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: DAVID VARGAS

AUTHOR OF: CRUDE BREW CREW “BEER BLOG”

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: David Vargas
Twitter handle: @DavidVargasCBC
Name of blog: Crude Brew Crew “Beer Blog”
Current location: Victorville, CA

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?
Torrance, CA (Los Angeles County, CA)

2. What sports if any did you play growing up, through college and beyond?
Football (from 5th grade to the end of high school)

3. How old were you when you had your first beer?
Um…. 21 of course! But honestly, probably closer to 18-19

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 lived with a couple buddies when we were renting a house, they liked to throw parties with beer that tasted absolutely horrible to me. I was drinking Hamms, PBR, Riebenbach, Coors light, etc. For the longest time I couldn’t stand the taste of beer, & couldn’t understand why people did. Until recently, I drank mostly Corona until I was introduced to Craft Beer.

5. Where, if applicable, did you go to college? What did you study? What additional activities, organizations, sports did you partake in during college?
I tried going to college for a year, but skipped the majority of classes to go to the beach when I realized that college wasn’t my calling.

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 buddy Noel (from the Crude Brew Crew) started homebrewing. As I tasted the beers he made, I was intrigued by the Dunkelweizen he made & decided to start homebrewing myself. As we talked more about beer, he told me to watch “Beer Wars”, which I did on Netflix. It was then that I started going to Bevmo & started buying Dogfish Head, Stone, & any other interesting sounding Craft Beer I could find. I also decided to start a personal boycott against Anheuser-Busch for there poor-business-tactic-attack on Dogfish Head. (Which I still continue, but I do not push on others).

Noel & I decided after a few months that we should start our own podcast that revolves around Craft Beer, Homebrewing, & food pairing with a couple of his friends (Javier & Matt). That is how we started the Crude Brew Crew. We ended up meeting Anat Baron and I personally bought my DVD copy of Beer Wars directly from her @ a Beer/Cheese tasting with Dr. Bill & New Brew Thursday. I’ve visited a few breweries this year as well, and I find that I really really enjoy going to them. (P.S. – This year alone, I have been to Stone Brewery 4x, Kern River Brewing, Karl Strauss, Pizza Port, Oggi’s, B.J.’s, The Bruery). I think I’m hooked. I also built a 4-tap kegerator in my garage so that I can keg my own beer, & started by buying a 15.5 gal keg of Stone Pale Ale!

2. Have you have additional craft beer epiphanies since the first? Detail as many of them as you wish:
I went to a Stone Brew event @ Naja’s in Redondo Beach, CA this month for L.A. beer week. I tried the best beer I think I’ll ever taste! “Stone 2006 Aged Double Bastard Oaked”, it was an epiphany in liquid form!

Beer Blog Background

1. How long have you been writing your beer blog?
I just recently started, though I have been reviewing Brewery visits on Yelp.com also.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?
I’m having so much fun with homebrewing, & actually enjoying beer since being introduced to Craft Beer, that I want to spread the word to others.

3. Why did you choose the name of your blog?
My blog name is really just “Beer Blog” because it’s just a portion of our website. But the name Crude Brew Crew started because myself & Noel both work in the “Crude Unit” of a big oil refinery.

4. What are you personal goals for your blog? What do you hope to achieve with it?
I hope that people enjoy reading the blog, and I hope to travel more to get some interviews going on it. I feel my achievements have been met for the moment, but I would like to get more feedback in our forums.

5. What is one of the coolest things that happened to you as a result of being a beer blogger?
I feel I’m more of a podcaster at the moment, rather than a blogger because I’ve only posted a few articles. But I’ve been in contact with lot’s of the podcasters I’ve been learning from, and recently filmed a collaboration podcast with New Brew Thursday which should be released in November 2010 (Free iTunes Podcast: Crude Brew Crew). I was also able to attend the “I am a Craft Beer Drinker” Premiere by: New Brew Thursday @ The Bruery. I have a signed DVD of Beer Wars, and enjoyed a great beer/cheese tasting by Dr. Bill (Stone’s Master Cicerone).

6. What are you top 3 favorite beer blogs/beer websites?
1. The Beer Wench (Blog)
2. New Brew Thursday (Podcast)
3. The Brewing Network (Forums)

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?
Porter, IPA, Scottish Ale

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?
Stone, Dogfish Head, Sierra Nevada

3. If you could work with or for any one brewery, which one would it be and why?
Stone Brewery for sure! I love the beer, & the atmosphere when I’m there. The brewery looks very clean & has “newer” state of the art equipment. The restaurant, outdoor seating, gardens, heck even the gift shop are very fun to be surrounded by, and the tour is inspiring. The business seems to have very good marketing & distribution which will sustain long-term growth, and I see more Stone beer around random stores & restaurants then other growing Micro-Craft Breweries. “My girlfriend doesn’t even drink beer, & she loves going to Stone Brewery for lunch!”

4. Are you a homebrewer? If yes, what is the most unique and interesting beer recipes you’ve brewed as a homebrewer?
I am a homebrewer… for about 1 year now. Throughout the learning process, I have made a really good stout (which 5 gallons has been consumed already), & I’m in the process of finishing my Black IPA right now (my first dry hopped beer). I just received ingredients for my next batch, a “brown ale”. And I’m hoping to design a “vanilla-almond porter” some day.

5. Do you have any beer certifications (BJCP, Cicerone, Siebel, American Brewers Guild)?? If so, what are they?
I do not have any certifications right now. I am currently a member of the AHA (American Homebrewers Assoc.), and I’m thinking about the Cicerone course too.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?
I love BBQ pulled pork with a Smoked Porter or IPA

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?
I distill Crude Oil (must be why I made a great Stout). I am a Process Technician III (a.k.a. Process Operator) of the Crude Unit for one of the larger oil companies.

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 love to work in a brewery full time. With prior experience in food, chemicals, manufacturing process, & homebrewing, I think I would be a good candidate.

3. Are you married? Children?
I am not married. I do have a great girlfriend who is very supportive of my hobbies, and we have a beautiful daughter together.

4. Outside of beer and writing, what are some of your other hobbies?
I love music, both listening & playing. I grew up with Punk Rock and listened to bands such as Social Distortion, The Offspring, Sublime, & Rise Against, etc. I also used to play for a L.A. based metal band similar to a Pantera/Slayer style called “Busted Knuckles”. Now-a-days, mostly working on my house, spending time with my family, working, homebrewing and beer podcasting! (I still have all my instruments; drums, guitar, bass, keyboard… and still jam every now and then).

