“I Drink Beer For A Living”: An Interview with Petaluma’s Ken Weaver

Wayne: What are some of your favorite Petaluma brews?

Ken: I definitely went out of my way to get more of the recent batch of HenHouse’s Big Chicken. And JJ at Petaluma Hills has really dialed in their Line & Twine IPA.

Wayne: If I were to come over to your house and opened your refrigerator right now, what kind of beer would I find?

Ken: Lots of work-related beer with little sticky notes identifying the ones I need to review. Highlights: a sample bottle of the new Lagunitas High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout, one not-long-for-this-world Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter, and a couple bottles of New Glarus fruit beers that Ali lugged back from Wisconsin.

Wayne: Are you active in Petaluma as part of an association or volunteer? (If not – no sweat we won’t print this)

Ken: Biggest thing I have time for these days is working with the Petaluma Valley Rotary and Chamber of Commerce on putting together the Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival. (Which all of you should absolutely go to this September.)

Wayne: What kinds of things do you like doing in Petaluma?

Ken: Our best weekends often involve some combination of lattes at Acre, B Street Mercantile and/or Copperfields, and snagging brunch and bread at Della Fattoria.

Wayne: Do you brew your own beer?

Ken: Not often or well.

Wayne: In May Petaluma is hosting Sonoma County’s first annual Home Brewer‘s Competition.  Do you have any advise for up and coming hopefuls that want to get their brews noticed?

Ken: I think I may actually be judging that competition. I’d encourage brewers to pay special attention to making their yeast happy and healthy, and avoid overdoing it on the crystal malt.

Wayne:  Thanks so much for your time we appreciate it.

Ken: Cheers!