Winner's Resume
Ray L. McCoy
Ray on Beer Philosophy
What is your favorite beer? One question that most dedicated beerdrinkers dread. It may be the one in my hand. It could be the next one. I enjoy many great beers, but the deciding factor in that ominous question is the company I share them with. In the words of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, "Good people drink good beer".
Ray on Recent Beeriness
There are a few beer events that I have been fortunate enough to attend in the past year. The "+" symbol indicates a return visit.
+ November, 2001 Antwerp , Belgium 24 Hours of Specialty Beers.
- November, 2001 Antwerp , Belgium 't Waagstuk Beer Festival.
+ November, 2001 Chapel Hill , NC Southeastern Microbrewers' Association Holiday Beer and Bluegrass Festival: Staff/Volunteer.
+ December, 2001 North East US Annual Winter Beer Run - 1400 miles, 5 states and DC, 8 breweries, 2 kegs, and yards of register receipts.
- January, 2002 Ybor City , FL Florida Brewers' Guild Beer Festival.
- January, 2002 Winston-Salem , NC Elected president of the Winston-Salem Worthawgs Homebrew Club.
- February, 2002 Carrboro , NC Southeastern Microbrewers' Association "Taproom of the Year" award ceremony, Tyler 's Taproom.
- Feb-Mar 2002 Chicago , IL Chicago Real Ales Festival, Real Ale Feast, opening reception.
- March, 2002 Brooklyn , NY Split Thy Brooklyn Skull III - barleywine festival.
+ March, 2002 Charlotte , NC Bitter Times Winter Beer Festival.
+ April, 2002 Chapel Hill , NC Southeastern Microbrewers' Invitational Beer Festival: Staff/Volunteer.
- May, 2002 Greenville , SC Greenville International Beer Festival.
- June, 2002 Knoxville , TN East Tennessee Brewers' Jam.
- July, 2002 Philadelphia , PA Tropiezo Real - Mexican wrestling themed beer festival/competition.
+ July, 2002 Portland , OR Oregon Brewers' Festival, brewers barbecue.
+ September, 2002 Poperinge, Belgium Triennial Hop Festival and parade.
- September, 2002 Stockholm , Sweden Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival.
+ October, 2002 Winston-Salem , NC Winston-Salem Worthawgs Monster Mash - Brew session and Halloween party.
Ray on General Beeriness
- Each year since 1996 I have made a Holiday beer run to purchase seasonal and high gravity beers, which can not be legally sold in my home state. The trek includes stops at breweries, brewpubs, and beer stores in Virginia , Maryland , Delaware , and DC. December 2000 was the largest haul by volume, but the 2001 booty included kegs of Belgian style triple and imperial stout.
- I have served on the planning committee and as event staff each year since the 3 rd annual Southeastern Microbrewers' Invitational in 1996. Approaching its 10 th year, this is the longest running beer festival in North Carolina , and possibly in the southeast.
- I have served on the planning committee and as event staff since the inaugural SMA Holiday Craft Beer Festival. This festival broke ground in November, 1999 by being the first in North Carolina to legally serve beers over 6% ABV.
Ray on Travel
Life's a journey. Pack a cooler.
As evidenced by other areas of this resume, I have had the opportunity to cover quite a bit of territory in the pursuit of beer. This is no accident. Beer is always a major consideration in my travel plans.
I have no professional ties to the brewing industry. It is just my idea of a great vacation.
Ray on Homebrewing
Homebrewing is my way to gain a better appreciation for what goes into a good beer. Not just the ingredients, but the design of the beer, each step of the brewing process, dedication, and attention to detail necessary to make a consistent quality product. Homebrewing is certainly not cost effective for me, but there is no way to get a better appreciation for the art.
Since building a half-barrel home brewery, christened " Backstage Brewing Company ", over a year ago I have been providing homebrewed beer for opening night cast and crew parties and for after volunteer shop-calls at the local community theatre. So far I have donated over 70 gallons of homebrew. Proceeds from the sale of "Backstage" merchandise are donated to the theatre for shop equipment. The first equipment purchase was a refrigerator and conversion hardware to put two beers on tap.
Ray on Statistics
In the past year, I collected labels from 200 new bottled beers from 17 states and 18 foreign countries. In addition, I sampled over 60 beers in 16 new brewpubs or breweries. There have also been numerous other new beers from repeat brewpub visits that are not included in these numbers. Also missing are the hundreds of beers sampled at beer festivals and pubs. In total, I have visited 248 breweries and brewpubs in 25 states and 6 foreign countries.