Off The Beaten Path

1. If you were a style of beer, what style would be an why?
“Brown Ale Float” – A Brown Ale with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I don’t want to be too bitter or too plain, but a little in-between, with a touch of sweetness & innovation.

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?
Oskar Blues Gubna; it is not only a good beer, but a very bitter one too. I’m assuming the bitterness I’d have towards this particular situation though. (In general without these circumstances, I would like to have a Stone Levitation Ale… my favorite beer)

3. If I contracted you to brew a beer (or design a beer recipe) called “The Beer Wench” — what style would you chose and what, if any, extra ingredients would you add?
I would brew a “Chocolate Oatmeal Stout with a splash of Rum”. A strong, smooth beer with a touch of Ye’ Olde Pirate. Then I’d ask my Wench to bring me another pint. LOL

4. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
I’m not gonna lie and make this answer sound all “beerish”. I’d want the power of Invisibility.

5. What is one of the craziest things you have ever done and lived to tell the story?
I tried to pet a wild wolf that was in my way to the end of a long path. After he jumped back growling with red gums and teeth showing, I had no choice but to walk an hour and a half back from where I came to make it to the same destination.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?
Bacon has got to be one of my favorite food additions (sorry to all you vegans & vegetarians). Just yesterday I made chocolate covered bacon. It is great!

SPECIAL THANKS TO DAVID 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: CLARE GOGGIN

AUTHOR OF: BEER GOGGINS

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Clare Goggin
Internet nickname: Beer Goggins, Brew Bird
Twitter handle: BeerGoggins and recently TheBrewBird
Name of blog: Beer Goggins
Current location: Astoria, New York

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Southwest Florida

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

Soccer — very poorly.

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

It’s hazy but I’d say I was about 18 or 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 can’t be sure. What’s more interesting about my early beer drinking years is that I very quickly became a nerd about beer. Even when I knew nothing, I was the one who insisted on bypassing the Natty Light for something with a little more flavor. The first keg party I threw, I got a whole keg of Killian’s Red. I mean, it’s not the best beer in the world but it definitely had far more flavor than anything my cohorts were drinking at the 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 went to University of Central Florida, studied Creative Writing and Film and worked numerous jobs to pay the bills (and for my beer). I was event staff at the school’s arena, a waitress at a tiny pizza joint and I interned on Slimetime Live, a Nickelodeon show that was filmed at Universal Studios. I was also in an honors fraternity that did its fair share of partying even while it wasn’t a social frat.

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’ve been a fan of beer for a long time. As I pointed out, I loved flavorful beers even as a young drinker. But it took me a while to discover the beauty of craft beer. I moved to NYC about six years ago and immediately became familiar with a much wider variety of brew. I was drinking Brooklyn, Ommegang and Harpoon without even realizing how special it was — I just thought it tasted great.

I was even writing about it before I truly understood. Then I attended one of the first screenings for Beer Wars and got the inside info on how the beer industry works and the tireless efforts of craft brewers around the country to make quality beers. From that point on, I’ve been a huge craft beer advocate. Support Your Local Brewery!

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

The American Craft Beer Fest in Boston and the Great American Beer Fest in Denver – two things of beauty.

Beer Blog Background

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

A year and a half.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

After I started working for Digital City, my boss gave me free reign to write about anything I wanted. After some deep soul searching, I realized that I wanted to write about the drinking culture, particularly that of beer.

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

My last name is Goggin … It’s a play on words.

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

I think I’d like to introduce the beauty of beer to a wider audience. I do that among my community of friends and I’d like to extend my reach.

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

Brewers love to talk to me now. I got the chance to meet a microbrewer in Ireland while I was on vacation and talk to him about his beer. I also got a pretty special tour of New Belgium.

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

Beer Advocate, The Drunken Polack and the Brew Yorker

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

IPA, Amber Ale and Dunkelweiss

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Stone, Six Point and New Belgium … and Ommegang …

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

New Belgium – that would be the best job ever. They treat their employees very well. Or Six Point so that I can stay in NYC.

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

I am not a homebrewer but simply b/c I live in a New York-sized apartment and I don’t really have the room. But I’m aware that there are smaller homebrew systems available and I’m looking into it.

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

I don’t.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Depends on the season. Right now I’m pretty taken with Ommegang Rare Vos and a good pork chop.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job? I’m an online editor.

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? Some changes are coming for Digital City and I’ll be taking a break from Beer Goggins for a bit (stay tuned to Twitter for details) but, if I could do whatever I like, I’d simply concentrate on the beer blog, traveling around to meet and interview as many brewers and taste as many beers as possible.

2. Are you married? Children?

I live with my boyfriend.

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

I still write fiction from time to time and I really love movies. I’m also a pretty avid runner. I have this vague idea that I’m training for the 2010 NYC marathon but we’ll see.

Off The Beaten Path

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

Probably an American Pale Lager because I’m flavorful but I have a tendency to be a bit dry at times.

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?

Probably Arrogant Bastard Ale because it’s got a lot of flavor in every sip. If I can only have a single beer, I’m going to get as much beer in every sip as I can.

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 think I would make it an Imperial IPA to get that fun but aggressive flavor. I think I’d use rye for that added “spice.”

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

I’d like to read minds and also practice telekinesis.

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

For legal reasons, I can’t share the “craziest” thing I’ve ever done. But next in line might be the time I rode the bull at a bar in Key West. Good times.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

There’s nothing better … except for beer.

DRINK WITH THE WENCH PRESENTS:

The Beer Tweeter Interview Series

Beer bloggers are not the only people using social media to share their passion for and knowledge of craft beer. Twitter is one of the most important tools in today’s craft beer industry. Beer tweeters all over the world are influencing and impacting the way people interact with and experience craft beer. The Beer Wench has embarked upon a mission to interview as many beer tweeters that she can — from all over the world.

Are you a beer tweeter? Do you want to share your story? Send me an email!

INTRODUCING BEER TWEETER: JULIA BURKE

AKA @NYWineWench

FROM: Buffalo, NY

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

I was a military brat so I’ve lived in southern California, Cape Cod, Worcester, and Washington, D.C, but I’ve been in Buffalo for over ten years.

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

I was always into individual sports; I did martial arts for six years, played tennis since childhood, and have been a runner since I was a high school freshman.

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

My dad was always letting me try his beer at dinner when I was a kid. I remember being six and him encouraging me, “Just keep trying it. It’s an acquired taste.” Knowing my dad I’d bet it was a Heineken.

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

My first craft beer was Bridgeport Stout, when I was a high school senior visiting colleges in Portland, Oregon. My mom bought us a flight of beers at the Bridgeport Ale House after we looked at Reed College, and that might have been why I fell in love with the city.

