Brooklyn Beer Gal

Cheers to Bert and Andrew!

2010-10-23T08:31:00.000-04:00

How does one become a butterfly?

2010-08-15T10:30:00.002-04:00

"How does one become a butterfly?" she asked pensively. "You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar." Trina Paulus

What's in my suitcase? Black IPA

2010-08-14T20:23:00.004-04:00

Oregon's Deschutes Brewing blurs borders with Hop in the Dark. This Cascadian Dark Ale has subtle coffee undertones from a blend of oats with dark, Munich and Crystal malts and courageous additions of Cascade, Citra and Centennial hops. The dark malt, conceived via the same techniques used to create schwarzbiers, is added to the malt base of a traditional IPA to impart the darker hue. Citrusy aroma.

Oregon Brew Fest 2010

2010-08-14T12:46:00.006-04:00

We kicked off the festival with Deschutes Super Jubel Ale aged in Oregon Oak Pinot barrels. My favorite from the Buzz Tent was the Ninkasi Brewing Co Eugene Collaboration Beer.

Top two from the festival:
Hop Valley Brewing Alpha Centauri Binary IPA
Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA

with Jamie Floyd in The Buzz Tent. Cheers!

Nong's Khao Man Gai

2010-08-14T12:43:00.003-04:00

The world's best chicken and rice: slices of juicy chicken poached in a secret blend of herbs, placed atop a pile of white rice simmered in chicken's juices and a garlic and ginger-spiked soybean chile sauce. The combo is packaged in white butcher paper, bound by a rubber band and topped with a paper cup of refreshing soup.

Good Beer at BAM

2010-07-29T12:36:00.001-04:00

Good Beer Month is in July in NYC as declared by the Mayor for the second year running. Good Beer at BAM is one of the marquee events of Good Beer Month and is produced in partnership with Good Beer Seal.

The top pairing of the night was Palo Santo's Squash Blossom Quesadillas paired with McNeil's Blonde Bombshell. Other favorites were the pork meatball sliders with a smoky tomato sauce paired with Fire Island IPA. Second best dish of the night would have to be The Good Fork's roasted pork shoulder with korean flavors, cooked to perfection black rice and pickled vegetables.

A word cloud from my "Followers"

2010-06-30T16:26:00.001-04:00

Natural Gourmet Food Therapy 4 Graduating Class

2010-06-15T20:53:00.000-04:00

Brooklyn Beer Gal meets "The Beer Chicks!"

2010-05-27T11:33:00.006-04:00

What an exciting evening last night in LA. It was a Top Ten Beer experience! I finally got to meet the original Beer Chick and top female beer experts in the country, Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune of The Beer Chicks. They welcomed me at Father's Office in Santa Monica. I share The Beer Chicks passion to bring beer to "the place it deserves, at the forefront of the modern dining experience."

Hallie recommended some incredible brews last night, the first, a Saison du BUFF, a collaboration from Dogfish Head, Stone Brewing & Victory Brewing. This is a Belgian Saison brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. I highly recommend Christina and Hallie's book, The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer. Purchase the book here: The Naked Pint.

I thought this was a delightful and informative read. It is an approachable book for the longtime fans of craft beer and the newbies. It is the book I'll have on hand for reference when studying for an upcoming beer festival, hosting a Hoppy People party or just re-reading from time to time to help me develop my beer writing skills. Lots of times, I know what styles I like, but understanding more about the style and the characteristics of the beer adds a whole new dimension.

A big thanks to Christina for surprising me with a gift, "Coton" from The Bruery! It is a barrel-aged ale with hints of bourbon, caramel and oak, and a limited edition to celebrate the brewery's second anniversary.

Studying for Cicerone

2010-05-20T11:01:00.003-04:00

The word Cicerone (pronounced sis-uh-rohn) has been chosen to designate those with proven expertise in selecting, acquiring and serving today’s wide range of beers. For more info.

Happy 25 years Boston Beer Company and Jim Koch!

2010-04-19T06:10:00.004-04:00

Cheers!

Jim Koch has been my inspiration since 1997, I have Jim to thank for my love of real beer. His passion, curiosity and love for his craft are inspiring. Thankfully, twenty five years ago Jim followed his heart and quit his job to start brewing Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Here is a look at Jim's Top Ten memories.

Jim has great influence in my life. I keep a photo I took with Jim from my first beer festival (GABF) as a reminder that I too can love what I do each and every day. I am still on my quest but at least I have better beer keeping me inspired outside of my work life!

