Ladies of Craft Beer

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

Featured photograph courtesy of (ironically) a 1949 Miller High Life Advertisement

Things are looking up in the world of home brewing- laws are changing, craft beer is booming, and there are limitless possibilities in the realm of equipment and know-how. Resources are at your fingertips, and the results are delicious.

Do you know a homebrewer or someone who is itching to start? Do you know someone who has expressed an interest in brewing, no matter how small?

If so- you’ve come to the right spot to figure out a great holiday gift for your favorite homebrewing pal. From beginner to intermediate to the semi-professional, we’ve got ideas for educational resources, equipment and even software that will help keep those bottle caps popping!

Educational:

• Good friend and advocate of Ladies of Craft Beer Billy Broas has recently launched an online resource aptly called The HomeBrew Academy. Billy’s service currently includes write-ups, videos, a glossary and instructions on the process of becoming a homebrewer. As the site builds, he will add more advanced instructions and supplemental videos on interesting topics with special guests such as “Brewing Sour Beers” with Mike Tonsmeire of the Mad Fermentationist. The best thing about this complete and comprehensive online resource? It’s only $30. Word on the street is that the HomeBrew Academy will close tonight at 10PM Eastern Time so get in while you still can! (The HomeBrew Academy will open again for enrollment in 3 to 5 months.) Sign your homebrewer up here.
• There are TONS of homebrew based books available on the market today, but here are a few suggestions of our favorites: The Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian, Brewing Classic Styles: 80 Winning Recipes Anybody Can Brew by Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer, Radical Brewing: Recipes, Tales and World-Altering Meditations in a Glass by Randy Mosher, and Designing Great Beers: The Ultimate Guide to Brewing Classic Beer Styles by Ray Daniels. For more great books, just search “homebrew” on Amazon.com.

For the Beginner:

• Looking for a small kit to get someone who wants to try homebrewing before going all the way? Try the 1 gallon kits from Brooklyn Brewshop and from The Brewer’s Market. Both sites also sell larger beginner kits in 5 gallon batch sizes. I, for one, got the men in my family each a one gallon kit from the Brooklyn Brewshop- a convenient package that not only includes the specialty equipment needed for brewing but the ingredients for one of six different flavors of beer- Gingerbread Ale, Chestnut Brown Ale, Honey Sage Seasonal, Everyday IPA, A Well Made Tripel and Chocolate Maple Porter. Kits range from $40-$150 and ingredient mixes (to continue brewing) range from $15-$50.

For the Intermediate:

• Some of the most handy tools for the homebrewer are calculators for recipes, gravity, IBUs, priming sugar, etc. BeerSmith is a comprehensive software package that combines these calculators in a user friendly, easy to use way. BeerSmith also has a great printer interface where brewers can print out their (just made) recipes in a step-by-step format that is easy to read and works well with the brewing process. This software can even make equipment recommendations based on what you already have and help you schedule your brew dates. BeerSmith is available for a free 21 day trial and the full version of the software only costs $21.95.

For the Semi-Pro:

• This Cornelius kegging system from Midwest Brewing Supplies is a great starter kit for the homebrewer who wants to get into easier storage methods for their beer. Kegging is the process of inserting beer into one vessel for storage while simultaneously inserting carbon dioxide (carbonation) into the beer (this normally happens in the bottling process by adding priming sugar to the beer). Kits can range from this size (about $175) to multi-tap systems in the $300-$500 range.

Gifts for Everyone:

• Speaking of Midwest Brewing Supplies, those guys are your one stop shop source for beer, wine, cheese, coffee, soda, liquer, mead, cider and sake supplies. They also have these great lists of popular homebrewing gifts in the $1-$25 price range, $26-$50 price range, $51-$100 price range, and beyond. Check out their site for more details.
• If you want to get a homebrew centric gift but really aren’t sure what the equipment is and don’t want to get your homebrewer the wrong thing, check out this awesome (and searchable!) database by Brewer’s Roundtable for a listing of homebrew supply stores in your area. Most shops sell gift certificates or gift cards in different amounts- this way your homebrewer can buy what they need on their own terms.

• There are lots of great beer-centric magazines available nowadays, but the favorite of homebrewers here at Ladies of Craft Beer is Brew Your Own. Full of informational articles on brewing issues, procedures, equipment, and recipes for new beers as well as clone recipes for your favorite commercial brews, this gift is the gift that keeps on giving year-round. Brew Your Own is currently running a special of 8 issues (1 year) for $28 including the first issue as a free trial. This means that if for some reason, after the first issue, you aren’t satisfied, you cancel your subscription and pay nothing. I’ve been getting Brew Your Own for almost a year now, and I still wait by my mailbox for the next issue! Click here to subscribe.

