Today’s topic was chosen by none other than my new husband (sorry if this is news to any of you, more details to come), Angelo De Ieso of BREWPUBLIC.com — arguably Portland’s most beloved beer blogger and beer blog. The topic of today’s discussion is: What Drives Beer Bloggers?

As with most beer bloggers, my original reasons for starting this blog are drastically different from my current goals  and direction.

I make absolutely no claims at being a beer expert but, in my defense, I am no beer novice either. Instead, I prefer to think of myself as a student of the art of crafting beers. In his post, Angelo sites About.com’s 10 Reasons to Start a Blog. Using this list as a reference, I originally started this blog to:

#5 Connect with People Like Me (aka beer lovers): When I started my blog, I was a regular member of The Columbus Underground, a large social media based community focused on all things Columbus (food, beverage, politics, sports, etc). At the time, my passion for beer was growing and I noticed that the city didn’t have a beer blog or anyone organizing beer events. So, I took a stab at it.

#7 Stay Active or Knowledgeable in a Field or Topic (aka beer): In my very first blog post I wrote, “My personal goal is to become more educated on the world of beer. The goal of the blog is to take my readers along on my adventure and train ride through beerland. I intend on learning through a plethora of experiences including beer tasting, home-brewing, traveling to breweries, taking courses, and so on and so forth.” I had left the restaurant industry for a career in marketing, and I saw my blog as an opportunity to stay connected to the world of food & beverage — specifically, beer.

#10 Have Fun and Be Creative: I’m a writer by trade, true story. As a kid, I spent hours and hours reading science fiction — and then more hours attempting to write my own sci-fi short stories. Throughout my years in school, I won several essay writing competitions. (Ironically, I won the opportunity to speak at my 5th grade “DARE” graduation ceremony — ha! And look where that got me…) When I graduated college, I took the GRE with the intention of getting a Master’s in Journalism. That dream shortly ended when I landed a gig as a restaurant manager — which ultimately put me on the path to where I am today. Moral of all this: I needed a creative outlet for my writing, and starting a blog turned out to be the perfect solution.

What originally started as a fun project and virtual notebook, has since turned into a platform for advocating and advancing the craft beer industry. Craft beer is my life, it is my raison d’etre. It is my hobby, it is my career. It is what I wake up for every morning, and the reason I can’t sleep at night.

Here is the part where many of you might want to stop reading, as I am about to get philosophical and deep.

9/11 happened two days after I moved into the dorms my freshman year of college. As with many people, that day completely altered the course of my life. I grew up in a historical town named for a Revolutionary War general in NY, just 60 miles north of Manhattan. American history was extremely important to my town, my family and myself. As a kid, my parents and teachers taught me to always fight for what I believe in, and to always seek and believe in justice.

When I left for college, my sights were set on the FBI. After 9/11, everything I thought I knew about the world completely changed. My extremely liberal teachers unveiled a world that I had never seen before — a world of injustice, broken promises, lies and deceit. I felt betrayed and broken-hearted, and started to search for a new purpose in life. 2nd quarter, I found it….

International Studies 201: Introduction to Peace Studies – The meanings of peace and peacelessness in today’s world, varied approaches to peace, contributions of many disciplines and professionals, and the significance of peoples’ movements.

Learning Objective #3: Students develop abilities to comprehend and assess individual and social values, and recognize their importance in social problem solving and policy making.

My professor’s name was Dr. B. Kardaras. I would linger after every class just to listen to him talk with other students and, on occasion, bombard him with philosophical questions that had no concrete answers. On the last day of class, I approached him with tears in my eyes, fear in my heart, and the question that haunts and drives us all….”What should I do with my life?”

His response, in its simple yet inspirational glory, has never left me. “Ashley, it has been a long time since a Ghandi-like figure has been in this world.” He went on to say that people should never underestimate the impact they can make on this world, no matter how small the contribution or trivial the subject. And so, this brings us to the purpose of this blog and my answer for the question: “What Drives Beer Bloggers?”

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Although the origins of this quote are widely disputed, but it doesn’t stop the words from being true. “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him.” — Ghandi.

I have always wanted to make a significant difference in this world. But until I found craft beer, I didn’t know what I would do and how I would do it.

Over the years, Drink With The Wench has metamorphosed into more than just a blog. I am more than just a blogger. I don’t want to just be a part of the craft beer movement, I want to be a leader in it. Although my actions appear selfish at times, my focus has and always will be on promoting craft beer and the people who make it. My goal is to create and inspire change in the beer and beverage culture. I want to be the change.

I am proud to say that I am no longer the novice enthusiast that first set out to write this blog.

I am a craft beer evangelist on a mission to revolutionize the beer industry through education, innovation & advocacy.

I blog, therefore I am…. or should I say: I am, therefore, I blog.

Cheers!

