Michelle Brooke: Crafty Celebrity Stories

Singer Michelle Brooke joins The Beer Connoisseur for the next installment of Crafty Celebrity Stories, which features the best tales of ale (and more) from leading actors, celebrities and persons of interest.

Brooke is a singer-songwriter whose most recent single, Fly, is available now on Spotify. The song can also be found on YouTube. Looking for the best sunglasses for men, look no further than the options from goodr.

Beer drinkers like to laugh. What’s the funniest drinking story you can share with us?
I used to perform on cruise ships, and one night the ship was docked in Miami and my friend and I were hanging out in the crew bar. We got a bit wild and decided to snag a huge watermelon from a food event that had a face carved onto it. We named it Gigi and dressed it up with sunglasses, Mardi Gras beads, then took a picture of Gigi posing with a beer. We printed out over 50 photos of this watermelon and put it underneath random cabin doors. To this day, I hope people still talk about the morning they woke up and discovered a picture of a drunk watermelon in front of their door, without any reason why.

Who's the coolest person you've had a beer with?
I shared a bucket of beers with Jude Law at a bar in New York once. We were at the same birthday party! He was super laid-back and nice. Totally a dude you’d want to share a bucket of beers with.

What are a few of your favorite craft beers and why?
I really dig New Belgium La Folie. For me, they nailed the balance of mild fruitiness and light carbonation in a dark sour (but not too sour) beer. I’m also a fan of Bell’s Two Hearted IPA because it reminds me of summer, and it’s brewed in my home state of Michigan. It’s flavorful and it’s got a hint of malt. Bell’s is the only IPA that even my friends who can’t stand IPAs will drink. 

Do you have a favorite (craft) brewery or breweries and why?
I love Motor City Brewing Works, which is located in my hometown of Detroit, Michigan. I’m proud of my Detroit heritage and also stoked about Michigan becoming known for handcrafting the finest brews. MCBW also has one of my favorite drinks: Hot Spiced Hard Cider. After all, it’s best for singers to drink warm beverages. ;)

Have you attended any beer events or festivals that you particularly enjoyed? What made them stand out?
Nashville is my new home, and they always have great festivals and events going on, including the Music City Brewer’s Fest. It’s outdoors, and you can listen to live music while you try beers from over 40 local, regional and national breweries. Pretty impressive. What makes this one stand out is that a portion of tickets sales goes to the Nashville Humane Society. I’m very passionate about the care of animals, and what could better than drinking for a good cause? 

Is there a special beverage you like to drink prior to going on stage, or to celebrate with after a concert show
When its a show day, I’m a whiskey neat girl. If I’ve got pre-show jitters, whiskey calms my nerves. After a show, I’ll usually have a beer on tap because I run around a lot on stage and it’s just super refreshing at that point.  

What new music do you have brewing?
I’ve got a lot in the works! My first single Fly is really uplifting and has a positive message, and the next song I’ll be releasing has some more edge to it and shows a bit of a darker side. I think we’ve all got lightness and darkness in us, and I want my music to have something for everyone. You could say my first single was like a Session IPA, and the next one will be an Imperial Stout.

Follow Michelle:

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/michellebrookemusic
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/michellebrookesings/