But I digress. The point is this: every beer blogger has his or her own craft beer personality and style of advocating craft beer. Each has their own goals and aspirations for their site. And whereas I respect and appreciate all my fellow bloggers, the human side of me cannot help but pick favorites, here and there, despite my wish to remain as neutral as possible.

Case and point: New Brew Thursday. These guys are more than just hilarious and entertaining video beer bloggers. They are some of the biggest craft beer evangelists that I know and, more importantly, they are some of the best friends I have ever had. And we are talking about true friends, not the kind that you party a lot with and then know nothing about — the kind that open their homes and hearts to you when you need it the most, even if it is the most inopportune moment for them.

Photo credit: John Holzer

A few weeks ago, New Brew Thursday hosted me at their studio, where we enjoyed lots of really amazing craft beers, amazing chicken curry, lots of laughs and talked about the awesomeness of Kern River Brewing and the Just Outstanding IPA. If you haven’t seen the video, it is definitely worth checking out. If you have seen the video, it is definitely worth watching again. And again. And again.

Special thanks to New Brew Thursday for being amazing friends, amazing craft beer advocates and amazing video professionals. I love you all You are soooooooo GOOGLE!

June 17 : Just Outstanding IPA : Kern River Brewing with Special Guest The Beer Wench from New Brew Thursday on Vimeo.

This week everyone’s favorite Mutineer, The Beer Wench ( a.k.a Ashley Routson ), pays the studio a visit and it gets GOOGLE! We crack open a couple of bottles Kern River Brewing Companies Just Outstanding IPA and it lives up to the name. We also enjoy some mighty fine spicy Indian food made by our lovely producer Yvonne.

We crack wise about craft beer, tell a few inside jokes, and have a round about good time. You also get to see Stephen with a partial beard, no beard, and a full beard. Ahh the magic of video.

This weeks master pairing find Stephen back in Dr. Bill’s Kitchen for a lesson on lemons, and a delicious breakfast pairing.

Also this week, our craft beer advocate offers to buy you a beer!

The Beer Blogger Interview Series

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

INTRODUCING: THE BREWFANANTICS MINI INTERVIEW SERIES!

The Brewfantatics are a group of 3 talented homebrewers on a mission to create 100 new home brewers by the end of 2010! They want to spread the word and educate people about the fun, exciting hobby of brewing beer while they pursue their own dream of opening a brewery.

INTRODUCING: JOSH HARNEY

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Josh Harney
Twitter handle: @thebrewfanatics
Name of blog: brewfanatics.com
Current location: Cincinnati (Dave and Josh)

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

I lived in South Bend, Indiana, until I was 14 and then moved to Cincinnati

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

Mostly basketball.  In high school we had a good team, which made it fun.  Most of the guys went on to play in college, and one professionally, though I didn’t.

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

My first beer of my own? 18.  But I’d been sipping Pop’s beer since I was little.  I couldn’t understand why he liked that stuff but I kept thinking that if I kept trying it maybe I’d like it to, eventually.

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

In our home once we turned 18 years old our folks would let us have one beer in an evening under the following conditions: we drank  it with them, we weren’t in a sports season or academic club that prohibited it, and we weren’t driving anywhere that evening.  My 18th birthday was right in the middle of basketball season, so I had to wait until later in the spring to have that first one.  It was probably a Bud Light…Pop is a Bud man.

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 off at Michigan State in the Fisheries & Wildlife program but what I studied was mostly hoops at the rec center, pool halls, and the [then] new Batman cartoon that was on TV every day.  When I could no longer hang with the increasing out of state tuition I was paying, I tranfered to Eastern Illinois University and finished my undergrad degree in Environmental Biology.  At both schools I was active in campus ministries seeking to strengthen the relationships students have with their families, friends, and with Christ.

At Eastern, a group of us started having a lot of fun finding practical ways to show people God’s love, with no strings attached.  We’d do things that didn’t take a lot of dough because we naturally were all broke, but we might go clean somebody’s bathroom for free, or head up to the gas station and wash car windows for free, or in the fall we’d get out into the residential neighborhoods and rake leavs for free.  It was a blast.  I also earned a Master of Science degree  in Industrial & Environmental Hygiene from the University of Cincinnati….industrial hygiene is an extra geeky field within the broader profession of occupational safety and risk management.

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.”

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

Although I’d been enjoying craft beer for some time, and brewing some too, I don’t think I had an epiphany until I read Garrett Oliver’s ‘The Brewmaster’s Table.’  The book is so lovingly written, and really exposed me to the wider world of international craft brews, that I didn’t want the book to end.  It really made me see the endless possibilities of beer flavor, texture…the whole sensory experience, plus the food pairing combinations presented by an ‘entrepreneurial’ craft brewing style.  Anyone who loves craft beer and loves to read should have that book in their library.

Beer Blog Background

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

Just over a month

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

Dave made me do it.  Ha!

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

ESB, American pale ale, Dunkel

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Fitger’s up in Duluth, Minnesota eh, Bell’s, Hofbrauhaus

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

Probably Dogfishhead.  Those guys look like they have a lot of fun plus it’s employee owned

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

Yes!  I made a saison that turned out really nice last summer, after I cultured up some yeast from a bottle of Saison du Pont.  Golden, a bit spicy, a shade funky, refreshing.  MMm!  Definitely will do that one again.

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

Nope

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

Easy – ‘Grown Up’ ice cream floats.  Find some really good vanilla bean ice cream and make a float with an imperial stout like my own St. Peter’s Gate or Brooklyn Brewery’s seasonal Chocolate Stout.  It’s just plain naughty!  It’s a cinch to make and is an easy, but special, change of pace to serve for dessert when you have guests over.  Even if they say they don’t like beer, this is a great one to throw at them to challenge their concept of what beer can do for their palate.  Coffee lovers who say they don’t like beer will beg you for seconds, if they’re not laid out on the floor from chugging the imperial stout/vanilla ice cream.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

I am a full time Director of occupational safety & environmental health at a large 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?

Presuming my family’s financial needs would still be met, it would take me about 1.5 seconds to change and focus just on making beer that people love to enjoy in the brewpub that exists just in our minds at this point.