Not one to pass up an opportunity to talk about myself (who are we kidding here), it was only natural that I accept Jay’s challenge to fill out the questions and then tag some of my favorite fellow bloggers to carry the torch…

The theme of the challenge is “7 Things You Don’t Know About Me” — which, for me, is an extremely tough challenge considering I am pretty loud on the Internet and don’t hide anything. But after a lot of contemplating and a pint of beer, I was able to scratch up a few answers.

7 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT THE WENCH

1. My natural hair color. But no worries, I don’t know it either. I do know for certain that I am a natural blond. Or at least I was once…

2. I ran the Olympic Torch in 2002. My parents actually bought the torch, which means I own a legit Olympic torch that still has char from the original flame. Pretty rad once in a lifetime experience, if you ask me. But then, nothing compares to actually competing in the Olympics. And I’m proud to “boast” that several of my past teammates and fellow athletic colleagues from Ohio State have competed and medaled in the Olympics.

3. My wing span is 6 foot 1. My arms and fingers are abnormally long (my arm is literally the SAME length as my leg). And I have a theory behind why this is, which brings us to answer number 4…

4. I didn’t it puberty until I was 16. I know this is an awkward statement, but we are all adults here. I have a theory that, like many athletes, I stunted my growth as a child. My metabolism was super fast. Much to my teacher’s dismay, I was also hyperactive and could not sit still for the life of me. Combine this with hours of  training and hours of hardcore competition a week (mostly swimming, some track and field). It didn’t matter how much or how often I ate, my body did not produce enough energy to grow. My doctors always predicted that I would be taller than my parents, who are both 5’11. According to the “Golden Number” theory, height has a direct correlation to arm span. In conclusion, I am supposed to be somewhere between 5’11 and 6’1, but I am only 5’8. And I really do wish I was taller.

5. I have lived in 10 different places in 4 different states in the past 2 years. The gypsy lifestyle can be both exciting and depressing. My transient path, although rich with friends, is actually very lonely. My lifestyle is a pretty solid representation of my personality. It takes a lot to hold my interest. I hate hitting success ceilings and barriers to growth. I get really antsy when I am not being intellectually stimulated or challenged, which usually results in an immediate change of my situation (i.e.: job change, relocation). Thankfully, I am in love with my current job and am blissfully happy with living in the SF Bay Area… so maybe this gypsy wench will get a bit more grounded.

6. I don’t date. Oddly enough, I have never been in a serious relationship with another person. One could probably deduct from my inability to sit still or live in one place too long, that I have a fear of commitment. This would be a half correct consumption. I was an awkward ugly kid, driven by athletic and academic success. Boys were not interested in me, and I was not interested in them. I saw them as a deterrence to my success. And being in a relationship never became a priority in my life. My parents actually thought I was a lesbian for some time because of my disinterest in dating. But now my mom just tells people I’m asexual — and I’m not even kidding.

7. I am a dancing queen. Those that know me in person are already aware of this fact. Dancing music of preference changes just about as frequently as my lifestlye does. I have ballroom training, with a heavy emphasis on swing. I have taken over 10 weeks of country line dancing lessons. Right now, I’m really into salsa (and for a white chick, I’ve got skills). In the past, I was really into electronic. And naturally, I love dancing to 80’s, disco, reggae, and pop music. I think I love dancing almost more than anything else in this world… it probably falls 3rd in line. 1. Ohio State 2. Food & Beverage and 3. Dancing.

Well, that is the best I could come up with at this time. Now for the fun part, what other bloggers should I  loop into this self-promotion scheme?

The first nomination goes to my mentor:

• Stephen Beaumont, Blogging at The World of Beer

The next few go to some of my dearest (beer blogger) friends:

• Tatiana Peavy, A Strong Fuggly Brew
• Chad Yakobson, The Brettanomyces Project
• P.J. Hoberman, Starting A Brewery
• Alex P Davis, Bike. Bus. Beer.
• Stephen Johnson, New Brew Thursday
• Carla Companion, The Beer Babe

And now for some wine bloggers:

• Amy Corron-Powers, Another Wine Blog
• Thea Dwelle, Luscious Lushes
• Joe Roberts, 1 Wine Dude
• Gabriella Opaz, Catavino

And last but not least, brewery blogs:

• Greg Koch, Stone Brewing Co.
• Ryan A Ross, Karl Strauss
• Daniel Del Grande, Bison Brewing Company
• Mariah Calagione, Dogfish Head Brewing Company

And even though I already named 15, I’m going to go out on a limb and challenge:

• Gary Vaynerchuk, Wine Library TV

As with the chain emails of the past, this chain blogging post carries with it SEVERE circumstances for those who ignore its tag. No folks, not 7 years bad luck or 10 years bad sex. My threat is public humiliation and tauntings from The Wench. Cheers!

Alas, let us move on.

For two years now, beer bloggers have been partaking in a community exercise called “The Session”. On the first Friday of each month, a different beer blogger brainstorms an original theme or topic and then anyone interested in participating is instructed to write a post on their own website and link it to the host website. The following week, the “host” blogger then conjures up a list and a brief synopsis of each post.

