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: CHRIS O’LEARY

AUTHOR OF: BREW YORK, NEW YORK

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Chris O’Leary
Twitter handle: ohhleary
Name of blog: Brew York, New York
Current location: New York, New York

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Rhode Island, a vast wasteland of craft beer. There is exactly one microbrewery in the state (Newport Storm/Extreme Brewing) and three brewpubs (Coddington, Trinity, and Union Station) for the one million people there. Our state’s best known contribution to beer was Narragansett – a defunct brewery who a team of investors re-established in 2005. It was a big regional player up until the 70s – kind of like Rainier or Lone Star or Schaefer. Even after its rebirth, it’s a beer that is more about quantity than quality. You can still buy a six-pack of ‘Gansett tallboys in Rhode Island for less than five bucks.

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

My dad drank absolutely awful beer growing up, so I didn’t have a very positive opinion of it. He usually passed me sips of his beloved Coors Light (he was ecstatic when they started distributing to Rhode Island in the 1980s) when I was a kid – and then he and his buddies would laugh at the “bitter beer face” I’d make. Luckily, I overcame that when I came to college, and drank similar awful beer myself. My first full beer was probably Labatt Blue or Molson Canadian, since I went to school in Ithaca, New York, where Canadian imports flowed like water.

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:

Despite all the Canadian beer in Ithaca, there was also an upstart microbrewer there: Ithaca Beer Company. While they’ve really diversified styles now, their two big sellers in my college days were their Apricot Wheat and Nut Brown. This opened my eyes to flavorful and creative beer at a time when my compadres were chugging giant styrofoam cups of Bud Light. I also spent a lot of eye-opening time in my last semester of college at Ithaca’s Chapter House, which is a mecca of craft beer. It was good preparation for the real world.

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

When I moved to Burlington, Vermont a couple years after college, I quickly learned there was more to craft beer than stalwarts like Magic Hat, Brooklyn, Saranac, and Sam Adams. Vermont was where I picked up most of my beer palette – thanks to great little breweries and brewpubs like Rock Art, The Shed, Vermont Pub & Brewery, Three Needs, Switchback, Zero Gravity, and The Alchemist. They really opened my eyes to big beers, spice beers, and just plain wacky beers.

Beer Blog Background

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

I’ve been writing Brew York, New York off and on for two years. More “on” than “off,” but my pledge to give up beer for Lent last year made it hard to keep a beer blog going. I’ll never torture myself like that again.

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

It’s more of a personal journey. In addition to tracking craft beer in the city and seeing what breweries succeed and fail, I’ve been documenting my homebrewing, too. Years from now, perhaps I’ll go back and see what a simpleton I was with homebrewing compared to what I’ll be doing in the future.

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

Naturally, I spend way too much time reading reviews and finding new places to travel on Beer Advocate. Lee Williams’ Hoptopia is a clever, well-written, and constantly updated beer review blog. I don’t think I could pick a third without offending someone. I regularly read pretty much every blog on my blogroll.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

IPAs, American Amber Ales, and anything barrel-aged. You could probably barrel-age the most awful beer I’ve ever had and I’ll find something positive to say about it. I’m a sucker for that.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Brooklyn Brewery definitely holds a special place in my heart for being local, and they always manage to surprise me with beers like the Cookie Jar Porter they brewed this winter. I love Allagash for the sheer number of creative and outrageous brews they offer. And the third would be a toss-up between Bells and New Belgium, but most likely only because they don’t distribute to New York, so each time I do get my hands on one, it tastes that much better.

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

Dogfish Head, hands down. Not because I admire the beer and the company’s image – but rather because I know I’d learn so much more than I already know about beer and the brewing process there. Those guys are beyond being professionals, they eat, sleep, and breathe this stuff.

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

I’ve been homebrewing for about a year now. I’ve found myself doing something different than a lot of other homebrewers. I’m not harvesting yeast or using unusual ingredients. I make simple, drinkable beers to widen my friends’ beer horizons. Every now and then, I’ll do something to push my friends’ comfort levels (my most recent creation was a Coffee Milk Porter, inspired by Rhode Island’s official state beverage, coffee milk), but I try to keep my homebrews pretty straightforward from a palette perspective. I’ve even got a Cream Ale in the fermenter right now.

5. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

I love Mexican food with a mildly hoppy IPA.  There’s a little Mexican deli around the corner from my place and they probably get offended that I turn down a can of Tecate and take my food to go.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

I work in advertising. It pays the beer bills. Barely.

