Best "Beer Celebrity" Encounter

I was at Hill Farmstead just sipping some samples and enjoying my time there with my buddy when Shaun Hill walks over from working at the fermenter to do something on the lap top that was sitting right next to me. About a minute later he just turns to me and asks "is there a word for flirting while texting?" I was so caught off guard! We ended up talking a little and finding something stupid like "flirtexting" on urbandictionary, but it was a pretty funny/awesome experience with a legend in brewing!

 

Not going to lie, this was the highlight of FWIBF...

 

I've had a lot of really cool experiences over the years but having Linda Haug (Wife of Surly head brewer Todd) introduce me to Mikkel Borg Bjergsø (Mikkeller) and Tore Gynther (To Øl) at FWIBF last weekend was pretty damn awesome.

 

Went out on a date with Betsy Gray, the daughter of the owner of Gray's Brewing in Janesville, WI WAY back in college (1995 ish).

 

Things like drinnking with Armand and Jean at 3Fountains and Cantillon respectively dont really count. I guess one night I was at Moeder Lambic in Brussels, the good one, and I heard this guy speaking English. Living in Germany, I rarely spoke to non-Soldier Americans. We talked and drank for a while and it turned out to be Matt Brylindson, brewmaster from Firestone Walker.

We got pretty drunk together and ended up enjoying many rare treats from the celar. Also, I gave him an idea for a beer, which I cannt divulge, but the name will be Integral. Obviously they use math terms (parabola, abacus) and Integral being something important to you life, beer, not Calculus.

I should tell Budweiser to use Differential Equations as their new beer name, because no one likes that at all.

 

Walking into the grocery store last night, I noticed a guy locking up his bike at the rack. The bike was covered in Boneyard stickers, and I thought to myself, "Wow, he must be a Boneyard super groupie." Nope, it was just Tony (Head Brewer). Have also met Tonya from 10 Barrel multiple times at her husband's bottle shop. Bend is awesome.

 

I met James Knott once....

 

I went to the 1993 AHA Conference in Portland and Michael Jackson was there. At the end of the conference was the Oregon Brewers Festival. I was standing in line and Michael was right in front of me. I said hello, he asked me what I was drinking (Bridgeport Pintail) and what I thought of it. So I told him. The next year, when his pocket guide to beer came out, what I said was in there pretty much verbatim! I was thrilled.

 

Came here to post that I actually ran into Don Younger (RIP) at the Horse Brass as I was coming out of the bathroom and he was coming in from having a smoke out back. I didn't know who he was at the time and we were laughing about it as we came in. When I sat down at our table my friend from Portland who took us to HB asked what we were laughing about and did I know who that was. Nice man.

Met Fritz Maytag at an Our Special Ale release party at the brewery back in the mid 80's. Real nice dude.

 

I see the Bros in Cambridge all the time. One time, they told me that EBF was going to be postponed.

 

I have a couple cool ones from last year's Festival in Worcester. I helped a buddy who brews pour there and we were hanging out before sessions and baby stroller comes sliding down the sidewalk I spring into Green Bastard action and reach for it. At the same time another guy did, it was Urbain from De Struise. The other was shooting the shit with Jean van Roy about rooting for horrible sports teams. USG for him and the Cleveland Browns for me. Good times.

 

Bret Porter of Goose Island, honestly one of the nicest guys I have ever talked to. Also the head brewers of Sunkissed met up with the brewers of Solemn Oath at the restaurant I work at, again great guys. I met the head brewer of DGT another really cool.

 

How could I forget beers and discussion with Fred Eckhardt back at one of the first Chicago Real Ale Fests? A great person who's fun to talk beer with!

 

I met Norman Miller and got him to sign a copy of his book, Beer Lover's New England.

 

I got to meet Kjetil Jikiun from Nøgne ø yesterday. He's in town for The Festival. Super nice guy.

 

Met Sam from DFH at the GABF. Walked over to stones both and met Mitch and Greg. All really awesome dudes.

 

I hate when I see these threads already 4 pages in. Had I been first to respond I would have said "What the HELL is a Beer Celebrity"?

I guess I now know