Today, he is able to blend his educational training and passion by working as a spirits advocate and educator, consultant, brand ambassador and journalist. While developing his knack for identfying flavors on the plate he excelled when it came to working with spirits from distillation to the creation of cocktails. His passion, interest, and curious nature about food and spirits remained powerful influences. He then went on to graduate school at the University of California at Santa Cruz, where he earned his Masters in Education, as well as the credentials he needed to be an English teacher. Here he had the opportunity to work with and learn from world-renowned chef Cal Stamenov, and sommelier Mark Jensen, formerly of the Highlands Inn. It wasn’t long, though, before he was recruited to open the Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley. He worked as a bartender through college at the award-winning Montrio in Monterey, CA. John went from dish washer, to busser, to waiter before finding his stride at the bar. Bitten by the hospitality bug in high school and continuing through college, he used his skills to move ahead when others may have thrown in the towel – literally. ![]() John Pomeroy is the epitome of balance – in life and in his cocktails. It’s almost a 100% possibility you will have a beer you will fall in love with from a brewery you’ve never heard of before. ![]() This in itself is worth the draw and at GABF you are bombarded with so many breweries you’ve never heard of. Some states allow temporary licenses to get around this (Massachusetts/Oregon) but some do not (the state of Connecticut is VERY rigid). If you go to any beer festival for the most part, those beers have to be sold in the state the festival is in. ![]() This is incredibly rare as each state has their own laws/regulation for beer. Colorado allows the event to pour beer from all over, regardless of where they are from. What sets GABF apart from your neighborhood fest? GABF isn’t like any other beer festival since GABF pours beers from all over America. Stan’s wife and daughter also accompanied us as well as Master Cicerone Max Finnance who works for Artisanal Brewing Ventures, the parent company of breweries such as Sixpoint, Victory and Southern Tier. He has introduced me to such amazing breweries. Stan knows a lot of people in the industry and he’s always showing me breweries I haven’t heard of before that I need to try. For example, my first beer at the festival is always Chucknut dunkel lager (a wonderful Seattle, WA based lager brewery!) and every year, I walk every Thursday session with beer writer and good friend Stan Hieronymus, whose good natured love of beer is refreshing. I have a couple of traditions around GABF. I always love to see the owners/brewers behind the tables talking with fans of their beers. This was my 11th GABF and I attended the Thursday session, which is (usually) the tamest of the public sessions and my favorite to go to since no beers have kicked and brewers/volunteers are at their freshest and are ready and willing to chat with you about beer. At my B&B I stayed in (shout out to Milan and the incredible staff at the Queen Anne Urban B&B!) many people I shared the breakfast table with were going to the festival in some capacity- from a couple flying in from Seattle just to attend the fest to a couple volunteering to pour beers in exchange for free tickets. ![]() This year marked the 40th anniversary of GABF and it’s a fun testament to how big and long lasting the craft beer movement is in America. and it’s a great excuse to visit the vibrant city of Denver, Colorado which has been home to GABF since its inception in 1982. GABF is one of the best places to try beers from all over the U.S. This year, it came back in full force slightly smaller, although at the festival, it didn’t feel smaller. For the past two years, the Great American Beer Festival or “GABF” has been put on hiatus because, well, you know.
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