Wench”

WHAT: “Drink With The Wench” – Beer Tasting & Board Gaming

WHO: The Wench & EVERYONE who A. loves beer B. likes beer C. hates beer but wants to come out

WHERE: Roland’s House, Victorian Village (email me for the address)

WHEN: FRIDAY. March 21st – tasting @ 7pm, gaming @ 8pm. (Stragglers are free to come whenever).

WHY: In the name of research, I’ve decided to try at least one new beer every week.

My ultimate goal for this group is to start up a gathering for fellow beer lovers and hopheads in the Columbus area. The invite is open to anyone and everyone interested in learning about and drinking beer. Ideally, I’d love to meet up with people who are more knowledgeable about beer than I am — and are willing to assist me in my voyage to beer connoisseur land.

I intend on this being a great social forum and conversation starter for beer lovers across all levels of expertise. Even if you do not know me, I still encourage you to come out and play. Everyone that has turned out has had much fun thus far.

There have been lots of new faces meeting me out, as well as some lovely regulars. I’m really enjoying meeting new people and sharing great conversation!

As always, I will be bringing along copies of a tasting sheet I found at Ratebeer.com. It helps serve as a great learning tool and conversation facilitator.

Local Columbus blogger, Green Buckeye, recently tagged The Columbus Beer Wench in this post:

“Sierra Club’s Green Life blog has a list of green beers for St. Paddy’s day. Check out the comments, too, where readers share their local favorites and remind us that local brews might have a smaller carbon footprint.

Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing Company is the closest brewery mentioned in the article. Do we have any breweries in Columbus making strong attempts to be more sustainable? Maybe The Columbus Beer Wench can help us out!

What’s your favorite local brew?”

Always up for a challenge, I decided to take it upon myself to do some research.

And with St. Patrick’s Day less than 12 hours away — I think it only appropriate to write a blog on “Green Beer.”

In my research, I came across several United States Breweries who are actively committed to being environmental conscientious and use sustainable practices.

The most impressive is the New Belgium Brewing Co., located in Fort Collins, CO.

The following list highlights the beliefs of the New Belgium Brewing Co.:

We believe, to be environmental stewards, we need to:

1. Lovingly care for the planet that sustains us.
2. Steward natural resources by closing the loops between waste and input.
3. Minimize the environmental impact of shipping our beer.
4. Reduce our dependence on coal-fired electricity.
5. Protect our precious Rocky Mountain water resources.
6. Focus our efforts on conservation and efficiency.
7. Support innovative technology.
8. Model joyful environmentalism through our commitment to relationships, continuous improvement, and the camaraderie and cheer of beer

The following list highlights the actual sustainable practices of the New Belgium Brewing Co.:

1. Increased efficiencies in the brewing process
2. Utilized green design throughout our building. (Lighting. HVAC. Materials.)
3. Implemented a process for treating our wastewater
4. On-site energy production
5. Wind-powered electricity since 1999
6. Employ a High Involvement Culture
7. Sustainable Eventing
8. Actionable Advocacy

a. We’re members of 1% For the Planet, which means that, through donations and fund-raisers, 1% of our revenue goes to environmental non-profits.
b. Team Wonderbike, our bicycle commuter advocacy program, has more than 10,000 members who have pledged to offset more than eight million car miles by riding their bikes more over the next twelve months.
c. Public speaking/education: Because we make and sell beer, people are interested in our story. We’ve been very successful while being values-driven and we we strive to be a business role model.
d. To encourage sustainable transportation, every employee gets a custom cruiser bike after one-year of employment.

• Constant benchmarking

• Partnering to support innovative technology

The following is a list of additional breweries around the U.S. who are also committed to sustainable practices:

