What makes Jared truly unique amongst brewers is his extremely impressive restaurant industry resume. Before following his calling as a brewer, Jared spent time working in some of the best kitchens in the world — including Thomas Keller’s three Michelin Star Per Se in New York City. He is also a graduated of the Culinary Institute, as well as the Siebel Institute of Technology — America’s Oldest Brewing School.

Since joining the Goose Island team in 2009, Jared has been focused on bringing innovations in cooking to brewing. One such project is the Famer’s Market Series. Each week, Jared and his fellow brewers peruse through the local farmer’s market seeking inspiration from high quality, fresh ingredients. After selecting various treasures, the team heads back to the brewery for some Farmer’s Market R & D. A week later, a new seasonally relevant beer appears on the menu.

After reading a recent article in the Chicago Tribune about this innovative brewing project, I knew I needed to ask Jared a few questions of my own. And like the little good brewer boy that he is, Jared complied.

Photo: José M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune

Beer Wench: How long have you been brewing beer’s inspired by ingredients found at the Farmer’s Market?

Jared Rouben: I was first inspired by the farmer’s markets when I was out in Napa cooking at the Martini house. I just remember going to the Napa farmers market and cutting open an heirloom tomato and thinking this has the colors of a firework display, truly beautiful. And having the farmer’s and produce from the Green City MARKET a stone’s throw away makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop. Fruits and vegetables with the most intense flavors and colors created by people who really love what they do and produce. I love it so much. The farmers are like family and the Green city market is something that I look forward to every year.

Why did you decided to start the Farmer’s Market series?

I realized that the best chefs in the city were going to the market every Wednesday and Saturday to get the best ingredients — and as a brewer why wouldn’t I do the exact same thing? I know that in order to make great beer you have to start with great ingredients. And there was no better source for great ingredients then at the Green City Market. It has also been an excellent way of challenging my palette and given me a stronger understanding of ingredients we might not normally find in a brew house.

What have been some of your biggest “successes” in the Farmer’s Market series?

You have to give credit to the great ingredients for the great results. Some of my favorites have been the paw paw pale ale, bubble gum plum Belgian blonde , and the Apple wood smoked helles

Any flops, or beers that didn’t quite meet your expectations?

There are a couple beers where the ingredients just didn’t show themselves in the fashion that I had hoped. This makes me so sad because the last thing I am trying to do is compromise the complexity of the ingredient or the integrity of the beer style. they should go hand in hand and compliment each other. The blueberries in my blueberry oatmeal stout were MIA, which was a shame. I should have increased the amount of blueberries because of the high water content.

Let’s talk brewing…..

During which stage of the brewing process do you typically add the ingredients found at the Farmer’s Market?

This really depends on the ingredient. I usually gravitate towards adding the ingredient post fermentation so that we showcase the ingredient with as little manipulation as possible in its natural state.Produce like this is so tasty that to change it should be a crime. However, there are some ingredients like the klug farm fairy tale pumpkin that I put in the kettle during whirlpool. You have to be careful because there are few ingredients that show themselves better after being submerged in a 200 degree liquid.

Which comes first — do the ingredients inspire the style of beer you choose, or does the style of beer help to dictate the ingredients you select at the market?

I try to go into this with an open mind. I start at the market so I start with the ingredient and then head back to the brewery to taste all of our beers in the tanks and on tap. There are so many times that I am sure an ingredient and beer will work together but after tasting it, I am left disappointed. It’s very important to taste everything and keep an open mind. The best part of this series is the delightful surprises you figure out through tasting

What does a typical R&D session for the Farmer’s Market series consist of?

Tasting, tasting, and more tasting. What is really important is tasting the beer every day after it has been infused. The beer will change every day as the ingredient and beer become more accustomed to each other. As the flavors change it’s important to transfer it as soon as you think its perfect.

Do you foresee turning any of your creations into commercially available product (aka sell it outside of the pub location)?

I don’t see this happening in the near future. These beers are truly created to be consumed during the season the ingredient was produced.

Does the pub and/or you design food pairings around the new beers?

Not yet but hopefully we can do this in the future. I have the luxury of working with Chef Andrew Hroza who is not only a chef but also a cicerone and hombrewer.

Follow Jared on Twitter: @jbrew312

welcome to the main event.

Last year, I teamed up with some kickass women from all corners of the country and various facets of the craft beer industry to present the first ever “20 Most Eligible Bachelors of Craft Beer”. After reviewing last’s year process, we made some tiny adjustments to this year’s competition, and added more women to the nomination committee and the judging panel.

All though the process was slightly tweaked, the basic qualifications and the judging criteria remained the same.

