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 CREECH

AUTHOR OF: NC HOMEBREWING

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Chris Creech
Twitter handle: @NChomebrewing
Name of blog: www.NChomebrewing.com
Current location: Chapel Hill, NC

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Wake Forest, NC. A small town just north of Raleigh that used to be home of Wake Forest University before they moved to Winston-Salem.

2. What sports if any did you play growing up, through college and beyond?
I have always loved basketball, and played for most of my childhood, but when I stopped growing, I switched over to track and field where I was a high jumper in high school. In college I was a rower on the UNC men’s rowing team, and now I try to work off the beer I drink by training for and running in triathlons.

3. How old were you when you had your first beer?
Younger than I should have been…

4. If you can recall, what is the story of your first beer? Where did you have it? What style and brand was it?
Ugh, it was a Miller Lite out of my buddy’s grandparent’s fridge and I hated it. As much as I wanted to like beer, I couldn’t even finish the can.

5. Where, if applicable, did you go to college? What did you study? What additional activities, organizations, sports did you partake in during college?
A Tar Heel born and bread, I graduated from the University of North Carolina and I haven’t been able to leave this lovely place since. I “studied” journalism and mass communication with a focus in advertising, but realistically I spent most of my time with the crew team either practicing, traveling to races, or helping to support our reputation of throwing the best parties on campus.

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:
Having not yet found my love for craft beer, my college roommate and I were sitting around talking about the things we wanted to do before we died. On his list was to brew his on beer. I stopped and said, “we could do that.” He kind of shrugged it off and said “yeah, I know, I’ll definitely do it some day.” But then I said to him, “No really, let’s do it…now. Why not?”

So, we drove to the local home brew store and bought an equipment set and our first ingredient kit. We did a nut brown ale where we had to steep specialty grains, add hops and different times, everything. It was a lot of fun and the beer turned out pretty good.

Since that first batch, we’ve been on a mission to try as many different styles of beer as possible and then brew the ones we really like. That is what led us to craft beer. Adding to that, the North Carolina craft beer scene was simultaneously taking off, which gave us a lot of new local options for craft beer.

2. Have you have additional craft beer epiphanies since the first? Detail as many of them as you wish:
Almost every time I visit a new craft brewery I have an epiphany! I will either see something in their process that they do that is unique or I will try one of their more specialty beers and see a style through a new light. I think that visiting your local craft/micro/nano breweries is a great way to learn about craft beer and the intricacies that go into every batch. Not to mention, since I am a home brewer, I can then go home and try out some of the things I learned or tasted from the brewery!

Beer Blog Background

1. How long have you been writing your beer blog?
The blog is brand spanking new. We just launched on August 1, 2011, but I’ve got some great content lined up with some expert guest posts on the way, local brewery features and showcases of some awesome brewing DIY projects from other home brewers in North Carolina. It is going to be a really fun ride!

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?
These days, there are a lot of great resources for home brewers. There are local clubs that cater to small geographic areas, and there are huge online resources catering to the masses. I wanted to capture both of those and bring in the great resources of the big guys but take it down to a local level. Because of the exploding NC craft beer and home brewing scene, I really saw a niche for a site that would provide this. I wanted to not only teach people how to build their own all-grain brewing system, I wanted to show them how their neighbor over in Charlotte built his compared to the guy down the street in Durham.

3. Why did you choose the name of your blog?
Ok, let’s be real…it just made sense. And I figured it wouldn’t hurt in terms of SEO.

4. What are you personal goals for your blog? What do you hope to achieve with it?
I want my blog to be seen as the go-to resource for home brewers of any level in North Carolina whenever they need to be inspired to do a new project, or look up info pertinent to brewing in NC. I want people to think of the site first whenever they want to find their local home brew club or local home brew supply store.

