VAIL, Colorado — Brew Genius, a new weekly feature, profiles some of the home brewers competing at this year's Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival, which takes place Jan. 7 to 9 at the Vail Cascade Resort & Spa. For more information on the event, visit www.bigbeersfestival.com or call High Point Brewing at 970-524-1092.

This week's brewer is Gordon Pencis of Aurora.

1. From a style and/or technique standpoint, where did you start? Where are you now?

I began brewing extract recipes, using coopers malt extract. I then moved on to partial mash recipes (a combination of grains and malt extracts). I finally decided to take the plunge to become an all-grain brewer. I've been brewing all-grain batches for over a year now.

2. Do you brew alone or with others? Why?

I will brew either way. Most of my friends don't like to brew when it's too cold outside, so I end up brewing alone. But I enjoy brewing with others so we can learn different techniques, styles and recipes from each other.

3. Where do you brew? How many beers do you have cellaring at any given time?

I brew at home in my garage. I usually have three-plus beers cellaring in my basement.

4. What is your favorite beer-related destination?

The Falling Rock Tap House in downtown Denver has to be one of my favorite places. Best beer selection on tap and good pub grub.

5. Favorite commercially produced beer that you discovered this year?

Goose Island “Sofie” Belgian Style Ale.

6. Ultimate beer-food pairing?

My green chili pale ale and a basket of fish tacos.

7. What are you entering in the Big Beers Homebrew Competition this January?

Soured Belgian Strong Golden Ale, Oatmeal Stout, Chocolate Mint Stout.

8. Do you name your beers? If so, tell us about how you come up with the names. What's your most clever to date?

Rarely do I name my beers. When I do it's usually a combination of ingredients, location or inspiration that helps with naming my beers. The cleverest name to date would probably be “Falling Over Hops Pale Ale.” It's a fresh hopped beer designed for the fresh hop celebration at Falling Rock Tap House.

9. If you had a chance to brew with one professional brewer in the world, who would it be and why?

Larry Sidor of Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Ore. I've always been a big fan of the Deschutes beers, everything from the year-round brews to the “Bond Street Series” and reserve releases. Mirror Pond pale ale, Black Butte porter, Green Lakes organic ale, Hop Trip fresh hopped pale, Abyss imperial stout and the Dissident flanders bruin. What would be better than to have a chance to pick the brain of the brewer responsible for a line up like this? Oh yea, hanging out in Bend would be pretty sweet as well!

10. What's the most interesting ingredient you've ever used in a beer?

I once played with a recipe for a Japanese pale ale using rice, lemongrass, chamomile tea and honey. It was pretty good, it ended up getting a slightly spicy finish after it had aged. I'll probably remake this brew down the road with some modifications.

11. Tell us about your biggest homebrewing disaster.

I had four 10-gallon batches sour on me from an infection that I couldn't find the source of. After replacing a lot of equipment I finally found that my immersion chiller had a small hole in it, infecting my wort. A costly and frustrating ordeal that had me crying over 40 gallons of beer down the drain.