Five years ago today, I launched this website.

If you asked me back then, where I thought I would be in five years, I would never have thought I’d be where I am today. But, that is a good thing – a very good thing.

The embarrassing truth is that I really, really wanted to start a wine blog called Confessions of a Vinophile. And even though I knew a lot about wine for my age, intimidation got the best of me and crushed my dream of becoming the next Jancis Robinson.

Dying to express my love of something, heck anything, through writing, I decided to start a blog about my second favorite subject: craft beer.

Having had a short, yet insightful, experience in advertising, I understood the value of creating a brand and a brand voice. Thus began the path of self-branding. It took several hours of googling and brainstorming, but ultimately, I found the perfect name: The Beer Wench.

Many people ask me why I chose the Beer Wench moniker, but, to this day, I don’t have a better argument other than I just like the name.

Wait no, I love the name.

As a slave, errrrr employee of the restaurant industry for nearly 6 years, being a beer wench seemed pretty fitting. And now that I’ve been using the name for five years, I’d like to think that I’ve helped redefine the term. In my mind, the term beer wench no longer stands for a busty, scantly clad woman that serves beer. In today’s modern world, a beer wench is an educated and skilled craft beer evangelist on a mission to revolutionize the beer industry through education, innovation & advocacy.

Over the past five years, every job I’ve had and every person I’ve met and worked with have all had an integral role in developing me into the person I am today. Today, I sit before this computer as a craft beer professional, gainfully and gratefully employed for two years by Bison Organic Beer. Today, Drink With The Wench is one of the highest ranked, most read beer blogs on the Internet. Today, I am honored to be a freelance writer for both CraftBeer.com (run by the Brewers Association) and the Whole Foods blog. This March, I will be presenting at the Craft Brewers Conference for the first time – quite possibly the most important and pinnacle event of my, albeit young, career in craft beer.

I’m extremely grateful for all the people who have inspired and helped me along the way. Without even so much as one of these people, I might never have gotten to where I am today. I hope you all know who you are when I say this: Thank You.

Thank YOU for supporting me. Thank YOU for believing in me. And thank YOU for being my inspiration, my mentor, and my friend.

Xoxo,

The Wench

Taste and tweet about holiday beers and food pairings on December 18^th

Tis the season to be jolly, and nothing makes the fa-la-la-la-la’s quite as merry as a frothy glass of holiday ale. In celebration of the season, Whole Foods Market has teamed up again with yours truly to co-host a virtual beer tasting LIVE on Twitter.

On Dec. 18 from 7-8 p.m. CST, join Whole Foods Market (@WholeFoods) and myself (@TheBeerWench) as we chat about favorite holiday beers, cooking with holiday beer recipes, and holiday beer pairings. Simultaneously taste four unique and festive ales while tweeting alongside the folks behind the breweries that make them.

To participate, pick up one or all of the featured holiday beers and tweet your experience using the hashtag #WFMBeer. Every 15 minutes, the focus of the tasting will shift to a different beer. The schedule is as follows.

• 6:00 p.m. PST: New Belgium (@newbelgium) Snow Day
• 6:15 p.m. PST: Bison (@bisonbrew) Gingerbread Ale
• 6:30 p.m. PST: 21^st Amendment (@21stAmendment) Fireside Chat
• 6:45 p.m. PST: Deschutes (@DeschutesBeer) Jubelale

Whether spent cuddling next to the fireplace, entertaining a household of family and friends, or airing your grievances around the Festivus pole, these festive winter ales are sure to bring extra sparkle to your holiday season.

If you can’t find one of the recommended beers above, simply ask your local Whole Foods Market beer specialist to make a holiday beer recommendation and then join the conversation on Twitter. Don’t forget the hashtag #WFMBeer.

And don’t for get to leave one of these beers out for Santa – rumor has it, he loves craft beer too.

Participation is limited to those 21 years or older.

Taste and tweet about Oktoberfest beers with talented women in the craft beer industry on Oct. 4

In honor of the world’s largest beer festival, Whole Foods Market is teaming up with yours truly to host a mini-Oktoberfest celebration live on Twitter. We  partnered with four U.S. craft breweries that share two things in common – all produce an awesome American-style Oktoberfest beer and all have women tweeting behind the brand.