3. Are you married? Children?

Yep, married to the absolute best wife in the world, for 5 years.  God willing, we’ll start having kids this year.

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

I get what I like to call Nature Deficit Disorder pretty easily, so I like to spend time out in the woods.  Walking with my wife and the dog on trails.  Hunting.  Shooting.  Listening. I like putzing around in the vegetable garden, making sure the hop yard is doing well.  Low key stuff.

Off The Beaten Path

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

I think I’d be a trappist dubbel.  Rich, complex, but not everybody’s favorite.

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?

You raise a good point.  Everybody should probably have an answer to this in case it comes up.  Hopefully I’d be swift enough to think of some brew that’s only released about every ten years or so, to buy some time for the other Brewfanatics to put together a rescue plan for me.

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?

Wenchie, you know I’d make you something that makes you smile, although I’m surprised [though pleased] you’ve evolved from the Bud Light swilling High Street days in Columbus, at Buckeye National U.  I’m pretty confident I could whip you up a batch of saison with a Brett secondary that makes you swear the barnyard is still in the keg.  The special tweak though, would come from some sage or maybe even a small portion of some old lambic.

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

It would give my icon on Brewfanatics.com the voice of Chuck Norris

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

Are you kidding?  I have an advanced degree  in how to avoid risk. I’m not as bad as Ben Stiller in that movie with Jennifer Aniston where he knows the odds of contracting hepatitis from mishandled and undercooked veal or whatever, but I’m not exactly known as a risk taker.  I got nothing, sorry.  I mean, that whole thing with the grenade and the charging bull has been blown waaay out of proportion…

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

All are pleasant.  A couple years ago when my pal Boo and I started our 24 hr. drive out to Wyoming for antelope hunting we decided to make a list of everything that tastes good with bacon, and then to start eating all of them.  Turns out there’s almost nothing that doesn’t taste good with bacon.  People need to eat more bacon and enjoy more good beer.  It’s okay to die a little bit overweight and be really happy.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JOSH FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

STAY TUNED FOR THE FINAL BREWFANATICS INTERVIEW TOMORROW!

CHEERS!

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!!!

But for those of you who might not have been following my San Diego Beer Week adventures, have no fear, I’ve decided to write up a recap of the whole experience so that you too can hate me. Hey, they don’t call me Wench for no reason.

My SDBW story actually starts pre-arrival. This was the first time that I had ever flown Virgin Airways and I had no idea what to expect. And let me tell you, my experience was more AMAZING than I can possibly describe. The purple and red themed interior of the plan was extremely calming. The plane itself was very clean, spacious, comfortable and impressively high-tech. But the real kicker was the chain of events that occurred in flight.

The stars must have been aligned for me that morning because 1. Virgin Airways provided 21st Amendment IPA (my favorite craft beer IPA in a can) on flight 2. Virgin Airways provided FREE internet access on flight (hello, The Wench is a known Internet addict) and 3. Virgin Airways provided free satellite cable on flight …

The sequence of events went as follows: I order a delicious and frosty 21st Amendment IPA. Then I open up my laptop and immediately sign into my Tweetdeck. And then — get this — I turned on ESPN classic and, what do you know, the game on TV is the 1990 Ohio State vs. IOWA showdown. Let’s recap: awesome craft beer + free Internet + Ohio State football … throw in some bacon and I would never have gotten off that plane!

I had never been to San Diego prior to this trip. Needless to say, I was super excited to check out one of the top ranked beer cities in the U.S. And let me tell you one thing, San Diego not only lives up to its reputation — its beer scene completely blows all other cities out of the water. (This from someone who travels extensively in the name of beer). DISCLAIMER: I was in San Diego during beer week, which may or may not have biased my previous statement.

The San Diego airport was easy to move through and I was able to get in a cab to downtown in no time flat. My hostess for the weekend was my brilliantly talented and beautiful big sister, Taylor Shaw. (Technically, we were not “born” into sisterhood. Blood or not, she is family and I love her unconditionally as if she was blood.)

Tay has several years of beer connoisseurship on me and I was completely blown away by her collection of craft beers. Her normal refrigerator was loaded to the brim with beers, as were her cupboards, her wine fridge, her storage room etc. And on top of it all, she has more beer stored in a beer locker. I can only aspire to be as kick-ass as Tay one day.

The first stop on our SDBW agenda was the famous Stone World Bistro & Gardens. To come to think of it, I never did get a tour of the Stone Brewery. Oh well, just another excuse to return.

When it comes to describing the Stone World Bistro & Gardens, I cannot even being to start. I’ve never been to Disney World or Land (despite living in Orlando for 8 months). But I’m almost positive Stone World Bistro & Gardens to me is the equivalent of Cinderella’s castle to a young Disney princess obsessed girl.

The big event that we went for was the 10 year vertical tasting of Double Bastard Ale. For those of you unfamiliar with the beer, weighing in at around 10.50% ABV, Double Bastard is considered an American Strong Ale (a catch all category for “uncategorizeable” ales with high alcohol content). Double Bastard boasts a huge malt bill and a belligerent hoppiness. Both it’s hop varietals and IBU level are classified. It is not recommended for the weak of heart.

Double Bastard is most definitely an arrogant son-of-a-wench. The earlier vintages had a savage-like level of hops and insulting level of alcohol, while the older vintages were more smooth and balanced. All vintages attacked my palate with a malty vengeance. The 10 year flight of Double Bastard had me constantly questioning if I was, indeed, worthy.

Lucky for me, I’m The Wench. Double Bastard has nothing on me. I grabbed it by the balls and showed it who was boss.

In addition to tasting an epic vertical of Stone beers and seeing Stone World Bistro & Gardens for the first time, I had the extreme honor of meeting THE ONE, THE ONLY, THE FAMOUSLY  SPECTACULAR & AMAZING Dr. Bill.

Bill Sysak is one of my greatest heroes in the beer industry. I aspire to one day be as knowledgeable as him. He doesn’t know it yet, but we may get married someday.