• Brooklyn Brewery – In 2003, Brooklyn Brewery became the first NYC company to switch to 100% wind-generated electricity. It also pays farmers in New Jersey to swing by and pick up the “spent grain” — the remaining husks that are left over after brewing. The farmers then feed the nutritious grains to their livestock, making good use of Brooklyn Brewery’s waste.
• Odell’s Brewing Co. – Odell’s is actively helping reduce greenhouse gas through solid waste (paper, glass, plastic, etc.) recycling; staggering production to avoid using energy during peak demand times; investing in and using renewable energy sources; using skylights for natural light; promoting the “Bike to Work Day” Business Challenge and the “Drive Less” Challenge. They use wind power for 100% of their electrical needs, reducing the demand for conventional, fossil-fuel-burning energy and reducing emissions of CO2, particulate matter and other pollutants. Odell’s also fuels all their diesel trucks with biodiesel, a renewable fuel made from American-grown vegetable oilseed crops.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.: Sierra Nevada uses a combination of fuel cells and solar panels. They have made great strides around recycling, heat recovery, carbon-dioxide recovery, water conservation, and energy efficiency. In an effort to quantify and begin reductions, Sierra Nevada joined the California Climate Action Registry. The Registry is a voluntary reporting program that allows us a way to report and certify our GHG emissions
• Wolavers and Butte Creek offer organic pale ales, IPAs, porters, stouts, etc.

The closest eco-friendly brewing company to Columbus, OH is the Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland, OH.

Great Lakes Brewing Company is an environmentally and socially conscious brewer of award-winning, all natural beer. The care that goes into the beer resonates from a commitment to the community and environment, otherwise known as the “Triple Bottom Line” – to engage in economic, social and environmental practices that achieve a sustainable, yet profitable, business. These include:

• Reducing, reusing and recycling
• Changing natural resource use from “Take, Make, Waste” to “Take,
  Make, Remake”
• Implementing efficient energy practices
• Investing in the community through non-profit organizations
• Supporting sustainable urban renewal projects

The three waves in the company logo not only reflect this Triple Bottom Line philosophy, they represent a concerted effort to the respectful use of beer’s most valuable ingredient – water. Since beer is over 90% water, GLBC understands that quality water translates into a great beer drinking experience, so only the freshest water from the Great Lakes region is used.

Just because the beer itself may not be “green” does not mean that it cannot be consumed “green.” What do I mean by this? Purchasing a beer brewed locally, from the actual location, reduces its carbon footprint. Purchasing the beer from draft or recycling the bottle after consumption also reduces the carbon footprint. What exactly do I mean by carbon footprint?

A Carbon Footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the direct / primary footprint and the indirect / secondary footprint.

1. The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation (e.g. car and plane).

2. The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use – those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown.

The Wench’s tips to reducing your beer’s carbon footprint:

• Bike or walk to a local brewery.
• Purchase a beer made on-site.
• Drink a draft. Recycle the bottle after consumption.
• Serve as an environmental steward by encouraging your local breweries to partake in more sustainable practices!

Why not make this St. Patrick’s Day a little more green by drinking green! I challenge you to drink beers from any of the breweries listed above as well as drinking from our local breweries in Columbus, OH. (Oh, and Green Buckeye — the answer to your question: Barley’s Brewing Co. is my favorite local brewery!)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. CHEERS!

After receiving two very insightful comments on my blog entitled, “Dissecting Guiness,” I thought it appropriate to do some research into the illusive “Black & Tan” — as well as the “Half & Half”.

What is a “Black and Tan”? What is a “Half & Half”? Well, the answer is in the eye of the beholder. The B&T tradition varies from person to person, depending on experience, culture, or preference. Wikipedia defines a Black and Tan as a drink made from a blend of pale ale and a dark beer such as a stout or porter. Historically, the most common “Black” part of this drink has been Guinness. The “Tan” part is usually the greatest source of debate.

“Black and Tan” was first used in reference to a breed of beagles (black and tan coon-hounds) used as hunting dogs in Ireland . The term was also used to refer to a regiment of British soldiers recruited to serve in Ireland after the First World War. They had a reputation for being quite brutal and have been accused of many atrocities against the Irish between the years of 1919 and 1921.

Contrary to popular belief — Black and Tan is not a drink commonly consumed in Ireland. (There is some hesitation to whether or not it is appropriate to order a Black and Tan in Dublin). The style is believed to have actually originated in British pubs. This is why many consider the classic Black & Tan combination to be Bass Pale Ale and Guinness.

The two most common types of Black and Tan in the United States use Guinness Draught and either Bass or Harp Lager. The Guinness is “layered” on top of the ale, taking advantage of the fact that Guinness is “carbonated” with both nitrogen and carbon dioxide, making it less dense than pure carbon dioxide.

In Ireland and England, the lower-cased term “half and half” refers to a combination of Guinness stout and Harp Lager (a subsidiary of Guinness), while the United States and Canada use the capitalized version “Half and Half” to describe the exact same beverage.

