Big news in the beer industry just hit the stands today: Independence Brewing Company, the only craft brewery in India owned and operated by a craft brewer, has partnered with Stone Brewing Co.’s CEO and Cofounder, Greg Koch, to bring independence from boring, yellow fizzy beers to the emerging beer connoisseurs in India.

This is big news in the world of craft beer. It is encouraging and exciting to see more and more countries outside of the “Western World“embrace and celebrate craft beer. Hopefully, IBC’s presence in the Indian craft beer market will help to ignite a craft beer revolution across the entire country — inspiring more breweries to open and more craft breweries to export to India.

Upon receiving this news, I approached the owners for more information, and I am honored to say that they gave me an exclusive interview to coincide with the announcement, which will follow this post shortly.

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OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

April 29th, 2012.  Independence Brewing Company (IBC) is a new brewing venture founded by Shailly Bist and Avanish Vellanki to bring genuine craft brewing to India.  With an aim to offer Indians something other than the yellow, fizzy, industrial lagers that have become a fixture in India, IBC hopes to offer a unique array of craft brews across a variety of styles not previously offered in the nation.  IBC brings Independence from Boring Beers!

IBC is also proud to announce the addition of Greg Koch, CEO and Cofounder of Stone Brewing Co., to the team.  Greg will serve as a partner and Chief Advisor to IBC. “I’ve had a chance to visit India and witness first-hand why Avanish and Shailly are so excited, and I have to say I agree with them!  There is tremendous opportunity in India for craft beer.  I also have to say that I’m really excited about these two guys and look forward to helping them bring Independence from boring beers to India!” said Greg Koch.

“We are really excited to work with Greg!” said Avanish Vellanki, Cofounder of IBC.  “We are tremendously honored and moved by Greg’s excitement about India; Greg clearly sees the tremendous opportunity in the country, and we look forward to introducing truly exceptional brews together!”

IBC will set up its first craft pub brewery in the city of Pune, in the state of Maharashtra, India, one of India’s fastest growing technology centers. With a national landscape in which only a handful of beers exist in the nation, and a regulatory environment that has only recently awoken to the microbrewery concept, IBC hopes to bring the extensive and passionate craft brewing culture in the US to India.

IBC will be the only craft brewery in India owned and operated by a craft brewer.  “We are tremendously excited about the opportunity to bring to India something we truly love, and we think Indians will love too – truly exceptional craft beers,” said Shailly Bist, Cofounder & Head Brewer of IBC.  “India has such a rich artisanal culture, and we think it’s about time that IPA had a homecoming!”

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Follow Independence Brewing Company on Facebook and @IndeBrewCo on Twitter.

At any given moment, I could walk into a local grocery store, corner store, or even a gas station and find at least one craft beer option on the shelf.

The amazing growth that the U.S. craft beer industry has experienced over the past few years has, sadly, made many of us American craft beer lovers take it for granted. Especially where I live in Northern California, a region of the country that boasts some of the greatest brewers in the world. Most of my neighborhood bars and restaurants have at least one craft beer, if not only craft beer, on the menu.

But, this is not necessarily the reality outside of California, or even the U.S. Unfortunately, most of the countries in this world (I’m assuming over 90%) have little to no craft beer available in the market, let alone craft breweries. This brings us to India.

Quite ironically, the country known for inspiring the most popular and most brewed category of craft beer — the India Pale Ale — does not boast a thriving craft beer culture. Partially due to its lack of craft breweries, the majority of beer being produced and sold in India is, as one can assume, yellow fizzy macro lagers. Well, until now that is.

In just the past few years, India’s beer industry has experienced a lot of change. Small craft brewpubs have emerged and a few foreign imports, such as Boston Lager, Paulaner and Chimay, have become available in the Indian market — giving Indians a new taste for craft beer and creating a demand for it in the process.

Enter Independence Brewing Company, a new craft beer venture focused on igniting a craft beer revolution in India. Dedicated to offering independence from uninspired, yellow fizzy beers to the emerging beer connoisseurs in India, Independence Brewing Company is the brainchild Avanish Vellanki and Shailendra Bist — two passionate and devoted craft beer geeks with strong ties to India.

What makes IBC’s story so unique, is its support and backing from the illustrious CEO & co-founder one of the U.S. largest and most beloved craft breweries, Stone Brewing Co., Greg Koch. Known as one of the most powerful and strongest voices in craft beer, Greg is not the type to enter into partnerships lightly — especially ventures that involve his greatest love, craft beer. But IBC’s mission struck a chord with Greg, as I am sure it will with other craft beer lovers around the world.

Upon hearing the news surrounding the development of Independence Brewing Company and Greg’s involvement, I reached out to its founders and to Greg to learn more about the project. They granted me an exclusive interview, which I am extremely honored to share with you today. Hopefully, after reading it, many of you will be inspired to get involved in IBC and help to make their amazing dream a reality! Cheers!!!

Shailly & Avanish, Independence Brewing

“Putting the India Back in IPA”

An Exclusive Interview with Avanish Vellanki and Shailendra Bist of Independence Brewing Co.

(with inserts from Greg Koch)

An award winning brewer/ mechanical engineer and a Wall Street investment banker is quite a powerful partnership. How did you two meet?

Shailly: Back in 2010 we were both independently exploring the possibility of starting a brewery in India. One of our common friends, a brewer who recently started a brewery in Singapore, suggested we meet. We met in late 2010 over a couple of beers and it instantly seemed like a great partnership. Over a couple more meetings we decided to join forces and start Independence Brewing Co.

How did you both first get into craft beer?

Avanish: For me, it was about experiencing variety.  I think a person can have water downed lagers for only so long before they start venturing out.  In my view, the craft beer market is the natural evolution of any beer market – people anywhere will want to find variety and greater depth to their brews than the industrial lagers are able to provide.

Shailly: I came to the US in mid 2001 for my masters at Purdue. Had my first craft beer, a pale ale, at a local pub brewery in Lafayette, IN where coincidentally I also met my wife to be! You could say that my two loves affairs started back then.

Shailendra Bist, aka "Shailly"

Every craft beer professional has at least one pinnacle craft beer experience that completely changes his perspective on beer. I refer to this mind-blowing moment as a “craft beer epiphany.” What was your first craft beer epiphany?

Shailly: From the first time I tasted a fresh craft beer I knew I had a special liking for it, but it was all still a little distant. The first time I tasted my own craft brew, an all extract IPA which was not necessarily all that good, it totally changed by connection with beer. I felt like it was a friend I knew intimately.

Avanish: It’s hard for me to identify the “epiphany” moment since I think it was very gradual for me.  At one point, around 2008 when I was in New York, I noticed that if a venue didn’t offer some craft brews on tap, or at least some bottled craft beers, I would push for my group of friends to find another venue.  I personally haven’t had one of the mainstream US lagers in over probably over 5 years.

Why did you choose to build a brewery in India? Why not the U.S.?

Avanish: The obvious reason is that India doesn’t have craft beer.  It was a chance to bring something new to the market of our heritage.  It was really, ultimately, that simple.

But if I were to put my Banker hat on, I would say the US is a mature beer market and while the craft beer segment is growing, there are a ton of players.  With over 2,000 breweries and over 700 breweries preparing to launch, it would be much more difficult to differentiate ourselves, especially related to where the bar is set in India.  In India, there are only 12-15 bottled brands available in the country, with only another 10 or so pub breweries that have just recently been set up.  And that is in a nation that is quadruple that of the US in terms of population.  Again, it was quite clear what needed to be done.

The main goal of Independence Brewing Co. is to provide a variety of fresh, craft brews for the emerging beer connoisseur in India. What is the current beer drinking culture like in India? How is it different from past years?

Shailly: The beer drinking culture is rapidly transforming. There used to be a time where drinking beer was done discreetly and almost no women drank beer.  With rapid economic development and changing social norms beer drinking is becoming common place in any and all social events, sports events etc. This is the reason why beer volume sales are doubling every 3-4 years! Unfortunately all of this beer is industrial lagers. There are 2-3 good brew pubs that have sprung up and a lot of imported craft beers are entering the market as more and more people demand something beyond that yellow fizzy stuff. We hope we can provide locally made awesome craft beer that Indians can enjoy and be proud of.