I have an open invite to come raid Dr. Bill’s collection at his home. Which I plan on doing some time in the VERY very near future. It is sooooo worth the flight down, trust me.

Dr. Bill was not the only beer celebrity I met that day. As fate would have it, the adorable studs of New Brew Thursday filmed an episode with Dr. Bill in the Stone Gardens.

The mayhem at Stone Brewing Co. did not end with the flight of Double Bastard. While there, we ran into the husband and wife team from Kern River Brewing Company – Eric & Rebecca Giddens.

Upon discovering our beer geekness, they offered us some samples the Kern River Brewing Company JUST OUTSTANDING IPA. And naturally, being the mischievous and impatient “Being of Pure ID” that I’m become known to be, I opened up the bottle in the parking lot. Verdict? The name says it all, Kern produces an outstanding IPA!

The first day at Stone was extremely exciting. Not only did I get to rub elbows with Dr. Bill, the boys from New Brew Thursday (Stephen Johnson, Brad Kohlenburg & John Holzer) and the Giddens, I also got to meet SEVERAL of my fellow beer geek twitter buddies: Jordan Rounds, Renee Rounds, Martin Emde, Kristin Emde & Laura Johnson.

And I must admit, we are one fine looking group of geeks.

The excitement of day one did not end at Stone Brewing. Oh no, it did not not. The insanity had only just begun …

After drinking some pretty intense high gravity ales at Stone Brewing, it was pertinent that my big sister and I scavenger for food. Our grumbling pork-product craving tummies brought us to the Blind Lady Ale House, where we had the pleasure of sitting down at the bar with two of its owners, Lee and Jenniffer Chase. The pair provided lots of great insight into the local San Diego beer industry. It was interesting to here things from and insiders perspective.

That particular evening, BLAH was featuring a special beer/food pairing menu with Green Flash Brewing Co beers. Taylor and I decided to order both of the courses and share them. While we waited for the food to come out, each of us enjoyed a “aperitif” beer.

The first was bacon-wrapped Char stuffed with homemade stuffing on top a bed of micro greens in a creamy dill sauce paired with Green Flash Little Freak.

The second dish was melt in your mouth, fall straight of the bone, lamb shank in a rich gravy served over a bed of root vegetables and new potatoes paired with Green Flash Belgian Brown Ale.

After satisfying our cravings for top notch beer, food & conversation … Taylor and I found ourselves back on the road in search of more beer adventures. It wasn’t long before we found ourselves down in San Diego’s vibrant Gaslamp Quarter at JSix Restaurant, where Lost Abbey hosted a dinner & art show in conjunction with its artist, Sean Dominguez. Sean was there with his adorable son. Usually, I don’t like children. But this kid, this kid was a winner.

For a mere $20 admission, guests enjoyed passed-around hors d’oeuvres and were able to taste all of the following beers while viewing their original label artwork:

• Inferno – Oil on Canvas
• Carnevale – Chalk and Pencil
• Deliverance – Oil on Canvas Beer not yet released
• Devotion – Chalk and Pencil
• Duck Duck Gooze – Oil on Canvas

• Gift of the Magi – Chalk and Pencil
• Cuvee de Tomme – Chalk and Pencil
• Judgment Day – Oil and Canvas
• Lost and Found – Chalk and Pencil
• Angel’s Share – Oil on Canvas

• Red Barn – Oil on Canvas
• Serpent’s Stout – Oil on Canvas
• Avant Garde – Oil on Canvas
• Ten Commandments – Chalk and Pencil
• Witch’s Wit – Oil on Canvas

True to Wench form, I found myself in good company at JSix. My victim? Gordon Gerski, Brewer & Bottling Line Wrangler at Lost Abbey.

Much to Gordie’s dismay, I latched myself onto to him for the majority of the evening. As a result, I received endless pours of my favorite Lost Abbey beer — Duck Duck Gooze — as well as had the opportunity to meet the man behind the magic of Lost Abbey — Mr. Tomme Arthur.

Also present that evening was the illustrious Mr. Greg Koch, CEO of Stone Brewing Co.

The evening took a turn for the more awesome when my good friend and fellow beer blogger, Pj Hoberman, showed up at JSix. Unfortunately, PJ arrived towards the end of the event. Nonetheless, Taylor and I did our damnedest to catch him up.

Like all good times, the Lost Abbey art show had to come to an end. But this did not hinder our goals to create mayhem and reek havoc on the city of San Diego. And so the Three Stooges of Debauchery trekked onward to our last stop of the evening: Hamilton’s Tavern for the Liar’s Club Redux event.

By this point, The Wench was feeling good. A little too good because I cannot for the life of me remember what I drank. I do, however, remember eating some kick-ass chicken wings and fries. Nothing like fried food to cap an evening of amazing beer drinking, am I right?

After practically closing down Hamilton’s, it was a group consensus to take the party back to Taylor’s swank pad downtown. Being quite a few beers deep, I decided (like the mature adult that I am) that the bed sounded more lucrative than continuing with the beer drinking festivities. Unfortunately, my lovely friends did not agree with that move. And after 2 attempts to pass out, the crew was able to resurrect my half-dead body.

The night took yet another turn for the awesome when I decided to make nachos. People really need to learn not to feed me past midnight. Think Gremlins, kids. You don’t feed the Gremlins past midnight. You don’t feed the Wench past midnight. Because once you spike my blood sugar, I cannot be responsible for any of my actions.

Needless to say, the blood sugar rush from the nachos sent me into a manic state which then enabled me to drink more beer. Drinking more beer ultimately led to 2 back-to-back screenings of … wait for it … wait for it … The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

What can I say? I’m a freak for Dr. Frankenfurter. Usually, my crazed requests to watch the Rocky Horror Picture show get over-turned by my peers. But not this night. As fate would have it, another member of the twitter beer geek crew, The Mr. Martin Emde, is also a RHPS fiend.

As much as I would love to share the details of the rest of the evening with you all, there are just some things that are meant to be kept private. All I can say is that there was lots of “Time Warp” dancing action combined with shouting out various phrases at the movie. But then, if you’ve ever seen Rocky Horror live, you can probably imagine the madness that ensued.