• Last, but of course, not least, remember that your Ladies of Craft Beer have calendars and tee-shirts available at our merch store. Our official tees (see picture above) are a relaxed fit tee perfect for brew days. Our calendar can be used to schedule out days for brewing or to remind you when to bottle (or even your favorite upcoming beer events!) We also have men’s tees, more women’s tees, long sleeve tees, hoodies, and baby and pet apparel available on our Spreadshirt shop. Check it out here.

Whew! With so many choices available, (and this isn’t even the half of it!) how can you pick just one? Hopefully this guide has helped you out, but if you have any questions or need help finding something, feel free to contact me below.

Cheers, and have a happy, healthy and safe holiday!

Have a question? Email me here:[contact-form 6 "Untitled"]

Related Posts:

• Women in Beer Series – Audra Marotta
• Homebrews & Craft Beer — The Gifts That Keep on Giving
• Philly Beer Tour #1
• Women in Beer Series – Melissa Ward
• Women in Beer Series – Mariah Calagione

Originally posted 2010-12-13 12:49:23.

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

This past weekend, Lee Williams of Hoptopia and I took a day trip to Philadelphia in order to (belatedly) celebrate his birthday. Lee used to live in Philly and wanted to show me the places that really encouraged his love of craft beer. I hadn’t been to Philly since I was little, so I was excited to experience the great craft beer scene I have heard so much about there.

We took the Bolt Bus to and from Philly (which, by the way, only costs $20 a person and includes power outlets and wi-fi). After a quick stop at Reading Terminal market, we headed to Nodding Head for lunch, where I had a beautiful hoppy black ale on cask called Marauder.

The highlight of our day was when we headed to Yards Brewing Company. Lee had actually never been before, so it was a new experience for both of us. Yards has a great industrial space right near the river. While it was a cold walk there from the subway, it was totally worth it. The front room of the brewery is a space with both an open and homey feel. It houses a beautiful bar made from refurbished bowling lanes, a pool table made decades ago from a local business, and a tabletop shuffleboard game, which is one of my favorite bar activities. The walls are full of either large and colorful chalkboards showing what’s on the menu (food, beer and merch) or with enlarged bottle labels. The servers were friendly and knowledgeable- even when the place got packed. The food looked amazing (although we were full from Nodding Head, so we didn’t get to sample it) and the flights were $5- Five Dollars!

Yards offers brewery tours on Saturdays from 1-4 PM. Tours are about 30 – 45 minutes long, and are a pretty fun ride. Our tour guide works as a packager in the brewery and told us lots of fun anecdotes along the way. Here are some pictures of our tour:

With the free tour came tastes of two separate brews (for us it was the IPA and the Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale) and if you bought beer from the bar when the tour was starting, the bartender would give it to you in a plastic glass so that you could carry it on the tour. It was a great experience that I recommend for anyone visiting the Philly area.

After Yards we moved on to the South Philadelphia Tap Room. Wow- what a place. The food was amazing (and I only had the Chips and Dips starter) and the beer list- don’t even get me started. They had Lost Abbey Deliverance on their bottle list. I believe SP Tap Room is fairly new. The atmosphere was just the right amount of relaxed and busy. The only downside was that SP Tap Room was off the beaten path, but it was definitely worth the visit.

After the Tap Room, we ventured a twenty minute walk to Monk’s Cafe, but it was so packed that we couldn’t even fit in the door. Instead, we went back to Nodding Head and finished out the day exactly the way we started, which was a much better choice in my book.

Because of the vast amount of things related to craft beer to do in Philly, we’re taking another trip there in March. With the way this first visit went, I can’t wait to get back there and see some more sites!

Related Posts:

• He Said / She Said #1 – Panil Barriquee and Three French Hens
• Beer 2 Garden Presented by Brew York
• Women in Beer Series – Lindsey Shafer
• Get Real NY Craft Beer and Food Festival
• Holiday Gifts for Home Brewers (Or Those Who Want to Start)

Have a question? Email me here:[contact-form 6 "Untitled"]

Originally posted 2011-01-17 12:02:27.

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

[Editor's Note: This is the first of three previous postings on my old blog called BasicallyRead - To Be Read, Basically. These posts were part of a "Cellar Cleaning" series that I will be continuing here on Ladiesocb.com. Hence, my re-posting of them here. If you have read them before, I hope you enjoy the recap- if you haven't read them before, check out the awesomeness that is "Cellar Cleaning". Cheers!]

What happens when you’re an avid beer reviewer and own a generous, rare, and delicious selection of beer but live in a city apartment with the heat of summer setting in and a head cold that just won’t let you get to those reviews?

The real question is… what happens when you’re ^THAT^ man’s girlfriend?