On Oct. 4, from 7-8 p.m. CST, join Whole Foods Market (@WholeFoods) and me (@TheBeerWench) as we taste and tweet through four delicious American-style Oktoberfest beers with amazing and talented women in the craft beer industry. Tweet alongside beer professionals, beer enthusiasts and foodies to learn more about Oktoberfest traditions, cooking with beer, beer pairings, and the integral role women have played in the history of beer.

To participate, pick up one or all of the featured Oktoberfest beers and tweet your experience using the hashtag #WFMBeer. Every 15 minutes, the focus of the tasting will shift to a different beer. The schedule is as follows:

7:00 p.m. CST: Left Hand (@LeftHandBrewing) Oktoberfest
Woman behind the Twitter avatar: Emily Armstrong
7:15 p.m. CST: Victory Brewing (@VictoryBeer) Festbier
Woman behind the Twitter avatar: Karen Noonan
7:30 p.m. CST: Great Lakes (@GLBC_Cleveland) Oktoberfest
Woman behind the Twitter avatar: Marissa DeSantis
7:45 p.m. CST: Flying Dog (@flyingdog) Dogtoberfest
Women behind the Twitter avatar: Erin Biles & Holly Manthei

If you can’t find one of the recommended beers above, simply ask your local Whole Foods Market beer specialist to make an Oktoberfest recommendation and then join the conversation on Twitter. Just don’t forget the hashtag #WFMBeer.

Interested in learning more about women craft brewers? Check out Whole Foods Market’s featured film during its Do Something Reel Film Festival this month. “The Love of Beer” is a documentary that follows women as they struggle to end stereotypes, handle their rising fame and raise a family in the craft beer scene. The film is available to digital audiences with exclusive filmmaker interviews on iTunes and other platforms for $3.99 in standard definition and $4.99 in HD. Visit dosomethingreel.com for more information.

Participation is limited to those 21 years or older.

———————————————–

If you have any questions on how to use and track hashtags, do not hesitate to contact me or leave a comment below. Here is a site that provides basic information for tracking hastags. Personally, I think Tweetdeck is the best tool to use when trying to follow and participate in a #WFMBeer tasting. Just add a column to your Tweetdeck searching for #WFMBeer, and you will get a live stream of all the people talking about the live tasting.

Screen Shot from Tweetdeck

Once again, if you have any questions about participating, do not hesitate to contact me!!!!

Cheers!

As you can imagine, I get my fair share of requests from PR companies looking to promote this that and the other thing on my blog. For the most part, brewery press releases excluded, these pitches are either irrelevant to the goals of my site and less than appealing (ok, most of them are junk). But, from time to time, I find some of these emails to be rather amusing and sharable.

I recently received an email about an Oktoberfest Inforgraphic. As the beer wench and a lover of all things German, I was intrigued. Furthermore, the creators of the infographic stated: “This infographic shows interesting facts about the Oktoberfest – the world’s largest beer fest – including a detailed map of the area and some guidelines to dress properly bavarian-style for this occasion. Furthermore the infographic gives advice about interesting places to visit in Munich.” And then I became more intrigued.

Until, of course, I clicked on the infographic to learn that it was written completely in German. Despite barely being able to decipher a word on it, I still found the infographic festive and fun — and entertaining enough to share. Hopefully you will too!

CHEERS!

Move over mimosas and bellinis, Champagne isn’t the only sparkling beverage worthy of the brunch table. Fruit beers and ciders boast the same fruity effervescence worthy of washing down your Belgian waffles, chocolate chip pancakes, eggs Benedict, and yes folks, all things bacon!!

On August 23, from 6-7 p.m. CST, join Whole Foods Market and myself as we taste and tweet through an array of fruit beers and ciders, challenging our friends and fans to think outside the typical brunch beverage box. Tweet alongside foodies and beer lovers as the beer-loving community discusses breakfast beer and cider pairings, cooking with beer, and more.