Beer Sessions with Jimmy Carbone

2010-03-29T21:49:00.001-04:00

Tuesdays at 5:00M EST

Take a swig of Beer Sessions every Tuesday, where Jimmy Carbone plays host to an audio ale salon alongside a rotating corps of co-hosts including Sam Merritt (founder of Civilization of Beer) and Ray Deter (owner of d.b.a.). Beer loving raconteurs will offer toasts, share craft beer news, and swap anecdotes about their lives on the front lines of the craft beer movement.

Beer Sessions is sponsored The Good Beer Seal, an association of independently owned and operated bars in New York City that serve, promote, and support good craft beer.

Jimmy Carbone is a co-founder of The Good Beer Seal and owner of Jimmy’s No 43, a bar and restaurant in the East Village featuring handcrafted beers on draught and a seasonal, greenmarket menu.

I will be a guest... TOMORROW!

A little bit of Breakfast Stout to start the day

2010-03-17T00:02:00.000-04:00

Founders Brewing Company head brewer Jeremy Kosmicki and The Brooklyn Beer Gal.

"So are we “extreme” beer developers or better yet, does this term even merit existence? No, I would argue. We are simply the natural progression of any industry. We as brewers in the “new awaking” age of brewing are only doing what any good business leader does….. invent, create and explore."

as stated by Mike Stevens | President of Founders Brewing Company on the new website of Founders Brewing Company

What exactly is an "Extreme Beer?"

2010-02-22T21:57:00.004-05:00

According to Beer Advocate, Jason&Todd Alstrom, Extreme Beer is a beer that pushes the boundaries of brewing.

My definition of Extreme Beer, Pliny the Younger Triple IPA from Russian River Brewing Co.!

According to Russian River, Pliny the Younger was Pliny the Elder's nephew, in the case of this beer, the "Younger" is a triple IPA. Pliny the Younger is hopped three times more than their standard IPA, and is dry hopped four different times.

I think we got on line at least seven times for Pliny the Younger. :)

My other favorites of the night were:

Sam Adams Chocolate Chili Bock: Chocolate Bock kicked up with an intense chili spicing, 5.5%

Cambridge Brewing Co. 2006 Barrel-Aged Heather Ale: Brewed with aromatic barley malt, fresh, hand-harvested heather flowers were added to kettle during the boil along with sweet gale and lavender. It was then barrel-aged with Lactobacillus in french oak wine barrels.

Founders Brewing Co.'s Double Trouble Imperial IPA, 9.4% and Spite Pepper Pale Ale fermented with 5 varieties of peppers, 5.4%

Russian River's Supplication: Brown ale aged in pinot noir bbls w Brettanomyces, bacteria and sour cherries, 7.0%.

Another highlight was meeting Jeremy Kosmicki, Head Brewer of Founders Brewing. Photo to follow!

Extreme Beer Fest Night of the Barrels '10

2010-02-20T10:37:00.002-05:00

With five stars, my favorite:
Founders Brewing Co. Canadian Breakfast Stout Syrup bbl aged Chocolate Coffee Stout, 9.3%

With four stars, my next favorites:
Boston Beer Co.'s Utopias, 2009 vintage, aged in Muscatle, Madeira, and Bourbon bbls and blended, 27%

Stone Brewing 2006 Double Bastard Ale aged in Brandy Barrel Vintage brandy bbl aged Strong Ale, 10%

Russian River Brewing Consecration, dark ale aged in cabernet sauvignon bbls w brettanomyces, bacteria, and currants, 10%

and of course...

The Breuery, Oude Tart bbl-aged Flemish red, 7.5% AND Black Tuesday bbl-aged Imperial Stout, 19.5%

Woodfire Grill Chef's Menu

2010-01-17T00:46:00.000-05:00

"borscht"

sage water battered wild foraged mushrooms, fonduta.
candied garlic syrup.

pan roasted diver scallop. confit of pumpkin swordfish. fennel cured swordfish. marinated radishes.

chilled celery soup. truffle cream. micro arugula.

honey glazed local bobwhite quail and smoked pork belly. braised collards. roasted onion polenta.

wood grilled leg of south Texas venison. roasted brussel sprouts. pistachio. cranberry.

vanilla sponge cake bread pudding. cinnamon meringue. apple cider caramel. sauteed apples.

dark chocolate stuffed crepes. cocoa nib streusel whipped
cream. latte sauce.

Architectural Tours of Savannah

2010-01-17T00:43:00.000-05:00

I highly recommend Architectural Tours of Savannah with Jonathan Stalcup. He is a graduate of SCAD and he makes it easy for the average tourist to understand how Savannah was born. The tour helped me see Savannah with new eyes and also helped me appreciate architecture everywhere. Jonathan even brings visual guides. In the freezing cold, this was the highlight of Savannah!

