“I never really played with the girls,” says Ashley Routson. “It was much more fun to play against the boys.”
Growing up, the self-described tomboy enjoyed beating the boys at their own games. That practice took her all the way to Ohio State, where she was a Big Ten varsity swimmer before a shoulder injury ended her career.
Then she got into craft beer — traditionally another male-dominated field — and started her blog The Beer Wench.
Here the Beer Wench talks to the Beer Runner about Olympic athletes, bike polo, and her favorite ancient adventure beer.
What are your Beer Runner credentials?
My parents practically threw me in the pool immediately after birth. In high school I broke 7 out of 11 school swimming records and was my school’s first female pole-vaulter. I was on the Ohio State swimming and diving team, and on the rowing team until I needed ankle surgery. I was awarded the Buckeye Power Club Award for excellence in the weight room. After college I got into yoga because my injuries limit high impact exercise. My activity of choice these days is cycling, since it only mildly bothers my ankle.
How did you get into beer?
I got into beer through my passion for food & wine. After college, I was beverage manager for an extraordinary restaurant in Columbus and began studying wine for sommelier certification. We also only carried craft beers, which forced me to familiarize myself with those styles of beer. I wanted to write a wine blog, but got intimidated by the pretentiousness of the wine writing world. In a moment of inspiration the idea for The Beer Wench came to me and I’ve been living the dream ever since.
Ohio State: Better at sports or drinking?
Depends who you ask. I would say athletics, but many non-athletes would say drinking. Ohio State boasts the largest population of students at a university in the entire world. We have 36 varsity sports and about 1,000 athletes, including 11 athletes in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. And then there are the other 50,000 students — who are ridiculously awesome at drinking.
You recently moved to Orlando. How’s the beer there?
We have RED LIGHT RED LIGHT - dubbed by RateBeer as the 4th-best beer bar in the WORLD. The owners have been teaching me a thing or two about beer and because of them I’ve tasted some rare and extraordinary beers!
What about the places for exercise in Orlando?
I’m still trying to find my niche. I need to find something that both fits my personality and physical abilities. Rock climbing appeals to me and I have been told that I have good tendons for it. I belong to the Orlando RDV, also home of the Orlando Magic. It is really hard for me to motivate myself to get to the gym. Too boring. I’m also pretty kick-ass on hockey skates.
The Golden Elixir
You write on your blog that you’re “an adventurer and explorer.” What’s been the most adventurous beer and workout you’ve ever had?
Wow. What a great yet complicated question! Dogfish Head founder Sam Caglione is constantly experimenting with recipes to find the most unique ingredients for his off-centered ales. Their Midas Touch is on of the most adventurous beers I’ve ever tasted. Dr. Patrick McGovern, a molecular biologist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum, analyzed residues from the vessels of King Midas’ tomb. Using this ancient chemical evidence, Dogfish Head Brewery recreated the Phrygian cocktail, combining grape wine, barley beer and honey mead. Dogfish Head Midas Touch contains barley, white Muscat grapes, honey & saffron. Pretty damn adventurous beer!
As for adventurous workout: bike polo. It’s exactly like it sounds — polo on bicycles. We played it in outdoor street hockey rinks with homemade polo sticks. There was always blood, never fail. Don’t think I ever left the rink without blood trickling out of some wound. It sounds crazy because it is crazy.
As someone who “specializes in the overanalyzation of behavior and manipulation of minds,” why do you think you or anyone would be into both beer and fitness?
Both beer and fitness can put one in a good state of mind. Both are euphoric and build confidence. Not to mention, if one is drinking copious amounts of beer — then one needs to compensate for the excess calories. Unless one does not care about having a beer belly.
Beer Runner Ashley Routson — aka the Beer Wench — has compiled a list of her favorite beer Twitterers (tweeters?) on her blog.