To participate, pick up one or all of the featured fruit beers and ciders and tweet your experience using the hashtag #WFMBeer. Every 15 minutes, the focus of the tasting will shift to a different beverage. The schedule is as follows:

5:00 p.m. PST: Fox Barrel Ginger Blackcurrant
Follow: @FoxBarrel

5:15 p.m. PST: Widmer Marionberry Hibiscus Gose
Follow: @Widmer_Brothers

5:30 p.m. PST: Crispin Honey Crisp Cider
Follow: @CrispinCider

5:45 p.m. PST: MOA  Breakfast Beer
Follow: @MOABEER

Even if you don’t have a delicious fruit beer or cider in hand, join the conversation on Twitter. Just don’t forget the hashtag #WFMBeer.

Participation is limited to those 21 years or older.

As many of you might know by now, I’ve been extremely distracted these days working on my side project BeerMixology.com. And it seems to be “paying off” as more and more food & beverage publications have been catching onto the beer cocktail movement.

I’m excited and honored to share with you a recipe designed for DRAFT Magazine, who published the recipe in the May issue of the magazine and is currently featuring it in the recipe section of their website.

Before revealing the recipe, I’m going to include a brief intro to the cocktail, which was not actually published in the magazine. Cheers!

Move over April showers, spring is in full bloom and the Saison season is upon us! Saisons were traditionally made as a safe, low alcohol, source of hydration for farm workers during the hot harvest months in a time when water dangerous because it was riddled with bacteria. Characterized mostly by the farmhouse strains of yeast used in fermentation, Saisons are typically pale in color, very well carbonated, and boast fruity and spicy aromas and flavors, with little to no hop presence, expect in some American versions.

Sometimes slightly tart, characteristically dry and refreshing, Saisons are perfect for the hot Spring and Summer months. This style of beer also works well in a variety of beer cocktails. The following garden-inspired beer cocktail recipe features the Saison, fresh strawberries, mint, and a hibiscus- infused vodka. The cocktails is pleasantly floral, fruity and refreshing, making it perfect for the Spring and Summer months.

Strawberry Fields

Ingredients:

• 1 fresh strawberry, quartered
• 5 mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce agave nectar
• 11/2 ounces hibiscus vodka (see below)
• 4 ounces saison

Photo: Kevin Robie

Instructions: Muddle the strawberry and mint with the lemon juice and agave nectar until strawberry is completely macerated. Add vodka and ice, shake 5 times (not enough to crush the ice). Add beer and shake 5 times. Pour, with the ice, into a tulip glass and garnish with a sprig of mint.

DIY Hibiscus-infused vodka: Pour 2 cups vodka over 1 ounce dried hibiscus flowers in an airtight jar; seal tightly and store in a cool place for 24 hours. Pour through a fine strainer into a sterilized bottle or jar.

According to one of its founders, Jay Brooks of Brookston Beer Bulletin: “The Session, a.k.a. Beer Blogging Friday, is an opportunity once a month for beer bloggers from around the world to get together and write from their own unique perspective on a single topic. Each month, a different beer blogger hosts the Session, chooses a topic and creates a round-up listing all of the participants, along with a short pithy critique of each entry.” (Some of you might remember that I had the honor of hosting The Session in October of 2010)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cheers!

DRINK WITH THE WENCH PRESENTS THE FEATURED BEER PAIRING SERIES

Back in the day, it used to be my job to pair wine with food. Now, after several years in the beer industry, my palate has been trained to understand food and beer pairings. And so, I have decided to take a stab at developing a “Featured Beer Pairing” series on my site, providing beer pairing suggestions and recipes for some of my favorite dishes and then educating people on the “method in my madness.”

Featured Beer Pairing: Bourbon Imperial Stout + Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancakes

The Dish: Pancakes prepared with chopped bacon, semi-sweet chocolate chips and real vanilla bean, topped with a Bourbon maple syrup.

The Beer Style: Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

Style Description: The Imperial Stout, also known as the Russian Imperial Stout or Imperial Russian Stout, a high-gravity style brewed a complex grain bill consisting of large quantities of roasted malts and/or grain. Typical alcohol ranges from 8-12%, but many brewers these days have pushed it to levels as high as 18% abv. No hop varietals are typical of the style, and they vary with each brewer. The beer is usually fermented with either American or English ale yeast.