This weekend Hoptopia and I did what any normal couple does on a long, holiday weekend… we cleaned out a closet to become a “beer cellar”. Some call these types of projects “Spring Cleaning.” I call it “the Jackpot.” See, Lee had a lovely little bug (and we ladies always know how men act when they’re sick, amiright? High five!) So, sad panda for him, he couldn’t taste beer- like, literally, his taste buds had gone on strike. I, on the other hand, was simply suffering from a moderate case of allergies and a half chewed off arm (long story). This fortunate turn of events brought about the need for someone to taste and write about twenty (that’s right, folks, TWENTY!) of Lee’s strange and illusive brews in an attempt to clear out room in the refrigerator to save the more fragile brews, such as pale ales and saisons, from a skunky fate.

It was a dirty, terrifying job, but somebody had to do it…

And that somebody was me. Armed with six tumblers at a time, the know how on what order to taste the brews in to save my palate, and a spit bucket for my sanity, I set to work.

Brews Number 1, 2 & 3

1. Fruli Strawberry Beer / Brouwerij Huyghe, Belgium /Fruit Beer / 4.1% ABV

Pouring an opaque amber-red with no head but a white layer of lacing, The Fruli beer smelled of a strawberry sugar lollipop. It reminded me of the flat, circular sugar pops the bank used to give me when my mom would make a transaction at the drive through- the receipt would always come back with a lollipop on top. Taste-wise, the brew was more like the liquid center of a strawberry flavored Halls with a slight medicinal menthol-like bitterness. Fruli Strawberry Beer surprised me on how much I actually enjoyed the brew- the fruit taste was not overwhelming nor horribly off-kilter or artificial. While it wasn’t my favorite, I wouldn’t say no.

2. Siamese Twin Ale / Uncommon Brewers, California, US / Dubbel / 8.5%

“Uncommon beer for uncommon people,” boasts this brew’s can. The Siamese Twin Ale is brewed with coriander (not so uncommon), lemongrass, (getting weirder) and kaffir lime leaves (ding ding ding ding ding!). The fizzy golden copper brew smells like ginger ale with a hint of fresh rain. It tastes earthen- like sandy dirt and dust, clay and Playdoh. There was also a slight menthol taste on this brew which left my mouth feeling a bit numb. While I’m normally a fan of experimental beers, this one was not my flavor.

3. Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale / New Belgium Brewing, Inc., Denver, US / Fruit Beer / 6.5%

Frambozen is derived from the Flemish word for Raspberry, a flavor which, on this brew, New Belgium did not disappoint. The cherry wood colored liquid immediately gave off a raspberry tang to the tongue while it smelled of compost and peat. It is surprisingly sweet with a slight sour twist- too tiny for that of a Flemish Brown. The Frambozen is very drinkable for the fruity drinker.

Brews Number 4, 5 & 6

4. Monk in the Trunk / Jupiter Brewing Co, Florida, US / American Amber / Red Ale / 5.5%

This Florida native came to me direct from my buddy down in Tampa, DosBeerigos. With sporadic carbonation and no head, I was worried that the brew might not have traveled as well as planned (although it was exquisitely packed). The nose gave off a slightly bready, earthy and weedy malt flavor. A surprising hoppy bitterness met my tongue; very refreshing but with a sour bite that was, luckily, offset by some great fizz.

5. Oberon / Bells Brewery, Inc., Michigan, US / American Pale Wheat Ale / 5.8%

Bells is a brewery that has not failed me yet, and Oberon is a great example of that. With a nose like the beach in the bright summer sunshine (sandy organic seaweed smell), this brew walks the delicate line of balance between hops and malts. The sweet caramel malt undertones support this tiny, bright, fizzy hop beer- great for any summer day.

6. Porterhouse Red / The Porterhouse Brewing Co., Ireland / English Pale Ale / 4.4%

Sadly, this beautiful looking dark amber brew smelled and tasted more than a bit off, forcing me to the conclusion that, somewhere along the line from Ireland to Lee’s hallway, this brew had skunked. Let’s have a moment of silence for my fellow Red…

Brews Number 7, 8 & 9

7. Dr. Klankenstein / Sixpoint Craft Ales, New York, US / Stein Beer / ABV Unknown

To illustrate how lucky I am that I got to try this specialized, one-off production brew, there was no label to be found on this bottle. A true stein beer, this was made by heating rocks to insanely high temperatures to heat the beer for fermentation purposes. The clear, caramel colored beautiful brew boasts a large head that subsides to a milky layer of lacing. On it, I smelt lemon peel, fresh baguette, and a slight grass and pine. These were all reflected in the taste- sweet and hoppy with sweet peanuts and lemon iced tea. This flavor pairing made me want to drink this brew at the local baseball game.