The sun ended up coming sooner than one would expect. The “night” officially ended at 7:30AM.

The first day, San Diego Beer Week kicked my ass.

San Diego = 1 — Wench = 0

Stay tuned for ROUND 2 … Cheers!

]]> http://drinkwiththewench.com/2009/11/the-wench-vs-sdbw-round-1/feed/ 7 http://drinkwiththewench.com/2009/11/life-limb-beer-dinner/ http://drinkwiththewench.com/2009/11/life-limb-beer-dinner/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:32:56 +0000 http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=2023 I recently had one of the most amazing beer experiences of my life.

No I’m not talking about the beer — which was amazing. Or the food — which was also outstanding.

I’m referring to the opportunity to meet both Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head, and Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada. And let me just say one thing, these dudes are rockstars.

Prior to the Life & Limb dinner, I had the opportunity to meet Sam at the Great American Beer Festival. Naturally, as with all beer festivals, Sam was too busy to chat. BUT, he was gracious enough to take the time to say hello and snap some photos with me.

Although I had met Sam before the Life & Limb dinner, it did not prevent me from being wickedly nervous prior to our interview. Many of my friends can attest to my jitters in the weeks leading up to the dinner. But oddly enough, the moment Sam arrived at the restaurant, all of my nerves were put at ease. Sam was extremely congenial and from the moment we shook hands hello to the moment we shook hands goodbye, I felt right at ease.

And then of course, there was Ken Grossman — another major “celebrity” in the beer world. As soon as he arrived, Sam introduced us and we shook hands. Ken was extremely approachable and I had a blast talking to him before, during and after the dinner. Ken is definitely a man who truly loves life. There was not one moment in which he wasn’t smiling. No joke. This guy did not stop smiling.

Well as much as I’d love to gush on and on about meeting these two spectacular men, this article is not about me swooning over two of the greatest brewers in the country. Sigh. Shall we talk about the beer?

For it’s first ever collaboration, Sierra Nevada chose to team up with Dogfish Head to develop wo collaborative beers: Limb & Life (a draft-only beer) and Life & Limb (available in 24oz bottles and limited draft). Mutual respect, admiration, and none-too-few shared glasses of beer led to the collaborative idea.

THE BACKGROUND: The beers-Life & Limb, and Limb & Life-are dedicated to the family of beer drinkers and enthusiasts worldwide who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the vibrant craft-brewing community. Over the years, the two brewers-Ken Grossman and Sam Calagione-have become friends in the industry. They quickly realized how many similarities they share. Grossman’s history as a craft-brewing pioneer and his radical approach to brewing are echoed some fifteen years later by Calagione-through his boundary-pushing innovation and tireless promotion for the cause of craft beer.

Both men started out as home brewers obsessed with beer-making. Both share deep values of sustainability and responsibility. Both share the desire to pass their breweries on to the next generation, and both started out small-from humble beginnings-and built vibrant, creative, beer-centered and fiercely independent breweries, despite the long odds.

Below is a great video of Sam Calagione describing the story behind the Life & Limb collaboration, filmed by Draft Magazine.

Shall we move on to the actual event? Good plan …

The evening started out with Ken & Sam tapping the inaugural kegs. Hearing the kegs tapped was music to my ears. Although both kegs were tapped at the same time, the Life & Limb was reserved for dessert and we were all served the Limb & Life first. (BUT! I was one of the honored few to sip from the Holy Grail — aka Sam let me try some of his Life & Limb from his glass)

FIRST PAIRING: Passed Hors D’Oeuvres w/ Limb & Life

Unfortunately, I have no picture to insert because I was too busy mingling, drinking beer & noshing on the apps. However, let us discuss the pairing …

THE FOOD =

THE BEER = LIMB & LIFE

Limb & Life is a companion to the big beer-an acorn off the larger tree. It is a 5% ABV small beer-a low-gravity beer made using the residual sugar as “second runnings” from the first larger brew, fortified with American hops. This is a session beer. Its big brother is a sipper. Limb & Life will be a limited draft-only product, a prelude to the bigger beer.

The Wench’s opinion? PLEASE SIR … can I have some more? (And trust me … I did)

Life & Limb TASTING NOTES

• APPEARANCE: Fairly clear, brown. Great head. Lots of carbonation.
• AROMA: Hops dominate the aroma, yet there is a subtle hint of the maple syrup, rich roasted malts & wood (which I know now to be “birch”)
• TASTE: Wow. I mean wow. This beer is too easy — way too easy. The malt is perfect — slightly malt notes with hints of maple. Hops are definitely the key player in this beer — yet, they are not overwhelming.
• MOUTHFEEL: Light-to-moderate in body. Very smooth. Carbonation is perfect.
• OVERALL: This is one of the best session beers I’ve ever tasted. Why? Because it has a great balance. There is a significant malt and sugar presence, yet the hops take center stage — without being too dominate.

THE SECOND PAIRING

THE FOOD = Seared Ahi Tuna, Hearts of Palm, Jicama Salsa, Citrus Vinagraitte

THE BEERS =

• Sierra Nevada Kellerweis: Kellerweis is one of the only American Hefeweizens made using the traditional Bavarian style of open fermentation. This difficult and labor-intensive technique adds uncommon depth and flavor complexity. This hazy-golden hefeweizen is deeply flavorful, refreshing and perfect for a sunny day.
• Dogfish Head Festina Peche: A refreshing neo-BerlinerWeisse fermented with honest-to-goodness peaches to (get this!) 4.5% abv! Below is a video of Sam talking about Festina Peche…

THE VERDICT = The Ahi tuna was rubbed with some sort of red pepper, chile, black pepper spice blend. The Ahi tuna was super fresh (bright magenta/purple) was perfectly cooked (just barely seared). The hearts of palm and jicama salad with citrus vinaigrette was a perfect accompaniment with the spice from the tuna. Although both beers were entirely different from each other, each added a different depth to the dish. My favorite pairing, however, was the DFH Festina Peche. I thought that the acidity in the Festina Peche helped to cut the spice on the tuna and complimented the citrus vinaigrette very well.