Why did you choose the name Independence Brewing Company?

Shailly: We started IBC with the singular aim to introduce real craft beer to Indians and do our part in brining Independence from boring beers! to India. Bring independence, from fizzy yellow stuff, to our consumers by offering far superior choices to what’s available currently and make them aware of what real craft beer can be.

Although Indians have moved on, our struggle for independence from foreign rule and our struggle to establish ourselves as a stable forward looking nation still evoke strong emotions. Our name is also an ode to the independent spirit and identity that we have carved out as a nation.

Why did you choose to partner with Greg Koch on this project?

Avanish: Greg’s success with Stone speaks for itself.  To me, outside of the reputation that Stone has, I really appreciate Greg’s love for the craft brewing space and devotion to spreading that message around the world.  But what I most admire about Greg is how he has approached building a brand – Greg used unconventional branding tactics to assemble a very loyal following, and I think there are tremendous lessons in that.  I think his approach with Stone could be used as a case study for almost any business.

Greg Koch: I did?  From my perspective, I just approached the building of Stone and our reputation from the position of a beer geek.  As in, “what, as a beer geek, would I do?”  So, that’s the voice that I’ll be giving to Avanish & Shailly.  And the reason that I agreed to be an Advisor to them is that they too are devoted beer geeks.  I also think they’ve both got great heads on their shoulders.  I’ll be pushing them not to listen to their heads too much, and instead listen to their own inner beer geeks, and to make decisions more from the latter than the former.

Greg Koch, Stone Brewing

What is Greg’s main role with Independence Brewing?

Shailly: Mostly as an Adviser on our brewery operations, brand building and business in general.   



Greg: There’s that “brand building” phrase again! <laugh>  I’ll be giving my best advice all along the way, all the while telling them to ignore everyone and do it THEIR way.  Of course, by “ignore everyone” I really mean “ignore everyone who does not share your vision, but DO listen to advice and perspectives from those who do share you vision.”  My role is in that latter camp.

You also have an extremely experienced adviser on the team. Who is Pradeep Gidwani and what does he bring to the Independence Brewing Co. team?

Avanish: Pradeep is a veteran of the brewing world in India.  And since India is a very nascent culture with regards to the beer market and brewing, Pradeep literally knows everyone in the space.  Although Pradeep’s prior roles were entrenched in the mass market lagers, launching Carlsberg, Tuborg, Palone and Fosters in India, Pradeep is a true connoisseur of craft brews.  Pradeep, like Greg, wants to see Indians embrace craft beer.  It will be tremendously beneficial to have Pradeep’s input as we move forward.

In addition to investors, how else are you raising funds for the brewery?

Shailly: We will be launching a fundraising campaign soon on Kickstarter (crowd funding, www.kickstarter.com) to raise some additional funds. It’s amazing what a lot of people with small contributions can do when they get excited about an idea. We are excited about our campaign; we have a very interesting video on there featuring Greg in it! Greg in his latest fuzzy look! We also have some very cool gifts to give away, many of which are made by traditional craftsmen in India, like a tap handle made using the ancient art of lost wax casting by tribals from Bastar region in India.

Greg: That region is missing a ‘d.’  Oh, and don’t let my “fuzzyness” distract from the message.  Independence Brewing needs support on an important and historic venture.  My beard has got all the support it needs (although maybe I’ll need to start my own Kickstarter campaign so I can afford to replace the razor that I clearly lost).

Have you broken ground on the brewery yet? If not, when do you plan on breaking ground?

Avanish: We will initially be leasing a facility rather than building because of an abundance of existing venues in India that would be a great fit for us.  We would also prefer to use our financial resources to make the best beers we can and find ways to reach as many people as possible.

How big of a system will you be brewing on?

Shailly: We will have a 10hl steam fired brew house with 70hl of fermentation space. We will keep some room for expansion down the line as and when the demand picks up. I can’t wait to start brewing on it! It will be the most well equipped micro brewery in India.

What styles will you be focused on brewing?

Avanish: The goal is to bring to India the diversity of global beer styles.  So we will have quite a variety.  Of course Shailly and I spend the majority of our time drinking American pale ales so the American influence in our beer portfolio will be clear. I, personally, also love the Bavarian Hefs.

Shailly: We like all well made beers, although we can be partial to west coast hop bombs, Belgian triples and British brown porters. Quite frankly starting out we will do an array of styles from a wit to an IPA and slowly we will gravitate to a few core styles. And I am sure the core will have a very Indian identity to it. We will probably never do lagers, though.

Do you have any beer names in the pipeline that you would like to leak to inquiring minds?

Shailly: There are some names but we cannot disclose them at this time. Some very interesting names from our ancient history and then some more contemporary ones. Some names will also reflect our California roots.

Will you be exporting any of your beers to the U.S.?

Avanish: I would love to bring beers to the US, but that’s not in the near-term plans.

What craft brewers, breweries and beers inspire the Independence Brewing Co. team the most?

Shailly: The list is huge! I have been more inspired by home brewers than breweries, but let’s stick to the point, with no particular order:

Brewers

• Vinnie Cilurzo, Russian River Brewing
• Matt Brynildson, Firestone Walker Brewing
• Jerry Vietz, Unibroue

Breweries

• Russian River
• Firestone Walker
• Stone
• Unibroue (sadly taken over by Saporro)
• Abbey Westmalle
• Brasserie Dupont
• Samuel Smith’s
• Three Floyds Brewing

Beers

• RR Pliny (younger and elder), Supplication, Damnation
• Avery Maharaja IPA
• Firestone California Pale, IPA
• Stone IPA, Arrogant Bastard
• Unibroue La Fin Du Monde, Maudite
• Westmalle – Tripel, Dubbel
• Fullers London Porter
• Samuel Smith’s Tadcaster, Oatmeal Stout
• North Coast Brewing Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
• Duchesse de Bourgogne

Avanish: For me, of course Stone is a major influence.  My favorite beer is Stone’s Levitation. For me, the breweries of influence are the one that have great business stories behind it; I love the history behind Brooklyn Brewery and the lessons that Steve Hindy and Tom Potter shared as they experienced the inherent business risks of relying on third-party distributors.  I’m also very impressed with Surly Brewing in Minneapolis, my hometown.

Stone has become famous for its collaboration brews. Since Greg is a big part of Independence Brewing, do you have any plans to collaborate in the near future?

Avanish: In the near-term, I think we are going to have our hands full, but down the road, we would expect collaborations with a variety of brewers to play a large role in our effort to bring craft beer to India.  But honestly, we’ve never asked Greg about that.

Greg:  I’m sure they’ll have plenty of opportunities for great collaborations…eventually.  Once they develop a reputation, craft brewers from other parts of the world will naturally think to themselves “Visiting India and brewing with Avanish & Shailly at Independence Brewing sounds like a really cool idea.”  I know I’ll be doing it at some point, perhaps with someone else from Stone in tow.  That would be really cool.  Also, once the craft brewing industry grows a bit with other entrants doing their own thing in the country, then there will be collaboration possibilities within the country.  It’s a nice thing to think wistfully about, imagining a future where that would be possible in India.  In the meantime however, they’ve got a lot to do and will be focusing on rolling up their sleeves and launching their brewery.

Avanish

What role will social media play in Independence Brewing’s marketing strategy?

Avanish: Social media will play a very large role, but when the time is right.  Shailly and I have a lot of work to do to prepare the business for the future, so over the near-term, we are going to be focused on execution first and foremost.  However, as we move closer to the official opening of the business in India, we promise that we will be quite active in the social media channels.  We hope everyone in the US follows along as we try to foster the craft beer movement in India!

Follow Independence Brewing Company on Facebook and @IndeBrewCo on Twitter.

For fun, if you were a style of beer, what would you be and why?

Shailly: A Saison, easy going but can sneak up on you.

Avanish: Russian River’s Pliny the Elder, because it’s a serious beer.  Shailly always tells me I need to loosen up!

Last but not least, what does craft beer mean to you?

Shailly: History, passion and innovation in a glass.

Avanish: To me, craft beer is a brew that has extravagant simplicity… where to truly appreciate it, it requires a small degree of concentration but, at the same time, it hits you with a composition that is much more than the sum of its parts.