Asheville Breweries

2010-01-17T00:40:00.000-05:00

I hadn't known Asheville, NC was a beer mecca but I was extremely happy to find out . My two favorites were Jack of the Wood Green Man Ale and Wedge Brewing Company Iron Rail IPA. We also visited Highland Brewing Company and French Broad Brewery.

Heading out of town we hit Sunny Point Cafe, a must on the off-beaten path.

Bold City Brewery and a little Kale

2010-01-17T00:04:00.000-05:00

Bold City Brewery was amazing. I know it wasn't just because we were excited to find a craft brewery in north Florida but because of The Millers! The Brewery is locally owned and operated by Brian and Susan Miller (Mother and Son team). They are also supported by the rest of the Miller family. We met and chatted with lots of locals and I wished I could take Bold City Brewery home in my suitcase.

Brian took us on a tour and we talked about going after your dream. Lots of continued success to The Millers!

We then made our way to St. Augustine to Present Moment Cafe for the best kale salad in the US. Kale massaged with red pepper, avocado, tomato, lemon garlic-olive oil and topped with candied pecans.

Cheers!

Fisher's Graduation

2009-11-20T15:22:00.008-05:00

Several service dogs "graduated" Monday at Mid-Orange Correctional Facility. The dogs, trained by inmates, will help veterans.

Mark Miller, a Veteran suffering from PT SD, and Fisher during the ceremonies.

Leaving the stage following the ceremony.

Life and Limb- Cheers to Ken and Sam!

2009-11-20T14:52:00.006-05:00

The Brooklyn Beer Guy and I attended the Life & Limb release beer dinner at Bar Americain this past Sunday. Life & Limb is a collaboration between brewers, Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada and one of our favorites, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewery.

This beer is dedicated to the family of beer drinkers and enthusiasts worldwide, who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the vibrant craft-brewery community.

It's 10% ABV, dark beer that is brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in MA and estate barley grown on the Grossman "farm" at the brewery in Chico. The beer contains a blend of both breweries' house strains of yeast. It's bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, plus naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska. If stored proerply, this beer should age well for years. The Menu:

Spicy Tuna Tartar with Limb & Life

Asparagus Chopped Salad with Dogfish Head Sahtea and Sierra Nevade Pale Ale

Red Snapper with Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA and Sierra Nevada Kellerman Hefeweizen

Lamb Porterhouse Chop with Dogfish Punkin Ale and Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

German's Chocolate Cake with Life & Limb

See interview with Sam, here.

Drew Barrymore photographs my neighbors!

2009-09-04T08:15:00.002-04:00

From TONY:

And who were the ladies in the lawn chairs?
I just walked by that moment, and I envied them because they seemed so happy! I asked, “Can I take your photo?”

September 1...

2009-09-01T07:16:00.001-04:00

"I have decided to be happy because it's good for one's health." - Voltaire

Adventures that make me smile

2009-08-30T11:42:00.001-04:00

Expression and Healing in the "Modern World"

2009-08-29T12:35:00.007-04:00

Maybe I can finally understand "new media," and "social media." Maybe this is a modern place to turn to, to heal, something like that, at least in my situation today. Today, this weekend is as timely as ever to complete this project. So today, August 29, I am on a mission but, first a little history. My blog was born in the summer of 2005 while working a a holistic nutrition school. I figured before I worked with students and helped them create blogs, I should go through the process myself. However, with catchy name and all, The Brooklyn Beer Gal Blog remained mostly dormant until October '05. It still really wasn't even official until March '06 when I became inspired. I don't think more than five people have ever read my blog. :) I never expected any readers and to be honest, wanted to create a personal, living history, one that replaced photo albums and journals fortunately or unfortunately. Even since then, how we consume media has changed, how we display ourselves to the world, or not has changed. Folks are posting on Twitter and Facebook and now my Blogger is linked to Facebook. Certainly, that's a new feature in recent year. Anyway, if anyone does read this, I guess it's a little piece of me I get to share with the world. Putting it all out there, is a way to make my experiences and my journey even a little more real. So today, I continue my posts from 2007, 2008, 2009. I wonder if I can complete in a day, we'll see. Nothing like completing a personal project, a goal, on a a rainy Saturday. Cheers!

Outstanding was Outstanding in the Field!

2009-08-28T13:55:00.006-04:00

Outstanding in the Field was just that! Read more about
Outstanding in the Field and Jim Denevan.