The fully fermented beer is added to (typically) washed Bourbon barrels to age for several weeks, months, or even as long as a year. The finished product usually bumps up a few percentages in alcohol due to the porous nature of the wood which results in evaporation and absorption of residual Bourbon.

The end result is a rich, deep, complex and vicious beer with intense roasted malt, espresso, dark chocolate, vanilla, oak, char and Bourbon flavors and noticeable alcohol burn. The alcohol and intensity tends to mellow with age, and older version of the style develop port-like characteristics as a result of aging. These beers have potential to age as long as 20 years, when properly stored.

Suggested Beers: Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Big Sky Ivan the Terrible, Schafly Reserve Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, Firestone Walker Parabola, The Bruery Black Tuesday, Mikkeller Black Hole, Sprecher Czar Brew, Deschutes The Abyss,

Why the pairing works:

Anyone who says that beer is not for breakfast needs a little smack in the face. Besides, breakfast foods are not just for the morning. I, for one, enjoy them all hours of the day.

Some have tried to argue with me that Bourbon-Aged Imperial Stouts are too intense and alcoholic for breakfast, which is just plain silly. I like my breakfast beers just like I like my coffee — super strong, rich and roasty with just the right “jolt” to get the body going.

Since the flavors in a Bourbon-Aged Imperial Stout are so bold and intense, the food pairing needs to be equally rich and complex. The doughy and thick, yet fluffy nature of pancakes make it an excellent “blank” canvass.

The semi-sweet chocolate chips (60% cacao or higher) compliments the chocolate, coffee and roasted malt flavors in the beer. Using real vanilla bean in the pancakes and Bourbon in the maple syrup brings out the Bourbon characteristics of the beer, while the smokiness of the bacon enhances the flavor of the char from the oak. Texture wise the dish and the beer are complimentary, both thick and heavy on the tongue. The salt from the bacon and the bitterness from the beer balances out the sweetness of the syrup and the viciousness of the alcohol, resulting in a well-balanced, yet explosive pairing.

The Recipe:

Pancake Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 6 strips cooked bacon, chopped into fine pieces
• 1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Bourbon Maple Syrup

Heat (all natural) maple syrup in a sauce pan on low heat. Add desired amount of Bourbon of choice. Warm, don’t burn.

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla bean; mix until smooth.
2. Fold in chocolate chips and bacon. Distribute ingredients evenly.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides.
4. Top with butter and Bourbon Maple Syrup. Serve with “warm” (57-61 F) Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout in a brandy snifter.
   

CHEERS!

Boasting an attendance of more than six million people every year, Munich’s Oktoberfest is officially the world’s biggest party.

While several other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the Munich event and held on similar dates, none rival the authenticity and grand scale of the original. Unfortunately, the closest I have ever come to Oktoberfest is drinking Oktoberfest bier and polka dancing at local Oktoberfest festivals in the United States. Needless to say, that just doesn’t cut it. Alas, I will be forced to celebrate Oktoberfest state-side until circumstances finally allow me to travel to Germany for the real festival.

Surprisingly, most people know very little about Oktoberfest — except that it is a massive festival that spans across 16 (sometimes 17) days – consisting of excessive beer & German food consumption and lots of debauchery.

This past Saturday, (September 17th) marked the official start of the 178th Oktoberfest. Store shelves and bars across the country have been well-stocked stocked with various Oktoberfest biers, and today is the perfect day to talk about the history of the world’s largest party.

According to legend and lore, Oktoberfest is the result of an extended wedding reception that followed the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Balvaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810. Both were later to become King & Queen of Bavaria.

The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the post-wedding festivities, which lasted several days and concluded with a great horse race. The decision to repeat the horse races in the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest.

The first Agricultural Show, designed to boost Bavarian agriculture, was included in with the horse racing festivities in 1811. In the year 1812, Oktoberfest was canceled as a result of Bavaria’s was involvement in the Napoleonic war.

Carnival booths were introduced in 1816, with prizes mostly consisting of silver, porcelain and jewelry.  And in 1918, the first carousel and two swings were included into the event.

The founding citizens of Munich assumed responsibility over festival management in 1819 and it was agreed that the Oktoberfest festival would be celebrated each and every year without exception.

INTERESTING FACT: Since its beginnings the Oktoberfest has been canceled 24 times due to war, disease and other emergencies.