8. Black Raspberry Reserve / Sly Fox Brewing Company, Pennsylvania, US / Fruit Beer / 8%

One of the more beautifully colored brews of the night, the Raspberry Reserve poured maroonish and clear, the color of R39 gel (for all my fellow lighting nerds out there, that’s my favorite gel color- Exotic Skelton Sangria). The delightful “pop” of the cork on this brew gave me the idea that the carbonation would be ever present. After the head subsided, the top of the liquid housed pretty little bubbles that I could have stared at for hours- slowly conjoining with their fellow peers. Otherwise, the beer was exactly what it said it would be- black raspberry preserves on the nose and taste.

9. Wrassler’s XXXX Stout / The Porterhouse Brewing Co, Ireland / Irish Dry Stout / 5%

The first in my line of stouts for the night, I had high hopes for XXXX (while also baring in mind that this was the brother of the skunked Red Ale). Smelling more like a rauchbier (no complaints here!) than a stout, I smelled burnt earth where the rain washes out a fire pit after cooking hot dogs. Wrassler’s tasted very salty and dry, like carbon charcoal without the ashy-ness. As a stout lover and rauchbier enthusiast, this beer gets a thumbs up in my book!

At this point I needed a Tostitos break to recharge my palate. On here I will do the same. Take a hot second, chew on what I’ve given you, dip it in some salsa; make it your own. Stay tuned for brews 10-20! Cheers!

Have a question? Email me here:[contact-form 6 "Untitled"]

Originally posted 2010-10-15 10:31:25.

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

As the president of Ladies of Craft Beer, I get the pleasure of meeting many amazing women who are a part of the craft beer industry. Each woman has great stories and amazing insight into the world of craft beer. This has inspired me to start a “Women in Beer” interview series. Whether brewing, blogging, selling, marketing, or advocating craft beer, women from all over the industry will answer the following ten questions to share with your their thoughts and experiences with craft beer. I hope that these little glimpses into the minds of these great women will inspire you.

Cheers!

Audra Marotta is the Financial Advisor at the North Carolina Brewers Guild and managing partner at Violent Orchid, LLC, among her many other hats.

1. What was your first beer experience?

Having emigrated from Eastern Europe to the United States, my parents have always been huge European lager fans. As I was growing up in the 80s, I remember our refrigerator being regularly stocked with Beck’s (and occasionally Heineken). We had a tradition that when my mother made homemade pizza, my parents would have several beers, and we kids would be allowed soda. This was a treat, as we were rarely allowed to consume anything with artificial colors/flavors. One pizza night I asked my dad for a sip of his beer. Surely, since my parents were enjoying it, it had to be great, right? I believe my face gave away what I thought of the shock of bitter hops. This was NOT what I had expected! Those pesky hops kept me away from beer for most of the rest of my adolescence. Who knew I’d grow up to become a hophead?

2. If you brew/homebrew, what or who inspired you to start brewing? What do you do in the industry and what or who inspired you to get into it?

My husband and I homebrew together – he is the brewmaster in charge of the mechanics, and I offer my input on hop profiles and ingredients. My mother inspired me to brew, since she makes her own mead and krupnikas, a Lithuanian spiced clover honey liqueur that my younger brother says tastes like a Christmas tree. My father has made his own wine, and my brother makes his own cider. I guess we are a family meant to brew as hobbyists!

I provide accounting, financial information systems, operational reporting, and marketing management guidance to the craft brewing community. I serve as a fractional CFO, an accounting specialist, focused on helping craft brewers grow their top line while optimizing their triple bottom line. Understanding a craft brewer’s limited resources, my business is focused on providing C-level direction without the financial burden of C-level salary. One day I’ll be working on compensation planning for one brewer, then the next I’ll be building a costing template for another. My work serving as Controller at Dogfish Head inspired me to kick off this venture. I learned an immense amount about the industry and met many, many industry folks while working at Dogfish. For this I am grateful; I want to continue ensuring craft brewers have an accounting/information systems infrastructure in place that will pave the way for expected exponential growth.

3. What is your favorite beer to brew and why? What is your favorite beer to drink and why?

We love brewing double IPAs, as perfecting a mix of bittering, flavoring and aroma hops is a challenge in both the arts and sciences. As the boil pot cools in 40 lbs. of ice on a bamboo cutting board in our master bath garden tub, it makes our bedroom and bathroom smell like heaven for at least 12 hours.

We love drinking DIPAs, which is why we homebrew them! To this day, Dark Horse Brewing’s Double Crooked Tree is my favorite craft-brewed DIPA. It has such an orgasmic floral, citrus aroma, and the hops linger on my tongue without being bitterly overpowering. It sets the DIPA bar for me.