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 started college in Portland, Oregon, which began my beer obsession, and then transferred to the University at Buffalo to be closer to home. I actually majored in Asian Studies – I was a fiend for Chinese culture and politics, and I spent a semester in China searching for flavorful alternatives to QingDao. I remember finding a Chinese stout, Yanjing, and buying cases because the beer was literally cheaper than water.

Craft Beer Epiphany

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

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

The aforementioned Bridgeport Stout was definitely my first moment of craft beer awareness; I realized that the reason I wasn’t a big beer drinker at the time was that mainstream beer simply didn’t taste very good. I’d been drinking PBR like all the other underage kids, and the contrast between that stuff and this chewy, roasty stout bowled me over.

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

I had another epiphany a couple of years later, in China. My friend Stephanie, another Chinese language student, was one of the early beer gals in my life and a huge influence on me, and we spent a lot of time looking for decent beer in the Beijing bars. I remember being out one night and she spotted an IPA on a beer list, and asked me excitedly, “Do you like IPAs?” I had no idea, but I tried it and was instantly in love with the hoppy, fruity, amazing flavor. I don’t even remember the name of the beer – it was made at the pub – but it stoked a fire inside me and I was never the same. I realized that I simply had to learn more about the beer world, and I’ve been drinking insatiably ever since!

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

Oatmeal Stout, Barleywine, Belgian Strong Dark Ale.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Impossible to narrow it down, so we’ll shoot for geographic diversity. Dogfish Head, Founders, and Hopworks.

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

Great Lakes. They make consistently phenomenal beer, their commitment to sustainability and responsible business is unparalleled, they’re located in a terrific beer city – and I come from a family of Buckeyes, so my Ohio roots go deep!

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

I have dabbled in homebrewing but have never had the space to really get into it. My first homebrew was a honey brown, but it got some sort of contamination so I thought I’d leave it in the basement for a few years and it would develop a respectable Belgian funk. That didn’t happen.

5. Do you have any beer certifications (BJCP, Cicerone, Siebel, American Brewers Guild)?? If so, what are they?
If a few years of bartending at a beer geek mecca doesn’t qualify you to pour a pint, I don’t know what does.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

I adore figs wrapped with bacon and a Trappist ale. And I’m a fiend for an IPA with a sharp cheese.

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

I dig broads who blog. Three faves are brew.cook.pair.joy, The Beer Babe, and Sudsy Maggie – all are great in their own way and offer different perspectives. Obviously, Beer Advocate is my ultimate go-to resource for information and conversation. And I have to give mad props to Drink With the Wench, of course!

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

I work at a winery on the Niagara Escarpment AVA, selling, pouring, making, talking about, and drinking wine. I also bartend at Pizza Plant, one of the best craft beer pubs in western New York!

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?

Though I love what I do right now, I’d be thrilled to be an importer of fine wines and beers from overseas. I love to travel and would like to incorporate that into my beer interests. I love the idea of exposing more people to better beer from all over the world.

3. Are you married? Children?

No, since I’m a bit of a vagabond, being unattached is a necessity. I can’t even keep houseplants. For example, I’m about to take off for three months to be a harvest intern at a winery in South Africa – that’s something you kind of need to be single for.

4. Outside of beer & Twitter, what are some of your other hobbies?

I love music – live shows, playing guitar, and listening to records – as well as hiking, cooking, languages, and traveling.

Off The Beaten Path

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

It’s a beer, not a style, but Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu. I love travel and Chinese culture and am a total geek, so I feel like it’s appropriate. Plus it’s a beer made with Muscat grapes, reflecting my tendency to swing both ways when it comes to beer and wine.

2. You were caught smuggling beer illegally, which has now been made punishable by death. Right before you are sent to the executioner, you are offered one last beer. What beer would you chose and why?

Founders Breakfast Stout. It’s the ultimate comfort food beer – if I had one in my hand, I’d be so content I wouldn’t even be tempted to argue about capital punishment.

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 need to be sassy with hops but voluptuous in malt character, so I’d make it a barleywine with a particularly sexy caramel/toffee mouthfeel but a bitch-slap of Chinook hops in the finish.

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

The power to FINALLY convince women that if they’re going to drink five Mich Ultras, they might as well drink one or two real beers and enjoy themselves.

5. What is one of the craziest things you have ever done and lived to tell the story?
I ate dog intestine once in a Korean restaurant. Also, I plan on going crocodile cage diving in South Africa, but whether I’ll live to tell the story remains to be seen. Stay tuned.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

Having spent five years as a vegetarian and one year as a vegan at a less beer-y point in my life, I believe that I’ve earned the right to eat a disproportionate amount of bacon. Memorable bacon moments this year: caramelized candied bacon on Labor Day, dates wrapped in bacon at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, and a bacon basket bar appetizer at Century Grill in downtown Buffalo.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JULIA FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS!

Anyone can call themselves an expert on beer.

Heck, my personal business cards say Beer Connoisseur in lieu of having a “job title”.

But what does that really mean? After all, it is a self-proclaimed title. It would be like calling myself a wine aficionado. Sure I know more about wine than your average person, but does that qualify me as an expert in the subject?

In today’s society, standardized tests are king.

There is a reason why people obtain college degrees. As much as we would love to prove our own intelligence level without a diploma, it makes it that much easier to argue our case with that silly piece of paper.

And forget the significance of a college diploma, one can’t even get into college without a decent score on the SAT or the ACT. As for further education? Try getting into graduate or professional programs without taking the GRE, MCAT or LSAT. Not going to happen, my friends.

Would you visit a “doctor” that does not hold a Medicinae Doctor (MD) degree or hire a “lawyer” without a Juris Doctor degree? The Wench thinks not.

Having an official title means a lot in today’s day and age. Sad yes, but true.

If I told you that I gave the best massages in the world, would you pay me $100 an hour to massage you? Probably not. If I was certified in some crazy exotic form of massage from some fancy massage therapy school,  I can guarantee that you would pay me big money to massage your back.

There is a large debate on whether or not standardized measures should predetermine one’s ability to perform a certain set of skills. I can argue both ways.

You see, I am “that guy” — the student that everyone hates. Mom, Dad … please stop reading. No, really. You don’t want to hear this.

I was the kid who never had to study. EVER. You remember that kid in college, the one who spent all day on AOL instant messenger and all night hanging with friends, watching movies, out at parties and NOT studying? You remember that kid who never came to class, but got straight A’s? Yep, that was me.

Now, Mom & Dad, I know you are still reading this. But, remember what you told me? “We will pay for A’s & B’s but not for C’s & D’s.” Did I ever let you down? No.

