Tasting Blind

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citylogo-lgI just remember getting an email from the editor of SF Weekly’s food blog, SFoodie, asking for a quote about some upcoming beer something-or-other and I responded, “I can certainly give you one, or how about I just write it up as your new beer writer?”

It was a great gig for a few years, one I happily relinquished when we moved to Portland. As such, I have no intention of archiving every blog post or print story I did for them, but below is a complete list of links to the most fun series I started, Tasting Blind, wherein once a month I lined up a panel of at least 4 local beer experts, including a publican to host it, and brought in many iterations of a beer style including, when possible, locally brewed ones, craft beers from other states, imports, and macro brands if they existed.

1. Pilsners (Feb. 2010)

2. Stouts (Mar. 2010)

3. Hefeweizens (Apr. 2010)

4. Pales (May 2010)

5. IPAs (June 2010)

6. Summer (July 2010)

7. Summer fruits (Aug. 2010)

8. Oktoberfests (Sep. 2010)

9. Pumpkins (Oct. 2010)

10. Coffee beers (Nov. 2010)

11. Holiday beers (Dec. 2010)

Bonus: Blind holiday beers for Willy Week (Dec. 2012)

Bonus 2: Blind holiday beers from the series as continued by my hand-picked replacement at SF Weekly, Jason Henry (Dec. 2011)

BeerMe: Cherry Voodoo Brewing

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A recurring feature in DRAFT is “BeerMe,” a first-person narrative about a brewer, but one that’s sometimes told to and written by a third party. In this case, the subject is a guy named Yuri Green who was about to launch a brewery initially called Cherry Voodoo (and later launched as Triple Voodoo. Without Yuri. This story (vol. 5.6, 2010) may or may not have something to do with that.) Did I write this as a dark comedy? You bet! But was what I wrote built around actual quotes and approved by the subject? Yeppers.

Turning Beer into Booze

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I only knew of Charbay Distillery since they make the best infused vodkas–flavors like green tea–so while I don’t recall how I first heard about their experimental whiskey made from distilled pilsner, I knew I had to try it and get the story (for DRAFT, vol 5.5, 2010). Days after reaching out to them, I found myself on their Napa Valley property, talking to the father-son duo of Miles and Marko Karakasevic, master distillers, and, yes, sampling an array of beers spun into golden whiskeys (and some white ones).

Beer in Good Spirits

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Photo: Kyle Bursaw

Thinking back, I honestly don’t remember how Tom Griffin, aka the Barrel Guy, even landed on my radar. He flies under almost every radar. This one guy–he doesn’t like the term barrel broker because spent barrels are more like a canvas to him than a commodity–helped shift the direction of the craft beer business in the 21st century but no one outside the brewers really knew about it. Certainly no one had written about him. Nor was he trying to be written about. I think it was an off-handed comment by Matt Brynildson, Firestone-Walker’s brewmaster, where I casually heard his name and some time later that set me off looking for him, but he doesn’t have a website or anything. That’s why how we first met face to face is part of this story, my first for DRAFT Magazine (vol. 5.4, July, 2010). Of course, it’s just the tip of the iceberg, but this remains one of my favorite stories.

Cheers to Tom, wherever he may presently be driving.

Beer Pilgrimages

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This story on Beer Pilgrimages for All About Beer’s travel issue (Vol. 31, Iss. 5, 2010) tackles not just some venerable and historic breweries at the top of a solid Beer Bucket List, but the places to go once you’ve naturally checked those off. Places such as McSorley’s in NYC, the National Brewery Museum (in Potosi, WI, donchya know), and the fields (barley and hops) in which our beer grows across the Northwest.

Beer Traveler: It’s the Beaches

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This beach-themed Beer Traveler was my first submission taking over this long-running column and as such represented a dual honor. It’s fair to say beer + travel were already front-of-mind for me. Now if only I could rack up enough miles to fly front-of-plane. Served up for this theme: Orange County (CA), Virginia Beach (VA), Honolulu (HI), and Tampa/St. Petersburg (FL).

Gray Market/White Whale

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Gray Market/White Whale wasn’t just a fun story to write for All About Beer (Vol. 31, Iss. 2, 2010), I got to expense three beers at the top of my own personal Wants list! Livin’ and drinkin’ the dream. The story about the pursuit of so-called “white whales” also opens with the line I’m happy to say amused editor Julie Johnson to pieces: Call me BeerMail.