4. What is/was your favorite beer event to attend, and why?

I love World Beer Fest Durham, as North Carolina brewers bring their A-game to this event and offer rare, one-off beers that oftentimes earn top honors at the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Fest and the Carolina Championship of Beer. It also serves as a fabulous opportunity to connect and engage with the brewers who create these beers.

5. Have you taken any tasting and/or brewing courses? What are your thoughts on such courses?

I’ve taken the Cicerone Off-Flavors course taught by Ray Daniels and believe such educational classes are beneficial and essential for catapulting the craft beer movement forward. I am also helping the North Carolina Brewers Guild by spearheading educational programming initiatives for our craft beer community. Our first event saw six of our most highly-rated brewers come together on a panel to discuss recipe development.

6. What advice do you have for anyone interested in getting into your aspect of the beer industry?

If you’re a college student majoring in accounting or finance, propose a summer internship at a brewery in exchange for beer. If there is a brewers’ guild in your state, volunteer to help with their financials. Since craft brewing is a specialized, unique niche within the food/beverages industry, expect to spend a significant amount of time studying the beer landscape, the players, the brewing process, pricing, TTB reporting, and distribution channels, as well as building relationships, on your own and often outside of normal work hours. Most brewers don’t have training programs that cover these aspects; thus, to add value, the fire and initiative to learn has to come from within your own heart.

7. What beer would you want to brew/ want to see brewed?

I would love to homebrew a black cherry chocolate stout or a black cherry lambic. As far as others brewing, Carlyle Brewing in Rockford, IL makes a fantastic black walnut sweet stout. I have yet to find one anywhere near /available in North Carolina. I’m convinced the world would be a better place with a greater number of black walnut stouts, though I’d probably gain a few pounds. Okay, probably more than a few.

8. What has been your hardest challenge in the industry? What has been your greatest success?

Each state has its own set of distinct rules and reporting requirements. It takes a lot of time to learn these in order to provide appropriate guidance. The compliance aspects of this industry are rife with complexity and oftentimes inefficiency, not unlike working within the rulebooks of any governmental agency.

Being able to work with so many people collaboratively, cultivating and strengthening relationships, the knowledge exchange resulting from those who have served in the craft beer industry for decades, and providing information to tee craft brewers up for future growth has been so rewarding. I consider myself successful only when others succeed. There is no better feeling than a brewer approaching me months later at a beer festival just to say ‘thank you’.

9. Tell us your most fun beer story.

In 2009 my husband and I flew to Seattle for a week’s vacation. We had booked a rental car for the week, as well as our first night’s stay at the airport, since we got into Sea-Tac somewhere around 3am Eastern. We had no other planned itinerary. We spent the week driving in a large counter-clockwise circle through the northern part of Washington and the Cascades and southern part of British Columbia, including Vancouver. If there was a brewery or brewpub along the way, we’d stop for a flight and conversation. I have no idea how many stops we made in total, but we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to sample beers from Black Raven, SteamWorks, Anacortes, nor Chuckanut any other way. It was a week of exploring scenic beauty and craft beer in a part of the country neither of us had previously been. We were following Mark Twain’s advice: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

10. What is your take on the craft beer industry? What is your favorite thing about it? What could stand improvement?

This is such an exciting time for the craft beer industry, as it’s full of promise, possibility, and opportunity for those dedicated to pursuing their passion. My favorite thing about it is sharing conversation over a pint and learning the stories behind the beer from those who brewed it. Eyes seem to always light up when one recalls the first time he/she brewed a smoked porter or how a mistake in a recipe took the beer for an unexpected turn. This isn’t some nameless, faceless liquid in that tulip glass in front of you….it’s a brewer’s expression of creativity and craft. It’s art.

I wish a greater number of brewers would pay closer attention to their administrative functions to ensure they grow sustainably. Too often they allow sales and production to control every aspect of their business, when information systems, financial reporting, and cash flow management should share the stage. I cringe mentally when I hear a brewer is growing his/her operations 50-80% year-over-year but has no idea what a brand of beer costs to produce, nor if documented records of quality checks exist. I’m hoping to propel this shift of focus when I present at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Francisco in March 2011. Be the change you want to see, right?

Have a question? Email me here:[contact-form 6 "Untitled"]

Originally posted 2010-11-29 09:05:15.

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

As the president of Ladies of Craft Beer, I get the pleasure of meeting many amazing women who are a part of the craft beer industry. Each woman has great stories and amazing insight into the world of craft beer. This has inspired me to start a “Women in Beer” interview series. Whether brewing, blogging, selling, marketing, or advocating craft beer, women from all over the industry will answer the following ten questions to share with your their thoughts and experiences with craft beer. I hope that these little glimpses into the minds of these great women will inspire you.