5. What is one of the coolest things that happened to you as a result of being a beer blogger?
A few things:
1) Twitter is great. I started tweeting about 2 weeks before starting the blog and I had 125 followers before the blog even launched. Most of them home brewers I had never met.
2) I have gotten to meet some great craft beer professionals. Sean at Fullsteam is great! Erik, who is launching Mystery Brewing this fall/winter told me all about his transition from home brewing to opening a craft brewery, and the guys at Roth invited us to come back and brew with them one day! It is such a great community.

6. What are you top 3 favorite beer blogs/beer websites?
That is hard to say. As far as home brewing goes, BeerSmith, who makes some great software, also runs a legit blog covering some very interesting topics.
HomeBrewTalk is the #1 forum in the game and they get me thinking about a lot of ideas for my own blog and for brewing in general. Lastly, I would have to say NCbeer.org (the NC brewer’s guild site) because they keep me up to date on all of the events for the NC craft breweries.

Rounding out my RSS feed I also have BillyBrew, HomebrewAcademy (who I just wrote a post for!), Craft beer collective, brewgasm, and of course the Beer Wench!

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?
Don’t make me choose! I’m a big fan of the classic American Pale Ale, but I also love the Belgian brews, particularly the Trippel. 3rd…a solid robust porter or stout done well may take the last slot.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?
Ok…I such at making decisions, this top 3 stuff has to stop! But here’s my best guess (it changes daily):
1- Lonerider
2 – Fullsteam
3 – French Broad
(followed by every other NC brewery, of course!)

3. If you could work with or for any one brewery, which one would it be and why?
As any home brewer will tell you, the brewery I want to work for is my own. Almost anyone who brews their own beer will tell you that as soon as you see the look on the faces of people drinking your very own beer, you will want to open up a brewery and start sharing your creations with the world!

I would love to open up a brewery one day and make beer to share with the world, but who knows if/when that day will come. Maybe if someone has an extra $500k laying around then we could talk!

4. Are you a homebrewer? If yes, what is the most unique and interesting beer recipes you’ve brewed as a homebrewer?
Man, I’ve run the gauntlet of recipes. My most unique would probably have to be an imperial honey cream ale. However, the most interesting was definitely what started as a Guinness clone because I did taste tests with Guinness lovers and every single one of them preferred my brew to the actual Guinness, and most guessed that mine WAS the Guinness. When they were told which was witch, they all agreed that the Guinness just tasted like water compared to the delicious robust dry stout that I had created. It’s definitely a beer I like to keep on tap!

5. Do you have any beer certifications (BJCP, Cicerone, Siebel, American Brewers Guild)?? If so, what are they?
Psh, I like to drink beer, and I like to make beer. Maybe one day I’ll make it official, but for now, I’m just doing it because I love it! I have considered getting the Siebel certificate someday though, especially if I ever do open up a brewery.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?
I would have to say a solid American Pale Ale or IPA on a warm summer evening with a big juicy cheeseburger and french fries!

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?
I am a project manager for a website development firm.

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?
As I said earlier, I would own and run a brewery. I would love the chance to brew beer (my own beer) and get paid for it. I would also enjoy being able to hang out with all of the local bars and call it “business.” And as I said earlier, it brings me such great satisfaction to see people drink my beer and really truly enjoy it.

3. Are you married? Children?
Engaged. Getting married in less than 2 weeks! AHH! Why am I also starting a blog!? I’m just that stupid..er crazy…err in love (with my fiancee AND brewing, haha!).

4. Outside of beer and writing, what are some of your other hobbies?
I do crazy things like whitewater kayak and run in triathlons. I also play guitar on occasion. Oh and I love hanging at the lake and wakeboarding!

Off The Beaten Path

1. If you were a style of beer, what style would be an why?
I just asked my fiancee because I couldn’t decide and she said I was a Pale Ale because I am smooth and most people enjoy me and most bars will let me in. I’m not too plain, I even have a little bite every once in a while, but I’m not overly bitter either. I am balanced and not fruity. (Oh and I am American…and pale…).

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?
La Fin Du Monde! Obviously! (followed closely by Angry Angel or Hell’s Belle).