Ray on Collecting
I consider myself an accumulator rather than a collector. With a few exceptions, what I have accumulated is from breweries, brewpubs, festivals, or beer friendly bars that I have visited or had beers from. Of the hundreds of beer glasses in the cabinet or on display around the house, only a couple that were gifts have not been christened with the correct beer. Basically, if I don't drink it, it doesn't count. Some of the items I have accumulated are:
- Over 1670 labels from different beers from 43 states, the District of Columbia , and 41 foreign countries.
- Thousands of beer coasters acquired at brewpubs, breweries, and festivals around the world.
- Hundreds of beer glasses from various breweries worldwide.
- Various posters, banners, and metal and neon signs, and other decorations from breweries and festivals.
- Many screen-printed bottles, growlers and growler covers.
- Dozens of pub towels from American and foreign breweries and brewpubs.
- Enough beer, brewery, and festival shirts and t-shirts to pull down a closet rod.
Ray on Memberships
Join like minded souls who share an appreciation for beer. Local, national, and international memberships include:
- Winston Salem Wort Hawgs Homebrew Club - President
- American Homebrewers Association
- Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) - Lifetime Member
- Southeastern Microbrewers Association
Ray on Periodicals
In the ever changing world of beer, it is tough to keep up. Some references readily available from the mailbox include:
- Ale Street News w Celebrator Beer News w Mid-Atlantic Brew News w Zymurgy
- All About Beer w Malt Advocate w What's Brewing
Ray on Literature
A library tells much about the owner. My library includes masterpieces by such noted authors as Stephen Beaumont, Alan D. Eames, Fred Eckardt, Michael Jackson, Randy Mosher, Charlie Papazian, Roger Protz, and James D. Robertson. There are also videos including the Video Guide to Beer and Ale, The Breweries of Merchant du Vin, and the Michael Jackson Beer Hunter series. The majority of the cook books in the kitchen include either brewpub recipes or recipes made using beer (in the dish, not the chef.) There is also a comedy section with 99 Ways to Open a Beer Bottle Without a Bottle Opener, Dirty Jokes and Beer, and 101 Ideas for Homebrew Fun. There are many more, but this resume is limited to three pages.
Ray on Particulars
Home Brewpub: Liberty Steak House and Brewery, High Point , North Carolina .
T-Shirt Size: Extra Large.
Ray on three page limits
See page four.
Ray on Past Beeriness
September, 1990 ... Discovered the world of good beer during first trip to England and Europe .
April, 1992 ............... First trip using a beer publication as a travel guide. Three weeks about New South Wales , Australia , seeking new beers each day.
September, 1993 ... Graduated from Oldenberg Beer Camp, Ft. Mitchell , Kentucky . Survived Oktoberfest Zinzinnati with several Beer Camp alumni.
January, 1994 ........... First futile attempt at homebrewing. Not even slugs were interested.
February, 1995 .......... Camdenfest at Camden Yards, Baltimore , Maryland , (during a baseball strike). Spent the evening after beer-hopping in Fell's Point with friends met at the festival.
March, 1995 .............. Southeastern Microbrewers' Invitational Beer Festival, Durham , North Carolina .
June, 1995 ................. First visit to Denver , Colorado area. Eleven brewpubs, a beer bar, sampled 68 different beers, and the top of Pike's Peak in under 48 hours.
August, 1995 ............. First visit to the Great British Beer Festival, London , England . Pubbing on the first Sunday pubs were not required to close in the afternoon in England .
September, 1995 ....... Second Annual Mid-Atlantic Beer & Food Festival, Washington , DC . Was interviewed and photographed for an article which appeared in The Washington Post.
March, 1996 .............. Began serving on the planning committee and as a staff member for the 3 rd Annual Southeastern Microbrewers' Invitational.
June, 1996 ................. Began homebrewing again with a bit more knowledge and better results.
June, 1996 ................. First World Beer Festival, Durham , North Carolina .
September, 1996 ....... First visit to the Great American Beer Festival in Denver , Colorado .
November, 1996 ........ Used two free airline passes to go pubbing in Seattle , Washington .
December, 1996 ........ Brickskeller beer tasting, Washington DC .
June, 1997 ................... Second World of Beer Festival in Durham , North Carolina .
September, 1997 ........... First Great Smokies Invitational in Asheville , North Carolina .
January, 1998 .............. Spectator at the 1998 Beerdrinker of the Year competition, Denver , Colorado .
September, 1998 ........... Second Annual Great Smokies Invitational and Brewgrass Festival, Asheville , North Carolina .
October, 1998 ............... Great American Beer Festival, Denver , Colorado .
January, 1999 .............. First visit to the CAMRA Great British Winter Ales Festival in Manchester , England .