Cheers!

Melissa Ward is a contributor for Ladies of Craft Beer and an avid homebrewer.

1. What was your first beer experience?

My VERY first was most likely when I took a sip of my dad’s macro lite-beer and I spit it out in the driveway around age 12. My first CRAFT beer experience that I can remember would be the Cherry Wheat from Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant in Media, at their annual brewfest. So good.

2. If you brew/homebrew, what or who inspired you to start brewing? If not, what do you do in the industry and what or who inspired you to get into it?

My husband Ray and I began brewing because his sister and brother-in-law are hardcore into it, with the intention of opening a brewpub eventually. We watched them on a brew day, and then for Christmas one year they bought us the “nice-to-have” equipment that most first-time homebrewers don’t buy for themselves when starting out. Because I’m a baker and Ray’s a science-guy and we both love to cook, brewing just seemed like the right hobby to share.

3. What is your favorite beer to brew and why? What is your favorite beer to drink and why?

That’s like asking a mother to pick her favorite child. I enjoy brewing beers that have a lot going on—it keeps the brew day exciting. My favorite recipe that I’ve written is for our Bee Sting Ale, a hybrid pale ale. So delicious and refreshing.

As for drinking, I love pale ales and IPAs for the spring and summer. In the fall and winter I look forward to the seasonals, imperial stouts and anything big and bold that will keep me warm.

4. What is/was your favorite beer event to attend, and why?

This year we made it to GABF for the first time and LOVED it! We went with the goal to ONLY try beers we never had before. What a great experience. We enjoy going to SAVOR as well, but I think deep down, the Brandywine Craft Brewers’ Festival will always be my favorite—it was my first major introduction to craft beer by Ray, and I had an amazing time. We’ve gone every year since then (back in 2007) and have an awesome time.

5. Have you taken any tasting and/or brewing courses? What are your thoughts on such courses?

No courses, but we do read publications like Zymurgy and Brew Your Own, and we have a number of brewing books. We tend to be more interested other brewers’ procedures, ideas, etc. For example, we learned A LOT about Stone when we went to Tria Cafe’s Fermentation School class “Get Stoned on Election Day” two years ago. Mitch Steele presented 7 of Stone’s beers and gave us some amazing insight on the brewery. That is the kind of event we look for.

6. What advice do you have for anyone interested in getting into your aspect of the beer industry, whether it be brewing, blogging, etc?

Just do it. Buy the equipment, some books, read some recipes online, snag some brewing software (we use Beer Alchemy for Macs…very useful) and go for it. If your first homebrew is a stinker, try to figure out why, and try again. Have fun with it, and don’t take it TOO seriously.

As for blogging, get an idea of what you want your blog to be about. Bathtub Brewery focuses on our homebrews, offering readers our recipes and tasting notes. It also offers homebrewing advice, our participation in The Session and Fermentation Friday, and posts about our beer travels, cooking with beer, and so on. When we started, we had a rigid schedule of 3 times a week. We did well with this for quite some time, but life happens. Maybe the most important thing was letting ourselves take breaks when needed. When we were ready to talk about beer, the blog would be there.

7. If you brew, what is your latest creation? If you don’t brew, what beer would you want to brew/ want to see brewed?

Our latest beer is the Bee Sting Ale, Redux. We brewed it on Memorial Day and had friends come over to experience the process. I love that beer!

8. What has been your hardest challenge in the industry? What has been your greatest success?

Getting myself out there and networking more. I’m a shy person around people I don’t know. Some nights I can give out a ton of blog business cards, and other nights I don’t even reach in my bag for them. It’s something I want to work on. The greatest success would have to be getting recognition. “You’re the guys from Bathtub Brewery!” It’s great to meet the faces behind the blogs and Twitter. Also, Bathtub Brewery recently participated in Dish on the Fly, where Mary from the Town Dish took a bunch of Philly foodie gifts up to Boston. We were asked to contribute a homebrew, so we offered up our 1+ year aged Barleywine. The brew was passed along to one of the brewers at Harpoon, and I found out later that he REALLY liked it. Score!

9. Tell us your most fun beer story.

A year ago today (11/7) I got married to my best friend and homebrewing partner in the courtyard of Stoudts Brewery. Immediately following the ceremony, we went into the German-style beer hall and threw one kickass party, where we had over 11 beers on tap to choose from, including Smooth Hoperator, Stoudts’ Winter Ale (a hoppy red), Gold (a Munich-style Helles), Pils, Double IPA, Scarlet Lady (an ESB), a robust porter, Stoudt’s Pale Ale, Peppercorn Pumpkin Ale (aka Peppercornhole), Oktoberfest, and for our wedding toast: Old Fat Dog Imperial Oatmeal Stout (for me) and Stoudts’ Tripel (for Ray). Then we honeymooned in Denver, one of the other great beer cities in the US.