I had the honor and pleasure of hosting Session #44. In honor of my favorite holiday which falls at the end of this month, I chose the theme “Frankenstein Beers”. Although I gave a lose description of the topic, bloggers were free to interpret the theme as they wished. The results were extremely entertaining. So without further ado… allow me to present the Session #44 Blogger Roundup:

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BROOKSTON BULLETIN — Session #44: Frankenstein’s Beers

Novato, CA: Jay Brooks gives us a more in-depth background behind the story of “Frankenstein” and creates a unique parallel between Dr. Frankenstein and modern day craft brewers. “The American craft beer scene, and more recently the world beer scene, has become a landscape filled with Frankenstein-like beers, unique and unusual and beloved.”

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APPELLATION BEER — The Session #44: Frankenstein and lust

Stan Hieronymus shares a brief glimpse into the background of “extreme” beers using citations from famous beer connoisseurs such as Randy Mosher and Ron Pattinson, who are both in agreement that Danziger Joppenbier is one of the weirdest and most freakish beers to have ever been created. “Does a beer brewed with wheat malt, oat malt and beans sound like a Frankenstein beer? How about if once fermentation begins the brewers add the inner rind of a fir tree; fir and birch tree tips; Cnicus benedictus, a bitter herb used to stimulate appetite; flowers of Rosa Solis, an insect-eating bogplant, said to stir up lust; elder flowers; betony; wild thyme; cardamom; and pennyroyal (which turns out to be dangerously poisonous).”

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THE BEER NUT — “Mont Blanc, in awful majesty”

Dublin, Ireland: The Beer Nut brings us a story of a beer brewed with “La Verte” from Brouwerie Mont Blanc — the very same substance that the greenfairy uses to make absinthe. The beer itself is a shocking color of bright green. “Were Victor Frankenstein a brewer, this is definitely what he’d be turning out.”

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SEACOAST BEVERAGE LAB — “Session #44 — Frankenstein Beers”

Portsmouth, NH: Brian addressed the question: What if there were a beer that could change men/women into beasts? His answer? Kate The Great, a Russian Imperial Stout with an intense cult following. “I risk my life whispering this name in public, let alone type it. I’m talking about Kate the Great from the Portsmouth Brewery.”

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LUG WRENCH BREWING COMPANY — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beer Costumes

New England & Virginia: Tom and Jeff Wallace took a unique approach to the theme by researching beer-themed Halloween costumes on the web and posting pictures with funny captions on his blog. The Wench’s favorite had to have been the Flying Dog Six-Pack. “It is truly creative to go out as a variety six-pack of your favorite craft beer with your closest friends.  I would imagine the six-pack holder for these people was an exercise in invasion of personal space.”

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FROM MY MELLIN — Session 44 – the Frankenstein Beers

New York, NY: Seth Mellin discusses how much the craft beer industry has evolved in just the past few years and sites examples of crazy experimental beers that prove brewing really has no limits or bounds. “This to me is just a sign that brewers today are very much like Dr. Frankenstein pushing the envelope of brewing to new boundaries and new heights.”

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THE BEER BABE — The Session #44 “Undead” t’Smisje Catherine the Great

Portland, ME: Carla Companion brings us a chilling tale of a run-in with an aged bottle of Catherine The Great. “Why is that weird? Because it was once a strong stout, but has been aging so long (since 2004… when I graduated from college) that the malts have been devoured, leaving a funky, hollow and soul-less (yet delicious) monster behind.”

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THE BREW SITE — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beers (Unusual Beer Week)

Bend, OR: Although he qualifies most beers that fall outside of style guidelines as “Frankenstein” beers, Jon defines the original Frankenstein style as being the sour wild ale. “These are the true “monstrous” beers—brews that are purposefully infected, inoculated with wild, unpredictable yeasts and bacteria, left to sour and bubble away for years at a stretch, often quite ugly along the way.”

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A GOOD BEER BLOG — Session 44: Frankenstein Beers? What Isn’t?

Ontario, Canada: Alan McLeod tells us about his encounters with Frankenstein beers and his predictions for the future of the industry. “Most freakish beer I have ever had? Without a doubt Bruocsella 1900 Grand Cru by Cantillon. I was so offended by this beer that some cheese eating schoolboy lost it. That was funny.”

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BEER 47 — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beers

San Francisco, CA: David Jensen discusses different variations on “Frankenstein beers” — experimental and extreme beers, blended beers, colored beers, wild yeast beers etc… “I’m enjoying all of this wonderful experimentation and creativity in the craft beer world to create these so called Frankenstein beers.”

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BURGERS AND BREWS — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beers

Mike Lynch develops an interesting analogy between Frankenstein and hybrid-beers. “Like Frankenstein, a lot of brewers have begun meddling with “hybrid” beer styles, combining (sometimes radically) different types into one. Like the two notions of Frankenstein, the evil monster and the misunderstood creation, two of these hybrid beers stick out for me. One is the Belgian IPA, and the other is the Black IPA.”