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 would have to get to know you a little better first. But since “wench” is often used as a term for a female pirate, I would cask condition it in rum barrels for sure. Since you are such a hop head, then I would definitely dry-hop it to really hold onto the hop flavor and aroma. I would consider making it a sour, not because you’re sour, but because you seem to not fit the mold and would probably rather your beer ferment in the wide open than be all boxed up in a sealed tank. Oh, and it would definitely be imperial, because you are competitive and want to bring the biggest punch.

So I guess that would be an imperial sour that is dry-hopped and aged in rum barrels. How do you like that!?

4. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
I know this sound cheesy, but my superpower would be the ability to slow down time, not to make everyone go in slow motion, but just to make there be more time in the day. Life passes us by too quickly and we’re grown up before we had time to enjoy being young. So I guess you could call me “Glory Days Man” or something, but I would love to spend more time enjoying each and everything I do, and each and every beer I drink (those always seem to disappear too quickly!)

5. What is one of the craziest things you have ever done and lived to tell the story?
To be honest, I don’t have any one killer story. I could talk all day about just stupid crazy things that I’ve done, but I don’t have that one shining moment like that…maybe one day…

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?
Dude…seriously. Rauchbier = awesome. Pig = man’s best friend. Love it. Have you ever eaten peanut butter and bacon cookies? Seriously, try it. Just substitute the chocolate chips for bacon and make it into a peanut butter cookie…delicious.

SPECIAL THANKS TO CHRIS FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!!

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: JEFF ALWORTH

AUTHOR OF: BEERVANA

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Jeff Alworth
Twitter handle: @beervana
Name of blog: Beervana
Current location: Portland, Oregon

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?
Idaho. “Famous potatoes”—this indicates all the great things going on in the Gem State.

2. What sports if any did you play growing up, through college and beyond?
Hoops, which gave way to high school debate when I discovered my brain was more agile than my body.

3. How old were you when you had your first beer?
The first time I tasted beer was when my father allowed me a sip of his Coors when I was in the mid-single digits. The first full beer was a decade later.

4. If you can recall, what is the story of your first beer? Where did you have it? What style and brand was it?
Budweiser, I’m sad to say. Though that might have been the last time advertising played a role in a beer purchase. The circumstances were secrecy and friends’ elder brothers, who delivered us the elicit package. We drank two. When my father later held aloft the remaining, poorly-hidden four, he said, “Well, I always got caught; what made you think you would get away with this?”

5. Where, if applicable, did you go to college? What did you study? What additional activities, organizations, sports did you partake in during college?
Lewis and Clark (Portland) as an undergrad, UW-Madison for grad school (we burned effigies of the hated Buckeyes when they came to despoil our beautiful campus—just sayin.) I studied religion/Buddhism in both places. I think most of the activities involved beer, and I would strongly deny any claims by casual observers about other intoxicants that may have been imbibed.

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:
While I heartily endorse the “epiphany” theory of beer conversion, mine was more gradual. I was first getting into good beer in the 80s (yes, I’m old) and edging closer to craft through imports. I moved to Steinlager and then a now-extinct beer called Smith and Reilly’s Honest Beer. At some point, stout entered my world and all bets were off. It was either Sheaf Stout or Terminal Stout from the nascent McMenamins empire. The McBrothers described their beer as “alive” and proudly declared that since it was handmade, each batch was different—a fact that only many years later gave me pause. At the time, I thought it was rockin’ cool.

2. Have you have additional craft beer epiphanies since the first? Detail as many of them as you wish:
The moment you stop having epiphanies is the moment you’ve forgotten why you like beer. Just last night I had a bottle of Ninkasi Maiden the Shade and was transfixed by the dance of lively hopping. These regular epiphanies are why people start blogs.

Beer Blog Background

1. How long have you been writing your beer blog?
First post was January 20, 2006. It was my fourth blog, and understanding as I did their ability to overtake one’s life, the entirety of the first post read “Well, this spells doom.”