The basic qualifications were as such:

1. Must work for a craft brewery (all positions considered)
2. Must NOT be married (other relationship statuses accepted)

Now, this whole concept might sound simple, but I assure you that it is more complicated than it looks. We accepted nominations via Twitter, Facebook, the comment section on this site, email, etc. After sorting through the various nominations from the outside, adding more to the list from the inside, and then reviewing the previous year’s winners, we were able to narrow down the pool. Many men were evaluated, and only 20 made the final cut. The top 20 nominees were then submitted to a judging round, where they were each judge on three very specific criteria.

The judging criteria were as follows:

1. Industry Talent
2. Personality
3. Appearance

I hate to disappoint, but this was not a “beauty pageant” type contest. In fact, the qualification that had the most impact on the scores, and the overall rankings, was personality. Looks and talent can get you far, boys, but personality will get your further.

20 men of all ages and positions were scored and ranked — but only ONE man will take home the crown of Mr. Craft Beer 2012. Without any further ado, let me present the winners of the 2012….

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#20 Mr. Troy Casey

Photo Source: Facebook

Brewer, AC Golden Brewing Company

Golden, CO

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#19 Mr. Matt Cole

Photo Source: Cleveland.com

Brewmaster, Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon

Cleveland, OH

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#18 Mr. Brandon Borgel

Photo Source: Facebook

Director of Sales & Marketing, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

San Francisco, CA

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#17 Mr. Randy Clemens

Photo Credit: Stone Brewing Co.

Media & Communications Linchpin, Stone Brewing Co.

Escondido, CA

Personal Twitter: @RandyClemensESQ

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#16 Mr. Doug Rehberg

Photo Source: Widmer

Brewer, Widmer Brothers Brewing

Portland, OR

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#15 Mr. Jared Rouben

Photo Source: Goose Island

Head Brewer, Goose Island Brewpubs‘

Chicago, IL

Personal Twitter: @jbrew312

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#14 Mr. Victor Novak

Photo Source: Facebook

Brewmaster, TAPS Fish House & Brewery

Brea, California

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#13 Mr. Michael Steffing

Photo Source: MyLastPint.com

Co-founder & brewer, Jester King Brewery

Ceres Park, TX

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#12 Mr. Noah Regnery

Photo Credit: MSN Today

Brewmaster, Hollister Brewing Co.

Hollister, CA

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#11 Mr. Matt Dauffenbach

Photo Source: Matt Dauffenbach

Colorado and Oklahoma Sales Manager / Craft Beer Evangelist at Tallgrass Brewing Company

Manhattan, KS

Personal Twitter: @mkdauff

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#10 Mr. Brent Cordle

Photo Source: FeastingFortCollins.com

Manager of the Pilot Brewhouse & Barrel-aging Program, Odell Brewing

Fort Collins, CO

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#9 Mr. Jason Yester

Photo Source: Facebook

President & Brewmaster, Trinity Brewing Company

Colorado Springs, CO

Personal Twitter: @SaisonMan

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#8 Mr. Ben Edmunds

Photo Source: OregonLive.Com

Brewmaster, Breakside Brewery

Portland, OR

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#7 Mr. Garrett Oliver

Photo Credit: Facebook

Brewmaster, Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn, NY

Personal Twitter: @GarrettOliver

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#6 Mr. Tyler King

Photo Source: Cal Poly Pomona

Brewmaster, The Bruery

Placentia, CA

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#5 Mr. Shaun O’ Sullivan

Photo Source: Facebook

Co-founder & Brewmaster, 21st Amendment

San Francisco, CA

Personal Twitter: @ShaunOSullivan

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#4 Mr. Jamie Floyd

Photo Source: Facebook

Co-founder & Brewmaster, Ninkasi Brewing Co.

Eugene, OR

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#3 Mr. Dustin Kral

Photo Source: Facebook

Head Brewer, Firestone Walker

Paso Robles, CA

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#2 Mr.  Adam Avery

Photo Credit: Imbibe Magazine

Founder & Brewmaster, Avery Brewing Co.

Boulder, CO

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And this year’s Most Eligible Bachelor of Craft Beer crown goes to….

MR. CRAFT BEER 2012

Colin Presby

Photo Source: Weyerbacher

Cellerman, Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

Easton, PA

Possesing one of the less glamorous positions in the industry, Colin’s duties include (but are not limited to) bottling, kegging, machine operator and mechanic, transferring of brews, cleaning crew, quality control, and helping out as a sales rep which includes bar events, beerfests, and liquor store tastings — all of which he does with ease, pride and joy.

Photo Source: Weyerbacher

(And meet Peggy: the three legged goat he helped rescue!)

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Well folks, that wraps up this year’s Bachelors of Craft Beer Competition! As you can see, we had quite a number of upsets — only eight men from the previous year made it to the top 20 this time around. The craft beer industry is ever evolving and this list will most likely continue to evolve with it. If we missed your favorite beer fella this year, make sure to leave a comment below, or send me an email to routson@gmail.com, so we can put him on our radar for next year.