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LOV BEER — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beers

Seattle, WA: Mike Steinburg addresses the pros and cons of extreme beers and makes a strong argument in favor of supporting non-Frankenstein beers. “Some may actually argue that to brew a great Pilsner is harder than brewing some of the Frankenstein beers. I may have to agree with that because it’s always harder to make something stand out that is made simply.”

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RAMBLINGS OF A BEER RUNNER — The Session #44: The Drive of a Scientist Brewer at Mayfield

Belmont, CA: For this post, Derrick Peterman highlighted a hometown brewery called Mayfield Brewing. They are known for their Iconoclast series of win barrel-aged beers. “I have to say, Alderete seems much more turned on by the challenge of creating a beer of unusual flavor combinations for people to slowly discover for themselves, than putting out something easily and instantly appealing to everyone that’s easy to sell.”

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THE DENVER BEER REVIEW — The Session #44: Frankenstein Beers

Denver, CO: David D. describes his experience tasting a “Frankenstein” collaboration between Left Hand Brewing and Terrapin Beer called Teutonic India Pale Lager. “Whether it’s the Teutonic India Pale Lager, a black IPA from Stone or Deschutes, or a wheat wine from Portsmouth Brewing, the craft brewing scene is full of Dr. Frankensteins, all seeking to create something unique and innovative for their fans.”

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THE BEER SEARCH PARTY — Session # 44

The World: Sean Inman paints us a picture of the myth and the legend of modern day Frankenstein beers. “These fright inducing, sometimes cringe worthy ingredients are tossed into the kettle for many reasons. There are breweries raising nearly extinct beer styles from the dead. There are breweries pushing the ABV boundry. There are breweries that use brettamyoces just to add another note to an already great beer.”

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A FLAGON OF ALE — The Session #44

The Twin Cities, MN: An interesting argument that, at some point or another, all beer styles were Frankenstein beers. “Every new idea and beer style was frankenbier at some point. So while I might not enjoy novelty brews just for the sake of novelty, all the beer we drink was a Frankenstein beer at some point, even ones which are steeped in tradition.”

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BEER IN BALTIMORE — The Session #44: Biologically Engineered Beer?

Baltimore, MD: Alexander brings us a “geekified” report about the protein content in beer and its impact on flavor. “The most interesting part of this for the layman or ordinary beer drinker?  There were twice as many proteins from yeast as there were from barley malt, far more than previous experiments had discerned.” But the real question is, will the mega corporations use this knowledge to genetically-engineer beer from lower quality ingredients to taste like beers with higher quality ingredients?

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A BEER IN HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE FRIDGE — The Session- Frankenstein Beers

Baltimore, MD: Jay Zeis expresses that while he has no qualms with crazy beers, sometimes a well-crafted traditional beer is “For every Frankenstein beer that comes out, every crazy new fad (goze, sours, RIS, hop-bombs)- there will always be solid basic beers that will win people to craft beer, and keep beer geeks/snobs happy. My favorite beer is the one in my hand, and I would be happy to share it with you.”

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THE BEER WENCH — Session 44: The Frankestein Beers of BrewDog

San Francisco, CA: I chose to highlight BrewDog and its crazy brewers for my particular theme of The Session. “Over the past year or so, the Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde brewing duo from BrewDog, James Watt and Martin Dickie, have unleashed mad chaos and massive confusion on the craft beer industry with some of the most extreme beers known to man — if we can even call them beers. Brewdog’s monstrous, freak-of-nature beers beg the question… Is this science or is this witchcraft?”

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I really hope that I did not miss anyone’s posts on the roudup. If I did, please please please forgive me because it was not intentional. Just leave me a comment or shoot me an email and all will be corrected ASAP!

Thanks to all who participated! See you next month for another episode of THE SESSION!

CHEERS!

Today’s theme was chosen by … yours truly! Session #44 = FRANKENSTEIN BEERS!

A name, what’s in a name?

Everywhere you look these days, brewers are defying traditional style guidelines and crafting products that resemble science projects and culinary experiments more than beer. Beer festivals have become grownup science fairs where brewers can display their latest inventions.

Some brewers have pushed the limits so far that they have become modern day Dr. Frankensteins — crafting mutated monster beers.

Dr. Frankenstein was obsessed with natural philosophy and chemistry. He set on a mission to defy the laws of nature. His scientific creation was unlike anything the world had ever seen before. It was not a man, but a monster, constructed of human parts and various other inanimate objects.

One brewery, in particular, stands out above the rest as the brewing equivalent Dr. Frankenstein.

Over the past year or so, the Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde brewing duo from BrewDog, James Watt and Martin Dickie, have unleashed mad chaos and massive confusion on the craft beer industry with some of the most extreme beers known to man — if we can even call them beers.

Brewdog’s monstrous, freak-of-nature beers beg the question… Is this science or is this witchcraft?

My first run in with BrewDog’s Frankenstein-esque beers was Nanny State — a 1.1% ABV beer with a theoretical IBU of 225. Orginally brewed as an out-lash against the government, Nanny State was BrewDog’s odd attempt at creating the world’s first Imperial Mild. Technically, it is below the legal classification of beer.

