Featured Beer Blogger: LOGAN THOMPSON

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!

This interview was definitely fun and interesting for me. Some of you might remember my interview with ex-blogger and now industry man (brewery owner), Luke Livingston, who is also the original founder of Blog About Beer. In 2010, Luke turned over his site to Logan Thompson, who has been successfully running it ever since. So now, it is time to give Logan a bit of the spotlight with his own featured interview! Cheers!

INTRODUCING: LOGAN THOMPSON

AUTHOR OF: BLOG ABOUT BEER

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Logan Thompson
Internet nickname: drumminlogan
Twitter handle: @blogaboutbeer
Name of blog: Blog About Beer
Current location: Vancouver, WA

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?


Vancouver, WA (a suburb of the greatest beer city in the US, Portland, Oregon)

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



I am a huge fan of basketball and football, but the only team I was on in high school was the golf team, and I sucked big time.

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



I think I might have taken a sip of my dads Miller as a kid, but the first I remember was on my 21st birthday (yeah, I’m a huge rule follower)

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



On my birthday I went with my parents and my wife (who was my girlfriend at the time) to BJs and I ordered the sampler. I remember thinking, aww gross, how could anyone drink dark beer (which I love with a dirty passion now). I loved the Jeremiah Red though and their Hefeweizen.

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 college at Western Washington University where I got a bachelors in Business with a focus in Marketing. Thinking back I was pretty lame in college and didn’t get that involved much. I spent a lot of time hanging out with my now wife and volunteering a lot of my time working with middle school kids. The only sports I really took part in was the occasional game of ultimate Frisbee and I ran a ton.

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 really wish my craft beer epiphany happened earlier. After college I got married and we moved to Denver for 2 years. There I was in a great beer city and had no clue. I lived real close to Coors and so that was about the extent of my beer drinking. Luckily I was saved. I remember moving back to Washington and drinking a Widmer Hefeweizen. Wow, beer didn’t have to taste like water? That got me hooked into exploring the world of beer and I haven’t looked back since.

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



I’ve had multiple epiphany’s related to beer. For example my wife’s family is from Belgium and I remember the first time they brought me some Orval and I fell in love with those Belgian monks instantly. It opened my eyes up to the fact that there is good beer all over the world. I figured the yellow colored imported water from the grocery store was all the world had to offer. 

Another huge epiphany I had was when I first started home brewing.  Up until that time I didn’t pay all the much attention to what hops or malts where in the beers I was drinking. Yeah I read the labels but it didn’t make all the much sense to me. Once I started brewing on my own, my appreciation for the craft great so much larger and I appreciate what I drink so much more.

Beer Blog Background

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



Since June 2010

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?



I had been wanting to start writing about beer for awhile and never got around to it. I wanted to share the good news of craft beer beer with the masses while utilizing my marketing skills to get the word out. I’ve ran a few other blogs and none of them were on topics that I am truly excited about. I can talk about beer all day long.

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



I actually bought the site from Luke Livingston, who was selling the blog to start up Baxter Brewing. There was some great posts already, so instead of starting from scratch I decided to buy the site from him and kept the name.

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



Goal #1 is to make enough money with it to pay my beer and home brewing expenses every month.

Goal #2 is to expand my knowledge of the industry and to make great connections.

Goal #3 is to make beer my full time career. I’m not sure what that will look like yet, but if I could work full time in this industry I would be pretty happy about that. (so if any breweries need a marketing/social media guy, hit me up).

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



Honestly the opportunity to be able to try so many beers that I wouldn’t be able to get around here. Some weeks the UPS and FedEX guys are at my house almost every day bringing me beer from states on the other side of the country. It is definitely a great perk of blogging about beer.

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



There are so many great beer blogs and sites out there that it’s hard to choose.  Besides the obvious Drink With The Wench, I like Brewpublic to keep up to date with the local Portland beer scene, Washington Beer Blog for Washington beer info and The Mad Fermentationist for homebrewing info.

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?


Porters, Stouts (any kind of stout I love), and Belgian Strong Ales (or pretty much anything that contains hops)

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

I don’t think I have a top 3 but I’ll choose 3 that never let me down. Hair of the Dog, Deschuttes, and although I’ve only had a few of their beers and they aren’t sold around here, I’ve really been impressed with Cigar City.

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



Probably Deschuttes. They are local and pretty innovative. I love when I see brewers constantly trying new things.

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



Yes. I haven’t brewed anything to unique although I’ve been bouncing an idea for a crazy dessert beer that might flop, but might just be the best beer I’ve ever created. It’s a Chocolate Peanut Butter Bacon Porter. I’ll blog about it if I ever get around to it.

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?    

Right now it’s a double IPA and Pad See Ew (thai food) that is a made ridicously hot. I usually ask the restaurant to make it the hottest that they’ve ever made it. That paired with Ninkasi Tricerahops double IPA is heaven.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?



I own an Internet marketing company and work from home.

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’d become a brewer. I love brewing beer and would do that in a heart beat.

3. Are you married? Children?



Yes and yes. I’m married to an absolutely wonderful woman and we have a year and a half old daughter.

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



I enjoy running, volunteering with teenagers, occasionally playing the drums, and eating really hot foods.

Off The Beaten Path

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



Probably a chile beer. Only because I eat so much spicy food that it’s fitting.

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 a Pliny the Younger, only because I still have yet to try it.

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



It would be the Porter I talked about earlier. Chocolate peanut butter bacon porter. Mmmmm… Bacon.

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



I’d fly like Superman. How cool would it be to fly anywhere I wanted.

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



The Royal Gorge Skycoaster. Launched 1200 feet above the Arkansas River. I hate rides and was coaxed into going.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?



Second greatest meat ever behind steak.

Loved this interview… well, right up until the part about the wife and kid. Wah wah… Haha, jk Logan, you are a very lucky man! Best of wishes landing a gig in the best industry in the world. You are truly talented and we’d be lucky to have you!