Interview with Matt Leff, of East Nashville Beer Festival
Tweet January 31, 2011UPDATE, 1/31/11: East Nashville Beer Festival tickets are now on sale! Get them while they’re hot! To refresh your memory, the festival will be April 9, 2011 from 12pm – 5pm at the East Bank Greenway.
Matt Leff
[Originally posted December 25, 2010]
I chatted with Matt Leff recently, who’s planning the East Nashville Beer Festival for April, 2011. I’m not a real interviewer, but I played one for the purposes of this blog and will present it to you now, (mostly) unedited and presented here for your enjoyment. In a nutshell, the festival is going to feature a lot of great beer and awesome food, and will be a must attend!
me: ok….so tell me how you got into craft beer in the first place
Matt: self admitting beer geek, went out to Portland 4 years ago, totally hooked
toured several breweries and brew pubs
ever since then I search out the best beers and place to drink possible
moved from Atlanta over the summer, in ATL I frequently visited Brickstore Pub, and in general ATL’s beer culture was just going crazy
me: so was there any one beer or brewery or style of beer that really turned you to the craft side?
Matt: I think visiting Hair of the Dog
we happened to be there 1 out of 2 times a year they open the brewery to the public
and there was a line around the block of people waiting to buy cases of beer
truly amazing, and we walked right in met the brewmaster and owner and sampled the most incredible brews
me: sounds awesome….so often the people behind the beer are almost as important as the beer itself
Matt: with out the passion behind it you have nothing
thats the beauty of true craft beer brewers they are all about passion
me: do you homebrew at all?
Matt: yes sir
just racked a chocolate stout last night
me: nice…I am a big fan of all things dark and malty…chocolatey is a bonus
Matt: ya
used Olive and Sinclair cocoa shells/nibs
me: I’d like to homebrew at some point, but haven’t started yet.
Matt: its alot of work, but always fun
plus you basically drink the entire day of brewing
me: I might have to get started homebrewing then! Tell me about your first experiences home brewing…did you go with the Mr. Beer kit for the first few batches or a nicer setup?
Matt: someone did get me mr beer
i made a beer but left it in the fermenter and never did anything with it
started home brewing in Atlanta with some friends
only being doing it for about a year in total
I have brewed one batch in Nashville we some great local home brewers I met via the festival actually
they are helping me out
me: I don’t know that my wife would be too excited about me homebrewing some day
Matt: better then taking up golf!
me: do you do much beer/food pairing, personally? I’ve done a little here and there
Matt: nothing too elaborate
me: but mostly just picking something to take to a friend’s house based on the meal
Matt: I do enjoy cheese plates
and pairing them with beers
ipa and a slice of pizza is heaven for me
me: I’d add hot sauce on the pizza to that mix, but I’m with you!
Matt: I am a new yorker born, so I am a bit obsessed with pizza!
me: is there anything else you’d like to tell people about the festival, anything that didn’t get mentioned in the Tennessean article maybe?
Matt: Well, you can rectify the donation aspect. Ride for Reading is our donee, not out sponsor
We are looking for commited volunteers
We will have several guest breweries from outside the Nashville market
all our food vendors will be local nashville
we will have live music
educational seminars
me: well I have more questions about most of that…if you still have a little time
Matt: ask away
me: thanks…what would the volunteers be doing? anything and everything or do you have specific needs?
Matt: we will need them to assist pouring, as we plan to have a rep from every brewery who can answers our guests questions
we will need assistance with setup and break down of the event site
but we are still working on the specifics of our volunteer plans
its likely that our Donee will organize that part
but thats to TBD
me: I see…so any way the volunteers may benefit from helping the festival may be TBD as well? Free entry to the festival, of course, maybe something else?
Matt: they will have free entry
yes
a tee shirt
and some time to sample beers
me: well worth it, definitely. Do you have a price point yet for entry to the festival?
Matt: 30-35
likely do a early bird ticket at the 30 price
then 35 will be standard
and if needed we will do 40 at the gate
me: Can you name any specific outside breweries, local food vendors or live music yet or is all that too tentative at the moment?
Matt: we have 3-4 guest breweries confirmed, but I will announce those when the site goes live
music is pending
Coopers on Porter will be vending
(new place opening any day now)
possibly drifters bbq
the new grilled cheeserie
hoepfully mas tacos
hopefully i dream of weenie
hopefully pizza buds
me: stop! stop! I’m drooling on my keyboard!
Matt: thats a few to name
like 6-8 vendors at most
me: sounds like a great selection of food though…a well thought out variety
Matt: thanks
its important that people eat!
me: Definitely…there would probably be some interesting pairings there
Matt: we should also have the Bloomy Rind at the fest doing some cheese pairings
So that’s about the extent of the interview. Hope you found it informative. Leave me a comment if you’d like me to ask some follow up questions. Keep an eye out for the sales of tickets for the festival. I hope to be able to attend!
Sounds like a fun time. I’m from Nashville originally, but now live in Atlanta. I think we are living opposite lives.
Didn’t know you were from Nashville originally….you ARE living opposite lives…it’s like one of you is Bizarro to the other one’s Superman
you two can decide which one’s which 
Jonathan, I actually know you buddy Scott Stephens too…
Would you guys be interested in coming up to the fest with some beer?
Bloomy Rind cheese? VERY Nice…can’t wait for the festival!
Had some beers with Matt on Sunday. There are many out of market beers, as well as some rare kegs coming to this festival. Anyone who considers themselves a beer would be stupid to miss this event. This will blow away any beer festival ever held in Nashville. About 1/3 sold thus far.