Brewer without portfolio

The Association of Brewers publishes an on-line discussion forum for brewers and other professionals in the brewing business. A recent post was from a brewer who was no longer brewing professionally. He was looking for another brewing position, or if forced to, any employment.

Here was my response to him.

You don't know me, but I had to comment about your post to the AOB Forum. I've been out of brewing for a few years. These days, I'm selling beer for a living.

But I've found that the yearning to brew remains an intimate part of my system. Thus I don't refer to myself as an 'ex-brewer', or as you put it, seemingly wistfully, 'brewmaster-no-longer'. Rather, I regard myself as 'brewer without portfolio'. It keeps the dream alive!

Good fortune with your job search.

Yours for good fermentables,
Thomas Cizauskas

His reply:

Thanks for the note, and for the positive outlook! I'm actually not even job-hunting right now, taking some time off for the first time in over twenty years, and it feels great. You're right, I should refer to myself differently than anything-"...no longer." Fact is, I'm still a chef, brewer, promoter; just between gigs. When I go back to job-hunting, it'll actually be "career-hunting", and if I happen upon a good brewing job, I'll be an even happier guy than if it's truck driving or used car sales....

Divorce

I learned that my divorce was final on 13 January 2004.

It's time for a beer.

Lambicdom

With the help of the distributor for which I work - Legends, Ltd. - I conducted a lambic tasting (and judging) yesterday at Grand Cru in Baltimore, MD.

I brought in 12 judges, split into 2 groups of 6. To expand the experience beyond only beer geekiness, I invited participants from the 3 ambits of beer, food, and wine.

• Lew Bryson, Ale Street News: writer, beer
• Dave Butcher, Country Vintner: distributor, wine
• Thomas Cizauskas, Legends, Ltd.: distributor, beer
• Steven Frank, Mid-Atlantic Brewing News: writer, beer
• Henry Gregory, Washington Metro Wine & Food Network: writer, wine, food
• Casey Hard, Max's on Broadway: pub, beer
• Rob Kasper, Baltimore Sun: columnist, beer
• Jerry Pellegrino, Corks Restaurant: chef, food
• Monyka Marbach, Slow Food: food, wine
• John Pollack, Old Vine Spirit Shoppe: beer
• Hugh Sisson, Clipper City Brewing Company: beer,wine
• Paula Welsey, International Gourmet Foods: food
  

Read Lew Bryson's notes on the proceedings.