Julia Herz of the Brewers Association

Julia Herz is the Craft Beer Program Director at the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colorado.  The Brewers Association, most known for organizing the Great American Beer Festival (27 years and running strong).  The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association for America’s craft brewers and beer enthusiasts.  Herz says “The Craft Beer Program helps our small, independent and traditional brewer members via programs (American Craft Beer Week; Seasonal Beer Throughout the Year) and via media relations.

We got Ms. Herz to answer our questions about a dessert island and some favorite beer.

What sparked your interest in craft beer?

JH: My brother’s beer can collection and going with my family on outings to find him rare cans. So it was a family affair from the start plus, since I could not drink the beer, I got interested in the packaging from the get go.

JH: Wow a tap on a dessert island. Sounds like I’d want to stay for a while.

I am a sucker for ESB. So I’d likely want it to be a hand pump pulling from a cask.

JH: One last beer? It would need to be bigger in alcohol, warming enough to carry me through my next journey, and likely an ale that was barrel aged and had been cellared for a few years.

JH: I’ll give you 4. One seasonal beer from any U.S. brewery in the spring, one from the fall, one from the winter and one from the summer. My beer diet is full of diversity and I try ‘drink outside the box’ at every turn.

Stout and flowerless chocolate cake

Wit beer and salad with vinaigrette dressing topped with croutons and shaved parmesan cheese.

Cheeseburger and an amber ale.

I could go on and on…

JH: Thanks for asking! The only thing better would be to have shared a beer!