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 co-workers probably wouldn’t want to hear this, but my boss’ boss is convinced that I’ll own my own brewery five years from now. I guess that’s a pipe dream that every homebrewer has, so more realistically, I’d like to do marketing for a brewery. It’s a great way to travel and meet interesting people and learn a lot about the product you sell.

3. Are you married? Children?

I’m as single as a Belgian session beer. *rimshot*

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

I love cycling, travelling, and skiing. Luckily, all three of those often involve beer in some capacity.

Off The Beaten Path

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

I’d be a really easy-drinking barleywine… something that is really easy-going at first, then sneaks up on you with a vengeance. Just kidding. That sounds really creepy. I’m horrible at metaphors.

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?

I could never choose just one. I would probably be executed for spending hours trying to choose just one beer.

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

I jumped off a 50-foot cliff into the Deschutes River in Oregon last summer while whitewater rafting. My friends paddled off without me, so I was rescued a raft full of women who had better beer in their cooler – including cans of Fat Tire. I would consider risking my life well worth it.

4. What are your thoughts on bacon?

This may be blasphemy, but I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Bacon is fine, but pork belly is beyond devine.

SPECIAL THANKS TO CHRIS 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: PETER KENNEDY

AUTHOR OF: SIMPLY BEER

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Peter Kennedy
Twitter handle: SimplyBeer
Name of blog: Simplybeer.com
Current location: Montclair NJ

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Grew up in Bangor Maine. Spent the winters Skiing and the Summers Sailing. Until 14 when I moved to Katonah NY in Westchester County, about 3o minutes north of NYC.

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

Mostly Skiing and Soccer

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

I was allowed to sip my dads occasionally growing up. But I was about 12 when I stole my first beer from my dad, a can of Heineken

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

My stepbrother and I stole a couple cans of Heineken. Then got the brilliant ideas to empty all the powder out of a case of these funky sparkler fireworks into one of the empty cans. As brilliant an idea seemed in concept, it almost turned out horribly bad when we lit it on fire and it shot white hot flame about 6ft out the top of the can for about 20 seconds before spinning out of control. We lucky we didn’t severely hurt ourselves or burn the woods down!

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 did a 4yr sentence at SUNY Stony Brook. Where I graduated with about a 3.2 average. I majored Art History and Photography and was a lunatic rollerblader.

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:

My beer epiphany – On a mind numbing bindge in our dorm room, some guy brought a six pack of Brooklyn Lager. In the early 90’s Brooklyn was much smaller then it is now, but that was the first beer I’d ever had that had flavor to it. It almost became an obsession after that trying every new beer I could get my hands on, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, 15 years later still on a quest to try new beer. I will always order something I’ve never had when at a bar, unless I’ve had everything.

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

I think my biggest epiphany came when I started to brew beer. I was amazed at how simplistic beer was, yet so hard to make it well and consistent. Like cooking, the end result is much greater then the sum of its parts. There is something intangible that goes into making exceptional beer. My wife tells me it is love. Whether it be love, passion, or just an innate sense on how hops, grains and yeast work in unison, it help me realize what goes into crafting beer.

Beer Blog Background

1. How long have you been writing SIMPLY BEER?

Started Simply Beer in November of 2008

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

People kept asking me questions about beer and homebrewing, so I decided to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and it has evolved from there.

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

That took a long time. I wanted a dot com domain name that might have marketability in the future. It took about 6 months to find Simplybeer.com. It really fits into what I wanted to do with my website, focus on Beer, Homebrewing, podcast, and cooking with beer. My website is simply about beer – Simply Beer.

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

Spread the word of beer. Try to get people to try new things whether it is new beer or homebrewing, there is room for all of us to grow and expand our horizons.

I love beer the way others love a great meal. It’s about the different flavors coming together to create a unique taste. It’s the creation of each recipe and the time it takes to craft that recipe into a delicious experience.

I have dreams of opening my own bar/brewpub and this is was a great way to get to know people, learn more about the industry, and what people are looking for.

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

Probably the coolest thing is tasting beer with the people who make them. Some of the resent highlights have been tasting a 06 Allagash Curieux with Rob Tod, Life & Limb with Sam Calagione, and Brooklyn Black Ops with Garrett Oliver.

