When Tom Dalldorf and I came up with the idea for Beerapalooza six years ago, our original vision was a week-long series of events celebrating all the wonderful beer here in the Bay Area, California. Unfortunately, there was just two of us, and we could never quite find the time to pull it together in a way that matched our imagination of what it should have been. Beerapalooza became static, with essentially five annual events—which were all great fun—but that was it. It started off with the Bistro’s Double IPA Festival and finished up with the annual Celebrator Anniversary Party. In between there was the cheese tasting at Rogue’s San Francisco Public House, the Beer Chef’s Beer & Chocolate Dinner and the legendary Toronado Barleywine Festival.

Then earlier this year, Philly Beer Week blew our socks off. What Tom Peters and Don Russell were able to pull off their first year was nothing short of amazing. We were envious and a little guilty that we hadn’t managed to put the same effort into to a similarly grand event here in the Bay Area. We returned from Philadelphia re-energized and committed to pulling it together.

So five of us involved in one capacity or another in the beer world formed an ad hoc committee to organize and promote the successor to Beerapalooza, which we’ve dubbed “SF Beer Week,” which will be held over ten days next year, February 6-15, 2009.

Philly Beer Week characterized their town as being “America’s Best Beer Drinking City.” Since we’re friends with the Philadelphia beer community — hell, I’m originally from Pennsylvania, having grown up just a hour west of Philly — we thought we’d have a little fun with an East Coast/West Coast smackdown and so we’re calling the Bay Area “America’s Original Craft-Beer Drinking City.” Not only are we having a bit of fun with the faux rivalry, but we think we have a pretty good claim to that title. With both Anchor Brewing and New Albion in the Bay Area, not to mention Sierra Nevada and Mendocino Brewing (started with New Albion’s eqiupment), and the fact that three of the first five brewpubs were located in the Bay Area, we feel confident of our claim to that title.

The plan is to showcase the legacy and heritage of beer in the Bay, with a goal of coordinating 100-150 events. The week will be anchored by the Bistro Double IPA Festival, the Toronado Barleywine Festival and will end with a new full-blown Bay Area Beer Festival. In between there will be beer dinners, cheese and beer pairing events, other gourmet food events savoring our world-class cuisine, meet the brewer evenings, homebrewing demonstrations, music, films and even a museum exhibition exploring the history of Bay Area brewing, from Monterey to Sacramento and beyond.

A new website went live over the weekend, in conjunction with handing out postcards announcing SF Beer Week at the Slow Food Nation convention. There’s not much there yet, but you can sign up to receive a newsletter to follow along as we add information over the coming months leading up to the 10-day celebration. Instead of just a few people doing a lot of work on SF Beer Week, we’re enlisting the help of as much of the beer community that’s willing and interested in helping. In that way, our goal is to create an event that’s not just for beer enthusiasts, but by them as well. We also hope to get the support of the wider community in the form of recognition by the City or cities and possibly the state along with support from local tourism boards.

If you’re interested in volunteering or getting involved with SF Beer Week by hosting an event, please contact us via Email. Either way, watch the SF Beer Week website or here for news about the event’s progress. And most importantly, consider showing your support for Bay Area beer by attending as many of the events as your liver and wallet will allow. There should truly be something for everyone, whether you live in northern California or have chosen SF Beer Week as the perfect time to visit us.

Trumer Brauerei in Berkeley, California has two immediate openings for entry level positions at the brewery. According to the posting, “duties will be primarily focused in cellars, filtration, packaging and warehouse, with potential to include brewing. Brewery experience a plus, as is forklift experience.”

Also from the posting:

Trumer Brauerei is an equal opportunity employer. Interested applicants please fax their resumes and cover letters to the following number: 510-526-1179, or email Lars Larson

As always, serious inquiries only, please.
 

Trumer Brauerei in Berkeley, California.

Simultaneously in a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal, on Monster.com and Yahoo’s Hot Jobs listings, Starwood Hotels’ Four Points by Sheraton posted a job listing for Chief Beer Officer, an intriguing job title if ever there was one. And with a job title so likely to get a record number of applicants, it made the news, too, as several news outlets ran stories about the position, such as Marketing Daily, BrandWeek and Hotel Chatter.