I’m very proud to say that I never had to pay my parents a cent … just saying. Regardless of my (lack of) studying habits, I graduated with honors.  But luck has nothing to do with it.

As much as I hate them, I do believe that standardized tests are important. Without them, anyone could declare themselves have any sort of credentials that they want or see fit, by their own standards — i.e.: I drink beer, therefore, I am a beer expert.

Society does need (ahhhh and my liberal nature hates admitting this) some sort of standards when it comes to expertise in different arenas. There has to be some sort of neutral and fair system in place that determines ones level of expertise in a certain subject. Am I wrong?

Long story short, I had a bad day. A really really bad day. An Alexander and Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Yes, it was that bad. One of those days where you question your own self-worth and your purpose for existence on the planet.

Sure, I call myself a beer “connoisseur” … but what does that mean?? I write about beer, big deal. I drink a lot of beer, big deal. I read a lot of beer books & websites, big deal.

Wellas fate would have it, my stars were aligned in some sort of twisted yet methodological pattern today. You see, just as I was about to go get myself into a drunken funk and sulk in a corner, a strange thing occurred.

My friend on Twitter (@djacra) passed the Cicerone Certified Beer Server test. And upon congratulating him on his amazing feat, many of my followers that that it was I who had passed the exam — not him. And after explaining the mix up to several people, it occurred to me … how am I not certified??? (After all, I consider myself to be … errrr… a beer connoisseur?)

My rather emotional and irrational state of mind jaded my perception. And so I ventured into my beer cellar, where I found a relatively low abv beer to aide as liquid courage.

Once I made my decision, I could not go back. With Frank Sinatra on the stereo & La Folie in the glass, I registered my information into the Cicerone program. And with no prior preparation or studying, I took the test.

Why on earth would pay $50 to take a test on a whim without any sort of preparation?

My closest friends in college and high school will tell you that I’m not one to study. (Once again, Mom & Dad — earmuffs!!!)

Studying was never my thing. LEARNING is, however. I’m really good at learning things and committing them to memory automatically (I am blessed with a photographic memory — yes try and test it, I dare you). Which, kind of makes it redundant to study. After all, if I KNOW it already — why would I need to study it?

And so, I challenged myself today. Do I really know as much about beer as I think I do?

As it turns out, I’m on the right track. Am I a beer expert? Oh hell no. Am I a beer dummy? Oh hell no.

Neither an expert nor a novice, I am The Beer Wench — a Cicerone Certified Beer Server!!!

About a month ago I wrote an article about the release of Fire Island’s Red Wagon IPA.

In an email to the brewers, I playfully hinted that I wanted to taste the beer — but living on the West Coast made it logistically impossible to acquire it.

Well kids, I’ve learned that sometimes if you ask (very very nicely), you shall receive. Within about a week of writing my article and emailing my request, a sample of Fire Island Red Wagon IPA showed up on my door step. Unfortunately for all the parties involved, it was just days before my trip to San Diego Beer Week. And so in order to give it the love and attention it deserved, I put tasting the Red Wagon IPA on the back burner until I returned.

Unforeseen travel and events forced me to put it on the back burner longer than I intended, for which I owe the brewers a BIG apology.

But alas, the time has come. And I’m extremely excited for this moment.

For those of you who are too lazy to read my previous article, Fire Island Beer Company is brand new “up-and-coming” brewery located in “The Other New York” — aka “The Anti-City.” I’m ashamed to admit that, even as a native New Yorker, I’d never heard of the place known as Fire Island until the brewery came about.

Today, Fire Island is considered by many as one of the chicest places to have a beach house. It remains popular among artists, actors, musicians, and the ultra-rich. Fire Island has never succumb to the same commercialism and class distinctions that haunts the Hampton’s. It is COMPLETELY car-free and the only automobiles allowed on Fire Island are service and emergency vehicles.

No restaurants on the island have a dress code. No shoes? No shirts? On Fire Island? No problem!

Fire Island Lighthouse near Sunset by Jim Dohms

Fire Island Beer Company was founded by two beer loving brothers –Tom and Bert Fernandez– along with their beer loving cousin,  Jeff Glassman. Growing up, the boys spent a significant amount of their summer vacations on Fire Island. It was here that boys developed their love of beer and Tom discovered his affinity for brewing.

Entrepreneurial spirit eventually led to boys to run “The Shack” — a landmark institution and concession bar located on Atlantique Beach, Fire Island. The boys first started selling Tom’s different types of homebrews to friends and family at “The Shack.” The popularity of the local brewed beer ultimately inspired the trio to create Fire Island Beer Company.

Fire Island Beer Company released its first beer, the Lighthouse Ale, in May of 2009. It’s second beer, Red Wagon IPA, was just released this October (2009). The recipes for both beers were inspired by the easygoing, laid-back & unpretentious vibe of Fire Island. Fire Island Lighthouse Ale is based off a recipe Tom has been brewing for almost ten years. It is a favorite among the boys.

“Fire Island is known for being easygoing with a lot of character, so Lighthouse Ale has been crafted the exact same way.”

For more on why Fire Island Lighthouse Ale is the “kind of beer you want to have a beer with”, check out this video:

Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to taste the Lighthouse Ale. But that is neither here nor there. I’m extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to sample the Red Wagon IPA, despite my non-geographical proximity to Fire Island — or the East Coast for that matter.

THE BEER WENCH’S TASTING NOTES

FIRE ISLAND RED WAGON IPA

BACK LABEL: After work, I’ll occasionally stay in the city and go out with co-workers. The first hour I noticed is usually filled with Red Wagon IPAs and also conversations about work. If the second hour is more of the latter, I’ll usually ninja out of the bar and catch the ferry back to Fire Island. It’s not that I’m not having fun with everyone. It’s just those nights remind me to never work so hard that I forget what I’m working for.

• APPEARANCE: The beer pours a cloudy, amber color with a fluffy, meringue-like  off white head. Head dissipates quickly, leaving a nice thick lacing on the sides of the glass.
• AROMA: Citrus & floral hops aroma w/ notes of earth and spice. Slight hints of caramel malt. Moderate fruity esters.
• TASTE: Hops dominate the palate. Hop profile starts out citrusy and fruity, yet finishes earthy and bitter. Nice malt backbone that yields a slight caramel sweetness.
• MOUTHFEEL: Medium-bodied, medium-carbonation, smooth mouthfeel. Undetectable alcohol — the label does not specifiy the ABV, but I’d reckon it was around 6%. Dry, crisp finish. Very well attenuated and pleasantly drinkable.
• OVERALL: The Fire Island boys consider themselves to be “brewers of world-class beers that are inspired by the color, character and overall experience of Fire Island.” Well, if Red Wagon IPA is the essence of Fire Island — then I need to take a trip out there! In my opinion, the Red Wagon IPA is very well-balanced with a complex palate of different hop varietals. Despite my usual preference for IPAs brewed with the super piney, resiny and citrusy hops of the Pacific Northwest, I found the earthy & spicy hop profile of Red Wagon IPA to be extremely enjoyable. This is a an easygoing IPA that can be easily consumed in all sorts of situation. It would pair well with spicy & fried foods, yet is delicate enough for salads and seafood. I could easily picture myself taking Red Wagon IPA to the beach, kicking off my shoes, laying back and taking in the scenery. Perhaps one day, I will get such a chance — and I hope its on Fire Island.