6. What are you top 3 favorite beer blogs/beer websites?
1. thankheavenforbeer.com —  Nate and Michael do such a great job of mixing up the content and they are passionate about what they do
2. The Beer and Whiskey Brotherhood — new blog, Brothers Jim and Don mix it up well with both beer and whiskey (I love whiskey, bourbon and scotch)
3. The Brew Club — another Jersey Blogger, write great reviews of seasonal beers and recent homebrewer convert!

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

Interesting question… my top three Sour beers, Barrel aged beers, and Brett ipa’s

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Allagash is on the Top of my list, and then I would go with Dogfish Head and Flying Dog. Now if I could regularly get Russian River, Lost Abbey, and New Glarus, that list might change.

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

Allagash. They make some incredible beer and I grew up in Maine.

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

I’ve been brewing beer for 10 years, although only over the last 3 have I really been serious and dedicated to the craft. I will pretty much brew anything that strikes and intrest or I haven’t done before. One of the most interesting things of late was the Beer Bloggers Brew-off I organized. On Dec 13th, 9 homebrewers all brewed the same batch of beer across the country. The kicker, we can all use one secret ingredient in the beer.

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

Cicerone Certified Server

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Cheesecake and a cantillon kriek

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

I manage a group of 15 software developers at a pharmaceutical 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?

I would open a brewpub in a heartbeat. A job I can put my passion into!

3. Are you married? Children?

Yes. My wife is amazingly support of all my beer endeavors, but I try to keep that part of my life separate from the beer.

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

It is pretty much family life since work and beer take up a healthy proportion.

Off The Beaten Path

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

An Imperial Stout – I’m a big, warm guy

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?

Probably a bottle of tactical nuclear penguin, so I would be loaded not to care about being executed

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?

Since you’re a bacon nut (who isn’t?) it would have to be along the lines of a rauchbier

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

That depends on the statute of limitation… seriously, once worked for a industrial photographer and had to climb smoke stacks, cargo ship cranes, rode in earth movers in open pit copper mine, and stood in the dishes at the VLA.

5. What are your thoughts on bacon?

It’s bacon; a food group like beer.

SPECIAL THANKS TO PETER 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: CLARE GOGGIN

AUTHOR OF: BEER GOGGINS

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Clare Goggin
Internet nickname: Beer Goggins, Brew Bird
Twitter handle: BeerGoggins and recently TheBrewBird
Name of blog: Beer Goggins
Current location: Astoria, New York

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Southwest Florida

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

Soccer — very poorly.

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

It’s hazy but I’d say I was about 18 or 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 can’t be sure. What’s more interesting about my early beer drinking years is that I very quickly became a nerd about beer. Even when I knew nothing, I was the one who insisted on bypassing the Natty Light for something with a little more flavor. The first keg party I threw, I got a whole keg of Killian’s Red. I mean, it’s not the best beer in the world but it definitely had far more flavor than anything my cohorts were drinking at the time.

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

I went to University of Central Florida, studied Creative Writing and Film and worked numerous jobs to pay the bills (and for my beer). I was event staff at the school’s arena, a waitress at a tiny pizza joint and I interned on Slimetime Live, a Nickelodeon show that was filmed at Universal Studios. I was also in an honors fraternity that did its fair share of partying even while it wasn’t a social frat.

Craft Beer Epiphany

Every craft beer enthusiast has at least one pinnacle craft beer experience that completely changes ones perspective on beer. I refer to this mind-blowing moment as a “craft beer epiphany.”

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

I’ve been a fan of beer for a long time. As I pointed out, I loved flavorful beers even as a young drinker. But it took me a while to discover the beauty of craft beer. I moved to NYC about six years ago and immediately became familiar with a much wider variety of brew. I was drinking Brooklyn, Ommegang and Harpoon without even realizing how special it was — I just thought it tasted great.

I was even writing about it before I truly understood. Then I attended one of the first screenings for Beer Wars and got the inside info on how the beer industry works and the tireless efforts of craft brewers around the country to make quality beers. From that point on, I’ve been a huge craft beer advocate. Support Your Local Brewery!

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

The American Craft Beer Fest in Boston and the Great American Beer Fest in Denver – two things of beauty.

Beer Blog Background

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

A year and a half.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

After I started working for Digital City, my boss gave me free reign to write about anything I wanted. After some deep soul searching, I realized that I wanted to write about the drinking culture, particularly that of beer.

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

My last name is Goggin … It’s a play on words.

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

I think I’d like to introduce the beauty of beer to a wider audience. I do that among my community of friends and I’d like to extend my reach.