THIRD PAIRING

THE FOOD = Crispy Skin Five-Spiced Poussin, Snap Peas, White Corn Pilaf, Sweet & Sour Sauce

THE BEERS =

• Dogfish Head Midas Touch: This recipe is the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! It is an ancient Turkish recipe using the original ingredients from the 2700 year old drinking vessels discovered in the tomb of King Midas. Somewhere between wine & mead; this smooth, sweet, yet dry ale will please the Chardonnay of beer drinker alike.
• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, is a delightful interpretation of a classic style. It has a deep amber color and an exceptionally full-bodied, complex character. Generous quantities of premium Cascade hops give the Pale Ale its fragrant bouquet and spicy flavor.

THE VERDICT = The Poussin was cooked extremely well — the skin was delightfully crispy while the meat remained extremely juicy and fell right off the bone. The white corn pilaf was rather plain and I did not care much for it. I really did enjoy the chemistry between the 5 spice blend on the Poussin and the sweet & sour sauce. As for the beers, they happen to be two of my all-time favorie beers. Although Midas Touch is one of my “epiphany” beers and one of my all-time favorite DFH beers, the Sierra Nevada pale ale made a better pairing for this dish. The clean, crisp refreshing hops helped to cut the spice and syrupy sweetness of the dish.

THE FOURTH PAIRING

THE FOOD = Wokked Tourenedos of Beef Tenderloin, Sweet Onions & Peppery Cress

THE BEERS =

• Sierra Nevada Celebration: The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration^® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration^® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home.
• Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron: An unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented brown ale aged in handmade wooden brewing vessels. The caramel and vanilla complexity unique to this beer comes from the exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood from which these tanks were crafted. Palo Santo means “holy tree” and it’s wood has been used in South American wine-making communities.

THE VERDICT = The beef tenderloin was cooked very well. It was juicy and the spice blend in the sauce was a great combination of heat and sweetness. It was interesting to see two very different beers being paired with this dish. Prior to being served, I had already made up my mind that Palo Santo Marron would make the better pairing with the meat. But oddly enough, I actually preferred the Celebration Ale with the dish.

THE DESSERT PAIRING

THE FOOD =

• Valrhona Dark Chocolate Semifreddo
• Flourless Cocunt Run Cake

THE BEER = LIFE & LIMB

Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong beer that defies style characteristics-brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman “farm” at the brewery in Chico. The beer is alive with yeast-a blend of both breweries’ house strains-bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska; it is the first beer we know of ever to use birch syrup in the brew. If stored under good conditions, this rich, full-bodied beer should age well for years.

VERDICT= I was honored enough to get a sip of the Life & Limb right after it was tapped. Despite its rather hefty ABV, Life & Limb was extremely smooth and very well balanced. Oak, maple and malts definitely dominated the aroma and taste of the beer. Finish was pleasantly dry. This was BY FAR the best pairing all night. The dark chocolate semifreddo was so rich and amazing and the beer complimented it perfectly.

Overall, I had an amazing time at the beer dinner. Big thanks to both Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada for putting together the event. Also, big props to both breweries for collaborating on two spectacular beers!

Cheers!

If you feel the same way, then you might need to hold on to your seat for this announcement.

SBS Imports is pleased to announce the arrival of the two newest beers in the De Proef line-up, Van Twee Belgian Ale (collaboration with Bell’s Brewery) and Witte Noire Imperial Amber Wheat Ale.

Van Twee (translating to “From Both”) is the third beer in the Brewmaster’s Collaboration Series. Previous collaborations included Signature Ale with Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing/Lost Abbey and Les Deux Brasseurs with Jason Perkins of Allagash. If you have not had the opportunity to try either of these beers, I HIGHLY suggest trying to locate them. SO worth it.

Van Twee was co-designed and brewed by John Mallet of Bell’s and Dirk Naudts at De Proef. It is a deep amber-chocolate colored porter dubbel hybrid, with Michigan sour cherry juice and brettanomyces in the secondary fermentation. Layers of rich chocolate and coffee notes are followed by underlying sweet-sour cherry fruitiness with a long finish. It is reminiscent of the famous filled chocolates of Belgium. (It is available in cases of 6/750ml cork-finished bottles and 20L kegs.  Suggested retail price is $16.99 per bottle. Alcohol 7.5% by volume.)

Van Twee thrills me for many reasons. First and foremost, it is a collaboration brew between two of my ALL-TIME favorite breweries — Bell’s & De Proef. Secondly, it is brewed with the love of my life … BRETT (aka: Brettanonomyces, a strand of wild yeast). One of the most interesting aspects of this beer is the “mash-up” of the porter and dubbel styles — this is the first time I’ve ever heard of such a blend. And to top it all off, they threw in some sour Michigan cherries. In my opinion, Van Twee sounds like a chocolate-covered cherry explosion. I’m extremely pumped up to try this beer.

Witte Noire Imperial Amber Wheat Ale is another unique style interpretation created by SBS’ President Alan Shapiro along with Brewmaster Dirk Naudts. Witte Noire is a companion to the highly acclaimed La Grande Blanche Imperial White Ale, blending darker malts along with wheat in the grain bill. Witte Noire is a rich chestnut brown color with a full tan head. It features light roasted porter-like notes on the front pallet followed by a round, soft middle. Clove-like spice notes dominate the elegant finish. It is perhaps a Belgian interpretation of the classic wheat doppelbock beers of Germany.  (Witte Noire is available in cases of 6/750ml cork-finished bottles, with a suggested retail price of $9.99.  It is 7.5% alcohol by volume.)

“Our goal with both the Brewmaster’s Collaboration and Brewmaster’s Collection series is to bring products of unique taste profiles to discerning Belgian beer enthusiasts,” noted Shapiro.  “I believe these beers are exceptional additions to De Proef range available in the U.S.“

The De Proef Witte Noire strikes me as the perfect winter warmer and an magical pairing with the heartier harvest ingredients & spices in typical autumn and winter dishes. I predict Witte Noire being a hit at Holiday parties. In fact, I think I’ll bring it to Thanksgiving dinner at my friend’s house!