I waited years to attend and we were guests on Thursday evening. If there was anything to define the present moment this was it, defined by the animals, the farm (in the middle of Queens!), the moon, the food, the social atmosphere, the quiet, the wine, and the company, can't get better than this! To experience something like this with another, with an entire table even, is pretty special.

The chef was Ryan Skeen from Allen & Delancey and the farmers, Michael Grady-Robertson & Kennon Kay from Queens Farm. The pig was sourced through Fossil Farms, in Sussex, NJ. The wine was all from Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, and I recommend their Sparkling Brut Blanc de Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Estate Selection Merlot.

The menu:
grilled salt & pepper pigs tails (yes pig tails)
grilled prawns with bouillabaisse, tapioca & ratatouille
grilled lamb belly (I guess I like belly!) w/green tomato, watermelon salad, mint & goat cheese, korean coleslaw with spice roasted cashew
summer squash salad with pesto & baby heirloom tomatoes
slow roasted baby pig & morcilla w/ chanterelles & sweet corn bread pudding
pork rind rice krispy treats

It was also inspiring to hear Michael's story, giving up a corporate cubicle .com job to become a farmer!

I highly suggest a visit to the Queens Farm, as a New Yorker, you won't believe your eyes!

Presentation to Puppies Behind Bars

2009-08-25T08:09:00.003-04:00

I was lucky enough to receive the grant I applied for on behalf of Puppies Behind Bars from Scripps Networks Interactive. Here is my presentation to the staff. :)

Fire Island Beer Company

2009-08-22T14:37:00.003-04:00

I couldn't resist a purchase of Fire Island Lighthouse Ale in Whole Foods. I work in Marketing and am a sucker for Marketing! Even the tag line, "Craft Beer from the other New York," is this brewer a marketer? Guaranteed tap space in all the Fire Island bars anyway! It was ok if I had to drink a mellow beer, or bring a 6 pack to a party of non beer drinkers, but for a beer snob like me, at least I like the packaging.

The Oregon trail I blazed in Portland

2009-07-29T14:56:00.003-04:00

Once again, I eat and drink my way through Oregon. I went out this year to visit Laura and Rob but conveniently planned my trip the weekend of the Oregon Brewer's Festival, always held the last full weekend in July. I finally got to take the Portland Underground Tour and see some of the Shanghai tunnels.

My weekend and a few extra days went like this: Brewer's Fest (twice), Ping, Tugboat Brewery, Pine State Biscuits, Bunk Sandwiches, Portland Farmers Market, Tony Starlight's, The Screen Door, Berry Picking at Sauvie Island, and of course a visit to Portland is not complete without a visit to Stumptown and New Seasons! Who knew someone could be so obsessed with a grocery chain? :)

First the brews, my favorites from the festival:
*Track Town Ales 200 Meter
Caldera Brewery Co. Hibiscus Ginger Beer
Boundary Bay Brewery Amarillo Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale
*Eel River Brewing Organic Acai Berry Wheat
*Standing Stone Brewing Co. Double IPA
*Astoria Brewing Co. Bitter Bitch Imperial IPA
Beer Valley Brewing Co. Leafer Madness IPA

*my most favorite of the favorites!

The Brewer's Fest was awesome once again, and I'd like to make the yearly pilgrimage. This year they had a tent with extreme brews but I am saving that for next year to appreciate with my beer partner. Tugboat Brewery was interesting, it was finally open when I wanted to go. I had the Cherynobyl Stout. Bunk Sandwiches had quite a line and was worth it before the fest. I feel lucky to have been to both Puk Puk and Ping. See the menu for Ping here. I am pretty sure everything on the menu is great, so I am not going to recommend, but go hungry! I will recommend the Veggie Scramble (no eggs) at The Screen Door for brunch, expect a long wait, folks get up early in this town!

Oh yes, I was in Portland during record breaking heat, 7.27 was 103 degrees, a record breaker!

Norway, Sweden, Denmark!

2009-07-13T11:25:00.005-04:00

The trip began like a movie, I arrived first and waited for Shaun to land from Paris. That hug was the hug of a lifetime, I'll never forget it, it was as if we were separated for years.

The first thing we did after arriving in Oslo and checking in at the Perminalen Hotel was to go see a famous painting by Munch, Skrik, The Scream, at National Gallery. It was like seeing Picasso for the first time. We made our way to Vigeland Park, which was a favorite of mine. The smooth texture of the more than life size sculptures was breath-taking. The human body was brought to life in ways I had never seen before at this beautiful park. We attempted to go to the "trendy" Grunerlokka but could not get served. What amazed me about this night, was the never ending daylight, but this would just be the start!