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?
I used to write beer columns for a local paper and Celebrator, but quit round about 2000. I had been blogging about politics and decided something lighter might be in order.

3. Why did you choose the name of your blog?
“Beervana” is a name Portlanders claimed for their home town. The usage grew so that it was sometimes used for Oregon, not just Portland. For anyone starting a blog here, it would have been an obvious choice, and I was just lucky to have started one of the first beer blogs.

4. What are you personal goals for your blog? What do you hope to achieve with it?
Goals? You understand that I’m a blogger, right? If I had goals, I’d be trying to get paid for writing, not blogging. Oh, I suppose I should mention the Honest Pint Project here, too. It was launched inadvertently after a post on Beervana led to a raft of attention. You should check it out: honestpintproject.org.

5. What is one of the coolest things that happened to you as a result of being a beer blogger?
Bloggers are treated as real media in Portland, which still blows my mind. As a consequence, we get invited to observe pretty cool stuff. Some of us were once sent on a junket to the city of Astoria by the Chamber of Commerce. Last month I got to go on not one but two tours of the Oregon hop fields. Every time something like that happens, I am booth shocked and delighted.

6. What are you top 3 favorite beer blogs/beer websites?
I read about ten beer blogs every day, and check in with probably another 40 every week. Since some of the higher-profile blogs get all the attention, I’ll give my nods to three good local ones: It’s Pub Night, The New School, and Portland Beer and Music.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?
Three? Three? Impossible. Okay, wait, I know how to get out of this: British ales, Belgian ales, and American ales. I suppose if waterboarded I’d confess to lamic, stout, and cask bitter, but I’d deny it the next day. And saison.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?
Three? Three? Impossibler. Seriously, I couldn’t do it. Even if you waterboarded me.

3. If you could work with or for any one brewery, which one would it be and why?
This is an intriguing question. I assume you don’t mean that brewery I’ve had in my mind for the past few years—the one called “Farmhouse” that combines a seasonally-sourced, locavore cuisine with Belgo-Oregonian ales, right? (Seriously, rich investors, email me.) I’d probably go for an traditional European brewery like Cantillon, Sam Smith’s, or Weihenstephan. I’d be learning an ancient art, but mainly I just like to travel.

4. Are you a homebrewer? If yes, what is the most unique and interesting beer recipes you’ve brewed as a homebrewer?
Yes. I am, unfortunately, a better writer than brewer, so my successes are modest. A high point was the time I invented dry-hopping. In an early brewing debacle, my co-brewers and I had spent too much time relaxing and having too many homebrews. We found our finishing hops on the counter after the beer was in the carboy as we were cleaning up. In a fit of panic, we jammed them down the neck of the carboy and produced our best beer ever. Later I learned that other brewers had beaten us to this discovery by 500 years.

5. Do you have any beer certifications (BJCP, Cicerone, Siebel, American Brewers Guild)?? If so, what are they?
I am a proud member of the fictional Associated Brotherhood of Portland Beer Bloggers local 503.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?
In honor of local icon and beer writing pioneer Fred Eckhardt, I will cite stout and chocolate. He also turned me onto, if not invented, the beer float. Vanilla ice cream and Black Butte Porter—amazing.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?
Unemployed! For 14 years I was a researcher at Portland State University, but when my grant expired earlier this year, I had the crazy idea to try to write a beer book. We’ll see just how misguided that was in the months to come.

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?
Novelist. Because that’s what I wanted to do until my first novel was unceremoniously dumped by all credible publishers and agents. I wouldn’t mind being Jim Jarmusch, either.

3. Are you married? Children?
Yes, none. Sally makes regular appearances, both in pictures and text, on the blog. She hates it.