10. What is your take on the craft beer industry? What is your favorite thing about it? What could stand improvement?

This is an industry that a lot of others could learn from. It’s a place where competitors encourage each other and form a community—they bound together in that “it takes a village” kind of thing. I love this. I love how proud brewers are of what they create, how they’re proud of what others create. And I hope this never stops. I think craft beer is less “industry” and more community.

As for improvement? I think the craft beer crowd just has to keep moving forward. Focus on quality and creativity. The bottom line is important (money buys ingredients and pays salaries), but true success is measured in so many other ways. Never stop, never look back and let’s see where craft beer takes us.

Have a question? Email me here:[contact-form 6 "Untitled"]

Originally posted 2010-11-09 09:05:32.

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

Courtesy of www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com

Can you believe it?- only one more week until it’s that time again…Time for the Great American Beer Festival!

For those of you lucky enough to have scored tickets, (the festival sold out in a record seven days this year,) Ladies of Craft Beer has some announcements:

1. The Beer for Boobs Brunch  has completely sold out! Thanks to everyone for your support- I wish we had more tickets available to accommodate you all, but anyone who cannot attend but still wishes to donate to the National Breast Cancer Foundation can do so at our donation page. We also have tee-shirts available here.

2. I (Stevie Caldarola, LadiesOCB President,) will be co-hosting a tasting session with Ginger Johnson of Women Enjoying Beer in the Brewer’s Pavilion during the Friday night session. Join us at 7:30PM sharp to taste five different craft beers and learn how to taste beer.

