Featured Beer Blogger: DAVE CRISAFI
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: DAVE CRIFASI
AUTHOR OF: SOUTH FLORIDA BEER BLOG
Beer Blogger Interview
Full name: Dave Crisafi
Twitter handle: @SFLbeerblog
Name of blog: South Florida Beer Blog
Current location: Miami, FL
Background “Snapshot”
1. Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Maine and Massachusetts. I moved to Florida in ’95 for college and have been here ever since.
2. What sports if any did you play growing up, through college and beyond?
I played peewee football till sixth grade and played baseball from as young as I can remember until my freshman year of high school. I stopped playing because I couldn’t stand the group sport aspect of it. I didn’t understand why I had to run when someone else was late.
3. How old were you when you had your first beer?
I had my first beer when I was 14 and didn’t like it at all. After that I didn’t drink again till I was 25. My first beer after then was Lindemans Framboise. I needed something fruity to introduce me to the goodness of beer.
4. If you can recall, what is the story of your first beer? Where did you have it? What style and brand was it?
Well the first beer I had when I was 14 was nothing exciting. A couple of friends and I got some beer from someone’s brother and drank it in the woods. It turned me off from beer for a long time. I may have thrown up from it.
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 college at Full Sail in Orlando, FL for sound recording in 1995. I’ve recently gone back to school and am now taking classes at Miami Dade College. I’m studying business at the moment but it may change before I’m through.
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:
It was a Lindemans Framboise. It was the first beer I had after swearing off beer for 11 years and it changed what I thought beer could be. It opened me up to trying other beers and I decided to give beer a chance again. I did hit some road bumps along the way with beers that I wasn’t quite ready for yet but that first Lindemans Framboise made me push through and keep trying.
2. Have you had additional craft beer epiphanies since the first? Detail as many of them as you wish:
I have beer epiphanies all the time. Just from the different recipes that people come up with, to how different breweries run their businesses, to the stories behind the making of a beer. It all blows my mind constantly. The one beer that I think truly threw me for a loop though is unfortunately one that I don’t know if I will ever see again. It was Allagash’s Gargamel. I had this beer a few days before I went to Savor in D.C. and even after having some of the best beers in the world I still thought no one else came close to it. Tart fresh fruit with a great graham cracker finish. Never tasted anything like it before or since.
Beer Blog Background
1. How long have you been writing your beer blog?
I started the blog in May of 2009. So for about 8 months.
2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?
I had joined Twitter in April of 2009 and would always tweet when I was somewhere that had good beer. My wife made the suggestion that I should start a blog so that more people, other than my 10 friends on Twitter, would know about these places. So, I owe it all to my wife.
3. Why did you choose the name of your blog?
I’m not very creative and I live in South Florida and it was a blog about beer. If I could have imagined people would start to read it, I might have put more thought into it.
4. What are your personal goals for your blog? What do you hope to achieve with it?
My hope with the blog is to help get more people in South Florida to try different beers instead of the macro beers that are constantly pushed here. If more people buy craft beers that means it will be easier for me to get them. I also would like to someday get a job in the beer industry and hope that this blog will be a way to help get my foot in the door.
5. What is one of the coolest things that happened to you as a result of being a beer blogger?
I was very graciously sent a bottle of Utopias from Sam Adams. I couldn’t open the box fast enough and couldn’t believe they had sent me as a gift. I still send them thank you emails weekly.
6. What are you top 3 favorite beer blogs/beer websites?
Beer Talk
1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?
IPA’s, Quads and Barley Wines.
2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?
Dogfish Head, Allagash and a tossup between Avery, Stone and Rogue for third.
3. If you could work with or for any one brewery, which one would it be and why?
Hmm…this is a tough one, so many breweries do things that I like business-wise and with the beers they make. If I had to choose one I think I would have to go with Dogfish Head though. The people I have met from there always seem very happy and the beers they make are always amazing.
4. Are you a homebrewer? If yes, what is the most unique and interesting beer recipes you’ve brewed as a homebrewer?
No. One of my new year’s resolutions is to brew my own beer in 2010.
5. Do you have any beer certifications (BJCP, Cicerone, Siebel, American Brewers Guild)?? If so, what are they?
No certifications yet. Been studying for the Cicerone.
6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?
I don’t really have a favorite food pairing but I do enjoy cooking with beer. My favorite thing to cook with beer are mussels steamed in a nice hefeweizen with a good piece of crusty bread to soak up the juices.
The Personal Side
1. What is your current day job?
Right now I work part time assisting a wedding photographer.
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 work for a brewery in some sort of marketing aspect. I would love to help spread the word about great beer.
3. Are you married? Children?
Yes, I’m married but no kids.
4. Outside of beer and writing, what are some of your other hobbies?
I love movies and music. I enjoy going to concerts and I like to cook.
Off The Beaten Path
1. If you were a style of beer, what style would you be and why?
I would have to be an IPA since people already think I am quite bitter. But like an IPA, I also have a sweetness underneath it all.
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?
It would have to be an Allagash Gargamel. It would also keep them busy looking for it.
3. If I contracted you to brew a beer (or design a beer recipe) called “The Beer Wench” — what style would you choose and what, if any, extra ingredients would you add?
From reading your site I would have to say you sound a little wild at times so I would think brewing a lambic with wild yeast would be appropriate.
4. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
I would like to be able to fly. I have lots of places I would like to visit and not enough money for flights to all of them.
5. What is one of the craziest things you have ever done and lived to tell the story?
Traveled the world with rock, metal, and punk bands and I made it out alive.
6. What are your thoughts on bacon?
Most of my thoughts are on bacon. I’m trying to see how long I can go this year without having any though. Made it so far but it is a strong draw I don’t know I can keep away from for too much longer.
SPECIAL THANKS TO DAVE FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!
CHEERS!