March, 1999 ................. Tutored beer tasting at the University of Pennsylvania with Michael Jackson, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania .
May, 1999 .................... River City Beer Fest, Richmond , Virginia .
July, 1999 .................... First visit to the Oregon Brewers' Festival in Portland , Oregon .
September, 1999 ........... First visit to the triennial Hop Festival, Poperinge , Belgium . Spent 2½ weeks beer trekking around Belgium .
September, 1999 ........... Kempisch Beer Festival in Geel , Belgium .
October, 1999 ............... Battle of the IPAs at Tyler 's Restaurant of Carrboro , North Carolina .
October, 1999 ............... First Charlotte Oktoberfest, Charlotte , North Carolina .
November, 1999 ........... Served on the planning committee and as a staff member for the first Holiday Craft Beer Festival, Durham , North Carolina . This festival broke ground by being the first in the state to allow beers over 6% ABV.
December, 1999 ........... Annual beer run to brewpubs in Virginia , Maryland , Pennsylvania , and Delaware with a stops at beer stores along the way. In route home, attended a Brooklyn Brewery Beer Dinner with brewmaster Garrett Oliver, Carrboro , North Carolina .
January, 2000 .............. Road trip (18-hour drive round trip) to Dogfish Head in Lewes , Delaware . for a case of 18% ABV World Wide Stout.
January, 2000 .............. Spectator at the 2000 Beerdrinker of the Year competition, Denver, Colorado., followed by a western Colorado brewpub tour with my beer partner and the 1998 Beerdrinker of the Year, Bobby Bush.
March, 2000 ................. Four beer events: "Roasting of Michael Jackson" at the University of Pennsylvania and Golden Age of Beer Tour, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the first St. Patrick's Day Beer Fest, Washington, DC, and the 7th Annual Southeastern Microbrewers' Invitational, Durham, North Carolina.
April, 2000 .................... Brewpubbing in Los Angeles , California with James Robertson, writer and 1999 Beerdrinker of the Year, as guide.
April, 2000 .................... Visited six brewpubs and breweries on South Island , New Zealand , and four in Australia including a stay at the Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel in Sydney .
May, 2000 .................. Adopted two Persian kittens CFA registered as "Fuggles Hops" and "Crystal Hops".
June, 2000 ................. Governor's Crossing Brewers' Festival, Sevierville , Tennessee .
July,2000 ................... First American Beer Month kickoff events in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , including lunch at McGillin's Olde Ale House and the rally at the Philadelphia Art Museum .
September, 2000 ....... Served beer at three events: The 4th Great Smokies Brewgrass Festival, Asheville , North Carolina ; World Beer Festival, Durham , North Carolina ; and Southeastern Microbrewers' Association Anniversary Party, Chapel Hill , North Carolina .
October, 2000 ............ Attended 18 of the 24 Hours of Specialty Beers Festival in Antwerp , Belgium but left early to visit 't Pakhuis brewpub.
October, 2000 ............ Hosted Winston-Salem Wort Hawgs "Monster Mash" - a 13 hour homebrew session/party featuring Brooklyn Monster Barleywine on tap. Yes, several beers did actually make it into fermenters.
November, 2000 ........ First Southeastern Center for Contemporary Arts Beer and Wine Festival, Winston-Salem , North Carolina .
January, 2001 ........... Spectator at the 2001 Beerdrinker of the Year competition, Denver , Colorado .
February, 2001 .......... Backstage Brewing Company Open House and Inaugural Brew, Clemmons , North Carolina . (See Ray on Homebrewing.)
April, 2001 ................. Split Thy Skull VI, an afternoon of barleywine madness, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania .
May, 2001 .................. Mid-Atlantic Beer Festival, Richmond , Virginia .
May, 2001 .................. Wing Fling Brewers' Fest at Governor's Crossing, Sevierville , Tennessee .
June, 2001 ................. American Beer Month events in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania including breakfast at Yard's Brewing Company and Kickoff Rally at Rittenhouse Square.
July/August, 2001 ..... Repeat visit to Great British Beer Festival, London , England , serving as a volunteer and attending Champion Beer of Briton, Beers of Holland, and Beers of France and Italy tastings.
August, 2001 .......... Traquair Fair at Traquair House, Innerleithen , Scotland . (Oldest inhabited house in Scotland which happens to have a microbrewery below the chapel.)
September, 2001 ... Volunteer for the Great Smokies Brewgrass Festival, Asheville , NC .
September, 2001 ... Great American Beer Festival in Denver , CO .
October, 2001 ......... Rogue Ales Beer Dinner, Carrboro , NC .
October, 2001 ......... Volunteer for the Charlotte Oktoberfest, Charlotte , NC .