Typically, both “Black and Tan” and “Half and Half” drinkers prefer the beverage to be served layered.

How to pour a perfect Black and Tan:

• Hold the pint glass at an angle, and fill just over halfway with Bass Ale of Harps Lager — on tap.

• Slow the flow control on the Draught Guinness tap down to a trickle.

• Fill to the top, letting Draught Guinness hit the side of the glass.

or…

Pour Draught Guinness over an upside-down spoon to disperse the flow. (This method usually produces the best results.)

Other Guinness Variations:

Black and Blue
Guinness with Blue Moon Belgian White, Guinness and Pabst Blue Ribbon, or Guinness and Labatt Blue. Typically, this refers to any variation of stout coupled with blueberry-flavored ales or brands with the name “Blue” in them.

Black & Sam

Guinness stout and Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Black and Orange

Stout and pumpkinale (Also known as a “Black & Blumpkin”, or a “Black-O-Blumpkin.” The Gilded Otter Brewpub (my favorite Brewpub from my childhood home) in New Paltz, New York calls this mixture a Stumpkin, or a “Blackhead”, using Half Guinness and half Shipyard Pumpkinhead- Portland, ME.

Black Christmas (or Kwanzaa)

Guinness draught over Christmas Ale.

Black & Red

Half Guinness and half Red Stripe.

Black Castle

Half Guinness and half Newcastle Brown Ale.

Black Magic

Half Guinness and Half Magic Hat #9.

Dead Black Guy

Half Guinness and Half Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale.

In honor of both St. Patty’s day and my Irish themed “Drink With The Wench,” I’ve decided to unravel the mystery behind Ireland’s most infamous beer — GUINNESS.

Guinness is a dry Irish style stout. It was created by Arthur Guinness at his St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. The recipe for Guinness was inspired by a porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century.

As with most beers, Guinness stout is made from water, barley malt, hops and brewer’s yeast. Unique to the recipe is flaked and roasted barley, which is left unfermented — giving Guinness its dark color and characteristic taste. Although Guinness may appear to be black, it is officially a very dark shade of ruby.

Another characteristic that makes Guinness so distinctive is its combination of both carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Nitrogen is less soluble than carbon dioxide, which allows the beer to be put under high pressure without making it fizzy. The perceived smoothness of draught Guinness is due to its low level of carbon dioxide and the creaminess of the head caused by the very fine bubbles that arise from the use of nitrogen.

A Guinness a day keeps the doctor away. Medical studies claim that Guinness can be beneficial to the heart. Researchers found that antioxidant compounds in Guinness, similar to those found in certain fruits and vegetables, are responsible for health benefits because they slow down the deposit of harmful cholesterol on the artery walls.

There is a popular tourist attraction for Guinness at St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin, called the Guinness Storehouse, where a self-guided tour of the attraction starts with an overview of the ingredients used to make Guinness followed by a step-by-step description of how Guinness is made. After this a small amount of Guinness is provided to follow with a video of how Guinness is regularly tested by a panel of tasters and the visitor is shown how to properly taste Guinness. The tour finishes with a free pint of Guinness at the top of the building in the Gravity Bar, where the pint may be enjoyed with a 360-degree view of Dublin. A bar and a restaurant are available to visitors during the tour and a full selection of Guinness merchandise is available to purchase.

Here is a list of “cocktails” that contain Guinness:

• Black and Tan or Half and Half —a combination of stout and pale or amber ale, traditionally Guinness and Bass. Sometimes served with a pale lager such as Harp.
• Black Velvet—Guinness and champagne in equal quantities.
• Poor Man’s Black Velvet—Guinness and hard cider in equal quantities. Also known as a Crown Float, Cider and Black or a Guinness Snakebite.
• Guinness and Black—A pint of Guinness with a dash of blackcurrant cordial.
• Irish car bomb—A half-and-half shot of Irish cream and Irish whiskey is dropped into a half-full pint glass of Guinness.
• Black Russian—1 shot of Tia Maria, 1 shot of vodka in a half pint glass topped up with coke. In Ireland served with a Guinness top.
• Guinness Shandy—a combination of Guinness and carbonated lemonade (or lemon-lime soda or flavored drink, such as Sprite or Sierra Mist), has become moderately popular in America during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Hopefully we can enjoy some of these interesting drinks tomorrow evening at “Drink With The Wench” — Irish Style at Brazenhead Irish Pub!