4. Outside of beer and writing, what are some of your other hobbies?
A blogger must retain certain of his secrets.

Off The Beaten Path

1. If you were a style of beer, what style would be an why?
I am mild and subtle, so I’d be an Imperial Flemish red.

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?
Am I being executed in summer or winter? I’d definitely drink a beer produced in a country other than the one killing me. I wouldn’t feel right supporting such a repressive state. I might possibly try to have a beer smuggled in that was spiked with the antidote to the lethal injection.

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?
English strong ale. This actually reminds me of my high school English teacher, who had put her way through grad school while being a barmaid. She earned her doctorate that way and we could only call her Doctor Scanland. She was baudy and frank and easily my favorite teacher. It may be owing to her influence that I became a beer blogger. In any case, she’d want nothing less than a beer of twenty proof. I suspect old-timey ingredients would enhance such a beer, like brown sugar, oats, and soot.

4. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
No question: flying. Lunch in Paris? Done. Unless we’re talking powers from the TV show “Heroes,” in which case I’d go for Hiro’s ability to bend time and space. That was pretty cool.

5. What is one of the craziest things you have ever done and lived to tell the story?
I once danced on the minaret of the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, India. I have done many crazier things, but none so poetic.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?
Overexposed. Corned beef is the new bacon; I’m telling you, get on the bandwagon while it’s still cool.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JEFF FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!

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: JOHN KLEINCHESTER

AUTHOR OF: BEERTOGRAPHY

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: John Kleinchester
Twitter handle: beertographer
Name of blog: beertography + tendudes
Current location: Jersey City, NJ

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Parsippany, NJ

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

I ran cross country in high school. Nowadays its mostly biking in the warm weather and skiing in the cold.

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

First sip probably when I was 8 or so. First full beer was at about 16.

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 few sips of beer from my Dad’s Coors Light in the kitchen of my childhood home. My Dad let me try it and I didn’t like it at all. Funny that I’ve come full circle with my feelings toward fizzy yellow beer.

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 studied History at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. I was also a part of the Senior Class Cabinet. Other than that, I partook in drinking horrible (yet cheap) beer.

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:

For months I had been reading online about this mythical beer called Hopslam that was the supposed best beer in the world. At the time I was mostly drinking light beer and the occasional Hoegaarden and some Yuengling. Finally I got the opportunity to trade for some Hopslam. When it arrived, I drank it (out of the bottle, oops) and my tastebuds nearly exploded out of my face. I would never be the same again.

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

My homebrewing epiphany came in 2007, when my two friends and I decided to go in on homebrewing equipment together. You can actually see our first adventure in homebrewing on youtube.

Beer Blog Background

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

My first post was in March of 2009.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

I was starting to amass tons of photos of beer and I wanted to share them with friends in a more interesting way rather than just emailing or uploading them to a website. The blog provided for me a format where I could highlight the stories behind the photos as well.

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

Beer + photography = beertography. Simple!

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

I hope to entertain, geek out a little bit and just sort of chronicle my adventures in beer and homebrewing.

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

The connections and friends I’ve made through the blog have been tremendous. Its been said that #beerpeopleRgoodpeople and its more than true.

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

That changes frequently, but for right now I’d probably say beernews.org, Simply Beer and Hoptopia.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

Right now its Northern English Brown, Smoke Ale and Saison.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Cigar City, Russian River and Three Floyds at the moment.

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

Founders in Grand Rapids, MI is an amazing place. You really can’t go wrong combining a brewery, music venue and restaurant all in one!

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

My brewing team and I won Third Place Best of Show at the NYC Homebrewer’s Competition for our Smoke Ale. It tastes like bacon! We also won an award for our English Barleywine that we aged in the bottle for 2 years. We’ll also be pouring our homebrew at the upcoming Get Real NY Cask Ale & Real Food Festival.

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

Not yet, but I’d love to get my BJCP and Cicerone certification some day.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

New Glarus Raspberry Tart with Dark Chocolate. Unreal.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Post Production Coordinator at MTV Networks.

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?

Open my own nanobrewery and/or open a growler-filling store in my neighborhood. Surprised?

3. Are you married? Children?

Not married, but live with the girlfriend.