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

Brewers love to talk to me now. I got the chance to meet a microbrewer in Ireland while I was on vacation and talk to him about his beer. I also got a pretty special tour of New Belgium.

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

Beer Advocate, The Drunken Polack and the Brew Yorker

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

IPA, Amber Ale and Dunkelweiss

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Stone, Six Point and New Belgium … and Ommegang …

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

New Belgium – that would be the best job ever. They treat their employees very well. Or Six Point so that I can stay in NYC.

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 but simply b/c I live in a New York-sized apartment and I don’t really have the room. But I’m aware that there are smaller homebrew systems available and I’m looking into it.

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

I don’t.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Depends on the season. Right now I’m pretty taken with Ommegang Rare Vos and a good pork chop.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job? I’m an online editor.

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? Some changes are coming for Digital City and I’ll be taking a break from Beer Goggins for a bit (stay tuned to Twitter for details) but, if I could do whatever I like, I’d simply concentrate on the beer blog, traveling around to meet and interview as many brewers and taste as many beers as possible.

2. Are you married? Children?

I live with my boyfriend.

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

I still write fiction from time to time and I really love movies. I’m also a pretty avid runner. I have this vague idea that I’m training for the 2010 NYC marathon but we’ll see.

Off The Beaten Path

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

Probably an American Pale Lager because I’m flavorful but I have a tendency to be a bit dry at times.

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?

Probably Arrogant Bastard Ale because it’s got a lot of flavor in every sip. If I can only have a single beer, I’m going to get as much beer in every sip as I can.

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 I would make it an Imperial IPA to get that fun but aggressive flavor. I think I’d use rye for that added “spice.”

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

I’d like to read minds and also practice telekinesis.

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

For legal reasons, I can’t share the “craziest” thing I’ve ever done. But next in line might be the time I rode the bull at a bar in Key West. Good times.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

There’s nothing better … except for beer.

About a month ago I wrote an article about the release of Fire Island’s Red Wagon IPA.

In an email to the brewers, I playfully hinted that I wanted to taste the beer — but living on the West Coast made it logistically impossible to acquire it.

Well kids, I’ve learned that sometimes if you ask (very very nicely), you shall receive. Within about a week of writing my article and emailing my request, a sample of Fire Island Red Wagon IPA showed up on my door step. Unfortunately for all the parties involved, it was just days before my trip to San Diego Beer Week. And so in order to give it the love and attention it deserved, I put tasting the Red Wagon IPA on the back burner until I returned.

Unforeseen travel and events forced me to put it on the back burner longer than I intended, for which I owe the brewers a BIG apology.

But alas, the time has come. And I’m extremely excited for this moment.

For those of you who are too lazy to read my previous article, Fire Island Beer Company is brand new “up-and-coming” brewery located in “The Other New York” — aka “The Anti-City.” I’m ashamed to admit that, even as a native New Yorker, I’d never heard of the place known as Fire Island until the brewery came about.

Today, Fire Island is considered by many as one of the chicest places to have a beach house. It remains popular among artists, actors, musicians, and the ultra-rich. Fire Island has never succumb to the same commercialism and class distinctions that haunts the Hampton’s. It is COMPLETELY car-free and the only automobiles allowed on Fire Island are service and emergency vehicles.

No restaurants on the island have a dress code. No shoes? No shirts? On Fire Island? No problem!

Fire Island Lighthouse near Sunset by Jim Dohms

Fire Island Beer Company was founded by two beer loving brothers –Tom and Bert Fernandez– along with their beer loving cousin,  Jeff Glassman. Growing up, the boys spent a significant amount of their summer vacations on Fire Island. It was here that boys developed their love of beer and Tom discovered his affinity for brewing.

Entrepreneurial spirit eventually led to boys to run “The Shack” — a landmark institution and concession bar located on Atlantique Beach, Fire Island. The boys first started selling Tom’s different types of homebrews to friends and family at “The Shack.” The popularity of the local brewed beer ultimately inspired the trio to create Fire Island Beer Company.

Fire Island Beer Company released its first beer, the Lighthouse Ale, in May of 2009. It’s second beer, Red Wagon IPA, was just released this October (2009). The recipes for both beers were inspired by the easygoing, laid-back & unpretentious vibe of Fire Island. Fire Island Lighthouse Ale is based off a recipe Tom has been brewing for almost ten years. It is a favorite among the boys.