After a game of Phase 10! (I won) and train rides to Flam we were on a ferry ride to Balestrand for adventures on the Sognefjord, the world's largest. We went swimming in the Fjord and MET RICK STEVES! Visited the Old Hotel.

The next day we visited the Norsk BreMuseam in Fjaerland, Supphelle and Boya Breens.

We were off on a ferry ride to Bergen, train to Oslo and boarded an overnight train to Stockholm.

We stayed at the Nordic Light Hotel, smoked our Stockholm Card and made our way to Rosendal's Organic Garden. Do I see greens? Do I see KALE? I was joyous! However, it was only in the gardens and not on my plate!

It was awesome to see how excited Shaun was at the Vasa Museum which I also enjoyed. I think we lost out on Skansen, but it's something we can look back on and laugh about.

We ate twice at Herman's Vegetarian Cafe in Sodermalm and made the touristy visit to the Absolute Ice Bar.

On our second day we saw some rain and after City Hall Tower/Tour, Skargardsturen we enjoyed a local IPA in Gamla Stan.

Copenhagen was my favorite, it's sometimes a vibe that one can't explain. When we arrived we went to see the Little Mermaid and Nyvan. We made our way to Norrebro to Norrebro Bryghus. Beers included collaborations ironically enough with Garrett Oliver and so I drank a Kings County Brown Ale modeled after Brooklyn Brown, Globe Ale and Pacific Summer Ale, a second guest brew, with north American hops. We bought Helene Heather for my departure night.

On day 2 we rented bikes and started at Christiana where we had lunch at Morgenstedet. We visited the Carlsberg Glyptotek and frolicked in the delight of Tivoli where there was a Michael Jackson Tribute, and I finally saw Thriller in its entirety.

Shaun so kindly took me to the airport via train and he was off to Brussels. All pictures here.

Spencer Tunick Installation at Montauk Point

2009-06-22T18:40:00.001-04:00

Photo by: Casey Kelbaugh

Bay to Breakers - May 19. 2009

2009-06-20T13:16:00.001-04:00

It was tough to run (due to crowds), but loads of fun (fun crowds). My favorite though had to be the flying tortillas!

Ode to Lenora's Way

2009-06-16T12:09:00.003-04:00

Lenora's Way had a special place in my Brooklyn life. It was our local and sadly shut it's doors over the weekend. The atmosphere was non pretentious and with over 100 craft beers, there was always something new and different to try. I have a lot of memories there, even though there would be months between my visits. It was a relaxed place and unique for the hood that I really thought it would make it. I never did make it to the garden... Thanks for the memories.

The Brooklyn Beer Experiment

2009-06-07T15:57:00.000-04:00

What a turn-out during an early summer Sunday. This was a cook-off for more than 25 dishes made with beer and local homebrewers offered their samples. The winners were chosen by both an official judges panel and audience votes.

My favorites were the Air Mail IPA, Joshua Knowlton (also Audience Vote Winner) and second, Squirrel Tail Double IPA.

For food my favorite was "You can have your brew and eat it too" from Bonnie Suarez. It was a curry-chicken salad topped with spicy, pickled raisins on beer bread and I don't even like chicken!

Hops... in honor of my completion of Green Medicine

2009-05-30T07:14:00.004-04:00

Hops or Humulus Lupulus were also used medicinally for a number of ailments and continue to be today. They are used as a sleep aid,or a natural relaxant. Hops also work as a natural hygiene product, a skin astringent and hair softener (never waste an old beer, SHAMPOO with it!). We can't forget that hops are also a natural preservative (IPA!). Just a short note as I give a nod to my favorite plant, hops.

Bay to Breakers Beer Tour Weekend

2009-05-16T11:18:00.000-04:00

Highlights of our visit to see Kevin and Tiffany and run Bay To Breakers include many beer related highlights:
Magnolia Pub and Brewery
21st Amendment Brewery
Bear Republic Brewing
Russian River Brewing Company- PLINY!
Lagunitas Brewing Company

We had a bit of fun at The Mystery Spot and The Petrified Forest too. :)

A Half Marathon!

2009-05-03T22:32:00.000-04:00

4 Course Vegan presents:

2009-04-19T22:31:00.003-04:00

Shaun and I went to 4 Course Vegan on Saturday. The last time I went was back in 2003 and wonder why it has taken me so long to return! This was the dinner club before there were dinner clubs. It was great to see and eat the quality food, vegan food that Chef Matteo puts out. Incredible. He's a Chef I believe in, one that can inspire meat eaters too! See Chef Matteo featured here (also a link to past and future 4 Course Vegan Dinners) on CNN in'08. The segment starts with Oprah, "I never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying."