How does one even begin to describe this beverage? Nanny State has a nose of pure hops — very floral with intense notes of pine and citrus. The nose does nothing to prepare you for the palate onslaught of its flavor. But then, I’m not even sure the beer has any flavor since one sip of it completely destroys the ability to taste anything. It was by far the most bitter thing that I have ever put on my tongue. Drinking Nanny State felt like I was licking the pine sap off of a pine tree.

Nanny State left my tongue completely numb for a good 15 minutes. And it took my taste-buds a good hour to fully recover from the hop attack.

Brewdog followed Nanny State with the release of a polar opposite Frankenstein-esque beer called Tactical Nuclear Penguin — an insane imperial stout with an ABV of 32% ABV, which was achieved through repetitious freezing and re-fermentation with mutinous yeast strands.

My reaction? Take a wad of peet, some dirt, a bunch of liquid smoke and a bottle of vodka. Blend. Filter out the dirt. And there you have it. Tactical Nuclear Penguin.

But in all seriousness, the beer was actually not that bad. I happen to be a huge fan of scotch and TNP had many characteristics that reminded me of scotch. A small shot of the beer, goes a long way, though. I doubt I would ever be able to finish an entire bottle

Interesting enough, the beer does mellow out and become more drinkable with age.

The Germans were not about to let BrewDog claim the highest alcohol beer crown. They retaliated with a 40% ABV. Not one to step down to a challenge, BrewDog recaptured the title with its 41% ABV Sink The Bismark.

Sink The Bismark has one of the best noses, ever. The aroma hits you like a hop explosion — in your face citrus, pine, resin, grass. At 41%, the beer drinks like a spirit — and it warms the esophagus like a spirit. The extreme alcohol level and boisterous malt bill help to balance out the intense bitterness from the hops.

Surprisingly so, I liked this beer a lot. However, as with anything that teeters around 80 proof, I don’t think I could handle more than a few “shots” of this beer. Interestingly enough, though, Sink The Bismark worked nicely as a “spiking agent” and a shot of it took BrewDog’s regular IPA to the next level.

As if 41% wasn’t extreme enough, BrewDog released what they are deeming as the last of its extreme alcohol beer series, aptly named End of History. Clocking in at a boisterous 55% ABV, The End of History is the Frankenstein beer of all Frankenstein beers. It is an Imperial Blond Belgian ale, infused with nettles from the Scottish Highlands and fresh juniper berries. Each bottle of the beer is stuffed into the carcass of a dead woodland creature (that has been taxidermified).

According to BrewDog: “The name derives from the famous work of philosopher Francis Fukuyama, this is to beer what democracy is to history. Fukuyama defined history as the evolution of the political system and traced this through the ages until we got the Western Democratic paradigm. For Fukuyama this was the end point of man’s political evolution and consequently the end of history. The beer is the last high abv beer we are going to brew, the end point of our research into how far the can push the boundaries of extreme brewing, the end of beer.”

Only 12 bottles have been made — and it has been completely sold out. As fate would have it, BrewDog released one bottle (and one bottle only) to be sampled by members of the press. The lucky recipients were my good friends over at BeerTapTV. I’m extremely honored to say that on November 5th, I have been offered the opportunity to taste this freak-of-nature beer during a live steaming of BeerTapTV at the Beer Bloggers Conference! Make sure to tune in and watch the debauchery go down.

Well folks, there you have it. I have dedicated my Session #44 Frankenstein Beer post to none other than the freak-show circus act known as BrewDog. Cheers!

“I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.” -The Monster.

Since The Wench is scheduled to host the next Session (stay tuned for the announcement), I thought it was high time I participated in the cult phenomenon. No time like the present, right? And as it just so happens, my good friend and fellow lady of craft beer, Carla Companion aka The Beer Babe, is hosting today’s Session.

SESSION #43: September 3, 2010
Carla Companion at The Beer Babe
Welcoming the New Kids

“My challenge to you is to seek out a new brewery and think about ways in which they could be welcomed into the existing beer community. How does their beer compare to the craft beer scene in your area? Are they doing anything in a new/exciting way? What advice, as a beer consumer, would you give to these new breweries?”

Today, I have decided to dedicate my “Welcoming the New Kids” Session post to KERN RIVER BREWING COMPANY in Kernville, CA — an old wild-west town that serves as the southern gateway to the Sequoia National Forest.

The KRBC brings people back to the magnificent simplicities that life has to offer.

Technically, these kids are not “brand new” to the craft beer industry. This past June, they celebrated their 4th Anniversary — which still makes them extremely young. And, I guarantee that most of the country, outside of California, don’t know much about this amazing little brewery. BUT, this will change, and I will make sure of it.

As of now, Kern River Brewing beer does not yet reach a wide radius. This is guaranteed to change. And I will tell you why…

In my opinion, there are two main key components to being a successful and amazing craft brewery — passion and talent, neither of which can faked. Kern River Brewing not only possess these two traits, they exemplify them.

