Chicago's Women of Beer: Theresa Carter, Creator Of AlphaBeer
By Lorna Juett in Food on Apr 10, 2013 5:40PM
Some of you may know Theresa Carter as the mastermind behind Chicago’s arts, dining, and entertainment website, The Local Tourist. What some may not know is that she’s also a beer maven, largely in part to her successful running of nine AlphaBeer events. She will soon produce AlphaBeer X on Saturday, April 20 at John Barleycorn’s new River North location.
For those of you unfamiliar with AlphaBeer, the event invites participants to enjoy 26 different beers over the course of an afternoon, one for each letter of the alphabet. Attendees are joined by brewers and other experts on the craft beer scene, and each pour is paired with a powerpoint slide that outlines the vital elements of the beer. It’s as educational as it is fun, and the event is easily customizable to the individual’s desire for beer knowledge. Want to drink some beer and giggle with your friends? Be respectful, but sit in the back. Want to meet and greet some brewers, and ask questions? Head to the front and make yourself seen.
What brought Carter into the business of running an alphabet-themed beer event? Her mom.
“A few years ago she took the 5:04 Metra train home on Friday nights. She and some friends decided to spice up the quick commute with a different beer each week, starting with A and working their way through the alphabet. They went through the alphabet three times, increasing from needing a 6-pack for the half hour ride to an 18-pack because the group had grown. I was telling a friend of mine about this and she said ‘You should make that an event!’ The next morning I came up with the name of AlphaBeer and the rest is history.”
But Carter did not jump into the event with a wealth of beer knowledge. In producing the first event at The Globe Pub in November 2009, Carter relied on the expertise of the venue to put together the beer list. As the event has grown (this year’s event will cap out at 150 guests), Carter has put more energy into sourcing the list herself, and has focused on incorporating beers from local breweries. “Each event is different,” Carter said, “but I've been increasingly leaning towards local because of the vibrancy of the scene. With so many fantastic local and nearby breweries to support I almost feel guilty highlighting breweries from other regions and countries. That's not to say that the next one won't be international; I just tend to favor the home team.”
As the event grew, so did the commitment to educating drinkers, not just giving them the opportunity to put on an afternoon jingle. “In the beginning we had one sheet that listed all the beers and you marked whether you wanted to drink It, dump It, or indicate that it was one of your favorites.” Carter said when speaking of the development of the event. “Now it's a full-fledged program with space for notes for each beer. We also began including a slide show with tasting notes.” The event has also cultivated some interesting traditions. “I've got some regulars who actually bet on the ABV and the IBU, and we've customized our slideshows to make sure we don't have any spoilers for them.”
When Carter isn’t tracking down beers for AlphaBeer, or sitting at her laptop producing and curating content for The Local Tourist, she can be found enjoying a beer or two at Local Option, Revolution Brewing, Rocking Horse, or Half Acre. She’s also not shying away from the new kids on the block. “My new favorite is Howells and Hood. 300+ taps? I could host an all-draft AlphaBeer with them!” And as AlphaBeer continues to grow, all the space for guests at Howells and Hood might be necessary.
AlphaBeer X tickets are on sale, and admission gets you a taste of beer for every letter of the alphabet and all the knowledge you can handle. Representatives from Founders, Brewery Vivant, 5 Rabbit, Goose Island, New Holland and more will be in attendance.
AlphaBeer X is on Saturday, April 20 at John Barleycorn’s River North location at 149 W Kinzie. The event starts at 12 p.m. and costs $45.