Other noteworthy De Proef beers include:

• ZOETZUUR (translates to “sweet-sour”) – Unique amber colored, oak-aged Flemish red ale of multi yeast strain fermentation with a hint of Belgian Kriek (cherry) juice added. This is quite possibly my favorite Flemish red.
• SAISON IMPERIALE — Belgian Farmhouse Ale. Light amber in color, funky wild yeast notes and spice to the nose, with a bit more malt character, body, and hop notes as appropriate to the “Imperiale” style. To this date, this is the only Imperial Saison I’ve come across. It is pretty extraordinary!
• RIENAERT — Flemish Wild Ale. Fermented three times with two different yeasts, including a strain of brettanomyces – the “wild yeast” of lambic brewing. Pale golden color with an enormous rocky white head. Brett and spicy aromatic notes, with a malty-juicy note on the palate. Finishes with Brett and dry hop notes. The strain of brett used in this beer is most often described as yielding “horse-blanket” and “barnyard” aromas. It is one of my favorite brett beers, BUT HEED MY WARNING — it is NOT for the faint of heart (for those who are not big fans of the gueuze style and barnyardy aromas — this may not be a good beer for you!)
• SIGNATURE ALE — A unique collaboration with noted San Diego brewer Tomme Arthur. A complex hybrid of aggressively hopped west coast IPA, combined with traditional Belgian brettanomyces fermentation. Strong citrus hop notes followed by hints of sourness and delicate spice and a long finish.

ABOUT DE PROEF

Highly regarded Belgian brewing engineer and professor, Dirk Naudts, founded the De Proefbrouwerij in 1996.  He crafts each batch in an 11HL (9 U.S. barrel) brewhouse that blends state-of-the-art technology with traditional methods.  Prior to creating DeProef, Naudts was the Brewmaster at Roman Brewery in Oudenaarde, Belgium and Brewmaster at the prestigious St. Lieven brewing program in Gent, Belgium.

ABOUT SBS IMPORTS

SBS Imports is based in Seattle, Washington and was founded by specialy beer industry veteran Alan Shapiro in 2002.  IN addition to De Proef, SBS also imports Aspall Cyders from Suffolk, England and Batemans Ales from Lincolnshire, England.  More information is available at www.sbs-imports.com.

Now I’m getting serious about it.

When you are consulting others on brand development, it is easy to make logo suggestions. But when it comes to you and your own “brand,” brainstorming a logo is VERY VERY hard.

Part of my problem is perfectionism. My “brand” is not a product. It is me. I AM MY brand. And therefore, I want my logo to represent me as best as possible.

I have no idea where to start with this project. And I’m seeking as much guidance and suggestions as possible. Do I use a photo? Do I use just fonts? Graphics? Beer? No beer? Ahhh … sooo confused.

I’m not very familiar with graphic designing programs. I’m sure with the right tools and instruction, I’d be pretty good at graphic designing (used to be an art geek in high school … and I have an affinity for computers). But lack of time and resources does not make this possible. So I’m relying on others to help me.

In the meantime, here is an absolutely ridiculous logo I designed myself … using a (super airbrushed) professional photo of me (in my skinny years) and my MAC. Yeah, go ahead and laugh. I deserve it.

However, everyone seems to be over looking the beer community. Pssshhhaw. How rude. Us beer geeks can be influential and important too, ya know!

So I thought I’d take the liberty to make my own (COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE) list of the “Top 20 Most Compelling Beer Personalities on Twitter”. What exactly is my credential for creating the lists? Well let us start by defining the word compelling:

com⋅pel⋅ling  [kuhm-pel-ing]
–adjective
1. tending to compel; overpowering: compelling reasons.
2. having a powerful and irresistible effect; requiring acute admiration, attention, or respect: (a man of compelling integrity; a compelling drama)

THE BEER WENCH’S CRITERIA FOR THE TOP 20 MOST COMPELLING BEER PERSONALTIES ON TWITTER:

1. COMPELLING ENOUGH TO FOLLOW: I must follow this person. Unfortunately, this rules out the people I do not follow — which means this list has potential to change in the future.
2. COMPELLING CONTENT: Tweets contain information of value in relation to the craft beer industry. (i.e.: news updates, events, announcements, beer reviews, links to beer related information, etc…)
3. COMPELLING PERSONALITY: Twitter personality is interesting and captivating. There is a person behind the twitter handle — they are more than just a “brand” or a “blog”.
4. COMPELLING CONVERSATION: Community engagers — people who are constantly engaging in conversations with the twitter community (whether it be through retweeting or replies). People who constantly have one way conversations, in my opinion, are not compelling. Talk to me. And I will follow you.
5. COMPELLING FOLLOWER RATIO: Good follower to following ratio. This does not mean they necessarily need to have a huge followership — number of followers is NOT criteria for this particular list. But they need to have at least an equal amount of followers as they are following.

At first, I was going to rank the top twenty followers — based on how well they execute the basic 5 criteria listed above. But, the metrics on that is too complicated for me to deal with at this time — and besides, it would be entirely way to subjective and open for debate. Instead, I’m going to list my TOP TWENTY MOST COMPELLING BEER PERSONALITIES ON TWITTER in a random order. There is no method in my madness (although, it be but madness). The numbers have no relevance to rankings. IGNORE THE NUMBERS.

