Four Points by Sheraton, an international hotel chain, recently named 27-year-old Scott Kerkmans as its first "chief beer officer." Kerkmans was chosen after a worldwide search that brought in some 7,500 applications from 30 countries — sort of the beer-geek equivalent of winning "American Idol."

Kerkmans, who lives in Phoenix, will be a board member and an ambassador for Four Points' Best Brews program, which offers guests of the chain a selection of premium bottled beers from Europe as well as regional American craft beers.

Diane Bondareff/Four Points by Sheraton (ENLARGE)

Scott Kerkmans (center) celebrated his good fortune in New York after being appointed chief beer officer for Four Points by Sheraton, a brand of Starwood Hotels. Starwood executive Hoyt Harper (left) and Four Points vice president Sandy Swider joined in.

BOB TOWNSEND BEER PICK E-mail Townsend Related: • More on food and drink • Restaurant reviews and search More Townsend New brews for fall and Oktoberfest  Budweiser American Ale  Craft brewers a perfect fit in Slow Food Nation event  Sweetwater Motor Boat Ale  Weyerbacher Brewing on track, after a struggle  • Bob Townsend is editor of Southern Brew News, a bimonthly beer publication distributed throughout the Southeast.

"This is the best thing that's ever happened to me," Kerkmans said in a telephone interview. "I wasn't sure at first. But by the time the five-month process was over, I saw how seriously Four Points was taking it — starting with the online application, then narrowing it down to 15 people, who each made a five-minute video showing their passion for beer. I thought I had a good chance when I made it to the final four."

Four Points by Sheraton, a brand of Starwood Hotels, has hotels in Savannah and Columbus and is scheduled to open an Atlanta airport location in 2008.

Kerkmans' beer résumé is impressive. It goes back to his beginnings as a homebrewer, and includes stints at a brewpub in New Mexico and at Alaskan Brewing Co., and a sales position with a Phoenix beer distributor. Most recently, Kerkmans helped start Draft, a beer lifestyle magazine.

He'll stay on at Draft to write beer reviews and stories on beer and food. But Kerkmans says his work as Four Points' CBO will be ongoing and evolving.

"It's the first position of its kind in the world," he says, "and so we're certainly still defining the role. But, basically, my job will be to travel to Four Points [properties] around the world, hosting happy hours, doing a bit of beer and food pairing, and just talking to people and getting them excited about beer."

Though he's looking forward to a trip to Oktoberfest in Germany and many other international destinations, Kerkmans is also going to be working hard to make sure the Four Points offerings in different U.S. cities and regions reflect the diversity of American craft brewing.

"People always ask me, 'What's your favorite beer?' " Kerkmans says. "It's really hard to answer that. My favorite style is probably porter. I think working at Alaska helped define my appreciation for that. But there are so many great breweries and beers right now."

More than his own good fortune at landing such a coveted position in the beer world, Kerkmans thinks the very notion of a chief beer officer is a reflection of the growth and vitality of craft beer.

"I'm very excited to be a part of helping this industry to thrive," he says. "A year ago, I wouldn't have thought that beer could take me this far. This a wonderful sign for craft beer that a large hotel chain is taking such a serious interest in beer. But I think the best thing about beer is how wonderfully approachable it is. It's really about the experience that you have when you're drinking it and the connections you can make with people."

Check out Kerkmans' résumé and video and Four Points Best Brews selections online: www.starwoodhotels.com

/promotions/promo_landing.html?category=FPCBO&EM=VTY_FP_cbo_winner.

Sweetwater 420 Fest

The annual Sweetwater 420 Festival is in Candler Park this year, 2-11 p.m. April 20, with Dubconscious and the Mad Professor topping the lineup of bands. Plus, food, drink, arts and crafts and Earth Day-related booths. Information and directions: www.pemi.net

/420fest/index.html.

Bob Townsend is editor of Southern Brew News, a bimonthly beer publication distributed throughout the Southeast.