FTC DISCLAIMER: I received the aforementioned bottle of beer as a gift from Fire Island Beer Company.

Although San Diego was able to severely kick my a$$ on my first day of beer week, I was able to regain momentum and score a win for The Wench on the second day.

Morning came fast on Day 3. Unfortunately, our party of 4 (Pj, Alex, Tay & myself) dropped down to a party of 3 (we lost Alex to Law school — damn those smart kids). In order to sustain ourselves for the long day of beer consumption ahead, we chowed down on some whole wheat bagels with red onions, tomatoes, capers, cream cheese & lox — hey, we were just trying to be good Jews (and Jew wannabes).

Sometime before noon, the 3 Musketeers dragged our slightly disoriented butts up to San Diego Brewing Co. to meet up with head brewer, Dean Rouleau, for open house brew day with guest brewer Scott Jennings from the Sierra Nevada “Beer Camp” pilot brewery. We were greeted at the door and within seconds of being inside the bar, we had beers in our hands. Not a bad way to start a day, eh? I was pleasantly surprised by the scene inside San Diego Brewing Company’s brewpub. A bunch of homebrewers turned out for the event with several interesting brews in tow. But more importantly, almost every TV in the bar featured a Big Ten game. And if you have not learned by now, I’m obsessed with college … err … Big Ten … err Ohio State football. Dean was awesome enough to provide us with a tour of the SDBC facility. Just as the tour finished, it was time for the boys (Dean & Scott) to add the hops to the boil. The Cascade hops for the collaboration brew came from Star B Ranch Bison & Hops Farm in Pamona, CA.

Time quickly caught up to us and, before we could order another beer, we found ourselves running out the door to pick up our good friends Renee & Jordan Rounds for the 7th Anniversary Green Flash Charity Beer Festival. All proceeds from ticket sales to the 7th Anniversary Green Flash Charity Beer were donated to the FIGHT ALD ORG.

Adrenoleukodystropy (ALD) is a genetic disease that affects 1 in 15,000 boys in childhood but is most often diagnosed or goes undetected until it is too far progressed for treatment. A inexpensive blood test can easily identify boys at risk and it is treatable if caught before there is cerebral involvement.

Fight ALD educates medical professionals and the community about the early onset symptoms and diagnostic test with the hope that every affected boy will have a chance to win their fight with Adrenoleukodystrophy. On an interesting yet related side note, the President of Fight ALD, Bill Sherwood, is also the facilities manager for Stone Brewing Co. His wife Janis founded Fight ALD after loosing their son Sawyer back in 2003. Janis has visited at least 600 medical facilities in 22 states educating medical professionals on recognizing early symptoms of ALD. I had the honor of meeting Janis during the festival and I have tremendous respect for her amazing “one woman” fight against ALD. I’m just sorry that it was inspired by a loss. RIP Sawyer Benjamin Sherwood.

Upon arriving at the festival, we were distributed neon green wristbands with 10 tasting tokens, a meal ticket & a 7th Anniversary tasting glass. Being the clever professional photographer that she is, Renee Rounds shot a cool pic of the Green Flash Anniversary beer with the shadow from the glass.

Despite the large crowd, it was extremely easy to navigate the festival. In addition to Green Flash, other featured breweries included: AleSmith Brewery, Backstreet Brewery, Ballas Point, Coronado Brewing Co., FireHouse Brewery, Karl Strauss, La Jolla Brewhouse, Lightning Brewery, The Lost Abbey, Mission Brewery, OGGI’s, Pizza Port Brewing, Port Brewing Co., San Diego Brewer’s Guild, San Diego Brewing Co., San Marcos Brewery and Stone Brewing Co.

In need of a super refreshing “Pacific Northwest” hopped brew, I made a bee-line to Ballast Point for a sample of one of my favorite IPAs — Sculpin. After being refreshed by Sculpin, I found myself hitting up the Green Flash tent for samples of the Anniversary Ale, Hop Head Red Ale & Summer Saison. Somewhere along the way, around sample 4 or 5, we ran into our good pal Dr. Bill.

Dr. Bill convince us that we needed to go inside Green Flash’s tasting room where they were pouring tastes of a few limited special release beers. Not ones to turn down the opportunity to taste rare barrel-aged beers, the crew assembled and obediently marched to the tasting room where we ran into our new buddy Gordon, a brewer for Lost Abbey. Gordon poured us samples of Green Flash Little Freak — a barrel-aged Saison inoculated with Brett– as well as Green Flash Super Freak — the Green Flash LeFreak (Belgian-style IIPA) aged in San Pasqual Grenache wine barrels with brettanomyces. Little Freak was light and refreshing with hints of barnyard, while the Super Freak was more full-bodied and more complex. Gordon surprised us by whipping out a bottle of Lost Abbey Carnevale from underneath the table. Pj and Jordan got really really excited about that … as you can see.

For those of you unfamiliar with Lost Abbey Carnevale, it is a dry hopped saison ale sporting a hazy yellow color and moderately spicy nose with hints of oranges and tangerines from Amarillo and Simcoe hops. The yeast phenols add layers of clove and allspice. Weighs in around 6.5% with a medium-to-light body. It is seasonal and released around Lent.

After a few hours of quality beer drinking, it became apparent that the group needed to seek out some substance — in the form of meat products. The two food vendors for the day were Pizza Port & Kansas City Barbeque. On the way to the food tables, I ran into Greg Koch and got distracted by beer.

Before we knew it, the festival was wrapping up and it was time to embark upon yet another beer drinking mission. Dr. Bill invited the crew up to Stone Brewing Co. for a tasting of some rare beers from his collection. Once again, we are not ones to turn down opportunities to taste rare and interesting beers. Traffic was utterly unbearable and … sobering.

