5 Questions with Jen
JEN TAMSE | BEER CZAR
Q: WHAT TURNED YOU ON TO BEER?
JT: My hometown had its own version of beer pioneers that initially helped ignite and fuel my passion for beer. I can still recall my first Trappist Belgian Quad which literally redefined for me what beer could be. But beyond that, it was the people and the conversations that followed which made me fall in love. Beer doesn’t discriminate. It offers close to an infinite range of styles - there is truly something for everyone. It is an exciting time to be a part of the beer scene in Ontario, and an absolute honour to help lead the beer revolution in spaces that live and breathe this “beer for the people” ethos. I guess you could say I’ve come full circle.
Q: HAVING BEEN TO MANY BEER EVENTS, WHICH ONE WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE?
JT: Belgian Beer Weekend, held in the Grand Marché in the heart of Brussels. Westvleteren had their own tent, and I met the Knighthood of the Brewers’ Mash Staff. Absolutely unforgettable.
Q: ANY ADVICE FOR A NOVICE? HOW DO THEY CHOOSE?
JT: I say don’t choose. Over the last decade, beer has fought to redefine itself in the Canadian eye as a dynamic substance hell-bent on challenging the status quo. For the most part, it has won. We have entered an era of unprecedented choice. This is the time to experiment, to be bold, and to flirt with that internal spark of spontaneity that you normally only let out on special occasions. Be prepared to try something new, but most importantly, put your faith in the experts. Turn to the spaces that support the scene, and connect with the people that make it possible. In the end, you just might surprise yourself.
Q: WHAT IS THE ONE BEER YOU ARE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO DRINKING THIS WEEKEND?
JT: Omnipollo’s Hypnopompa Marshmallow Stout – curled up by the fireplace with Borges’ metaphysical musings in hand.
Q: IF YOU COULD PICK ANYONE FROM THE PAST OR PRESENT TO SHARE THIS BEER WITH, WHO WOULD IT BE?
JT: Simone de Beauvoir – an incredibly strong willed and fierce French female existentialist – a.k.a. a downright badass chick who, as ironic as it may sound, knew how to live. She’d teach me about the confines of human freedom, and in return, I’d show her a thing or two about beer!