My KRBC story, as with all Wench stories, is less than conventional. And who would want it any other way?

The first time I visited San Diego, CA was during San Diego Beer Week 2009. It was, by far, one of the most influential and inspirational craft beer experiences that I have to date — which was mostly due in part to my amazing friend, fellow lady of craft beer, and hostess Taylor Shaw, better known to the beer community as “The Art of Beer.” I think I had a half a minute to breathe after my flight landed, before Tay shuttled me up to the ten year vertical tasting of Double Bastard Ale at Stone World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido.

That day, I met a lot of extraordinary people who have since become really great friends and mentors. One such figure, who fits into both pockets, was the renowned Dr. Bill Sysak. And most would assume that, upon meeting such an esteemed professional in the craft beer industry, I would behave appropriately. But, we all know that The Wench is the “Being of Pure ID” (as deemed by WineBizRadio), and my hedonistic side almost always prevails.

Now, to my defense, when one is feeding me delicious samples of a high-ABV barrel-aged barleywine — can one REALLY be expected to follow normal social standards? Yeah, me thinks not.

On this fateful day, Tay and I just happened to sit down next to Rebecca and Eric Giddens — the super human founders of Kern River Brewing Company (and super human is an understatement — if you “Google” Rebecca, you will find a long list of kayaking achievements:  2004 Olympic Silver Medallist, 2002 World Champion, many time National Champion and U.S. Team Member!). I had already been following the brewery on Twitter (because we know I am addicted to Social Media), but had never had the opportunity to try their beers. This unfortunate fact was quickly remedied when a few of us lucky (and rather rebellious) folk were invited to sample some of it in the Stone parking lot (Greg — plug your ears).

Sure, the beer was not at an ideal temp (pretty damn “warm”) and it was not served in the optimal glass, but HOT DAMN it was freaking tasty — regardless of the circumstances. This is when I knew that this brewery had something going on.

Naturally, as with almost everything I do, we were not as discrete as we thought we were. As evidenced by Dr. Bill’s wagging of the finger. Luckily, craft beer is all about the love, and we were quickly forgiven and fed more of the poison that got us in trouble in the first place.

Since then, I have had the opportunity to taste Kern River Brewing Company’s beers a few more times (mostly at Stone) as well as had the honor of meeting their brewmaster (and Twitter-master), Kyle Smith (yep, love at first sight … or something like that) at the 2010 Craft Brewers Conference in Chicago. Kyle is also the “man” behind much of Kern River Brewing’s social media presence.

It is safe to say that I am rather entranced with Kern River Brewing and its beers. So much so, in fact, that when my friends from New Brew Thursday offered to host me for an episode, I chose to feature “Just Outstanding IPA” — because I truly believe that beer is out of this world.

If you have a free minute, make sure to check out the video: June 17 : Just Outstanding IPA : Kern River Brewing with Special Guest The Beer Wench from New Brew Thursday on Vimeo.

The Kern River Brewing Team definitely exemplifies the two qualities that it takes to become “successful” in the industry — pure passion and a killer product. Kyle is also pretty damn good at the whole social media thing, which we all know is “pretty” important to me. I have said this before, I will say it now, and I will continue to say it from here on out — put Kern River Brewing Company on your radars. I guarantee they will make waves in the craft beer industry.

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: THE BREW DUDES

AUTHORS OF: BREW DUDES

Beer Blogger Interview

Full names: Mike Warren and John Krochune
Internet nickname (if applicable): Brew Dudes
Twitter handle: @BrewDudes
Name of blog: Brew Dudes
Current location: Chelmsford, MA

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

We both grew up in Billerica, Massachusetts.

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

Mike: Swimming

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

Mike: Tasted beer at maybe 12, didn’t really start drinking until 19.

John: I think I was 12 or 13.

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

Mike: Sipping my Dads Budweiser at a family BBQ in the back yard. There’s really, not much story to it.

John: I probably had a few sips from my grandfather’s PBR.

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

Mike: UNH, Biochemistry; Rec sports and a couple Campus Activities Committees.

John: Emerson College and I studied Mass Communications. I was the program director of WERS for a year while I was there.

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:

Mike: Guinness Irish Stout was the first beer that really opened my eyes to how different beers could be. At that time Guinness was pretty much one of the most unique things available. I had been drinking Sam Adams for the most part, but then went to my first Irish-styled pub near college. Its smoothness and depth of character was the most dramatic part that I remember. Drinking that beer made me start to really wonder how beer was made and what made different beers different. This eventually sprouted into my passion for homebrewing.

John: I would have to say that Sam Adams was my first connection to craft beer. At the time, I thought the color was outrageous. I mean, it wasn’t straw-colored…this has to be something special. I remember the mouthfeel and the bitterness were very different from what I was drinking. It seemed to have a lot more presence than whatever other beers I could get my hands on.

