Best "Beer Celebrity" Encounter

I've met/spoke to Sam Caligione a few times at the Dogfish Head Off-Centered Film Festival here in Austin, Texas. As others have said, he's very approachable and likes to talk beer.

I also met David Walker (of Firestone Walker) and he came off as kind of a douche. Definitely a salesperson. Very informative but he single-handedly stopped a local event from doing growler fills of Sucaba (which they were happy to do) because he couldn't understand how 1 person could finish an entire growler and that it was "too much" (someone tried to explain to him that we share beer here in Texas ... but he didn't get it). I was sorta pissed because I was going to send a 64oz fill down to my homies in Houston that haven't gotten Firestone Walker distro yet for their monthly tasting.

 

Kirby's a great guy. First time I met him was on a tour of Capital with a midwest salesman for Merchant du Vin (who also advocated good beer he didn't represent) around 1990.

We showed up a the brewery and Kirby tells us, "Bob knows his way around, let him give the tour and then you can meet me in the lagering area -- we're transferring beer." When we ended the tour at the big tanks Kirby says, "Pick a tank and have a beer." We all grabbed a glass of our favorite -- poured direct from the Zwickel.

Then we all sat in the older Bierhall and talked beer for a few hours -- great visit.

 

Had a quick conversation with Sean Lawson this past weekend...

 

I once saw George Thorogood at a bar. Walked up to him and offered to buy him a beer. But, he just looked at me and said, "I drink alone".

 

Steve Hindy Founder of Brooklyn Brewery at a private Brooklyn Brewery tour a few weeks ago! He is a stand up guy!

 

Matt Brynildson from Firestone Walker was getting off work for the day and over heard me talking about being from Chicago (where his brewing career started). He gave me and my buddies a private tour and let us try some beers up in the yeast lab. He was really cool. Also just met Jeffers Richardson at an event 2 weeks ago. Also, a really nice guy.

 

I've met lots of brewers over the years but the ones that standout are Jeppe from evil twin and talking at length with jean at tired hands pretty much every time I'm in there.

Btw drinking dark lord and cherry rye with Latrell sprewell is pretty much the most awesome thing I've heard in ages. Is that really true???? So random.

 

Ran into David Bell at a Bell's event in DC last August during beer week. He was good enough to listen to my drunken ramblings and was very informative.

Met Tomme Arthur at a LA event at Nodding Head last night. Very nice guy, and the batch of Cuvee de Tomme he brought with him was really, really effing good.

 

I met Mitch Steele from Stone Friday night at the All About Beer Magazine Rare and Wild Tasting in Asheville, NC. Super nice guy!

 

Key question now. Did Latrell try to choke you after you finished off the cherry rye?

 

no, he said thanks several times and really appreciated the fact that I was willing to open those bottles and hang out. then, the next week when he came back to my work, thanked me again for being generous enough to open up said beers

 

Johnathan Demme (director of Silence of the Lambs) drinks at Ebenezer's all summer. He was a martini drinker....but now he's a craft beer drinker! Wes Huntress also is at Ebs all summer, nothing like talking about the cosmos over some nice pints!

 

Got Shaun Hill to pose for a picture with me.

 

Used to? What happened to it. Big $$ on ebay.

 

Half the guys who work at SN are named Bill, aren't they?

 

I wore the shit out of it. Surfing bull terrier and alcohol? Had to rock that in the 80's.

 

"BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!!" This is gold. I haven't laughed that hard in some time.

 

I don't like to bother people when they are hard at work.

 

Hell, I used to call my bro-in-law Spuds since he was such a party animal.