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

I try to ride my road bike around as much as possible, it also helps burn off all of those beers!

Off The Beaten Path

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

I would be a porter. Sessionable yet delicious.

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?

Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout – it seems to perfectly bring together all of the flavors I’d want in a beer.

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?

How about an American Pale Ale with some chipotle peppers? Hoppy and spicy together at last!

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

The ability to turn drunken-ness on and off at any given time. Too many times I’ve had amazing beers late in the night, only to find myself unable to recall all its nuances in the morning.

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

I suppose it would be driving across the country with 3 high school friends the summer after our freshman year in college. We did NJ->CA and then back to NJ via the southern route, all in 12 days time.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

As long as its organic/all natural/etc, I’m all about it.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JOHN FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!

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: SCHNEIDER MIKE

AUTHOR & HOST OF: BELCHING MONKEY

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Schneider, Mike
Twitter handle: @schneidermike @belchingmonkey
Name of blog: BelchingMonkey
Current location: The Triangle of Awesome (Boston, Austin and Seattle)

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Willoughby, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland that is full of character, history and boredom.

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

Mostly soccer and hockey. I also skateboarded quite a bit although I was terrible. Now I love skiing and soccer.

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

I started drinking beer at age 6. My dad let me have the first sip of his first beer of every evening. I was his drinking buddy.

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 first full beer was a Michelob Dark. I had it at the lake in my neighborhood. I drank it pretty fast and my friends were worried because I had never taken them up on the offer for a beer. I was 16. I felt nothing and had no trouble drinking it because I had been sipping beers since I was 6 years old.

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 Miami University, I majored in Accountancy and MIS. I was in a fraternity and spent most of my time with intramural hockey and an improvisational comedy troupe. I also deejayed weddings and sorority parties to make money. I sucked at college. I had no idea what it was about. I did not realized that it was about experimentation and experiences, however I did begin my transformation from beer drinker to beer snob. I drank a metric shit-ton of Old Milwaukee. I majored in the wrong thing. I had a long-distance relationship and I put way too much pressure on myself to do who-knows-what. I did, however, have an amazing time at Goggin Arena watching CCHA hockey.

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:

In college, I started out drinking a lot of swill like Busch Light Draft, Hudepohl’s, Old Milwaukee and Bud Light. They got me drunk and the additives always made the hangovers particularly terrible. Not only did I want more from the taste, I was not into being drunk. I liked beer, but I was convinced that it did not need to taste like someone hooked your tongue up to a pair of jumper cables, so I created “good beer night” with my roommates. At the time, I had no clue what that meant. At the time my palate thought Miller Genuine Draft was Lagavulin 21 or Drie Fonteinen Ouede Gueze, in other words, about as good as it gets.

We went to the package store with my mates and we each picked a six pack of something we thought would turn us from drunk pussies to Thundercats. My roommate Andy picked Moosehead and the guy who was old enough to buy picked up a six of Samuel Adams Boston Lager. I do not even remember what I picked. I think it was Spaten, which is awesome, but I took one sip of the Sammy and had an out of body experience. I saw two rainbows, a unicorn and Elle Macphereson naked. I had never had anything like it and wanted to find out more about Boston Beer Company.

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

I have them all the time. This could get long. #twss

Even though I discovered Samuel Adams and Guinness in college, it wasn’t until I got my first job that I tried anything pricier. I grew up in the Midwest and most people teach you that change is bad. For instance, I always wanted to learn Chinese as a kid and would ask people if I could. They would say no way kid, it’s too hard. I got caught up in that Backstreet Boys, Chevrolet and drumsticks-on-Friday lifestyle a little until one day I came across 4 packs of another Samuel. Samuel Smith.

I bought 4 Oatmeal Stouts and took them to my ex fiancée’s house to drink with her brother and father, who were Dundee Honey Brown sessioneers. We all took a sip and spent the next hour talking about the flavor. I felt so sophisticated that I turned on fucking PBS and we watched Masterpiece Theatre or Bob Ross or something.