After what seemed like a year and a day, we arrived at Stone World Bistro & Gardens where Dr. Bill secured us the VIP section for our private tasting. Among many beers, Bill brought us Avery Dugana, De Dolle Special Reserva Ourbiera, the super exclusive (club membership only) Lost Abbey Sinners blend 09′, Hansens Oude Geuze, Hansens Oude Kriek and various vintages of Stone Double Bastard Ale.

Being that I had been distracted from obtaining food at the Green Flash Festival, Dr. Bill was also kind enough to provide us with a plentiful helping of Wild Boar Baby Back Ribs & Artisan sausages — which I devoured like it was my job. Earlier in the day, Stone hosted the Brewdog bahash bash where they tapped bashah, the latest collaboration brew by Scottish brewers BrewDog and Stone.

Bashah is the world’s first ever Black Belgian Double IPA. According to the BrewDog blog, there are five hops used in the beer: Hercules, Magnum, Warrior, Centennial and Amarillo. It is currently available in bottles. Dr. Bill couldn’t resist showing up the “disposable” keg in which bashah was distributed. Personally, I’ve never seen anything like it. It looks more like something you’d find at a NASA than a bar …

After getting our fill of meat products and amazing rare beers, it was once again time to hit the road in search of more beer week escapades. By the time we got to Taylors house, the crew was exhausted from hours of day drinking. We loaded up on a few cups of espresso while we debated our next stop. One of our friends, Beverly Bancroft, had charted a limo for the entire day and offered to send the limo to pick us up and bring us out on the town.

The limo took us to Toronado in South Park, San Diego — where we met up our new Twitter beer geek buddies Tab Brewer and Beverly & Mark Bancroft. My heart stopped when Tab ordered a bottle of (the rare) 2003 Boon Mariage Parfait. Some of you may not be aware (bad stalkers!) of my obsession with the gueuze. Long story short, the gueze is one of my all-time favorite styles of beer and I’ve put myself on a mission to taste as many variations of the style from as many brewers possible.

When Tab handed me the glass of Mariage I felt like a giddy little school girl who just got passed a love note from her biggest crush. It was bright golden in color with a, what is in my opinion, pleasant earthy, hay & barnyard aroma typical of Brett Bruxellensis. Overall, I found Boon Mariage Parfait to be light-bodied, highly carbonated & tart with a crisp, dry finish. That beer definitely had it going on. And I was really digging the funk … until of course I reached the bottom of the glass. Which was a very, very sad moment. But I quickly cheered up when the server delivered my beer brat smoothers in peppers and onions in a toasted pun with housemade potato salad on the side.

Now, I know what you are probably thinking. And yes, I have a bottomless pit for a stomach. Especially, when drinking beer in vast quantities. And especially when it comes to pork products.

I have a weakness for the pig.

You see, I was deprived of most pork products as a child. This is because my mother has been a vegetarian for 30+ years as well as a health & fitness fanatic. I’m oddly grateful that she never introduced me to the beautiful world of bacon, sausage, brats, pulled pork, BBQ ribs and so on and so forth — for I think I may have been an obese child if she had.

In Autumn of 2008, I tried bacon for the FIRST time — EVER. (FYI: I was 25 years old). And then I had my first bratwurst, first pulled pork sandwich, first rack of ribs etc… Food was never the same. And to come to think of it, either was my waistline. (Bacon belly anyone?)

Being both a beer connoisseur & pork fiend, it was pertinent that I try Toronado’s beer sausage — even if I had just previously pigged out (no pun intended) on sausage at Stone Brewing Co.  Toronado’s houesmade sausage was very juicy with a perfect blend of spices. It was so tasty, in fact, that it made me extremely thirsty for more beer. Hamilton’s must have been the go-to spot that evening because by the time I was ready for another beer, the entire bar was packed. It took some elbow swinging, but eventually I was able to make it to the bar.

If you’ve never been to Toronado (in either San Francisco or San Diego), than you probably are not familiar with the amazingness that is its beer menu. Toronado boasts and extremely impressive and slightly overwhelming tap and bottle list. Being surrounded by hardcore beer geeks, the pressue was on. One poor decision, and I was going to be fed to the wolves. After the gueze, I was on a Belgian beer kick. I decided to order a bottle of Fantome Printemps — a bottle-conditioned Spring seasonal Saison from Belgium. Fantome exclusively produces the Saison style and releases a different twist to the style every season. I’ve been lucky enough several of Fantome’s Saison variations as well as have a few older vintages in my cellar.

Feeling confident with my decision, I presented the bottle of Fantome Printemps to the group. Unfortunately, the beer did not win the hearts of my fellow beer geeks, who were quick to reject it. I blame it on palate exhaustion. To be fairl, it is really hard to expect people who’ve been quaffing high gravity, super intense & extreme beers all day to drink a Saison. It would be like asking someone whose been drinking Bordeaux & Barolo to sip on a rose. Seems like water in comparison.

So being the sulky face hurt puppy dog that I was after being rejected, I took the whole bottle of Fantome Printemps and sat in my own little corner where I enjoyed every last drop of it.

As the crowd started to dwindle, it became apparent that our time was up and the bar was getting ready to close. But instead of throwing the towel in, a small contingent of loyal party-goers headed back to Taylor’s place for a nightcap and some Kill Bill Volume 1 action. Yet, just as I was thinking that I had won the third round, San Diego beer week snuck up on me fast. Halfway through my beer and even less through Kill Bill, I was out like a light.

However, this round was not a complete loss. For the first time during the trip, I was the first person to be awake and productive the next morning. I even made breakfast for everyone. And so San Diego, although you wore me down and put me to bed before everyone else, you did not win right out. Instead, we will call this a tie.

THE WENCH = 1.5 & SAN DIEGO = 1.5

Stay tuned for the 4th Round and last installment of: The Wench vs. San Diego Beer Week! Cheers!

This, my dear friends (and loyal subjects), is an extremely important landmark in the history of The Beer Wench blog.

I am extremely honored and excited to present my first ever official Beer Wench video interview.

And if that was not cool enough, the interview is with the head brewer from Sam Adams –the one, the only– Mr. Bob Cannon.

As you may recall, I recently attended a Sam Adams beer dinner at The Culinary Institute of Charleston. While I was there, Bob Cannon was kind enough to let me interview him.

Since I was unaware of the fact that I would be given this opportunity, the actual interview is completely of the cusp. Nothing that was discussed was planned in advance — and actually, the “interview” flows more like a conversation.

As you will notice, the interview is in two parts. This is because both Bob and The Wench love to talk — especially about beer.

So without any further ado, allow me to present The Wench’s very first video interview with Bob Cannon from Samuel Adams.