THE BEER WENCH’S TOP TWENTY MOST COMPELLING BEER PERSONALITIES ON TWITTER

1. @dogfishbeer – Dogfish Head has (hands down) the best brewery brand presence on Twitter. Why? 1. She has a personality. AND a name. In fact, the Dogfish Head Twitter account is Mariah Calagione — aka Sam’s wife. She is constantly retweeting her followers and engaging in conversations. If you send her a question or mention her brand, she responds. Mariah kicks ass.
2. @TheArtofBeer — Tay Shaw is one of the biggest craft beer evangelists on Twitter. She has been known to send (coveted) craft beer all around the country to her followers. She is extremely active in the twitter community and also very entertaining.
3. @Cicerone_Org — Ray Daniels is one of the foremost educators on the subject of beer. He is one of the most brilliant men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in real life. If you need to know something about beer — he is the man to talk to.
4. #gents – AKA @kenoftheyear @DrStarkWeather @SlovakBrewer @hopcast @beerad – These dudes are hiliariously entertaining, but also a wealth of information. They get together on a frequent basis to homebrew and taste beers … and then share all of their experiences on Twitter. They also create entertaining video blogs at Hop-Cast.com Following the hashtag #gents can get addicting …
5. @beerbabe — Besides having a super cool name and really hot avatar, Carla defies the common misperception that women hate beer. She is a huge advocate of females in the beer industry and uses both Twitter and her blog as a platform for expressing her passion.
6. @hookedonwinter – PJ is one of my favorite people to banter with back and forth about beer. He is an awesome homebrewer (I know this for a fact) who is aspiring to turn his passion into a career. Through both Twitter and his blog, PJ encourages others to join his adventure in starting a brewery.
7. @bruisinales – This woman must be a robot, because I swear she never sleeps. Julie can be found on Twitter just about every minute of every day. No really. Her tweets are very entertaining and she provides a lot of great content regarding beer releases, beer events and beer news.
8. @beerandnosh — Even though I only just started following Jesse, he has provided me with a wealth of beer knowledge via Twitter. Jesse is by far one of the best beer photographers out there and I love living vicariously through his photos and tasting notes.
9. @TimWeber & @StephWeber – Rockstar homebrewing couple in the process of getting certified through the American Brewers Guild. They have aspirations to start their own brewpub in the next 5 years. They are very engaging and informative on Twitter. And well, ADORABLE.
10. @ChipperDave — I’ve been following Dave’s blog for some time now. He is well-connected in the beer world and extremely knowledgeable about all things beer. I was lucky enough to meet him in person at GABF.
11. @beerinator – This dude is super talented. Jonathan is a key member of the Beer Mapping Project as well as DRAFT magazine’s Web Director. He is located in Chicago — beer hub — and is extremely engaging and fun to follower.
12. @olllllo – Very talented homebrewer (LOVED his Pro-AM beer at GABF). Works for a brewery in Arizona. Like me, he travels in the name of beer. Great beer knowledge resource.
13. @StoneGreg — Another “brand” that utilizes social media very well. Greg is the owner of Stone Brewing Co. (you know … that small unknown craft brewery …) Although he travels a lot, Greg does a great job of responding to tweets as well as retweeting others.
14. @beersage — Currently runs one of THE best beer news sites out there — beernews.org. He is always tweeting out the most cutting edge beer news … whether it be new releases or beer events, this guy is definitely one of the best beer sources on the web!
15. @newbrewthursday — A collaborative team of (4) funny & cute beer geeks. All dudes. They are hilarious, supportive and very engaging on Twitter. Excited to meet them at San Diego Beer Week.
16. @HomeBrewChef — Chef, brewer, writer, photographer. Sean knows his beer. And on top of that, he makes amazing food — with beer as an ingredient. I’ve had his cookies — trust me, he’s good.
17. @SudsyMaggie — Another femme fatale in the beer industry. Beer blogger, homebrewer & huge beer evangelist, Maggie is freaking ADORABLE. Regardless of whether or not you’ve met her (I have), she is too cute not to love.
18. @BlatzLiquor — Joe runs Blatz Liquor, a super awesome liquor store that has a kickass beer selection. Joe constantly tweets about new releases and specials that his store is featuring … unfortunately for me, I do not live near Milwaukee … otherwise I’d be there everyday.
19. @TeeCycleTim — Contributing author to DRAFT magazine (online). Tim is THE Beer Runner. He writes about staying physically fit while living the life of a beer enthusiast. He is also a big environmentalist and entrepreneur.
20. @brewed4thought — EXTREMELY well-connected beer “geek”… always ahead of the trend. Great blogger, beer event planner and resource for all things beer. Also, THE editorof the “soon-to-be-released” online beer publication on RATEBEER.COM site (where I will be a featured publisher)… stay tuned.

Runners Up and the “Up and Coming” Beer Tweeters):

• @BeerinBaltimore – Don’t let his avatar fool you. Brad does not limit himself to just tweeting about beer in Baltimore. However, he is THE best resource in Baltimore for beer events & beer news.
• @odiedog52 — Brian is absolutely ADORABLE! Super beer geek … just getting into the whole swing of things with Twitter. Currently imprisoned by the Army, but soon to be released. Brian is also the beer editor for Mutineer Magazine.
• @tattoodbrew — Jon is a talented graphic designer by trade, which explains why he has one of the coolest avatars on Twitter. He offsets his beer “geek” image with his badass tattoo obsession and passion for all things music.
• @jchristie — Josh definitely puts the geek in “beer geek.” Where as most people are pairing their beers with food, Josh pairs his with books. He is probably the most adorable book nerd-beer geek on Twitter.
• @bisonbrew — Emerging brewery brand on Twitter. Daniel is dedicated to all things organic and sustainble. Produces awesome beer … and has a down to earth personality.
• @misohungry — Jenni bakes with beer. Her treats are F*ing phenomenal … and I would know. She has baked with me. Great recipes for beer geeks who want to bake with beer!
• @ruinationpress – Tattoo obsessed beer geek and fellow beer blogger. Really engaging on Twitter. Good friend. Knows his shit.
• @beertodd — Brewer of some awesome and unique beers at Copper Canyon in Southfield, Michigan. Super beer activist … and recently released a great viral video in support of the Rock Art Brewery movement.
• @Beervangelist — Owner of New Holland Brewing Co. in Michigan. Only just started following Fred, but already … he is providing me with lots of compelling and valuable content. Fred is on my list of “brands to watch.”
• @sarahhuska — Voted (in a secret ballot) as one of THE hottest beer lovers on Twitter. Many of my guy beer geek friends have a crush on her … and for good reason. She is hot. And she knows her shit about beer.