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Special thanks to Avanish, Shailly and Greg for taking time out of their busy schedules to answer my questions. I wish the best of luck to all of you, and on behalf of craft beers lovers everywhere, I raise a toast in your honor! Cheers!!

Ladies and gentlemen,

welcome to the main event.

After weeks of nominations and eliminations, the 20 Most Eligible Bachelors of Craft Beer (2011) have been determined.

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)

Many men were evaluated, and only 20 made the final cut.

The judging criteria were as follows:

1. Industry Talent
2. Personality
3. Appearance

20 men were scored and ranked — but only ONE man will take home the crown of “Mr. Craft Beer 2011.”

Without any further ado, let me present the winners of….

THE 20 MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELORS of CRAFT BEER 2011

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# 20 — Mr. James Watts

Founder, BrewDog

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# 19 — Mr. Dylan Lintern

Vice President, NOLA Brewing Company

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#18 — Mr. Chad Melis

Marketing Director, Oskar Blues

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#17 — Mr. Jon Carpenter

Brewer, Dogfish Head

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#16 — Mr. Eric Salazar

Brewer, New Belgium Brewing Company

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#15 — Mr. Colin Ferguson

Beer Jockey, Great Divide Brewing Company

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#14 — Mr. Tyler King

Brewmaster, The Bruery

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#13 — Mr. Jason Yester

President & Brewmaster, Trinity Brewing

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#12 — Mr. Jason Oliver

Brewmaster, Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company

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#11 — Mr. Matt Dauffenbach

Sales Manager & Evangelist, Tallgrass Brewing Company

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And now for the top ten most eligible men in the craft beer industry … drum roll please….

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#10 — Dr. Bill Sysak

FOH Beverage Supervisor, Stone Brewing Company

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#9 — Mr. Adam Avery

Founder & Brewmaster, Avery Brewing Company

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#8 — Mr. Jamie Floyd

Co-founder & Brewmaster, Ninkasi Brewing Company

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#7 — Mr. Greg Koch

CEO & Co-founder, Stone Brewing Company

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#6 — Mr. Garrett Oliver

Founder & Brewmaster, Brooklyn Brewery

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#5 — Mr. Joe Mohrfeld

Brewer, Odell Brewing Company

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#4 — Mr. Shaun “Sully” O’ Sullivan

Brewmaster & Co-Founder, 21st Amendment

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#3 — Mr. Kelly Ryan

Brewer, EPIC Beer

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#2 — Mr. Matt Bryndilson

Brewmaster, Firestone Walker Brewery

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#1

MR. CRAFT BEER 2011

NOAH REGNERY

Head Brewer, Pizza Port Brewing Company

Photo Credit: Facebook

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Well, there you have it. The most eligible bachelors of craft beer in 2011. But before all you ladies start bombarding these fine gentlemen with emails, facebook messages, text, tweets, etc… take heed because, unfortunately, many of them are in committed relationships.

BUT WAIT FOLKS. The fun DOES NOT stop here. As with the Miss America Pageant, we have decided to give some of these boys “special awards”… stay tuned for Mr. Congeniality, Mr. Best Dressed and more!

It has been entirely way too long since I’ve posted a recipe that uses beer as an ingredient. Time to change that!

Autumn is the time of year when I prefer eating heartier dishes, soups and stews. Something about the change in the weather makes me crave foods and beers with more substance and a stronger backbone.

Stuffed peppers are awesome for many reasons. They are pretty easy to make, they are great for solo diners and for groups. The combination of ingredients and different variations are endless.

Before we get to the recipe, there are a few things I feel compelled to say. Naturally, some of my ingredients can be swapped out for lower fat or vegetarian versions — but I don’t particularly suggest it. I don’t like beans, but they would probably make a nice addition for those that do like them. Also, I tend to like my food on the spicier side of the spectrum, so beware and spice according to your own palate.

For this recipe, I chose a smoked porter. The smoked and dark malts work really well with the chili pepper and helps to enhance the flavors of the ground meats. The two beers I recommend are Stone Smoked Porter and Alaskan Smoked Porter. If either of those are not available, try substituting with a Raushbier!

SMOKED PORTER STUFFED PEPPERS

Ingredients:

• 4 Large Bell Peppers (for stuffing)
• 1 Large Bell Pepper — diced
• 1 Large Yellow Onion — diced
• 1 Poblano Pepper — diced
• 1 Jalapeno Pepper — minced
• 5 Cloves of Garlic — minced
• 1 Pound Ground Pork Sausage
• 2/3 Cup Basmati Rice
• 1 Bottle Smoked Porter
• 1/8 Cup Chipotle Pepper Puree (can be found in the Hispanic foods section of the grocery store)
• 2 (6oz) Cans Tomato Paste
• Chili Powder
• Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

1. Pour the bottle of Smoked Porter into a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add rice. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook about 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Cut the tops off of the peppers and gut them out (seeds and ribs). Cut the bottom so that the peppers can stand up, but not so much that the stuffing falls through the bottom.
4. In a medium skillet, heat oil and add the garlic and jalapeno. Saute for a minute then add the diced onions and green peppers. Sautee for about 5 minutes then add the ground pork sausage. Brown the meat. Turn off the heat and mix in the tomato paste, chipotle puree, chili powder, salt & pepper and cooked rice.
5. Stuff the peppers with the filling. Stand the peppers up inside an non-greased baking dish. (Wrap the bottom of the peppers in tin foil if they look as it they might leak.) Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top of the peppers. Bake for about 45 minutes. Option: Top peppers with cheese 10 minutes before removing from oven.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with a smoked porter! Cheers!

This year, 3,523 beers were judged in 79 different categories at the Great American Beer Festival. Breweries and brewers from all around the country received due recognition for their hard work and dedication to the art of beer.

Whereas these great accomplishments should not go ignored, I will let my fellow bloggers and the Brewers Association inform the rest of the world about the great beer feats at the festival.

You see, while the most studious among us took notes the entire time, I was too busy what we will call… errrr… “living in the moment.” Instead of reviewing beers and recapping the GABF higlights, I have decided express my own (extremely subjective) experience at GABF in the form of “spoof awards.” Because, after all, no awards ceremony is complete without a “spoof awards” presentation. Am I right?

Disclaimer: Some of these awards are more serious than others. And all of them are entirely subjective and not meant to be offensive or taken too seriously…

So without further ado, allow me to present:

The Wench’s 2010 GABF Spoof Awards

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Best Costume

Niko, 21st Amendment — Watermelon Suit

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Most Likely to Get His Mustache + Eyebrows Dyed at a Mansion Party

Josh Deth, Revolution Brewing Company

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Most Likely to be Found Smoking a Cigar

Dr. Bill Sysak

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Studliest Man in a Cowboy Hat

Three-way tie between:
Fred Bueltmann, New Holland Brewing Company
Brad Kraus
Ryan Fulmer, Uncle Billy’s Brew & Que

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Coolest Brewery Booth at GABF

Sierra Nevada
Honorable Mention: Oskar Blues

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Most Iconic Facial Expression in Pictures

Greg Koch, Stone Brewing Co. — #gregface
Honorable Mention: Ashley Routson, The Beer Wench — #wenchface

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Brewer Most Likely to Snag Bottles and Continue Pouring Outside the Convention Center

Jason Yester, Trinity Brewing

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Most Likely to Spike Beer with Spirits

Sebbie Buhler, Rogue

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Brewer Most Likely to Take off His Pants

Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head

(At least that is what the rumor was…)

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Best Socks

Random Dude with Bacon + Beer Socks

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Most Dapper Dressed Brewer

(And the only Brewer who can pull off Red Pants and a Straw Fedora)
Garrett Oliver

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Most Attractive Brewing Company

The Bruery
Honorable Mention: Port Brewing Company

(Photo stolen from: Drink Eat Travel)

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Hottest Chick Brewer

Veronica Vega, Deschutes

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Hottest Dude Brewer

Noah Regnery, PIzza Port San Clemente

Honorable Mention: Tyler King, The Bruery

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Most Disturbing “Quote” Overheard

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Cutest Chick (Denver) Bartender

Leah, Cheeky Monk

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Cutest Dude (Denver) Bartender

Colin, Great Divide Taproom

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Rowdiest Brewery (Inside and Outside of GABF)