It certainly sounds like a job any beer geek would feel fortunate to get, and I think that’s why it sounds too good to be true. First of all, the stories about it and the online application itself are just a little too clever, too tongue in cheek to be a serious job offer. And you’re not actually hired by the company, but will be an independent contractor, a part-time consultant. The pay is unspecified (though apparently there’s a generous travel allowance) and requires less than one years experience yet is considered to be “Executive Management” and according to Monster.com is at the “Senior Executive” level, on par with the President and CFO.

The online application also includes a short quiz to test your beer knowledge but the questions are so telescoped that only the truly dull-witted could fail to ace it. For example, one question is “Which is not a variety of hop?” And your choice of answers is “Amarillo, Boy George, Fuggle and Williamette.” Another is “Name one of life’s joys that can accompany goat cheese?” And here the answers could be “Basketball, Acoustic guitar, or Beer drinking.” They’re all like that, so I can’t help but think this is just a clever promotion and whoever gets the job will be a random winner, not that that makes the new CBO position any less enviable.

Starwood did announce at the end of the award ceremonies at this year’s GABF that they were launching the “Best Brews” program at all of their locations, with the help of the Brewers Association. The program is designed to offer a better beer menu than the average chain hotel bar and restaurant. Four Points in L.A. has been hosting some wonderful beer dinners for some time now and I can only imagine their success with good beer may have been the inspiration for this program.

Here’s the job listing on Yahoo:

Help Wanted: Chief Beer Officer® (CBO)

Four Points® by Sheraton seeks Chief Beer Officer to act as independent, part-time consultant for their Best Brews Program. This fall, Four Points by Sheraton, purveyor of pie and champions of contentment, is launching their Best Brews Program. In addition to featuring over 200 domestic and imported beers, they are seeking a Chief Beer Officer. The successful candidate will have a passion for beer, a basic understanding of brewing and an interest in further educating themselves about this glorious libation.
 

CBO duties will include:

• Act as a beer ambassador for the hotel at microbrewery tours, beer festivals and on bar stools across the country.
• Develop an intimate knowledge of the over 200 domestic and imported beers that are part of the Best Brews Program (which will be supplied to the candidate)
• Introduce these to the public through monthly blog reviews.
• Brew eloquence and a bubbly personality are both a plus.

 
Are you ready to make your love affair with beer public? To apply please visit www.FourPoints.com/CBO. To be eligible, all one needs is a love for beer, a basic understanding of brewing, and an interest in learning more. You must be 21 years of age or older.

So what are you waiting for, apply now. Either way, it should be a hoot.

Moylan’s Brewing of Novato, California is currently seeking personnel for their bottling and packaging crew.

If you’re interested or would like to learn more, please call head brewer James Costa at 415.898.4677. Serious inquiries only, please.

Brit Antrim, who was formerly the head brewer and production manager for Anderson Valley Brewing from 1996 to 2003, moved to Hawaii three years ago to take a position as production manager at Kona Brewing. I found out yesterday that he’s not going to be renewing his contract and will be returning to the mainland after he trains his replacement. Brit is a great person and a terrific brewer. If you need an excellent brewer, production manager or both, he’s your man. If you’re interested, shoot me an e-mail and I’ll put you in touch with Brit.

Britt Antrim (at left), Production Manager of Kona Brewing with Rich Tucciarone, Kona’s head brewer, at last year’s GABF.

Artisanal Imports, importers of some excellent Belgian and English beers such as St. Feuillien, De Leyerth and Meantime, is looking for part-time/independent salesmen for both the Northen California and Southern California areas. They’re looking primarily for assistance in the areas of the independent off-premise and on-premise.

Check out their portfolio, they have eight imported brands and have recently added Flying Dog Brewery from Denver, Colorado (who recently bought Frederick Brewing — and renamed it Wild Goose Brewery — of Maryland)

If you’re interested or would like to learn more, please call Sean Knoll on his cell phone at 303-564-8841. Serious inquiries only, please.