Satisfying is 4 Course Vegan! Not only is it vegan but Chef Matteo features fresh ingredients from NYC's Green Markets so he cooks locally, organically, seasonally, and sustainably. We sat with one foodie couple from Brooklyn, a couple visiting from San Francisco, and another about to set off on their way around the world using money she won from online gambling!

The Menu follows:

Saturday, April 18th, 2009
4 Course Vegan presents:
6 Years of Fine Dining in Williamsburg

Spinach Dumpling with
Caramelized Onion and Basil Broth
*****
Artichoke Croustade with
Baby Greens and Kalamata Herb Dressing
*****
Red Lentil Beignet with Oven-dried Shiitakes
and Sun-dried Tomato Sauce
*****
Fuji Apple Tart with
Meyer Lemon and Maple Almonds
--

Matteo sells treats like lavender shortbread, but my favorite to buy for my four legged friends is, Winston's Nuggz.

Beer Table, Brooklyn

2009-04-17T14:45:00.003-04:00

Since we didn't make it for Shaun's 30th, Beer Table remained on the list! We assumed there would always be crowds but gave it a shot on a rainy night. We got space for two at the end of the table and could not have ever anticipated the delicious, memorable food that would come out of one of the smallest kitchens! I must say I am a little jealous of owners Justin and Tricia Phillips, both under 30, but want to support them all the same. They maintain the most interesting beer list of bottled beers, but I just chose wrong tonight! I chose an IPA from England that was just ok but would like to go back for a Gueuze and Wintercoat when they have it. The food was simple, interesting and yummy. We had smoked eel with horseradish cream, parsley, apple, red onion AND roasted almonds, ricotta, pear, maple syrup, black pepper and sea salt with bread.

Beer Wars

2009-04-16T10:18:00.004-04:00

LA Beer Fest and LA Eats '09 Journey

2009-04-13T10:17:00.012-04:00

I was lucky to plan my trip to LA around the first LA Beer Fest held at Sony Studios. This Beer Fest will always be memorable because it was here I was introduced to The Bruery, and was quite impressed. I didn't make it to The Bruery in Orange County this trip, but it's first on my list for '10. LA was a great break from NYC, I soaked up the west coast vibe. I continued my training by running in Culver City, slow but steady and also enjoyed biking AND running on the beach, the life! Got to spend time with Kelly for her birthday in Santa Monica with the Oakdale boys at Father's Office and spent Easter on my own at Pizzeria Mozza with Clam Pizza! I also got to spend quality time with Rocky. Happy Engagement Larry! Thanks Christel and Jon!

BEERS FROM THE FEST:
The Bruery from Placentia:
Orchard White
Black Orchard
Plus:
Left Coast Hop Juice
Ballast Point Big Eye IPA

EATS:
Alibi Room (Kogi):
Kimchi Sesame Quesadilla and Vegan Sesame Leaf Tacos with tofu and asian pear- CAN'T EVEN PUT WORDS HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS FOOD. I COULD EAT IT EVERY DAY.

Leaf Organics:
Collard Greens wraps with sprouted Lentil Croquettes- AWESOME RAW PLACE!

M Cafe de Chaya:
M Chopped Romaine and Mixed Greens, Avocado, Cucumber, Chickpeas, Herb-Baked Tofu, Scallions, Umeboshi Pickled Radishes, Carrots, Beets, Tamari-Roasted Almonds, Crumbled Tempeh Bacon, and Tofu-Peppercorn Ranch Dressing- I AM OBSESSED

Rustic Canyon, Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica:
Roasted Root Vegetable Shepherd's Pie - THE BEST VEGETARIAN DISH AT A NON VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT I HAVE EVER HAD!

Drew Barrymore at BLD!

2009-04-07T16:00:00.005-04:00

"Guess what? Two guesses." It only took him two. You saw Drew Barrymore, he said. "YES!" I was awestruck.

Todd H. was nonchalant, "There's Drew Barrymore." I couldn't fathom those words! Drew walked in to BLD just as we were seated for lunch. Day, time, place. All was aligned!

Drew was more beautiful in person than I had ever imagined, she was quite petite and had the most perfect complextion. She looked confident, serious and content with her lunch guests. Exciting time for her right now. Drew's face and name are all over town, promoting the HBO Film, Grey Gardens.

Williamsburg. It feels like a small town to me too.