The first Oktoberfest parade, honoring the marriage of King Ludwig I and Therese of Bavaria, took place in 1835. Since 1850, the parade has become a yearly event and an important component of Oktoberfest. Each year some 8,000 people, mostly from Bavaria & dressed in traditional costumes walk through the center of Munich to the Oktoberfest.

The year 1850 also marks the first appearance of the Statue of Bavaria, commissioned by Ludwig I of Bavaria and constructed by Johann Baptist Stiglmaier and Ferdinand von Miller. The Bavaria statue is a bronze-cast statue of a female figure representing Bavaria’s “secular patron saint.” She is located at the border of the Theresienwiese in Munich, Bavaria, Germany – where Oktoberfest takes place each year.

Thirst was originally quenched at beer stands, which eventually turned into beer tents in 1896.  The beer tents and halls were originally set up by enterprising landlords with backing from local breweries and have been a main staple of the event ever since.

Since 1950, there has been a traditional festival opening consisting of a twelve gun salute and the tapping of the first keg of Oktoberfest beer at noon by the Lord Mayor of Munich with the cry “O’zapft is!” (which literally translates to “It’s tapped!” in the Austro-Bavarian dialect). This event is held the first Saturday of each Oktoberfest in one of the enormous beer tents. Once the barrel is tapped, all visitors are then allowed to quench their thirst and the massive party officially begins!

The year 1960 marked the end of the horse races. By that time,  Oktoberfest had already turned into an enormous world-famous festival and has since grown to become the largest folk fest in the world.

Oktoberfestbiers have been served at Oktoberfest since 1818 and are supplied by 6 breweries known as the “Big Six.” These include Spaten, Lowenbrau, Augustiner, Hofbrau, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr.

Originally, Oktoberfestbiers were traditional German pale lagers called Märzen. They were brewed in March and allowed to ferment slowly during the summer months. They typically run at about 5 to 6% abv. Technically, authentic Oktoberfestbier is brewed only by the breweries within the city limits of Munich. Today, the terms Oktoberfest and Märzen are used by non-Oktoberfest brewers in Germany and the USA to market pale lagers of this strength.

THE GERMAN BEER INSTITUTE has an excellent article about this history Oktoberfestbier HERE.

I will be honest. Lagers do not particularly excite me. In fact, I tend to avoid that style of beer as much as possible. HOWEVER, I am predisposed to having a preference to Spaten – over all the other Oktoberfestbeirs.

Is it possible to have such a predisposition? YES. My father is a marketers dream. He is the king of brand preference and brand loyalty. When he finds something he likes, he becomes an obssesed man. And this is how he is with Spaten.

It did not matter where he goes and how much beer is already being provided, my father ALWAYS brings his own beer – and it is ALWAYS Spaten. At any given time, the refrigerator in his garage is loaded with Spaten. For my 21st birthday my dad picked out the keg. And guess what he chose? Yep, that’s right …  SPATEN!

Make sure to properly celebrate the season with a pint, liter, or boot of Oktoberfestbier!

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: WALKER DAVIS

AUTHOR OF: MILK IS FOR BABIES

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Walker Davis
Twitter handle: @milkisforbabies
Name of blog: Milk Is For Babies
Current location: Marina del Rey, CA

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Houston, Texas

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

High School, baseball year round. Post College, softball and bowling, which I love because I can drink beer during games and can play till I’m old.

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

19

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 was at college my freshman year and it was a Coors Light during a flip cup game at a Water Polo party. Needless to say those athletes drank me under the table and my night quickly de-escalated from there.

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

I went to Pepperdine University and graduated with a degree in International Business. I joined Sigma Chi fraternity. I studied abroad to Florence, Italy my sophomore year, went to 18 countries and it was one of the best years of my life. My traveling companion for many trips is my current roommate and the other half of beereveryday, David, who has become a silent partner on the blog but not the beer-a-day drinking. My true single regret, is that I wasn’t very aware of beer then because I would have pilgrimaged to so many places and become a sponge for knowledge. The only breweries I visited were Carlsberg in Copenhagen and Heineken in Amsterdam, both cool but very commercial.