Iron Hill
Honorable Mention: Port Brewing

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Brewery Most Likely to Randomly Pass Out in Another Brewery’s Hotel Room

(Unintentionally, of course…)

Dogfish Head

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Most Likely to Pass Out on the Hotel Stairs

Brian Kropf, Mutineer Magazine

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Brewery Most Likely to be Caught Drinking Coors Light at 4am on Saturday After Winning a Gazillion Awards at GABF

Port Brewing Company

(Photo stolen from: Drink Eat Travel)

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Most Likely to Be Found At The Bruery’s Table

Cambria, Drink Eat Travel

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Most Likely to be Caught Singing Karaoke

E.C. Crowe, The “A2″ Beer Wench (Star Bar)

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Brewer with the Most Badass Style

Jamie Floyd, Ninkasi Brewing

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Best Dreadlocks

Jason Yester, Trinity Brewing

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Most Talented Beer Chef

Sean Paxton

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Best Brewer’s Beard

Matt Brynildson, Firestone Walker

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The Man Whose Presence Was Most Missed

David “Moose” Buhler, Elysian

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Best Birthday Party

Taylor Shaw (The Art of Beer), Falling Rock Taphouse

(Picture stolen from: John M. P. Knox)

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Best “Unofficial” GABF Tasting

Dr. Bill’s Rare Beer Party

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The Only Party Where Boobs Outnumbered Beards

Beer For Boobs Brunch, Freshcraft

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Best Harry Caray Impression

Kell Bensen, Colorado Beer Week

Honorable Mention: Alex P. Davis

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Most Likely to Get Leied on His Birthday

Justin, Brewing Network
(Disclaimer: Leied not Laid)

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Most Likely to Get Her Boobs Grabbed in Public

Melissa Cole

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Most Likely to be Seen in The Cruise Room

Steve Parkes, American Brewers Guild

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Most Photographed Man (In Person & Cardboard Form)

Charlie Papazian

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Number One Way to Cause a Hangover

Last Call at Whiskey Bar

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Number One Way to Cure a Hangover

Bacon Bloody Marys at Stuebens

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Best Beer Bar in Denver (and quite possibly The World)

Falling Rock Taphouse

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Best NEW Denver Craft Beer Destination

Tie between:

FreshCraft

Star Bar

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Best Worst Idea at the End of the Night

Whiskey Bar

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Swankiest Cocktail

(Accompanied by a swanky head bob and a shimmy)

Guava Sexy, The Cruise Room

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Best Street Food in Denver

Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs

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Best Get-Away (Hideaway) Inside the Convention Center

Farm To Table Food Pavilion

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AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST…

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THE Most Epic MOMENT During GABF

(Left to Right: Vinnie, Dave, Jennifer, Natalie, Brett, Jay)

The Big Daddy + Jennifer Smith “Impromptu Wedding”

Who: Dave Keene + Jennifer Smith of Toronado

Best Man = Vinnie Chilurzo

Best Woman = Natalie Chilurzo

“Father” of the Bride = Jay Brooks

The Reverend = Brett Joyce

Where: Russian River Booth, GABF Convention Floor

When: Saturday Night

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Naturally, the list could go on forever. Have a spoof award that you would like to give out? Leave a comment below!

CHEERS!

Crowds of enthusiasts don’t visit salsa factories, and no one geeks out over the chance to meet a soda maker. There isn’t a Great American Wine Festival, and people don’t line up for the chance to buy special release potato chips.

Craft beer fans differentiate this industry from all others. From introducing craft beer to friends, to playing a crucial role in the passage of vital legislation, fans are the frontline in the movement to make the world safe for craft beer.

Using social media tools for grassroots activism, craft beer fans numbering in the millions can be more effective than the priciest ad campaigns and the most well-connected lobbyists.

During the Saturday evening session of the 2010 Great American Beer Festival, a panel of four craft beer evangelists from all aspects of the industry will fuel a discussion on how to become a craft beer activist and build a grassroots movement based on a shared love for the most diverse, delicious, and authentic beverage in the world.

The panel will take place on Saturday, September 18th at 7:30pm in the Brewers Studio Pavilion. During the panel, Short’s Brewing Company will be pouring its Anniversary Blood Orange Wheat Wine and Stone Brewing Company will be pouring samples of its 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout – the only time and venue that particular beer will be available during the Great American Beer Festival.

The Craft Beer Activism Panel consists of:

Jacob McKean, Social Media Coordinator at Stone Brewing Co.

Scott Newman-Bale, CFO & Vice President at Shorts Brewing Co.

Peter Johnson, Brewers Association Programs Manager

Ashley Routson, Founder of Drink With The Wench

Hope to see many of you there! CHEERS!

DRINK WITH THE WENCH PRESENTS:

The Beer Blogger Interview Series

Curious what goes on in the minds of your favorite beer bloggers? Well, The Beer Wench is and she has embarked upon a mission to interview as many beer bloggers that she can — from all over the world. Are you a beer blogger? Do you want to share your story? Send me an email!

INTRODCUING: JACOB MCKEAN

AUTHOR OF: THE STONE BLOG + THE BEERCHOOSER BLOG

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Jacob McKean
Internet nickname: J-Delicious
Twitter handle: @stonebrewingco, @beerchooser
Name of blog: The Stone Blog, The BeerChooser Blog
Current location: San Diego, CA

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Los Angeles

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

14

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

I split a 12-pack of fizzy yellow beer with the valet parking attendant at my classmate’s bat mitzvah.

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

Columbia University. I studied history and anthropology. I was an anti-globalization activist, rakish troublemaker, and young bon vivant. New York is a great town in which to ply those trades.

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:

Although I drank plenty of Brooklyn lager in college, my epiphany came shortly after I graduated. In the process of courting the lovely girl I now live with, I made regular visits to Chicago. She lived in Andersonville, near The Hopleaf, a Belgian-focused beer bar of legendary repute. A tulip glass of Tripel Karmeliat blew the doors off my life. I fell in love with the beer and the girl at The Hopleaf.

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

That fortuitous glass of Tripel Karmeliat turned me on to Belgian beer, but it was an AleSmith IPA that turned me on to American craft beer. Another AleSmith beer showed me just how epic beer can be: Kopi Luwak Speedway Stout, a beer made with weasel shit that tastes like rainbows. That removed any doubt that beer is, in fact, the most dynamic and delicious beverage on Earth.

Beer Blog Background

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

At Stone, 8 months. At beerchooser.com, intermittently for a couple of years, I think.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

Well, writing for Stone is my job, so fear of starvation is the prime motivation there. BeerChooser.com is a personal project designed to help people explore craft beer, especially those bewildered by the array of options and worried about wasting money on six packs they won’t like, so that’s a labor of love.

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

You’ll have to ask the creative genius who came up with “The Stone Blog.” As for “The BeerChooser Blog”, well, that’s my groundbreaking originality.

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

People love Stone. They really, really love it. So I want to give them a look behind the curtain. As a beer geek, that’s what I want to see. For BeerChooser, it’s mostly site updates, press coverage, etc…I hope BeerChooser helps people explore craft beer with more confidence, as if they have a knowledgeable friend who consistently recommends beers they love. Except that the friend is a computer/phone instead of a human being.

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

I get a paycheck from a legendary craft brewery for which I have oodles and oodles of respect. That is the coolest. Plus, I get to go to some events for my job that I would gladly pay to attend. OK, so the whole thing in general is pretty cool. But don’t think I don’t work my ass off; I do. In fact, I have very little ass remaining at this point.

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

BeerAdvocate, RateBeer, BeerNews. That’s where the tribe congregates.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

IPA, Russian Imperial Stout, American Wild Ale. Groundbreaking, I know.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Stone, Russian River, AleSmith. Cigar City should be in there as well; they’re pushing American Strong Ales—the style pioneered by Arrogant Bastard Ale—in new and devastatingly delicious directions.

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

I wish I were chopping wood at Brasserie Caracole in Belgium for their wood-fired kettles. That sounds far better than taking pictures at obscenely decadent beer and food events.

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. I recently brewed an American Pale Ale that creates wormholes in the space/time continuum every time you crack one open.