2009-04-03T20:42:00.001-04:00

Keith Wagstaff of The Feedbag, "The neighborhood itself feels kind of like a small town; everybody seems to know everybody and people often don’t feel the need to leave for Manhattan to socialize. In this faux-small town we see a utopian vision for America’s actual small towns and suburbs: small restaurants, run by owners who live nearby and seem to know all of their patrons, churning out very competent, and even sometimes excellent, contemporary American cuisine with low price points and local ingredients. It’s our European fantasy, to live like the French (or how we collectively imagine the French live) with delicious neighborhood bistros in every quaint town with nary a McDonald’s or Applebee’s in sight. It is a charming neighborhood to eat in, and despite lacking the ethnic diversity or Thomas Keller-level culinary mastery of some other neighborhoods’ dining scenes, it is chock full of unique restaurants with familiar faces and simple, well-executed, local cuisine." See entire post here.

Brouwerij Lane

2009-03-28T12:14:00.001-04:00

Brouwerij Lane now open in Greenpoint. 400+ bottles and 10 choices for Growlers. Welcome! 78 Greenpoint Ave./Franklin Ave., Brooklyn.

Harlem Valley Rail Trail and 30th Surprise

2009-03-16T12:15:00.003-04:00

My intention was to surprise Shaun for his 30th Birthday to a place like Aruba or something like that, but considering that wasn't going to happen, why not a trip to Captain Lawrence in Pleasantville and a stay in Amenia! There are reasons things worked out this way, surprises never go as planned and I don't own a car...

We took Metro North to Pleasantville and caught the first tour at Captain Lawrence Brewing Company for some Liquid Gold brunch. We didn't get much hiking in this year, so I plotted around getting us to and from The Harlem Valley Rail Trail which meant a stay at the Alpen Haus B&B in Amenia, NY. Rosemarie Hiltbrunner- O'Handley was a delightful woman, I couldn't resist reserving a room. Funny enough, Shaun had actually been to Amenia when he was a little kid and had memories there so in some ways this worked out well for the 30th milestone.

The Harlem Valley Rail Trail was beautiful, an easy walk with our packs. It would be excellent to do the entire trail, we covered about 9 miles. All in all, a success!

dandelionwine.info

2009-03-12T00:22:00.004-04:00

The first step... purchase of a url from Network Solutions. Thanks for the inspiration, Grandpa Fonti!

Split Thy Skull 2009

2009-03-08T12:15:00.001-04:00

The stand outs from this Sunday, Southern Tier Hoppe, Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti.

Making a stop for Stumptown Coffee in BROOKLYN!

2009-02-28T01:25:00.005-05:00

I have goosebumps just looking at this sign: Stumptown and Brooklyn together. My memories of Stumptown in Portland haven't faded but for now, Brooklyn is my Portland. I drank an entire Cafe Latte (I don't drink coffee except for Stumptown and Urth Cafe), savored the vegan, carrot muffin, and enjoyed the company of the Brooklyn Beer Guy. I have a feeling I'll be back to The Second Stop Cafe. In '08 Duane Sorenson moved to Brooklyn and I have been waiting his arrival. For now, Brooklyn is meant to be.

Puppy Toby

2009-02-22T01:09:00.000-05:00

Valentine's shuffle to Lonesome Lake

2009-02-18T21:24:00.003-05:00

With my new snowshoes, poles and newly purchased and rented gear, we set off with Outdoor Bound for Valentine's Day weekend in the mountains of NH. To quote the NYT article, it "sounded romantic and adventuresome all at once."

It was.

I did not know I would be "glissading" or HIKING up a mountain for that matter but it was challenging, fun and most of all humbling to be in the natural elements for an extended period of time.

The hut where we dormed was part of the Appalachian Mountain Club and we met some interesting folk along the way. Thanks Kirk and Eric and a special thanks to Eric!

Utah with the English clan!

2009-01-30T12:16:00.003-05:00

I was invited to Utah this January for a few days of skiing of course! I was a bit nervous, but confident, the confidence that was all left at Snowbird along with my tears in the snow (caught up with Season 1 of Mad Men on my ipod instead sitting outside the cafe waiting for the English brothers). We even got to sneak in a quick jaunt over to Park City, Utah, during the film fest.

Alta was beautiful, especially for a beginner. I never realized how much I could enjoy skiing without the snowboarders whizzing past me! The snow was powder, nothing like I have ever experienced. The weather was amazing, not your bitter NE cold. I'd definitely return to Alta, but Snowbird...maybe in another life!