Great Lakes Brewing Company provided several epiphanies, but it wasn’t until I started drinking Double IPAs that I realized that some bottles actually contain magic. Great Divide Brewing Hercules, Avery Majarajah and of course the Tony-Hawk-meets-Wayne-Gretzky-Harry-Potter-Mother-Theresa-Bill-Gates-and-Michael-Jordan of beers, Pliny the Elder.

Beer Blog Background

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

Since 2008 off and on.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

I wanted to create content about something I was passionate about. Gary Vaynerchuk takes credit for getting me started in my appearance on WLTV and he definitely was a major influence. I also credit Gregory Ng of Freezerburns. When we worked together at a Boston ad shop, he got me into social media. We invented a few cool loyalty programs and an LBS system that failed because we tried to do it with passive pings before anyone had a smart phone. I also credit my dad for getting me into beer in a way that led me to believe it was just another good thing in life versus a taboo thing that I had to have against the wishes of authority.

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

I guess I wanted to be different from the rest of the beer bloggers and vloggers and I wanted it to be a brand that could be more than a website or a show about beer. On the surface it looks like don’t take myself all that seriously, but I actually do. I’m not a big belcher and I identify more with bears and tigers than monkeys, but I told Greg the name and we both couldn’t stop laughing about it so I bought the URL.

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

I want to be the Gandalf of Beer. This story is evolving. I used to just think of it as a lab, but now I take it very seriously.

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

Cool things happen all the time. The coolest is when someone at a pub or package store recognizes me and say they like the show. I also like when people want to drink a beer with me. Being on Wine Library was amazing because I’m kind of Vayniac – and Wayne Gretzky has been on Wine Library!

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

Total beer focus?
I like what’s going on over at Hoptopia. Of course Mutineer Magazine provides good beer perspective with authors I like. Josh Christie’s site Brews and Books is an interesting juxtaposition. I also use Beer Advocate all the time, but I think that’s more out of necessity than lust.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

This is like asking me which kid I like the best or to pick one album to listen to on a desert island. American Ambers, Double IPAs, Wild Ales

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

I do not have three favorite breweries. I have thirty three or more. I discover new ones that I like all the time. Dogfish Head, Great Divide and Anderson Valley are all very special to me, but there is a whole list of others that wind my gears.

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

BelchingMonkey Brewing Company of course.

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

No

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

I sure do not.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Pumpkin beer and Turkey

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Technology evangelist and strategist for a marketing consultancy.

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 like risk. I would do something in technology or venture capital. I also dream that I am in the restaurant business a lot, but I do not know why. I am usually making burritos.

3. Are you married? Children?

Yes and yes

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

I love soccer. I play as often as I can. I am obviously also very interested in tech and gadgets. I play video games when I have time (rarely). I like to hit the gym to stay fit. I’m also into BBQ.

Off The Beaten Path

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

An Imperial IPA. I am big and bold, but am an acquired taste and I am not for everyone, but once you get to know me…

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?

Please bring me a Brew Dog “End of History” and a cigar. At an inconceivable 110 proof, I believe I could create some sort of explosion and escape.

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?

Beer Wench would be a Wild Ale with a wall of sourness. Those who are able to unlock the secrets find crisp plum tartness and unexpected richness and tannins due to pinot noir barrel aging. The bitterness would give way to an unexpectedly sweet finish, but only to those who are patient enough to wait.

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

flying, invulnerability, speed, x-ray vision, extraordinary pain threshold and liquor tolerance, abilty to detect Pliny in a 10 mile radius

either that or I’d just be Spider-man. That is who people say is my super hero doppleganger

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

I once drank a whole 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew in a sitting. I also split my head open during an improv sketch. Chic threw a rabid cat at my face. I did a “Kramer” fall, thrashed around and hit my head on the lip of the stage. Lots of blood.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

Please may I have some more?

SPECIAL THANKS TO MIKE FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!