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

Mike: Sour beers in general have opened a new style catagory for me. Traditional lambics and berliner wiesse are now some of my most sought after offerings when I go to good beer stores or big beer-fests. Oddly, enough it started with a bottle of Sam Adams Cranberry lambic. Regardless, of what people think of that beer NOW, it was pretty revolutionary for the Boston Beer Company and most beer drinkers back in the late 90s. I remember taking my first sip from a 22oz bomber at a party. No one else liked it so I guzzled it down and loved it. It wasn’t until years later that I got a hold of some Lindemans Kriek and thought it too sweet, but it was still interesting. After having beers like Cantillion Kriek, DFH Festina Peche, and a special kriek from Cambridge Brewing Company that I really fell in love with the style.

Beer Blog Background

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

2+ years

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

We saw it as a good opportunity to start putting some of our own ideas about brewing and beer into words, and to share experiences with others.

Also, we wanted to become a part of the larger community of homebrewing outside of just brewing some beers in the garage once and a while.

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

We are just two dudes that like to brew.

4. What are you personal goals for your blog?

What do you hope to achieve with it? We hope to just reach a wide audience, stimulate good conversation, and help other new brewers along their path to better brewing.

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

Getting the occasional free sampling from breweries, getting highlighted in BYO’s “Homebrew Nation” section.

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

Brookston Beer Bulletin, Andy Crouch BeerScribe, Beer Advocate.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

English style session ales (primarily Northern Brown Ale and Ordinary Bitter), Oatmeal Stout, Berliner Wiesse

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Wachusett Brewing, Allagash Brewing and Cantillion

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

Allagash Brewing company has several great regular offerings, but they continue to experiment and push their own envelopes to keep the line up fresh. I think many a good brewery has lost favor because eventually no one wants to keep drinking their Pale Ale, Golden Ale or Amber anymore. Allagash strikes a great balance between great standard offerings and new and inventive special/seasonal releases.

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

Oh yeah, we are homebrewers!

Mike: My most unique brew is a big 15 gallon batch of beer I make then split into three secondaries to flavor with Strawberries, Blueberries, or straight up. I served it last July at our Independence Day cookout and called it Red Wheat and Blue.

John: I split a honey wheat ale into two parts. One I bottled and let condition as normal. The other part I put in a glass fermenter with a gallon of a honey/water solution. Two distinctly different beers from one batch.

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

Not yet.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Mike: Oatmeal Stout and Tiramisu.

John: Dry Stout and beef stew

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Mike: Biochemist for a large pharmaceutical company.

John: Online marketer for travel site.

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?

Mike: I would maybe get into Public Health policy.

John: Pilot

3. Are you married? Children?

Yes and yes

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

Outdoor recreational sports; like hiking, paddling, fishing and camping.

Off The Beaten Path

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

Mike: I’d be a super sour and bitter IPA that no one would touch!

John: An ESB. I think I would like to be a session beer.

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?

Mike: I’d chug a Carrabasett Pale Ale (it’s no longer available though so I guess I’d meet my maker with a dry palate.)

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?

Mike: I’d make a rich Amber ale with a black pepper finish and a bit of smoked malt to it. (Maybe get the black pepper essence from a Belgian yeast profile)

John: Probably a Saison. Complex and spicy.

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

Mike: I’d want to be able to generate heat with my hands so I wouldn’t have to wait so long to get water to boil in the brewpot.

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

Maybe another time over beers……

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

Along with some perfectly cooked eggs, white toast and a side of hash, it’s as close to godliness as you can get.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE BREW DUDES 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: TRAVIS SMITH

AUTHOR OF: 510 BREWING

*Beer Blogger Interview*

Full name: Travis Smith
Twitter handle: MrTrav
Name of blog: 510 Brewing
Current location: Fremont, CA

*Background “Snapshot”*

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Fairfield, CA. Not a particularly exciting place to grow up, but it gave me the small town feel while still being close enough to the city. I got to experience the best of both worlds growing up.

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

I grew up playing mostly baseball. After about 10 years I realized I wasn’t a great hitter, so I switched to a sport where the ball doesn’t move, gold. I was the captain of my high school golf team my senior year and have maybe played 3 or 4 rounds since then.

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

I think I had a sip of Coors Light as a young kid. It was so horrible I didn’t drink again until after college. My first beer I remember was Heineken. I only know that because I was hungover for a week after drinking too many of them. I stuck around the macro beers for a year or so until falling upon Pyramid Hefe as my first craft beer. Pyramid’s Curveball and Lost Coast’s Great White were what got me stuck on craft beer, I have never looked back since.

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

(see above answer)

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

I attended DeVry University in Fremont studying Network and Data Communication Management. DeVry isn’t a huge “let’s get together and do stuff” type of school. The only school sponsored event I attended was a Halo tournament which me and my roommates absolutely dominated at.

*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:

The major one I can recall is my first trip to Pyramid Alehouse in Berkley. For a long time we would always get Kegs of Curveball in the summer. Being able to see the place where it’s made and try it directly from the source was a novel concept. From there I started looking at other local breweries and trying their beers, it just sort of spiraled out of control from there.