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

I have a purple belt in Taekwondo. It helps me hold my own on judging panels.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Dark Lord paired with fillet of unicorn.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Social Media Coordinator at Stone Brewing Co. I attend to my adoring fans on Facebook. In the 8 months I’ve worked at Stone, we’ve gone from 18,000 to 52,000 “Likes” on our Facebook page. My personal goal is to surpass a certain (insipid, deceptive, bullshit) lunar-themed brand with around 58,000 fans. If I do that, Greg has promised me a Fabergé egg filled with leprechaun tears from his personal collection. I’ve also been doing a lot of work on the European brewery project.

2. If you could change your career at this very moment, without any restrictions on what you could do, what would you want to do and why?

I would be an Afghan opium lord. I wrote a short story about the subject in 5th grade, and it’s been a dream ever since.

3. Are you married? Children?

Nope. Yup. Kidding.

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

I rip phone books in half for stress relief.

Off The Beaten Path

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

I would be a maple-wood smoked rye imperial brown ale fermented & lagered with a mix of Belgian, German, and American yeasts and aged in a toasted American oak barrel.

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?

Russian River Temptation. I forget the batch, but my first bottle of that beer had more white wine character than the subsequent bottles I’ve had. The smell and taste of that first bottle were so good they nearly melted my face off.

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?

Sorry, but I don’t believe in contract brewing. I think it undermines the authenticity of craft beer and misleads consumers about beers’ origins. If your name is on a beer, you should be making it yourself, on your own equipment.

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

The ability to conjure up a plate of vegan tamales and a live mariachi band at a moment’s notice.

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

I went to a baile funky (literally, “funk dance”) in a Rio slum. There were a thousand people dancing inside a crater in the middle of the favela. Teenage drug dealers were walking around, hitting on girls and firing their machine guns in the air. They had crews of younger kids with handguns stuffed into their swim trunks who were drinking cocktails, smoking joints, and sniffing glue. There was an enormous wall of speakers blasting music so loud it made your brain vibrate. The dancing was frenetic, endless, and—to put it mildly—suggestive. Compared to that spectacle, the parties you see in hip hop videos look like ice cream socials hosted by the Yale a cappella club.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

I’m a vegan. I could fuel my Hummer with a pureé of rainforest trees and endangered coral reefs, and it wouldn’t equal the environmental impact of eating animal products.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JACOB FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!

DRINK WITH THE WENCH PRESENTS:

The Beer Blogger Interview Series

Curious what goes on in the minds of your favorite beer bloggers? Well, The Beer Wench is and she has embarked upon a mission to interview as many beer bloggers that she can — from all over the world. Are you a beer blogger? Do you want to share your story? Send me an email!

INTRODUCING: THE BEER WENCH

AUTHOR OF: DRINK WITH THE WENCH

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Ashley Virginia Routson
Internet nicknames: The Beer Wench & Wenchie. (Do not even ask me how, why and when people started calling me Wenchie. The Beer Wench was meant to be a BADASS name … but somewhere along the road people decided to give me a cutsie little nickname. Crazy kids.)
Twitter handle: @TheBeerWench
Name of blog: Drink With The Wench
Current location: I am a gypsy. (But currently reside in Berkeley, CA)

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

I was born in Denver, but grew up in the town of Montgomery — just 60 miles north of Manhattan in the very beautiful and historical Hudson Valley, NY. And despite what all the the city folks love to say, I am not from UPSTATE New York. I am from DOWNSTATE.

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

I swam competitively from age 6 till I was nearly 21. My swimming career ended with a debilitating bicep injury while in college and I was forced to quit just 6 weeks before the Big Ten Swimming & Diving Championships. (I tore my bicep in the weight room and trained on it until I could not lift my arm. I couldn’t even write. It was bad.)

In middle school and high school, I was on the track team. Although sprinting was my forte, I dabbled in almost every single field event — hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, decathalon and I’m proud to say that I was the VERY FIRST female polevaulter in my school.

After quitting swimming, I played intramural ice hockey for a quarter at Ohio State. Then my senior year at Ohio State I joined the novice rowing team. After a month on the novice squad, the varsity coach moved me up. An ankle injury was my ultimate downfall and I got surgery just one month before the season started. Instead of quitting, I ended up holding my place on the varsity squad as a coxswain. And no, I did not just yell “stroke stroke stroke” the entire time.

What else? I grew up on a river and have sweet canoeing skills.

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

Technically, I had my first taste of beer while in the womb. Apparently, my mother’s doctor told her it was safe for her to have a half of beer a day during pregnancy. And naturally, my mother indulged. My father wasn’t too thrilled about coming home to a half of a warm beer sitting on the counter, though.

To this day, my mom attests that beer sent her in labor. Whether or not this is true, is debatable. Regardless, I was born to be The Beer Wench.

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

The first beer I actually remember drinking was Samuel Adams Boston Lager. My mother went to Boston College and my parents eloped in Boston. Despite the fact that my mother was born and raised in NYC, she has a weird loyalty to Boston (picks the Red Sox over both the Yankees and the Mets).

Samuel Adams was my mother’s beer of choice. Spaten was my father’s beer of choice. Those were the only two beers that I saw in my house growing up.

Speaking of Spaten and my Dad, that is a great story as well. My Dad rarely ever drinks anything other than Spaten. I’ve never known anyone so loyal to one brand of beer than my father. Our garage refrigerator is always stocked with it. Like always. My Dad brings his own beers to parties because he does not trust anyone else’s tastes. On my 21st birthday, instead of getting kegs of cheap beer for my college-aged cheap friends, he got Spaten. My Dad even brought Spaten to my cousin’s wedding.

Needless to say, I grew up being exposed to “good” beer and craft beer growing up.

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 love this question. Why? Because I love to live in the “glory days.” I am extremely proud of my achievements at The Ohio State University. I graduated with two B.A. degrees, varsity letters in 2 different sports and I was also involved in several school organizations. I guess you can call me an overachiever.

For this question, I will copy and paste from my resume:

The Ohio State University, 2001 – 2005, Columbus, OH
B.A., Psychology/B.A., Criminology, GPA: 3.6, Cum Laude

*Big Ten Scholar Athlete Award 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
*Ohio State Scholar Athlete Award 2002, 2003, 2004 ,2005
*Ohio State Varsity Swimming & Diving 2001-2004
*Ohio State Varsity Rowing 2004-2005
*Most Improved OSU Female Swimmer 2002
*Buckeye Power Club Award 2003
*Student-Athlete Advisory Board, Marketing Chair
*Romophos Sophmore Honorary (social chair)
*Bucket & Dipper Junior Honorary
*Mortar Board National Senior Honorary
*National Society of Collegiate Scholars
*Golden Key International Honor Society

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:

My first craft beer epiphany was with DogFish Head’s Midas Touch. At the time I discovered it, I was managing a restaurant in Columbus, OH. I was also studying for sommelier certification and extremely into wine. This was back in the day when DogFish Head did not have a wide distribution and its specialty beers were extremely limited and hard to find. My restaurant was able to secure two cases of Midas Touch (which back then was a lot to get).

Being the “beverage manager,” I made sure to do my research about the beer before it came in. The concept of the beer completely blew my mind. I learned that it was brewed based on an ancient recipe from a DNA analysis of scrapings from barrels in King Midas’ tomb. The ingredients themselves were so weird for beer: honey, saffron, white muscat grapes and barley.

Now you must remember, I was an uber wine geek at that time. So they idea of a “winey beer” really excited me. The flavor delivered as well. This beer completely changed the way I thought about beer and encouraged e to push my beer palate to the extreme.

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

The next beer epiphany was Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale. It was my first taste of an American IPA. It was this beer that turned me into a total hophead. Over the course of two years, while still in Ohio, I probably consumed at least one pint of it a day. No joke. My two favorite beer bars (in my early Drink With The Wench days) always had it on tap. And I used to drink it like water.

My greatest craft beer epiphany BY FAR has to be the first time I ever tasted THE GUEUZE. It was at The Map Room in Chicago in May of 2008. I was in town for the National Restaurant Association Show. Somehow my coworker stumbled upon Brian VanZandbergen of Merchant Du Vin and raved to him about me being a beer blogger.

