To celebrate International Brewers Day, I decided to profile a brewer. Deciding who to profile was pretty easy. My family and I have been spending a lot of Sundays at Barley and Hops. It’s fairly close to home and has some very nice beers (I’m partial to the Annapolis Rocks Pale Ale and the Schifferstadt Stout). Additionally, on Sundays, kids eat free and pints of their regular lineup are only $2.00. Great news for families on a budget.

So, I reached out to Will Golden, head brewer at Barley and Hops.

Hop Talk: Who are you?
Will Golden: William Byrd Golden, age 26, from Brunswick, Maryland.

HT: How long have you been at Barley and Hops?
WG: I’ve been at Barley and Hops for 8 months.

HT: How long have you been a brewer?
WG: I’ve been brewing for about 3 Years.

HT: What were you in your previous life?
WG: I worked for Toyota as a certified master parts consultant. I was also an art student.

HT: What drew you to brewing as a career?
WG: I have always loved beer, but I hated what I was doing. It was just a job and there was no satisfaction in it. So I quit that job and was pursuing my degree but needed a job close to home. One of my buddies was a cellar man at Frederick Brewing Company and I asked him to get me a job. The idea of working for a brewery sounded great to me!

HT: What kind of education did you need to become a brewer?
WG: I was very lucky to get in the way I did, however my mechanical background helped a lot. I started at the bottom and worked my way up with lots of long hours, reading, and hard labor!

HT: Besides the atmospheric salary, what is the most rewarding thing about being a brewer?
WG: The absolute pride of making something you love and love to share with others who feel the same way! Also FREE BEER! And having a good time at festivals!

HT: What’s not so great?
WG: The heat during the summer, long hours, and stuck mashes!

HT: I know this is like asking which of your children you like best, but do you have a favorite among your beers?
WG: I know this is a standard answer but it depends on the day. Usually my seasonal, but the pale ale is the old standby.

HT: Besides your own beers, what is your favorite?
WG: I love Victory Brewing’s Prima Pils; that is a stellar beer. I also love the Oatmeal Stout from Wild Goose and Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel. There’s many, many more but that’s just a few off the top off my head.

HT: To relax after a long day in the salt mines, I like to go relax at a brewpub. What does a brewpub brewer do to relax?
WG: Take a nice long ride on my bicycle then sit down with a friend and enjoy and discuss beers we have not tried. That or enjoy some of my beers with the patrons at the pub.

HT: Finally, is there something you wish the non-brewing public knew about brewing?
WG: I wish more people would home brew so they can understand the smells and tastes of the raw materials. That way they could further appreciate the beer they’re drinking and the amount of effort that goes in to making great beer!

Many thanks to Will for taking time out of his busy schedule to spend a little time with us. On the topic of International Brewers Day, will opines “I think it is a fine idea, to pay homage to all of our predecessors. Oh, and maybe drink a beer!” Hoist one with me to Will and his brewer brothers and sisters.

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Have you hugged a brewmaster today?

For thousands of years, these men and women have toiled to create beverage that we love. Beer may very well be the impetus for civilization. But do they have a holiday? Noooo…

Until now, that is.

The brainchild of Jay Brooks, International Brewers Day is a day to “honor the great men and women who make the beer we love”.

Brewers have given so many of us the pleasure of their artistry and enriched our lives with their beer since civilization began. So I think it’s time we recognized their efforts by celebrating their lives, their commitment and their craft. We’re all beer people, but without the brewers what would we be drinking?

July 18 was chosen because that is the feast day of St. Arnold, the best known patron saint of brewers.

All that remains now is to get the word out. If you have a blog or website, announce the holiday. Consider adding a graphic to your site for the lead-up to the date. There are a couple dozen graphics already made for you at the official International Brewers Day website. Post about it on discussion forums and mailing lists. Hey, if Towel Day can become a de facto holiday, so can this.

How to celebrate? Well, drink beer for one. Profile your favorite brewmaster. Hold an event. Hug your favorite brewer. Petition Hallmark to create greeting cards for the occasion. Whatever you do, tell the world about it.

International Brewers Day - July 18, 2008

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