Lastly, congrats to all the men that made this list. Although it was fun to objectify these lovely gentlemen, the overarching goal was to give credit where credit was do and promote some of the most talented and amiable men of craft beer in a fun and playful way.

In my world, nothing truly beats an amazing food & beer pairing. Well, there might be an exception or two, but I will leave that to your imagination.

Food and beverage pairings, let alone food and beer pairings, are not easy. They require a palate far beyond the average chef, sommelier and brewer. Few chefs understand the complexities of nuances of beer like a brewmaster, and in contrast, few brewers understand the complexities and nuances of food like an executive chef. Those capable of crossing the line between brewmaster and executive chef are not just few and far between, they are virtually mythological in nature — beings of legends and lore.

A few select individuals, humans capable of transcending the science and artistry of brewing and the science and artistry of cooking, actually do exist. These supertasters possess amazing abilities, almost incomprehensible to us mere mortals. One such modern wonder is Jared Rouben, Pub Brewmaster for the Goose Island Brewpubs in Chicago, IL.

Now before some of you get all huffy puffy on me, it is crucial to note that the Goose Island Brewpubs are NOT owned by AB-InBev. It’s okay, breathe a sigh of relief with me now. Okay, feel better?

Back to the story.

Isn't he adorable?

Not only is Jared a phenomenal brewer, as exemplified by the amazing beers he produces for Goose Island, he is also an Culinary Institute of America graduate with an extraordinary culinary resume, including working with the legendary Thomas Keller — arguably one of the best chefs in the world — at Keller’s prestigious Per Se in Manhattan.

So yes, you heard me right. Jared Rouben is both a genius brewmaster and a professionally trained chef, which essentially makes him a foremost expert on beer and food pairings. And that brings us to the Great American Beer Festival.

During the Friday night session of GABF, between 7:30 and 8pm, Jared will be teaming up with Stephanie Izard, Top Chef winner and owner/chef of Girl & the Goat, on the stage of the convention floor, where they will will provide insights on brewing beers to complement food and creating food to complement beers. The presentation, called “Sweet and Smokey Chicago Style”, will feature samples of their collaboration: “Farmer’s Market,” a honey smoked Porter made with wildflower honey from Ellis Family Farms in Illinois. This unique, medium-full bodied beer balances honey, roast and smoke flavors, and will be shared with the panel’s audience and paired with a sweet and smoky dish, to be announced. (Check out the video below for more information on the collaboration beer).

But the main event, the raison d’etre, the inspiration of this post, is the night before.

On the evening of September 29th, Stephanie and Jared are partnering with ChoLon Bistro Chef Lon Symensma & Alex Seidel of Fruition to present a beer dinner of epic proportions. All proceeds from the dinner will benefit Share Our Strength (strength.org), a charity dedicated to ending childhood hunger in the US by 2015. The details are such:

• Date: Sseptember 29, 2011
• Where: Cholon Bistro
• Time: 6pm for beer cocktail reception and snacks, 7pm dinner
• Cost: $125

Alongside the Honey Porter, the dynamic beer menu will be showcasing Rumble Oak-aged IPA from Great Divide and Funkwerks Belgium White, finishing with Dulce — Jared’s American Stout made with “crop 2 cup” Ugandan french roast coffee & Seville oranges. Each chef will create a family style dish to accompany the different beers from Jared’s list, to show the many directions one can go and the various styles of cooking that can work well when pairing beer and food.

“We wanted it to be unique as well as representative of both Jared’s brew style and my cooking. One of many qualities that makes Jared unique as a brewer is that he started his career, back in the kitchen, at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. The way that he thinks about layers of flavor in his beers is similar to my approach to food at Girl & the Goat.” — Stephanie Izard.

Naturally, I’ll be there, which can only mean one thing… you should be there as well. And trust me, a beer dinner with an amazing brewmaster with experience from Thomas Keller’s prized Per Se in NYC is no joke. And for $125, it is a steal. BE THERE. Or be sorry…

About Jared Rouben

Originally from Louisville, Jared is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, as well as the Culinary Institute of America in New York and the Siebel Diploma course. After culinary school, he worked as a chef at the Michelin Star Martini House in Napa and as Expeditor at the three Michelin Star Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York City. After New York, Jared moved to Chicago to become a part of the Rock Bottom brewing team. Jared first joined the Goose Island Clybourn brewing team in 2009 and became the Head Pub Brewer in January of 2010. Since starting at Goose Island Jared has created the Chef Collaboration Series, Farmers Market Series and focused on experimental brewing. His passion for both beer and food is infectious.