“Fire Island is known for being easygoing with a lot of character, so Lighthouse Ale has been crafted the exact same way.”

For more on why Fire Island Lighthouse Ale is the “kind of beer you want to have a beer with”, check out this video:

Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to taste the Lighthouse Ale. But that is neither here nor there. I’m extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to sample the Red Wagon IPA, despite my non-geographical proximity to Fire Island — or the East Coast for that matter.

THE BEER WENCH’S TASTING NOTES

FIRE ISLAND RED WAGON IPA

BACK LABEL: After work, I’ll occasionally stay in the city and go out with co-workers. The first hour I noticed is usually filled with Red Wagon IPAs and also conversations about work. If the second hour is more of the latter, I’ll usually ninja out of the bar and catch the ferry back to Fire Island. It’s not that I’m not having fun with everyone. It’s just those nights remind me to never work so hard that I forget what I’m working for.

• APPEARANCE: The beer pours a cloudy, amber color with a fluffy, meringue-like  off white head. Head dissipates quickly, leaving a nice thick lacing on the sides of the glass.
• AROMA: Citrus & floral hops aroma w/ notes of earth and spice. Slight hints of caramel malt. Moderate fruity esters.
• TASTE: Hops dominate the palate. Hop profile starts out citrusy and fruity, yet finishes earthy and bitter. Nice malt backbone that yields a slight caramel sweetness.
• MOUTHFEEL: Medium-bodied, medium-carbonation, smooth mouthfeel. Undetectable alcohol — the label does not specifiy the ABV, but I’d reckon it was around 6%. Dry, crisp finish. Very well attenuated and pleasantly drinkable.
• OVERALL: The Fire Island boys consider themselves to be “brewers of world-class beers that are inspired by the color, character and overall experience of Fire Island.” Well, if Red Wagon IPA is the essence of Fire Island — then I need to take a trip out there! In my opinion, the Red Wagon IPA is very well-balanced with a complex palate of different hop varietals. Despite my usual preference for IPAs brewed with the super piney, resiny and citrusy hops of the Pacific Northwest, I found the earthy & spicy hop profile of Red Wagon IPA to be extremely enjoyable. This is a an easygoing IPA that can be easily consumed in all sorts of situation. It would pair well with spicy & fried foods, yet is delicate enough for salads and seafood. I could easily picture myself taking Red Wagon IPA to the beach, kicking off my shoes, laying back and taking in the scenery. Perhaps one day, I will get such a chance — and I hope its on Fire Island.

FTC DISCLAIMER: I received the aforementioned bottle of beer as a gift from Fire Island Beer Company.

Although lately I’ve developed a reputation as a gypsy for my rather nomadic lifestyle, I do call one place “home.” And this place is New York. I grew up in the Hudson Valley — just 60 miles north of Manhattan. My parents still live in NY and, in my person opinion, NYC is the best city in the country.

So naturally, when I get wind of new and exciting ongoings in the NY beer scene, I feel compelled to share it with the world.

Fire Island Beer Company entered the craft beer realm this past spring (May 2009) with the launch of its first beer, Lighthouse Ale. I’m excited to announce that they are set to release a second beer, the Red Wagon IPA, on November 1st.

Fire Island Beer Company is the brain child of two brothers and a cousin. The story goes as follows:

For the better part of their childhood years, the boys spent their summers on Fire Island, NY (aka “The Other New York”). Just off Long Island’s south shore, Fire Island is only accessible by ferry. And no cars are allowed on the island. Ever. It is there that the boys first developed a passion for home brewing, which ultimately resulted in the development of Fire Island Beer Company.

Unfortunately, Fire Island Beer Company has very limited distribution. At this time, they are only available in New York. For those of you who are lucky enough to live in New york, Fire Island has a nifty LOCATOR tool. Lucky for me though, my cunning Beer Wench ways have worked magic on the Fire Island Beer Company boys … and they will be sending me a sample to review. ROCK ON!

Interested in more information about the newest release — the Red Wagon IPA? Here is a copy of the official press release:

Fire Island Beer Company unveils Fire Island Red Wagon IPA
The Newest Craft Beer From ‘The Other New York’

OCEAN BEACH, N.Y. - Fire Island Beer Company is proud to announce the launch of their second craft beer, Fire Island Red Wagon IPA.  This India Pale Ale follows the company’s successful flagship beer, Fire Island Lighthouse Ale, which was introduced in May and continues to sell at a brisk pace.