I hope to see you there!

~~~~~

Are you attending GABF? Tell us about it in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Related Posts:

• Beer for Boobs is Over 80% sold: Updated Official Attendee List
• Beer for Boobs is Over 50% sold: Official Attendee List
• ANNOUNCEMENT: Beer for Boobs Brunch 2011
• Beer for Boobs Brunch Raises almost $2,500 for National Breast Cancer Foundation
• Only 5 Tickets are left for the Beer for Boobs Brunch!

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

This Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 5-6PM Pacific Time, (that’s 8-9PM Eastern Time, 7-8 Central, and 6-7 Mountain for all you non West Coasters out there!) Ladies of Craft Beer’s President Stevie Caldarola will be a guest on KSKQ Radio‘s Beer Radio show with Ginger Johnson from Women Enjoying Beer.

Ok- it’s weird for me to write in the third person, so here it is: Listen in and join Ginger and I as we chat about what we love- craft beer.  Learn about the origins of Ladies of Craft Beer, hear about my recent cross country move and what breweries I visited along the way, and get filled in on information about our upcoming events.

I hope you all can join us!

Related Posts:

• Women in Beer Series – Ginger Johnson
• Women Enjoying Beer
• GABF Announcements
• “Most Arrogant Bar in America” Celebration
• Vicki Stowe – Brewmaster (The College Years, Part 18)

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

As the president of Ladies of Craft Beer, I get the pleasure of meeting many amazing women who are a part of the craft beer industry. Each woman has great stories and amazing insight into the world of craft beer. This has inspired me to start a “Women in Beer” interview series. Whether brewing, blogging, selling, marketing, or advocating craft beer, women from all over the industry will answer the following ten questions to share with your their thoughts and experiences with craft beer. I hope that these little glimpses into the minds of these great women will inspire you.

Cheers!

Mariah Calagione is the marketing maven behind Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales in Delaware. As the wife of Sam Calagione, we know she is also the brains behind the operation . Sam and Mariah co-own the brewery.

1. What was your first beer experience?

My first ever beer experience was probably some not-so-great night in high school drinking terrible beer. My first craft beer experience would be in the summer before my senior year in college when I lived in NYC with my then-boyfriend, now-husband and we both worked at Nacho Mama’s Burritos (upper west side, near Columbia) and served craft beer (Sierra, Anchor, Brooklyn, etc..) to hungry students.

2. If you brew/homebrew, what or who inspired you to start brewing? What do you do in the industry and what or who inspired you to get into it?
n/a

3. What is your favorite beer to brew and why? What is your favorite beer to drink and why?
To drink – well, it totally depends. My go-to year, round beer is Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA … but I enjoy so many different beers depending on where I am, what I am eating, what the weather is like and more. May sound like a cop-out but it there are really so many factors that can make a beer great!

4. What is/was your favorite beer event to attend, and why?
I used to love Michael Jackson’s annual tasting at the University of PA Museum. It was a great beer festival, with fantastic breweries in this amazing space. Sadly, it no longer happens.

5. Have you taken any tasting and/or brewing courses? What are your thoughts on such courses?
I’ve taken the most basic Cicerone course (although I never did the test).

6. What advice do you have for anyone interested in getting into your aspect of the beer industry?
Outside of my owner/general management duties, I focus on marketing and communications for Dogfish Head. In terms of getting a foot in the door – I’d recommend volunteering or working in a brewery tour/tasting room or in a brewpub. If you jump in with both feet and learn as much about the brewery and their beers, that enthusiasm can be infectious. We currently have former tour guides in our Marketing Dept and former brewpub servers as brewers.

7. What beer would you want to brew/ want to see brewed?
My husband asked me that about a year and a half ago. I replied that I’d love to see Belgian-style white beer with orange peel and lemongrass. For my birthday he brewed the first batch of Namaste. It’s been a hit and has since gone into our regular production lineup.

8. What has been your hardest challenge in the industry? What has been your greatest success?
Our hardest challenge has been to weather the tough years of 1999-2003. That was a time when many wholesalers had been burned by fly-by-night microbrews (they’d been promised to be the NEXT BIG THING) and were very wary to take on new brands – let alone brands making 11% abv beers made with maple syrup and vanilla. Instead of dumbing down our beers or making what wholesalers said they wanted, we stuck to our guns. Fortunately, the beer-drinkers prevailed saying they wanted more-flavorful, off-centered beers!

9. Tell us your most fun beer story.
Impossible. Pretty much all my fun, life stories (personal and professional) include beer to some degree!

10. What is your take on the craft beer industry? What is your favorite thing about it? What could stand improvement?
The craft beer industry is great – so many fun, caring people. We have each others’ back. We love working together towards the goal of growing the craft beer segment. We all do our own thing, but there is mutual respect. While it isn’t all rainbows and ponies (to borrow a phrase from our 8-year old daughter), for the most part we work hard and have fun! The fact that we love what we do helps as well! What could stand improvement? Not too much – hey we’re getting more and more interest and support from passionate drinkers and we get to have fun and make beer that we enjoy drinking. No complaints here!

Have a question? Email me here:[contact-form 6 "Untitled"]

Originally posted 2010-11-09 13:05:13.

Posted By: Stevie Caldarola

Beer Mug Firework, courtesy of Mistergone

Happy day after Independence Day! As we bask in the glow of sunburns and hangovers, let us reflect upon this past fabulous weekend.

We asked you some questions about your July 4th beer habits, and here is what you had to say:

LadiesOCB: Anybody brewing on this July 4th? What are you brewing?

Answers From Facebook:
Beki Kosydar-Krantz: Mu brew (Note: I’m still trying to figure out what that is, Beki!)
Tracy Anderson-Horton: Janet’s Brown
Heidi Garrard: Heidi G’s Freebird IPA
Michaela Aiken: Belgian Pale
Mary Izett: Taminator Tripel brewed with Elderflower and Long Pepper
Alyson Myers: German Witbier

Answers From Twitter:

@JulieHerd didn’t brew, but she bottled a brown ale and racked a blonde ale

Answers From Google+:

Jameson Penn: Berliner Weisse

LadiesOCB: What craft beer do you most associate with July 4th?

Answers From Facebook: 

Dales Pale Ale- 6 votes
Sam Adams [Boston] Lager- 4 votes
Victory Prima Pils- 2 votes
Russian River Blind Pig- 1 vote
And, unfortunately, somebody still doesn’t understand that PBR is not a craft beer…

Answers From Twitter:

Patriotic Packaging!

@Hop_Zilla: 21st Amendment Brew Free or Die IPA
@islanddebtx: Stash IPA from @IndependenceBrewery
@drinkeattravel Maui CoCoNut Porter
@motherbrain714: Any Yard’s Ales of the Revolution (of course!)
@foodiggity  Dale’s Pale Ale cause of the red, white and blue can
And @emilyengdahl & @RealBeerNut agree that it’s whatever is in their glass!

Answers From Google+:

Stephanie Davis says “hands down, Free State Brewing Company“.

If you want to join our conversation, “like” Ladies of Craft Beer on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (@LadiesOCB).  You can also find us on LinkedIn and our newest addition, Google+, in which you can add LadiesOCB President Stevie Caldarola and she will add you to our Ladies of Craft Beer circle for exclusive conversations and feedback.

Cheers!

Related Posts:

• Epic Cellar Cleaning #3 – You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet…
• Slate.com – The Hops Ceiling
• Holiday Gifts for Home Brewers (Or Those Who Want to Start)
• Philly Beer Tour #1
• Vicki Stowe – Brewmaster (Part 21)