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.

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

I was first introduced to brewing using kits and lots of sugar. This made for some high alcohol beers that we thought tasted great, but probably not so much. For many years now I have been brewing all-grain recipes, mostly developing my own. I tend to brew across the board for styles. In the last four years I began brewing lager beers. I like them a lot, and it's a new challenge I enjoy — managing the different fermentation and temperature requirements for a lager, versus an ale beer.

2. Do you brew alone or with others?

I like it both ways. I have many co-workers who brew. It's a lot of fun sharing the brewing day, sampling and talking shop. Sometimes I brew early in the day on a weekend so I can still have the remainder of the day for family time.

3. What is your favorite beer-related destination?

I wish I could explore more destinations, but to date, my favorite is Fort Collins. They offer a good beer tour.

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

Pliny the Elder, from Russian River Brewing Company.

6. Ultimate beer/food pairing? Smoked porter and barbecue.

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

Old Scratch - 19C Strong Ale

Butthead 11 Doppelbock - 5C Bock

8. Do you name your beers?

I only name beers that I give away, such as at silent auctions. One of my favorites is Captain Jack's Black Lager. Much of the inspiration for the beer names comes from assistance of my daughter, Lily.

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

I don't have any specific names, but I'd love to brew in Germany. I want to get into some of the old town breweries with oak vessels and open fermentations. The facilities can be over 100 years old, and to be a part of that brewing history and nostalgia would be great fun for me.

10. What's the most interesting ingredient you've ever used in a beer? Rye. It is a very subtle grain that imparts a very dry finish to my beers. I don't use it very often, but in small doses it gives a special character that everyone notices but cannot identify.

11. Tell us about your biggest home-brewing disaster.

You mean aside from countless boil-overs, broken glass carboys (5 gallon jugs), and bacterial infections that destroy a fermentation. Here is an ingredient disaster: I was completing a hazelnut chocolate porter. The base porter was good, and at flame-out, I added the six ounces of cocoa powder. So far so good.

At bottling I was supposed to add .2 ounces of hazelnut extract. I put in 2 ounces. That's ten-fold. My basement was bleeding the aroma of hazelnut. I figured I could blend some other batches of beer into it — if I wanted to make 10 more chocolate porters. This one unfortunately was sent to the drain. I did remake the chocolate porter — without the hazelnut — and it is now one of my favorite recipes.

12. Where do you get your inspiration for recipes? I get recipes from many sources, including magazines, books and friends. Having software on the PC to formulate recipes has also been great.