At this time, I was a total hophead and extreme beer fan. The closest I got to drinking Belgian beers was Unibroue’s La Fin Du Monde and Trois Pistols — which are Belgian styles, not Belgian beers. And I most certainly never touched English of German beers. I wanted my crazy hoppy, big alcohol, over the top flavored beers.

You see, I consider myself to be of the “DogFish Head Generation.” I started drinking extreme beers and completely skipped over the “classic styles.”

Once Brian realized how amateur my palate actually was, he made it his mission to school me on beer. And so my coworker and I piled into his car for a memorable night of beer bar crawling and beer tasting throughout Chicago.

As fate would have it, we ran into Stephen Beaumont — renowned beer writer — at Goose Island brewery. Since then, Stephen has served as an inspiration, tremendous resource and mentor to me. Stephen was also there for my gueuze epiphany.

Long story short (okay I guess it’s a bit late for that), we found ourselves at The Map Room. Brian set us up with a line up of 8 different Merchant Du Vin imported Belgian beers. One of them was Cuvee Renee, Lindeman’s gueuze. From the first sip, I became consumed and obsessed by the gueuze.

And the rest is history.

Beer Blog Background

1. How long have you been writing Drink With The Wench?

I started the website in February of 2007. It was originally titled “The Columbus Beer Wench.”

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

I am a writer. I love writing. And I happen to think that I have an affinity for it. I used to write a random stream of thoughts blog but, after a few months of doing that I decided to really focus my writing skills on one subject.

So I chose beer. Why? Well once I started studying beer, I became obsessed. After I left the restaurant for the marketing and advertising world, I still wanted to be involved in beer. I started hosting tastings and events around town. And then I started my website to help promote my events, recap my events as well as record my tasting notes and experiences.

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

Around the time I started writing her blog, I was working for a marketing and advertising agency. As a result of my job, I understood the importance of establishing a brand (as well as the proper steps of doing it).And so, I sat down one night and forced myself to come up with an Internet beer identity. I wanted something that was relevant to beer, yet playful and ‘rough around the edges’ — just like me. To me, the name Beer Wench is unpretentious and rowdy. However, don’t let the word Wench fool you. The Wench knows her beer.

As for the name Drink With The Wench, that used to be the name of the events I would host around Columbus. When I realized that The Beer Wench URL was taken, I opted for Drink With The Wench.

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

The original goal of the blog was to force me to learn more about beer. When I started it, I was an amateur. I learn best when I take notes and, more importantly, when I teach others. The blog was originally a “virtual notebook” of my beer studies as well as a resource for me to organize beer tastings and beer events where I would teach others what I had learned.

I’m proud to say that I’m no longer a novice and, at the moment, I consider myself to be a beer connoisseur. The goal of my blog now is to spread the good word of craft beer — whether it be through beer tasting notes, beer news, beer event coverage, beer industry interviews, beer & food pairings, recipes with beer.

I love writing. I hope that my blog will help me turn my hobby into a career. Ideally, I would love to write about beer for a living (aka get paid for it). Michael Jackson is a huge mentor and inspiration of mine. I have said this many times before — my ultimate goal is to become Michael Jackson meets Ray Daniels with a little bit of Anthony Bourdain thrown in. I would love to get paid to travel the world, touring breweries, attending beer events, judging beers, hosting beer dinners & beer pairings etc… and then write all about my experiences. Eventually, I want to be published as well.

So if anyone knows how to make this dream a reality, please PLEASE help a Wench out!

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

I would say it definitely has to be all the people I’ve met. I have traveled all over the country and have met a tremendous amount of important beer industry folks — brewers, writers, bloggers etc. I love the beer industry. The people in it are truly amazing. It takes a special kind of person to dedicate their life to craft beer!

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

This is a really hard question. Especially since I started this beer bloggers series. I have been finding all sorts of exciting & interesting beer websites as a result.

For news, my favorite beer resource is: BeerNews.Org

For podcasts, my favorite beer resource is: The Brewing Network

As for blogs, my “favorite” beer resource is: Brookston Beer Bulletin (Jay Brooks has been blogging about beer longer than I’ve been legal to drink. He has a HUGE archive)

I know I said 3, but I must throw in a fourth beer resource. My favorite (alive) beer writer is Stephen Beaumont from The World of Beer. He is “new” to blogging, but has been writing about beer professionally for decades. And he is damn good at it!

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

1. Gueuze — I grew up in a “dairy country” New York. The smell of barnyard funk is relatively nostalgic for me. My neighbor across the street had horses as well. I’m oddly attracted to “manure” and grassy hay smells. My favorite wine regions — Rhone, Burgundy and Piedment — are known for producing “Bretty” wines. What can I say? I heart Brett.
2. American IPA — Specifically, the American IPAs hopped with Pacific Northwest varietals. I’m a huge fan of super high alpha acid hops. Love pine, resin and grapefruit flavors and aromas.
3. Saison — Back to the “barnyard” funk obsession. I love this style because of the Belgian yeast fruity esters aroma as well.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

This is a really tough question. American or European?

American (in no particular order) =

• Russian River Brewing Company
• DogFish Head Brewery
• 21st Amendment

European (in no particular order) =

• Drie Fontien
• Westmalle
• Orval

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

Where would my skills and talents best be used and appreciated? Probably with DogFish Head. My writing in fairly witty and they “get” social media. I think it would be really fun to work in the Marketing “department” of DogFish Head. I love their creativity and passion. And I would love to work along side Mariah Calagione!

However, I have fallen in love with living on the West Coast. (Although, I would leave it for a job in the industry — hint hint). So if I was to stay on the West Coast, I would probably enjoy working for Stone Brewing Co. Same idea as with DFH. They are creative and “get” social media. And I love Dr. Bill and Greg Koch.

Can I do one more? New Belgium in Fort Collins would be an awesome place to work. I really admire their dedication to sustainability. I ride my bike every chance I get and would love to work somewhere that not only appreciates that, but encourages it. And I would love to help them take their social media presence to the next level.

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

Not yet. Being a gypsy has made it hard to aquire the proper equiptment and I have no yet had the proper room for it or storage space. Soon, though. Soon.

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

Cicerone Certified Beer Server!!!

I’m in the process of pursuing Cicerone Certification. Follow my adventures at In Pursuit of Cicerone Certification.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

My favorite pairing, by far, is beer mussels & gueuze (or saison).

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Aye, therein lies the rub. I have no day job. No income source. Sigh.

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, my ideal job would be Michael Jackson meets Anthony Bourdain. I would love to travel the world writing about beer (possibly doing videos as well).

I would also love to do social media marketing, copy writing and traditional marketing for a craft brewery. I am super bummed that I missed the opportunity to do so with Stone, but hopefully another craft brewery will create a similar position (hint hint).

3. Are you married? Children?

Oh hell no. And hell no. I want to trade my uterus for an extra liver.

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

I am still a wine connoisseur, although it has been quite some time since I’ve truly wine geeked out. I’m an avid cook and and even more avid eater. I love developing recipes with beer. I like taking beer adventures on my bike (not a good combination, I know. Hence all my scars). I also love hockey skating, but rarely get the chance.

During college football season, I spend a good deal of time watching football. I am obsessed with Ohio State Football — to a fault. I can throw a better spiral than most boys I know (but I just can’t throw the ball as far).

I am also getting into both scotch and cigars.

Off The Beaten Path

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

If I were a beer style, I would be Orval — the only beer that is its own style. My creation story is stuff of childhood fantasies (the Countess, the wedding band, the trout). I am the only Trappist beer to be dry-hopped, which makes me earthy & spicy. The Belgian candy sugar gives me an underlying sweetness.

But the real kicker, is the Brett. Since I was inoculated with Brett at bottling, I am constantly changing in the bottle. Today I taste like an English IPA, but tomorrow I might be sour and reek of horse blanket. The wild yeast makes me funky and unpredictable, Yet, since I was purposefully inoculated by the Monks, it means that there is method in my madness.

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?

Definitely a gueuze. Although Drie Fontenien is my favorite, I might go for Lindeman’s Cuvee Renee because it was my first gueuze and it holds a special place in my heart. I would die after a moment of nostalgia and great memories.

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?

Ah yes, I finally get to answer this question. I’ve been really impressed by a few people’s answers on this question. The best answer by far was by Alex P. Davis. I was going to steal his idea, but instead I’m going to make my own recipe.