Craft Beer Epiphany

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

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

It was late at night in the dirty kitchen of my David’s old college apartment a month after we returned from Europe. He was far more knowledgeable about beer at the time. He had bought an Affligem Tripel and demanded that I try it. He poured the full bottle through a strainer to collect the sediment and I thought he was nuts. I remember thinking, what the hell is wrong with this beer?! I thought he was playing a trick on me and that he’d actually filled the bottle up with toxic sludge, which would turn me into a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle or something…But remember that moment in the film Garden State where Natalie Portman tells Zach Braff to listen to The Shins “New Slang” because it will ‘change his life?’ He turned out to be my Natalie Portman. Did I mention we’re two heterosexual males? Anywho, I thought with the Affligem Tripel I’d hit the motherload of all beers. Ah, I was so young and naïve once…

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

There are four that stick out in my mind –

1. We did a 14 day straight tasting of Stone beers in October, which was truly amazing. We included a three year vertical flight of Old Guardian Barley Wines and I was fascinated at the influence aging had in each beer’s complexity. I’m currently storing a 2008 OG in my beer closet.

2. Our first brewery trip was a surprise birthday getaway for David in November to The Bruery and by pure chance they had their last year’s Christmas Ale on draft, 2 Turtle Doves. Up until that point I’d never had such a startling rich beer. My love affair with The Bruery began in earnest after this. At my current purchasing rate of Bruery beers, there’s a decent chance I’m putting one of Patrick Rue’s kids through private school.

3. Hair of the Dog Adam Old Ale – the label says the beer tastes like chocolate, smoke, leather and figs. It actually freaking did. Amazing. Each time I have one it’s like I’m testing something from Willy Wonka’s Factory.

4. My first Rochefort 10 – need I say anymore? Its richness and complexity is mind-bottling.

Beer Blog Background

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

August 5th, 2010.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

I was in a ‘life rut’ last summer (one of those, I don’t know what I’m doing with my life moods) and I took a spontaneous road trip to Arizona to visit my old college roommate and his wife. There I met a couple who were trying a different beer everyday – only they weren’t writing about it. I didn’t have a creative outlet at the time and desperately needed one. I quickly realized that doing something different each day and chronicling my experience might just be what I needed to jumpstart my life. And my roommate David loved beer. I returned home that Sunday, told him about my idea and he immediately agreed. That week I set up the website and Friday, August 5th we had our first beer, Allagash Tripel.

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

Growing up, my brother had the best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression and he gave me the “Pumping Iron” documentary for my birthday a few months before. At one point – I can’t remember if it’s during training or when he wins Mr. Olympia for the seven consecutive time – he says, “Milk is for babies. Real mean drink beer.” It was hilarious. When it came time to give bestow the blog a name, it was one of the first out of my mouth.

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

At the beginning, the goals were simple: Drink a different beer every day before midnight and write about every beer. I perceived my role to be an explorer of sorts, because most my friends were like me when I first started – unaware of craft beer. So I wanted to write entries that were simple, entertaining and that would connect people to beer they probably wouldn’t have tried without having seen my blog.

My rating system might be my proudest device of the blog. It’s a beer rating system based on the films of Michael Bay films (equates to 1-7 stars). Michael Bay’s films, I love and hate at the same time. They’re so entertaining but they’re also so ridiculous. With a blog name that referenced pop culture, I thought this rating system fit the bill. The blog has been very controversy free except for the ranking system, which places Transformers above Armageddon. That draws a lot of ire, which is hilarious. People have really emotional reactions watching Armageddon and apparently not to robots. Pff, humans. But I stand my ground, as Armageddon being more illogical and crazier than Transformers – who brings a mini-gun to space? Come on!

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

The support and the enthusiasm by friends and especially my family has been really special. What I especially think is cool, and it was unexpected, is how it defined me as a person. I went to a wedding for a family friend in Houston over Memorial Day weekend, someone I’ve known since I was 4. During the reception, she came up to me and thanked me for being an flying down and being an usher, and then promptly apologized for not serving ‘good enough’ beer. Like, really apologized. And I started laughing hysterically. At her own wedding she was apologizing to me? That was so absurd to me (and coming from her, very sweet). The same thing happened during a recent trip to Chicago; apparently friends get nervous when serving me beer. Beer has become forever intertwined with my identity and I love it. I’m in no way a beer snob, but I suppose the year has simply defined me as a man of fine taste. HA, jokes on them.