SAM ADAMS INTERVIEW PART ONE

SAM ADAMS INTERVIEW PART TWO

Feedback is greatly encouraged!

Cheers!

It is hard to believe we are already in the month of August and that September is almost around the corner.

As depressing as it may be for some, I tend to welcome the end of summer.In fact, I anticipate it.

Autumn happens to be my favorite season — and for many reasons. Autumn equals college football season, fall foliage, apple picking, Halloween (my favorite holiday), pumpkin beers (pumpkin everything), wine harvest, Oktoberfest … and lots of other beer festivals.

One such beer festival is the Great Lakes Brew Fest in Racine, WI. This year the GLBF is being held on September 19th from 3-7pm at the Racine Festival Park.

The Great Lakes Brew Fest is in its sixth year and will feature unlimited sampling of more than 250 craft beers and sodas from nearly 100 brewers on the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan. All paid attendees will receive a souvenir tasting glass.

Food served by local restaurants will be available for purchase. The festival also features live music including performances by the world renowned Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps.

Attendance is limited at 4000 people. Tickets went on sale June 1st and the VIP tickets have already been sold out. Basic Fest passes are still available at $39 a pop. They are being sold at a rapid rate, so make sure to secure your spot at the festival ASAP.

And why do I think YOU should be attending this event? For starters, I’ll be there. And if that is not enough, then you should go anyways because the lineup is KICK-ASS.

But don’t take my word for it, check it out yourself — HERE.

Although I intend on visiting every pavilion and as many breweries as physically possible, I can GUARANTEE that you will find me in the Michigan Beer Pavilion (Bell’s, Founders & Jolly Pumpkin — oh my!)

Here is The Wench’s list of  GLBF breweries that I absolutely MUST VISIT:

• Dogfish Head (ummm no brainer)
• Bell’s
• Jolly Pumpkin
• Founders
• North Coast
• New Beligum
• Stone
• Ommegang
• Victory

Of course, I intend on hitting up as many breweries as possible. But the ones listed above are my top priorities.

If you are planning on attending the Great Lakes Brew Fest and want to meet up, please leave a comment on the blog or shoot me an email at drinkwiththewench@gmail.com.

Cheers!

This weekend I traveled out to the heart of California’s wine country to attend The Wine Bloggers Conference.

Sounds weird, right — since “technically“, I’m not a wine blogger (details, details).

Last year, I missed the first ever Wine Bloggers Conference. This turned out to be extremely tragic and I vowed never again to miss such an event.

Although I am not a wine blogger, a significant portion of my “professional” experience has been wine-related. Wine is one of my greatest passions as well as subject in which I have devoted a SIGNIFICANT amount of time to studying.

I love wine AND I am a total wine geek. (OKAY THERE, I said it. I’m out of the “wino closet”)

I have a pretty decent collection of wine books and for some time now I have been studying for sommelier and CSW certification. BUT, although I love me some geeky textbooks — when it comes to wine reviews, I trust wine bloggers more than wine writers from traditional media platforms.

The wine blogging community is a commnity of wine evagelists, wine geeks, wine enthusiasts and winemakers.

Some blogs are more relevant and interesting than others. Some blogs I follow purely for educational purposes. Some I follow purely for entertainment purposes. And some I follow for both educational and entertainment purposes.

My love for food, beer, wine and social media has given me a community of friends like none other I have ever known.

Shana Ray, The Wench, Wannabe Wino & Wine Brat (SF)

So naturally, when I heard that a signifcantly large percentage of my Twitter friends were going to attend a conference centered around social media, food & wine — I could not resist attending the event.

Yeah yeah, it was the “Wine” Bloggers Conference … and I write about beer.

Blah blah. All I heard was “BIG PARTY out in California — where the wine flows like water.”

And except for one minor incident (which has been noted and need not be named), the wine did flow … and flow … and flow … and flow …

The Wench, Rob Bralow, Shana Ray

No, seriously. We are talking breakfast, lunch and dinner — heck, even on the bus.

But aside from all the drinking, all the food, all the great people, great laughs and great memories — the 2009 Wine Bloggers Conference was, in fact, a very serious event.

Shana Ray (@sharayray) & The Wench

Okay, maybe not THAT serious But, it was extremely educational, informative and valuable — REALLY.

Personally, I tasted over 200 wines. I’m sure that many of the hardcore wine bloggers (aka people who actually spit) tasted nearly twice as many. In addition to drinking and eating our way through wine country — we went on vineyard walks, winery tours and attended several wine & web themed seminars and keynotes.

The overall experience was entirely too extensive to capture in merely one post. I was impressed by several wine bloggers, winemakers, wineries, wine something-or-others … and well WINES themselves. Lots of hits, lots of misses — but nonetheless, lots of laughs, lots of memories & lots of fun.

Lots of fun.

Ward (Dr. Xeno) & The Wench

But, ahhhh screw it. As much as I would love to illustrate my experience through the use of witty metaphors and uber creative writing, I would rather just flaunt it through the use of a select series of photos … and one oh so memorable video (which I will make you anxiously wait to see until the end …)

I arrived in California one day before the start of WBC. Instead of twiddling my thumbs or mindlessly walking throughout the city of San Fransisco, I lived “dangerously” and hitch-hiked a ride to Murphys. And by hitch-hiked, I mean I was picked up from the SFO airport by a good friend from Twitter — Russ Beebe, the infamous Wine Hiker.

The Winehiker & The Wench

Russ kidnapped me and forced me to eat a picnic of prosciutto, cheese, fresh peaches & fresh sourdough bread on the way to visit Twisted Oak Winery. The experience was utterly unbearable …

The Wench & El Jefe

My visit to Twisted Oak was rather inspiring — and may deserve its own post (re: beer epiphanies). I met some AMAZING people (my long lost soul-mates from Twitter), toured the Twisted Oak Winery, visited several tasting rooms in downtown Murphys, tasted many great wines (especially from Twisted Oak and Newsom-Harlow), drank some “epiphany” beers, enjoyed a nice swim in Murphys Creek, chowed down on some ridiculous good BBQ (mmm steak …) and played master winemaker in a blending competition.

Bur for me, the real “epiphany moment” came after I woke up from a remarkable nights sleep in the great outdoors underneath the infamous Twisted Oak tree …

The Twisted Oak Tree

Russ (Winehiker) was kind enough to provide me a modest & ultra satisfying breakfast … served straight off the trailer of his truck.

An amazing nights sleep under the stars — in combination with great company, a tasty breakfast and a beautiful crack-of-dawn view of Twisted Oak Winery — equated to absolute bliss.

After what seemed like the perfect wine country experience in Murphys, we all headed on up to the Flamingo Hotel in Santa Rosa for Day One of the WBC.