NOW … before all you Twitter beer connoisseurs out there start crying about not making this list — just remember, this is a subjective list. My list is based on the people I follow, how often I interact with them and the value of their tweets. As far as I know … this list can change over night.

The two best tips I can give to beer personalities on Twitter is 1. BE HUMAN (don’t talk AT my … talk WITH me) … and 2. BE COMPELLING.

CHEERS!

Once upon a time, I had a 6 year stint in Ohio. I moved to Ohio from NY to attend THE (yes THE) Ohio State University in 2001. Ended up working there for two years post college. Columbus is where I first discovered my love for craft beer. That is the city where I became The Beer Wench.

So naturally, there will always be a place in my heart for Ohio craft beer. Especially, beer from the Great Lakes Brewing Company — probably, hands down, my favorite Ohio craft brewery. No joke.

Why? Because they make consistently GREAT beer. Must be the water …

Of course, when I noticed a group of Great Lakes Brewing boys at a table across the room from me at the conference, it became my prerogative to meet them. No expectations. Just wanted to meet them and tell them how nostalgic their beers were for me.

But, fortunately for me, the Great Lakes Brewing boys were willing to entertain the crazy craft beer obsessed Wench for some time during the conference.

So there I was … at a conference regarding sustainability and water conservation in the craft brewing industry … sitting at a table with the Great Lakes Brewing team … and I made a comment about their solar panels.The response? “How do you know about the solar panels? They are only just being built. No one knows …”

Ah ha! Despite living all the way across the country in a state that GLBC does not distribute to, I still know what is going on behind the scenes. And how? Well … that is my little secret.

Okay maybe not. Truth is, I have an “in” to information regarding Great Lakes Brewing Company. One of my all time best friends recently landed a marketing & sales job with GLBC in Cleveland. So I might be privy to some news, now and then.This is how I know that Great Lakes Brewing Co. has implemented several sustainable measures in both its brewery and its brewpub.

GLBC has a pretty powerful mission statement that really illustrates their commitment to the local community and the environment:

“Great Lakes Brewing Company is a principle-centered, environmentally respectful and socially conscious company committed to crafting fresh, flavorful, high-quality beer and food for the enjoyment of our customers. We aspire to maintain our status as the premier craft brewery in the Great Lakes region and are dedicated to uncompromising service, continuous improvement and innovative consumer education.”

GLBC owner, Patrick Conway, took great interest in Drink With The Wench and my passion for the craft beer industry. In support of my pursuit for beer, Patrick made a point to retrieve a bottle of Great Lakes Brewing Christmas Ale from his car and hand deliver it to me at the water conference. To me, this was very humbling and extremely exciting.

Now, without any further ado, allow me to present my tasting notes:

THE BEER WENCH’S TASTING NOTES
GREAT LAKES BREWING COMPANY CHRISTMAS ALE

FACTS:

Christmas Ale A holiday ale brewed with honey and spiced with fresh ginger and cinnamon. ABV: 7.5% ABW: 6.0% IBU: 40

• APPEARANCE: Brilliant clarity, marigold-orange color. Rapidly dissipating, off-white head.
• AROMA: Intoxicating hints of ginger & cinnamon — reminiscent of Christmas cookies & gingerbread. Subtle notes of caramel & biscuit malts. Slightly fruity. No detectable hop aroma.
• FLAVOR: Spicy, ginger shows through stronger than the cinnamon. Rich caramel & toasty malt character with noticeable hints of honey. Slight
• MOUTHFEEL: Medium to full bodied. Highly carbonated, rich creamy texture, slightly syrupy. Dry, bitter finish. Spice lingers. Subtle alcohol warming sensation.
• OVERALL: Balance is the key to producing a well-made spice beer. In my opinion, this beer has a wonderful balance between the spiciness of the ginger & cinnamon and the sweetness of the honey and the malts. I particularly liked the use of honey. Neither of the spices were overpowering. Alcohol level created a nice warming sensation without being to “hot” or intense. This is the first time I’ve tasted the GLBC Christmas Ale and it is definitely one of the favorites in the category. I’m kind of bummed that it is not distributed in California. Hopefully, I will get a chance to drink it again before the end of the season.

CHEERS!!!

The 3 different vintages included:

• April 2009 –> 5 months old
• May 2007 –> 1 year nine months old
• October 2002 –> 7 years old

The 7 year Orval was probably the “oldest” beer that I’ve tasted. I found it rather amusing to drink a beer that was made before I was of legal drinking age.

The Orval Trappist monastery is unique in crafting the only Trappist beer with Brettanomyces. Unlike many wild yeast brewers who use spontaneous fermentation to get the “Brett” characteristic, the Orval brewers inoculate their beer with Brett at bottling. Essentially, this means that Orval is bottle conditioned with Brettanomyces (aka goes through a secondary fermentation in the bottle with wild yeast).

Orval is arguably the most unique of all the Trappist beers. Brasserie d’Orval brews just one beer — Orval. Orval is its own unique style. It is not a Trippel or a Dubbel or a Saison or a Lambic. Orval is Orval. However, Orval itself comes in many different forms. As Orval ages, its characteristics change dramatically — a result of being inoculated with Brett.

Many beers change with age, but none change quite like Orval. Young Orvals are characterized by a fresh hop bouquet, fruity esters and a pronounced bitterness. After 9 months, Orval undergoes a complete change. The once fresh hop bouquet turns into an old-fashioned hop aroma and the pronounced bitterness fades as caramel malt flavors become more prominent. Although “Brett” may start to show signs prior to the 9 month landmark, it really starts to shine through 9 months after bottling.

The Orval recipe is very similar to an English IPA.  Three different malts, two types of hops, Belgian candied sugar, complex fermentation with multiple yeasts, dry-hopping and bottle conditioning all contibute to its great character and complexity. (In addition to using Brett, Orval is also the only Trappist brewery that dry hops).

For me, being able to taste a vertical of three different vintages of Orval was an amazing and rather eye-opening experience. My video does not give it any justice. Either way, I hope that you can find some value in it! Cheers!

ORVAL is currently imported by Merchant Du Vin. For more information on where to find Orval — visit the Merchant Du Vin website! Cheers!