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

The first would be starting up a video beer blog a few years back. I was a huge follower of social media guru Gary Vaynerchuck and his Wine Library TV video blog. One day sitting around drinking beer we though, well why the hell couldn’t we do that? After a couple of episodes, I wanted to know more about what I was drinking. What ingredients made a good beer, or a bad beer? Homebrewing was the logical choice. I started out with 5 gallon extract kits on a turkey frier in the back yard and have since expanded to a two tier all grain setup doing 10 gallons at a time.

*Beer Blog Background*

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

I have been doing 510 Brewing only for a couple months. It is a facility to interface with craft beer enthusiasts while we document our trek to become a production brewery. However if you include the video beer blog I used to do, I have been beer blogging for a couple years now.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

The love of craft beer and wanting to make a living out of my passion.

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

510 Brewing is going to be the name of our brewery when we open up, hopefully next year.

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

The goal is to use it as a facility to talk to potential future customers. I want to let them know the trials and tribulations that we are going through to open a brewery. Hopefully when we actually open up it will help other aspiring homebrewers make the leap to go pro as well.

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

Honestly it has to be all of the cool people I have been able to meet. I have been able to meet rock stars like Sam Calagione and Vinnie Cilurzo. I have also made great friends through beer events, probably friends I will now have for life.

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

Peter from Better Beer Blog is probably one of my most respected opinions in regards to the authority of beer. Jay Brooks from Brookston Beer Bulletin is also another one of my favorites. When I need a good laugh though, I turn to my buddies over at Two Beer Queers. Wait, did I mention Drink with the Wench is my all time favorite?

*Beer Talk*

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

IPA/IIPA is by far my favorite. Hops are so good for your soul, it just makes sense to have as many as possible.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Mendocino County simply for their Double IPA seasonal. Hangar 24 for what they have been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. Finally I would go with Dogfish Head for the creativity they bring to the table with each brew.

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

I would have to go with Dogfish Head. In all honesty, I haven’t loved any beer of theirs I have tried. To their credit, everything I have tried was in bottle form and shipped all the way across the country. However, Sam brings much more to his company then just being their leader. He is a visionary and a story teller who I think would be very inspiring to work with/for.

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

Yes, but trying to change home into pro. The beers we have been making during the winter months can get quite whacky. Our pumpkin ale was originally made by cutting off the back off of an already carved jack-o-lantern pumpkin the day after Halloween. However our most interesting beers have come by mistake. For example our Belgian Wit we made when our hop scale was MIA. We “eye-balled” the amount of hops needed and ended up with something like 65 IBU’s for the wit. Interesting, yes…good, no.

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

I have taken tasting classes and studied for the BJCP, but haven’t taken the time to schedule out the test. I am interested in the Cicerone, but I also haven’t had the time to start that process.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

This is an area of the beer world where I am completely oblivious to. The best pairing I have tried though is a nice mellow IPA with a spicy chicken pasta dish.

*The Personal Side*

1. What is your current day job?

Current day job is working as a software engineer for a startup in the Silicone Valley.

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?

Hell Yes! I work part time at a brewpub in Fremont right now trying to learn the ins and outs of running a production brewery. Once financing is in order, 510 Brewing will recruit me from my current day job.

3. Are you married? Children?

Yes, married my high school sweet heart in June of 2008. No children though, way too selfish for children at this point in my life.

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

Softball takes up most of my time in the dry months. I am a hobby collector though, I tend to dabble in a lot of side projects.

*Off The Beaten Path*

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

Kolsch. Light bodied and easy enough to get along with to introduce people to the craft beer world.

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 would have to go with a magnum of Stone Brewing Arrogant Bastard. After drinking that much, hopefully I would be passed out or die of alcohol poisoning before making it to the executioner.

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 go with a blonde ale but kick it up a notch, maybe with some habanero spices or orange zest.

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

I’m a huge fan of Heroes, and my favorite character is Peter Petrelli. But if I was the only one around with powers it would be kind of useless. So I will stick with the ability to fly. How awesome would that be to be able to go anywhere in the world free of charge. I would move to Hawaii and commute to Fremont every morning from there.

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

A lot of memories come up from when I was a young kid and loved racing cars and going fast all the time. I don’t recall anything taking me to the brink of death, but I do remember a lot of idiotic acts. Such as trying to convince all my friends they could do donuts in their cars, including the owners of a 4,000 lb Thunderbird and a front wheel drive civic. I also recall trying to “get air” in my car and shooting sparks from my under carriage. Probably not a good idea since that’s where the gas tank is.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

I don’t know what the huge fad is with bacon. I like to munch on a piece every so often, but I don’t think I will be making bacon beer anytime soon.

SPECIAL THANKS TO TRAVIS FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW. BEST OF LUCK TO HIM IN HIS GOAL TO OPEN A BREWERY!

CHEERS!