The base beer would be a Saison. I would brew the beer in Colorado because that is where I was born and I want to use Rocky Mountain water. Primary fermentation would be with traditional Saison yeast. The beer would then be put into Chateauneuf-Du-Pape wine barrels (my all time favorite wine region) with Brettonomyces and Hudson Valley unpasteurized apple cider (for extra fermentable sugars … not sure if it would work because I don’t know the technical details of Brett and re-fermentation in barrels). The final product would be dry hopped with rose petals (my birth flower).

Yeah, that sounds pretty cool to me.

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

Flight of teleportation. That way I can travel the world and do all the things I dream about doing.

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

Jumped off an 80 foot cliff. I was one of those kids growing up (okay maybe I’m still that way) that tried to out-do everyone. “Anything you can do, I can do better.” Cliff jumping was a hobby of mine in my later high school days. Naturally, it was illegal and very dangerous.

My friends and I went to a new spot that we heard about. We all started on the small cliff — about 30 feet. Then me and a few others decided to bump up our game and try the 50 foot. No biggy.

I decided it would be awesome to swim across the river, climb up the steep hill and attempt to jump off the 80 foot cliff. Why? Because I had to show off. I though I was such a badass.

I slipped when I jumped and ended up hitting the water at an angle. You have to understand, water becomes as hard as concrete from that height. When I hit the water, my contacts blew off of my eyes, my wind was completely knocked out and I was completely paralyzed. I thought I was going to drown. And as a competitive swimmer, drowning is your greatest nightmare.

Some boys across the river (on the small cliff side) jumped in the water and pulled me out. I could not walk for almost a week. And the whole left side of my body was a giant black and blue bruise. My ribs were bruised. I was a mess.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

I am utterly obsessed with it.

Thanks to everyone for reading “my story”! Sorry my interview was so long winded. But what can I say, I am a writer after all. And the one subject I can write a lot about is myself

CHEERS!

DRINK WITH THE WENCH PRESENTS:

The Beer Blogger Interview Series

Curious what goes on in the minds of your favorite beer bloggers? Well, The Beer Wench is and she has embarked upon a mission to interview as many beer bloggers that she can — from all over the world. Are you a beer blogger? Do you want to share your story? Send me an email!

Welcome to the second of three beer blogger interviews in a series featuring the brilliant (and ultra sexy) minds behind one of the hottest internet beer-themed video podcasts: New Brew Thursday.

Each and every Thursday, the boys from New Brew Thursday take their thirsty viewers on an adventure through beer geekdom. Some how, the boys seem to get their hands on some pretty rare and unique cult beers — and we are all forced to live vicariously through their video podcast tastings. Expect to see The Wench on a few of their shows in the very near future!

INTRODUCING: JOHN HOLZER

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: John Holzer Jr
Twitter handle: @johnholzer
Name of blog: New Brew Thursday @ newbrewthursday.com
Current location: Moreno Valley, CA

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Grew up mostly in Fontana, CA, but I was born in San Dimas, CA, which is home to the AWESOME store, Lone Hill Liquor. Spent a majority of my life in the good ol’ Inland Empire.

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

I was never really into sports as a kid, and I’m not really all that into sports now. Sometimes I wish I were more into sports, or at least watching them. Looks like a lot of fun to be so involved with your favorite teams. But, whatever…

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

I was 16 years old.

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 don’t even remember what kind of beer it was–something cheap. Probably Budweiser or PBR. My friend and I got to have the beers left over after a Christmas party that his parent had as reward for cleaning up after the party. The beer sucked. It was a mystery to me why anyone would drink beer. My feelings have obviously changed over time…

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

I didn’t go to college. I wasn’t a bad student or anything. I graduated High school with High Honors and never missed a day of school. College just wasn’t for me. I fix and upgrade elevators now and play in a punk rock band called “Better Luck Next Time”. We’ve toured around the world and have a lot of fun. I don’t regret not pursuing higher education.

Craft Beer Epiphany

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

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

I remember it clearly: I was at The Grove in Anaheim, California to see Carrot Top [don't hate--you know you all laughed at his comedy at least once in your life. Plus now, he could kick your ass... ;)].

I went with a few friends of mine, all of which drank Bud Light and Coors Light and such. One friend that was there, Jeremy, asked if I had ever tried New Castle. I said no and he ordered me a pint from the bar. The show was a dinner show, so we were served dinner during the performance.

We were eating barbecue chicken. When I tried the beer, I couldn’t believe how good it was and much it was NOT Bud Light. I was also impressed by how well it went with the food I was eating. Before then, I always kind of looked at craft brew at the time as something weird and outlandish. Only weirdos and alcoholics drank that stuff. I was 21 at the time and really had no idea why I thought the way i did about Craft beer.

Call it ignorance. Needless to say from that moment on, I would never look at Craft beer the same.

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

I got stuck in a rut for a long time of drinking very, very light and fizzy beers. Mostly because of the calories. I would drink the occasional New Castle here and there, but when I was with my friends–who to this day don’t understand why I love craft brew–Bud Light was the beer of choice.

I woke up one morning after a night of drinking and felt horrible. I don’t usually get hangovers, and this morning was no exception. I had a splitting headache that did not go away until later that night. Nothing else, just a bad headache. After a few more weekends of the reoccurring headache, I had a feeling it was the type of beer I was drinking. I wasn’t even drinking a lot. The smallest amount of Bud Light seemed to just trigger something. So from that day on, I stopped drinking Bud Light and switch to my now all time favorite beer, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

After consistently drinking good quality Craft brew, I noticed that I was spend a lot more time tasting the beer instead of just drinking it. That’s probably because there was something there to actually taste instead of the watery fizzy liquid that would give me a buzz. I haven’t had a Bud Light since, but that doesn’t mean I never will. There’s a time and place for everything. I just don’t see a time or place anytime soon that would facilitate me drinking a Bud Light…

Beer Blog Background

1. How long have you been involved with New Brew Thursday?

Well, I just recent joined New Brew Thursday about two months ago. So, two months, I suppose.

2. What inspired you to join New Brew Thursday?

I loved watching New Brew Thursday before I was a member of the show. I thought it was so cool that I had some type of guideline to follow for finding and tasting new beer. I looked forward to the show every week and was excited to come home from work, pick up the new brew for that show and try it. Now that I’m on the show, I’m thrilled to know that others are having the same experience I had back then and am still having now on the show.

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

New Brew Thursday. Does it need an explanation? Stephen is the man to ask about the history behind New Brew Thursday.

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

I think Stephen and Brad would both agree with me when I say that I think our ultimate goal is to inform as many people as possible about great, quality Craft beer, and to spread the idea of drinking what YOU like, not what others tell you to like. It’s all very punk rock.

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

Shooting episodes on location at craft beer bars and breweries is awesome. I think so far, shooting at Stone Brewing Co. with Dr. Bill Sysak was the best.

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

beeradvocate.com
hop-cast.com
drinkwiththewench.com

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

Ale, Strong Ale, Stout.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Stone Brewing Company. Still searching for my third…

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

I don’t think I have any aspirations to work at a brewery. However, I would love to learn how to make some great home brew and just learn the techniques behind brewing beer. So, to answer the question, I think I’d want to learn from a local brewery in the I.E. [Inland Empire] called Inland Empire Brewing Co.. They make stellar beers, they’re awesome people, and are very brand new to the beer scene. Since they are so small and so passionate about beer, I think they would be the best people to get me on the right track to brewing great beer.

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

Not a Home Brewer, but I would like to be someday.

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

Not a one. But I can see myself pursuing some kind of certification in the future.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

To date, my favorite beer and food pairing is The Lost Abbey’s Angel’s Share Ale with caramel cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. It’s freaking heaven in my mouth.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

I build, repair and modernize elevators. I also play in a punk rock band known as Better Luck Next Time.

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 think if I wanted to do anything full time, it would something involving art and computers. This could be graphic arts, video and film making, web design, or anything along those lines. I was not exposed to things like Photoshop until I was well out of school. So if I did go to college, I would pursue something in the arts. I’m a big Photoshop fan.

3. Are you married? Children?

Not married. No Kids. I have a steady girlfriend of 6 years. She’s rad. Her name is Yvonne.