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

Excluding present company (Ms. Wench, who I follow regularly) –

• The Greatest Beers of All Time
• The Barley Blog
• Beers In Paradise (an LA local blog that works really hard to give us the latest and greatest tap updates from bars and beer event news)

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

Imperial IPA, Barleywine, Old Ale. I love really bold, rich and complex beers that assault my tongue with flavor.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

The Bruery, Russian River, Stone Brewery

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

I would usually say The Bruery but they’re moving towards making a lot of Sour Ales and I just can’t fully get behind that. So my answer is Stone, because not only is their culture and passion amazing, but they’re expanding in incredible ways. Their continued desire to make collaboration beers embodies the ‘community’ theme of the craft world, and they plan on opening a brewery in Belgium soon. Marketing and selling American beers to European customers would be an incredible experience! Plus, since European beer has been so dominant throughout history, it would be like the reverse of the 60’s British Rock Invasion. Stone’s Gargoyles would just take Europe by storm.

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

I’ve become a very avid homebrewer and have brewed 6 different beers in the last six months. My first beer was a Christmas Ale spiced with cloves and Tahitian Vanilla and it was called King Moonracer’s Revenge (KM was the king of the Misfit Toys in the Rudolph Christmas Story). My wildest recipe is I just bottled, a Sea Salt Caramel specialty ale that I designed to mimic the taste of caramel candy with sea salt on top. I want the sea salt to make the caramel flavor pop in your mouth. Un-carbonated, it’s very rich and is looking extremely promising.

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

Nope, but I’ve certainly looked into it.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Thai Food and IPA’s. The Thai Spice gives way to the bitter hoppiness of the IPA, providing for a unique back and forth.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Film and TV Development Assistant at a large production company.

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 do marketing for a beer company. I’m becoming more and more attracted to the marketing and advertising worlds and this year has lit my hair on fire for beer. The greatest character trait of the craft beer industry is the passion people have for their beer. It’s infectious and inspiring. Being a part of that would be special.

3. Are you married? Children?

Nooooooope. I’m 28 and still a long way off from either. Fermenting a beer a month and maintaining that temperature is responsibility enough for this guy.

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

1. I love building furniture and have built a bar, coffee table, media/dvd stack, winecork table. I plan on turning my patio table top into a giant chalkboard.
2. I also do Krav Maga, which Israeli form of martial arts. Helps tame beer’s caloric side effect.
3. Just drinking out of cups, being bitch.

Off The Beaten Path

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

An ESB because they are drinkable pub beers that make easy company but can also be a bit nutty. Plus, you know, sometimes I smell like biscuits.

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?

AleSmith Speedway Stout – it’s so rich and complex that I would not only still be savoring it as I was walking up the gallows, but its dankness would still be with me as I greeted sweet, sweet death. Plus it’s 12% so maybe I’d go out buzzed; isn’t that how we should all go?

3. If I contracted you to brew a beer (or design a beer recipe) called “The Beer Wench” — what style would you chose and what, if any, extra ingredients would you add?

I would use Bourbon Barrels and make a sweet Belgian Dark Strong Ale with a healthy salt dose. I’d also include salt because I know how the Wench feels about bacon and the combination of beer sweetness and savory bacon would simply be combustible.

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

Nostalgia Man, who has the ability to take people back to a certain time in their life which changed them for the better. Hopefully the experience would rejuvenate their current life.

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

When I studied abroad, someone who had lived in France the year before returned with horror stories and a hatred of the French. He told me when I visited Paris, to punch a French man – which I wasn’t about to do. But what I did instead, in a very classy move on my part, was urinate over 4 French landmarks; in between the 1st and 2nd observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, in the bottom of the Louvre where the foundations of a previous castle are, Disneyland Paris and in the Gardens of Versailles. One could say, that I dispensed my own personal brand of justice. My parents will be proud to hear that one.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

It’s good for you…and everyone should own a bacon air freshener.

SPECIAL THANKS TO WALKER FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!!!

CHEERS!