BUT …. this post is already entirely WAY too long. Which means, I am forced to reveal the photographic evidence (with some video footage) of the WBC in a series of consequetive posts.

Have no fear, kids. I will provide you with one little (but ultra compelling) sneak pea k …

CHEERS!

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/2009/07/infiltrating-the-wine-bloggers-conference/feed/ 5 http://drinkwiththewench.com/2009/07/sam-adams-beer-dinner-recap/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2009/07/sam-adams-beer-dinner-recap/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:17:26 +0000 Wenchie http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=1311

This past week I had the honor of being flown to Charleston, SC to attend an all-expense-paid, super special beer dinner co-hosted by the Culinary Institute of Charleston and Samuel Adams.

There were several highlights of the night –one of which included meeting and conversing with the phenomenal team of chefs from the Culinary Institute of Charleston. The food and the beer were obviously major highlights as well.

But hands down, the ultimate highlight of the entire evening was the opportunity to meet, interview and talk beer (and other non-beer topics) with Sam Adam‘s Head Brewer, Bob Cannon. And get this — he not only sat at MY TABLE, but also sat RIGHT. NEXT. TO. ME.

And let me just tell you, Bob is one heck of a guy. He is extremely personable and an amazing conversationalist. I could have talked with him for hours upon hours … upon hours … upon hours (and so on and so forth).

Prior to the actual event, I was sent an invitation that listed the various courses and pairings for the beer dinner. Other than knowing the tentative list of food & beers, I had absolutely no idea what to expect from the evening.

Needless to say, any expectations that I may have even remotely had were completed exceeded by both The Culinary Institute of Charleston and Sam Adams. The Culinary Institute was beautifully decorated and the table settings were simple, yet effective.

I arrived at the event early with my good friend Lain Bradford. Almost immediately upon entering the building, we were both introduced to Bob Cannon. Even though I didn’t believe him at first, I was very humbled to have learned that Bob had actually heard about me and my blog prior to the event. (Apparently, “The Beer Wench” was a brief topic of conversation at the Great American Beer Fest … who woulda thunk?)

Bob was kind enough to allow both Lain and myself interview him. The footage will be released in the near future.

And now without further ado, allow me to present my Sam Adams Beer Dinner RECAP through the use of visual media …

Disclaimer: the following video is the first of its kind to be released on my blog. I used a FLIP camera to record myself prior to the start of the dinner. Ummm … enjoy?

Okay, so I might need a wee bit o’ practice in the self-video department.

Let us move on to the nitty gritty.

Upon entering the doors to the Culinary Institute of Charleston, guests were immediately “bombarded with beer. We were forced to sample the Samuel Adams Pils and the Samuel Adams Ale.

We were asked to vote which one we preferred best. And you will NEVER guess in a million years what The Wench voted for …

(If you even need to ask, then you are not stalking me well enough — tisk tisk)

Soft pretzels and whole grain mustard and beer is a natural pairing. These delicious knots of joy were a slam dunk with the Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

This was our modest cheese spread. Only about 5 pounds worth per guest …

Super sexy close-up of the cheese. Ohhhhhhh yeah.

That was some seriously coagulated casein. I’m drooling just looking at the picture.

Mmmmmmm beer.

Adobe chicken wings and livers. To die for. Really.

Mussels steamed in garlic & Boston Lager. Absolutely delicious!

The Beer Wench and Chef David Vagasky — the brilliantly talented chef behind all of the appetizers.

The simple, yet completely perfect center piece.

The spit bucket was just for decoration.

I don’t think anyone  actually used it …

The table confetti consisted of two types of barley and dried hops leaves — which I proceeded to chew on at the end of the meal. HEY, hops are good for digestion. Among other things

The Beer Wench with Chef Ben Black — the other brilliantly talented chef responsible for the amazing appetizer spread!

The Salad Course: Shrimp and Citrus Salad paired with Samuel Adams Summer Wheat Ale.

The salad was super light and refreshing and the beer complimented it extremely well.

The First Entree Course: Cajun red snapper with Texas caviar and mango salad with a mango Irish Red reduction. This was paired with Samuel Adams Irish Red Ale.

I loved this course. I would almost argue that it was my favorite. The Irish Red Ale was definitely my favorite beer of the night, hands down. (It is also Bob Cannon’s favorite SA beer)

The Second Entree Course: Salmon Nicoise — Fennel crusted salmon atop a nicoise olive & haricot vert salad finished with a reduction of whole grain mustard and paired with Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

This dish was very tasty and the salmon was cooked perfectly. Samuel Adam’s Boston Lager is one of the only American Lagers that I actually enjoy.

The Third Entree Course: Pan-seared SA Blackberry Wit Muscovy duck breast with blackberry-lemon gastrique and griddled Anson Mills hoe cake paired with Sam Adams Blackberry Wit.

The duck was out of this world. This was also the first time I tried the SA Blackberry Wit — and needless to say, I was impressed. Light & fruity. Perfect pair for this dish.

The Fourth Entree Course: Hold onto your seats for this one, kids.

Kobe beef short ribs braised in SA Cream Stout atop a bed of roasted garlic buttermilk mashed potatoes and paired with Sam Adams Cream Stout.

This dish was absolutely pornographic. The cream stout was rich, thick and oooohhh so creamy.

The Fifth Entree Course: Sam Adams Black Lager & chocolate ancho chile rubbed lamb ribs paired with Sam Adams Black Lager.

Ridiclous. Absolutely ridiculous.

The Dessert Course: Paired with Sam Adams Cherry Wheat.

Part 1 = Apple walnut & cream stout tart

Part 2 = Malted chocolate gelato with macerated cherries, vanilla bean creme fraiche and SA Cherry Wheat foam.

I completely devoured both desserts. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if pictures of me licking the plate surfaced.The cherry wheat complimented both deserts very nicely. It was not too sweet and slightly tart.

LA PIECE DE RESITANCE: SAMUEL ADAMS UTOPIA.

This is the strongest beer in the entire world. It is roughly 27.5 %ABV. It is only produced every two years — and will run yo about $200 bucks a bottle.

And what does The Wench have to say about it?

Wow. Just … wow.

I am still speechless.

Well, folks. That is all the photos I have to share from the event. The event was almost too enjoyable that I forgot all about taking pictures.

BIG THANKS go out to both Samuel Adams and The Culinary Institute of Charleston for putting on such an amazing event and allowing me to be a part of it. I had a tremendously wonderful time. The food was amazing and the beers were spectacular — but it truly was the people who made the event as enjoyable as it was.

CHEERS!

I am still speechless.