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

Like I’ve said before, I’m in a band so I love playing music. I’m really into New Brew Thursday too–not only for the show, but because I get to do a lot of the back-end production stuff. I’m no expert, but it’s fun and lets me play with my toys and gadgets.

Off The Beaten Path

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

I would be an Pale Ale. I get along pretty well with anyone, and I’m not too scary… unlike some of those Stouts out there…

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?

Stone Brewing Co. Double Bastard Ale. Probably the most delicious beer ever. It would also help a lot in numbing any pain I might feel while I’m being executed.

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

Superman. Hands down. Everything he does, i want to do. Flying is probably at the top of that list.

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

This might not be very crazy, but playing a festival called Punkspring in Japan in front of 10,000 people with some of the biggest punk rock bands of all time was EPIC for me. I drank so much free booze that night that it’s a wonder I lived to tell about it…

5 What are your thoughts on bacon?

It’s the other white meat, and goes surprisingly well with chocolate.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JOHN FOR HIS AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!

DRINK WITH THE WENCH PRESENTS:

The Beer Blogger Interview Series

Curious what goes on in the minds of your favorite beer bloggers? Well, The Beer Wench is and she has embarked upon a mission to interview as many beer bloggers that she can — from all over the world. Are you a beer blogger? Do you want to share your story? Send me an email!

Welcome to the first of three beer blogger interviews in a series featuring the brilliant (and ultra sexy) minds behind one of the hottest internet beer-themed video podcasts: New Brew Thursday.

Each and every Thursday, the boys from New Brew Thursday take their thirsty viewers on an adventure through beer geekdom. Some how, the boys seem to get their hands on some pretty rare and unique cult beers — and we are all forced to live vicariously through their video podcast tastings. Expect to see The Wench on a few of their shows in the very near future!

INTRODUCING: STEPHEN JOHNSON

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Stephen Johnson
Internet nickname: “darthweef”
Twitter handle: @newbrewthursday
Name of blog: New Brew Thursday
Current location: Moreno Valley, Ca

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Cerritos, Ca

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

I played peewee soccer, but sucked. Then in Jr High played Football.

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

9

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

Um.. Awkward. LOL I was 9 when I had my first beer, and I hated it. It was a Budweiser product of some sort. I swiped from my parent’s fridge and hid it in a snow boot in my closet (called moon boots back then) where it was forgotten for about 2 weeks. When I did find it, I basically drank a can of warm, old Budweiser.

Looking back on it, I think later in life that incident curbed me away from the crap massed produced beer & I have never really been a macro beer drinker.

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

I attended SCTC in Mankato, MN for Computer Programming. I also attended MSU to handle general stuff.

Craft Beer Epiphany

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

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

I have always bee considered a “beer snob” by my friends since I refused the Coors and Bud products and would drink Newcastle or Guinness. My craft beer epiphany came from a Home Brew festival I attended a few years back.

I was trying a home brewed porter and talking to the brewer and I started complaining that good beers could be found at the Home brewer festival. The Brewer asked me what I normally drank and I told him Newcastle or Guinness (notably proud of myself) and he chuckled, took me aside and from his cooler, introduced me to about 4 different craft beers from Sierra Nevada, of course, Stone brewing company, and a couple of others that I don’t remember.

Needless to say, I was blown away! I couldn’t believe that commercial beer could have that much complexity, flavor and intensity. I was sold. From then on, I searched everywhere to find a place that I could find “Craft beer” which at that point I thought was a California thing. LOL

Since then, I have learned much, but am still beer child wandering through a Willie Wonka like land of Craft beer, each one making me happier then the last.

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

The only other unique event was when I was first able to help someone else find the thrill of Craft Beer. I had a close friend who was a Coors light fiend. He agreed to expand his horizons, once a week, as long as I paid for the beer. So once a week we would get together and try out a new beer that neither of us had ever had. He converted, and even introduced me to a wider range of craft beers.

Beer Blog & Video Podcast Background

1. How long have you been working on New Brew Thursday?

I tend to forget that New Brew Thursday is also a blog, since we focus pretty solely on the video show. But New Brew Thursday actually started out as a twitter / flickr project where we would post the new beer that we were drinking each week and what we thought of it. We discovered that people were actually paying attention to both, and following along, so we started taking our obligation to post more seriously, and it evolved to the blog then to the show. The official site went up in May of 2009, but we were doing the twitter / flickr thing for about a year before that.

2. What inspired you to start New Brew Thursday?

I kind of answered that above, but to add, the inspiration came from a single tweet on a Thursday night, later, that asked why we hadn’t posted a beer for the night. When I realized that I could reach a larger group of people, and help them to see the wonderful world of beer for what is truly, rather then what the In-Bev and Coors-Miller want you to think it is, I knew I had an obligation.

3. Why did you chose the name New Brew Thursday?

The name came from the fact that every Thursday night me and my buddies would get together and try a “new brew” … so New Brew Thursday.

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

My immediate goal, is to help one person each show find the beer that will be the beer that creates their own craft beer epiphany. I feel like if I can convert at least one person each time I put out a show (or at least on average), then all the time and money is worthwhile.

Ultimately, I love to see the audience grow, and have the show turn into something more mainstream, allowing me the opportunity to be more involved in the craft beer industry.

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

I have three, so bear with me.

• I got recognized at GABF. Which sounds vain, but what that person doesn’t know is that they saved the show. NBT was on hiatus, and I was without cast members to start it back up, so I was actually considering dropping the show all together and just going back to twitter / flickr thing. When he came up, and acted like he was meeting a celebrity, he told me how much he loved the show and how he shows it to his friends and they are getting more into Craft Beer, it really validated my need to do the show, and I left GABF more enthused to do the show then ever.
• I got to film an episode at the Stone World Gardens and Bistro, with Dr. Bill Sysak. There is nothing quite like kicking back with the beer Dr. himself drinking Double Bastard and eating food that he paired with it. EPIC!
• I have met some of the most amazing people in the world, like the Beer Wench, over the last couple of months, thanks to the show. That has been the best part of the show.

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

Drink with the Wench (honestly, this is not just a suck up.
Confessions of a Beer Geek
Draft Magazines blogs

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

This is a tough question for me, since it changes a lot. Right now…
Porters (this never changes)
Bourbon barrel aged beer
Barleywine

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Stone Brewing Company
The Lost Abbey
Dogfish Head

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

I think I would like to work for Dogfish Head. They are still on the extreme edge, while producing great beers. I love that. Although I will never leave SoCal, so they would have to move here.

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

Technically, yes. I am home brewer. So far none of my brews have been good enough to even call beer. So I am on a learning journey with that.

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

I am working towards my Cicerone certification, and to be a Beer Judge. But right now, still working towards it.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

The Lost Abbey’s Bourbon Angel’s Share with Dulce De Leche Caramel Cheescake.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

I own a software development company called “The Lone Coder LLC”.

2. If you could change your career at this very moment, without any restrictions on what you could do, what would you want to do and why?

I would want NBT to be my career. I initially thought I would answer Brewer to this question, but ultimately, my passion comes from helping people see how wonderful craft beer is, not from making my own.

3. Are you married? Children?

I am married with three furry kids (dogs) .

4. Outside of beer, video podcasting and Twitter, what are some of your other hobbies?

Is there anything else..

I play disc golf, love photography and want to get back into Mountain Bike riding and Motocycling.

Off The Beaten Path

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

I would be a Baltic porter. I come from harsh beginnings but I finish sweet and love to be paired with dark cholocate.

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 choose a Coors Light..   Since death is not as bad as Coors Light, it would give me something to look forward to when the beer was done.

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?

It would be a DIPA, and I might consider Dry-Hopping it.

It would punch your taste buds in the face and then smile at you, and you would love every minute of it.

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

I want to be able to read peoples minds.

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

When I was 11 I spent the night in a customs jail when my “ride” was caught smuggling drugs and illegal immigrants into the country.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

Bacon is the universes way of telling you that no matter how bad things get, it will always be ok in the end.

SPECIAL THANKS TO STEPHEN FOR HOSTING AN AMAZING BEER PODCAST AND ENTERTAINING ME ALL OVER THE INTERNET!

CHEERS!