Fire Island Red Wagon IPA will join Fire Island Beer Company’s lineup on November 1 and will be available on Long Island, in New York City and Westchester and Rockland counties. Red Wagon is the next step in bringing to life several unique craft beer styles inspired by the experience of Fire Island.

Fire Island Red Wagon IPA is the handiwork of two brothers and a cousin who developed their taste for craft beer and home brewing during the summers they spent on Fire Island, the naturally beautiful and very colorful barrier island just off Long Island’s south shore. The ultra-relaxed island has attracted families, partiers, weekend beach-goers and outdoor sports lovers for generations, yet it refuses to allow cars, pretension and the frantic pace common to NY-metro area culture. This led the Fire Island Beer Company founders to coin it “The Other New York,” a concept they find very refreshing.

“Fire Island Beer Company is going in a hoppier direction with Red Wagon IPA compared to our Lighthouse Ale,” says Co-founder and Head Beer Maestro Tom Fernandez. “We wanted to create a smooth-bodied golden beer that blends the right amount of floral and fruity hops and finishes with a crisp taste. I think we’ve accomplished that with Red Wagon IPA. It’s big on flavor and big on substance, or as its brewers like to say, “an IPA as grounded as the people who drink it.”

“Wagons are central to life on Fire Island, and the perfect symbol of what makes this place so different,” says Co-founder Jeff Glassman. “There are no cars, so people pull their stuff around in wagons instead. It’s a great reminder to keep things simple in life … you can only carry so much, so focus on what’s important. That is the idea that inspired Red Wagon IPA”

“Just like Lighthouse Ale, an early homebrew version of Red Wagon IPA was conceived and tested at the Shack, a casual lunch counter and bar between the bay and ocean in Atlantique Beach on Fire Island where we worked summers when we were younger,” Fernandez adds. “It didn’t matter if you were a local, a surfer, a fisherman or a weekender … everybody gathered there and shared stories and laughs over a few beers. It was full of really easygoing people with a ton of character, just like Fire Island itself, so the vibe there was awesome. All of our beers have been inspired in some way by this vibe and the Shack was a great venue to sample people on our early brews.”

What started as a basement home brewing experiment has grown into meticulously crafted and well-received beers. Fire Island Beer Company did not want to risk the integrity of their recipes in order to share them with a wider audience, so the craft brewers enlisted some expert industry help from the Olde Saratoga Brewing Company (www.oldesaratogabrew.com) to bring their recipes to life.

“Olde Saratoga has always supported the spirit of craft brewing,” said Paul McErlean, Head Brewer at Olde Saratoga Brewing Company. “When Fire Island came to us it was an exciting opportunity because we’ve never worked with a true home brew recipe before.”

Red Wagon IPA will leverage Fire Island Beer Company’s existing relationship with distribution heavyweight Manhattan Beer Distributors (www.manhattanbeer.com). As the largest single market beer distributor in the U.S., Manhattan’s Craft and Micro Division will be responsible for selling the new brand into target on- and off-premises accounts.

To help create a unique look and feel for Red Wagon IPA, Fire Island Beer Company turned to local branding and design boutique rocketdog (www.rocketdognyc.com). The innovative branding features original artwork and copy that will anchor all packaging, point of sale materials and digital applications for the beer company and its brands. One way the brand will share its spirit is through the use of four separate “stories” that can be found randomly on the rear labels of Red Wagon IPA. Each will communicate something different about The Other New York and the mindset found there. For example:

“When you come to Fire Island, instead of taxis to greet you, there are red wagons. So, you kinda have to learn to live with what you can pull or toss over your shoulder. Some clean clothes. Groceries. A toothbrush. Definitely a six-pack (or two) of Red Wagon IPA. If you think about it, it’s a good measure in life. To see what stuff is important. And what’s just stuff.”

“When we started Fire Island Beer Company, we set out with one mission: To create world-class craft beers that are inspired by the color, character and delicious experience of Fire Island. With Red Wagon IPA, we’ve taken the next big step in realizing that mission and are really seeing it all come together,” Glassman said. “We are all about good times and great beer.”

Fire Island Red Wagon IPA and Fire Island Lighthouse Ale are both available in single 12-ounce bottles, 6-packs, 5.16-gallon kegs and 15.5-gallon kegs and are available to ship immediately.

Visit Fire Island Beer Company at www.fireislandbeer.com
Facebook: facebook.com/fireislandbeer
Twitter: twitter.com/fireislandbeer

CHEERS!