Ale Tales

As the daughter of Jack McAuliffe, the first American microbrewer, Renée M. DeLuca likes to say she has "beer in her blood." She crafts her blog, The Brewer's Daughter, to cover all things suds-related, including local events and her favorite brews.

What beer is in your fridge right now?

A six-pack of New Albion Ale, a Sam Adams winter variety pack, a growler of Pride of Geauga Maple Porter from Chardon BrewWorks, a few bottles of Jack & Ken's Ale that's 3 years old, some Great Lakes beers and barley wine. I have friends over often, and they expect me to have craft beers. So I like to have a lot of options when they come over.

As a mixologist and a performance bartender, Robbie Flair prefers to shake up a cocktail or two, but the former instructor at the Cleveland Bartending School won't hesitate to crack open a bottle of beer and kick back every once in awhile.

What is the first beer you ever drank?

I was about 9 or 10 years old in Northern Michigan. My father and his friends were drinking MASH 4077 Beer, and I asked to try it. Part of me didn't like it at all and part of me thought it was kind of good. It was a really weird novelty item.

Kimberly McCune Gibson may have traveled to Italy to become a level 2 sommelier, but the chef and owner of Hungry Bee believes "craft beer is the new wine." After appearing on the Food Network's Fat Chef, she started distributing ReHive Ale, the first sustainable craft beer brewed by women.

What is your favorite type of beer?

Food pairings with beer are allowing chefs to be more cutting-edge. You can be so much more diverse with craft beers than you can with wine. I enjoy light, flavorful beers and wheat ales like Bell's Oberon Ale. I think lighter beers are a smoother transition from wine and I like a light, beer crisp.