Tales of the Pour

Local Woman beer drinker & Craft Beer
“Girl meets boy. Boy introduces beer.
Girl falls in love with both!”
“Who would’ve thought that buying a pair of running shoes would lead Meg Ayers to indulge in a lifetime of beer?” Well, Josh Hare (Hops and Grain Beer and Brew Biscuit Master) probably had no idea either but he found himself smitten by the cute blonde who walked into RunTex back in 2005. Their courtship led Meg to discover her favorite style of beer and a lifetime commitment to a brew master!

Jane’s Jugs Profile: March 2011
Meg Ayers is a 30 year-old petite blonde with a true down-to-earth personality. She is currently a business development manager for a professional staffing firm and an active runner.

Preferred Beer Style: Belgian Pale Ale
Favorite Food with Beer: Bison Burger with sautéed peppers

Featured Craft Beer:
Hops and Grain Brewery is a microbrewery located in Austin, TX. They promote environmental sustainability and build an appreciation for craft beer by getting involved in the community and creating an experience around the consumption of their craft product.” For more info, please visit: www.hopsandgrain.com

Our Beer Tale:
We had the great pleasure of interviewing both, Meg and Josh one Sunday afternoon at HopDoddy on South Congress.

Upon meeting the soon-to-be wed couple, we could see they were in sync in many ways. But believe or not, initially Meg was not a big beer drinker. She attributes her newly found craving as something Josh helped her discover. “I feel connected to it and enjoy the different flavors, Josh pointed me in the right direction once I found what I liked.” Meg’s beer enthusiasm was sparked while visiting Boulder, Colorado. Her favorite beers (outside of those brewed by her fiancé) are Salvation by Avery Brewing Company and Upslope’s Time of the Season Belgian Pale Ale. She is obviously a Belgian Ale type of girl!

Meg and Josh enjoy pairing up healthy habits: they run, cycle and indulge in an eco-friendly lifestyle together. Josh has been very active with triahthlon racing and the Austin fitness community. Meg is part of a running group and participates in marathons and ultramarathons. Hops and Grain reinforces their conscious lifestyle by focusing on “Craft Beer Sustainability” and creating a product that people can take anywhere. The upcoming Pale Dog American Pale Ale (named after Suzy, Josh’s Golden Retriever) will be available in cans! Yes, a nice canned beer that can be thrown in a camping cooler or cycling pouch to avoid the nuances of glass bottles while promoting “one of the most recyclable containers on the planet.”

What is it like out of a can? Well, not only will it be lighter to carry and easier to cool (cans cool in 1/2 the time than bottles!) but Josh promises it will be a very balanced pale ale, it’s made to match his best friend Suzy. “It definitely isn’t as bitter or hoppy as an IPA but it’s bigger than most Pale Ales,” stated Josh. 

Girly Tidbit:
Did we mention that Josh is also a romantic? So, the story goes like this: he saw Meg enter the store but waited to see her again before he asked for her number. Then, once he got it, they started cycling Austin in search of cool local things to do. Next thing you know, they visit Colorado, she finds the style of beer she likes and he decides to custom brew a batch for their wedding! Yep, Hops and Grain NuptuAle consummates their beer tale on May 14th 2011 (Rehearsal dinner will be a food and beer tasting).
Pictures provided by Josh Hare, Hops and Grain
During the interview, we noticed one uniquely shared characteristic: Meg and Josh are very passionate about everything they do. Every product they plan to be a part of is tied to something important in their lives from environmental consciousness like the Brew Biscuits Josh currently produces (and sells at HOPE Farmers Market) to the release of the anniversary beer and the “all local” grounds where the brewery is located (just at the end of 6th street on the Eastside). So, from now on when you think of Pale Ale, we hope you think of woman beer drinker, Meg Ayers and support Hops and Grain in creating craft beer sustainability!

Hops and Grains Brewery Details:
Pale Dog American Pale Ale (APA)
Full of character with a dry and crisp finish. Pale Dog uses all domestic hop varieties that lend more on the citrus and tropical fruit side. It has a strong aroma and a very balanced bitterness. IBU 60, ABV 5.9%

Other Beers:                  Cool Facts:
Alt-eration Ale                85% of beer in cans
Greenhouse                    Pick up location for Bountiful Sprout CSA
Anniversary Beer 

Distribution:
Restaurants, bars, retail stores (details to be released soon!)

Editor's Note:
We truly appreciated launching Meg as our first blog. She and Josh are quite the beer tale and an amazing pair! Check back with us soon, we hope to host a Jane’s Jugs monthly “Girl’s Beer Night” at the Hops and Grain brewery once they open in May!

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