Couldn't leave the state without visiting one of the breweries and we choose Wasatch Brew Pub in Park City for some Polygamy Porter. Thanks Barbara for taking me snowshoeing in the Wasatch National Forest, that is my kind of sport!

Molly "gets busy" in the snow

2009-01-12T00:22:00.002-05:00

Molly was my first pup from Puppies Behind Bars in 2009.

I am a beer geek!

2009-01-06T12:10:00.003-05:00

I missed my subway stop this morning, I was so involved with the New Yorker article (I have been carrying it around with me since Thanksgiving), "A Better Brew," on the rise of "extreme beer." Cheers to Sam Calagione. Click here to read more.

Buddakan NYC

2008-12-19T00:47:00.001-05:00

Shaun and I were lucky enough to be treated to multiple plates at Buddakan NYC by Lon Symensma. Lon was a Chef I met through Darren during my second visit to Buddakan. He is young, passionate and truly inspiring because of his passion for what he does, and the food he creates. This was my best experience so far at Buddakan, but was so stuffed, I left with a Buddha belly! We loved the duck so much so, I said it was one of the best five dishes I have ever had. It was incredible to experience the creations of The Chef. Thanks again! Hope to be back soon!

Ghostland Observatory and ....

2008-12-13T12:16:00.002-05:00

Was lucky to be invited by Shaun's brother to Ghostland Observatory at Terminal Five on Friday. Just like my Ben Harper experience back in New Orleans and then NYC, I didn't want to be disappointed a second time around in NYC.

The first time I saw Ghostland Observatory was in Austin at Austin City Limits. This kind of music IS music, it's one I feel inside and inspires me to dance. Let's just say I was not disappointed the second time around, even in this different setting. In fact, maybe I'll put some on now to inspire me.
Also at the venue, Eclectic Method, who helped pioneer the emerging art of audio-visual mixing as early as '02. Their audio-visual mash-ups feature television, film, music and video game footage sliced and diced for high sensory overload.

Beer Class at Whole Foods Bowery

2008-12-11T12:14:00.002-05:00

Shaun and I attended DIY Homebrewing at Whole Foods Bowery, presented by Maggie Fuller. Fuller, left the finance industry behind and founded, Beer Ethos, a Beer Education company. What was a little eye opening for me is the amount and type of equipment one needs, maybe I'll take up this hobby when I have a larger kitchen. :) She brewed Indian Brown Ale, a recipe from Bryan Selders of Dogfish. Shaun, can we start with Mr. Beer?

Sleepwalk with Me

2008-11-29T19:45:00.004-05:00

After becoming fans of Mike Birbiglia after hearing him on NPR, I was excited to see a flyer for Sleepwalk with Me. We bought tickets immediately. If you don't know Mike Birbiglia I suggest starting with Fear of Sleep on NPR. He's a great story teller and we laughed hysterically at Sleepwalk with Me. I also do love listening to his segments on NPR, his voice and diction just add to the humor. He's a great storyteller.

Shinn Estate Farmhouse Stay

2008-11-25T00:01:00.008-05:00

I think I had booked our Shinn Vineyards stay almost a year in advance, it was meant to be my 33rd birthday present to myself. I think I'll treat myself every year. :)

We headed out on a Friday (2 night min.) and who knew I would feel transformed in time and place out in Mattituck. Not only did we enjoy the wines of Shinn Estate (I enjoyed all of them and bought six bottles!), but the weekend was filled with tons of amazing food. First at Shinn, where breakfasts included, griddled banana bread, granola, fresh fruit smoothies, frittata, breakfast risotto w/ duck egg, but we also fed ourselves at Love Lane Kitchen (a gem!), The Frisky Oyster and The North Fork Table and Inn.

Owners David Page and Barbara Shinn and their new puppy were most excellent hosts. Barbara speaks of her vineyard as if it is family, her baby, and I am inspired by their organic and sustainable efforts.

The weather was cloudy and ominous, but peaceful. One experience I will never forget is running on Sunday morning, the one day I forget my ear warmers! I felt as if I was running sideways. This would be a great way, and location to start every morning is the feeling I remember having. After we left, we got to visit The Horton Point Lighthouse.

Goal: 1 hour

2008-11-24T00:15:00.002-05:00

I did it. We did it. Congrats to you Shaun on a great Marathon finish!

Dressing Room for my 33rd

2008-11-09T12:14:00.003-05:00

My parents, Shaun and I went to The Dressing Room in Westport, CT for my 33rd Birthday. It was a beautiful meal and since Paul Newman's passing in September, a time to reflect on all that he has done in charity for others, his wife, daughter and family were dining right next to us. We enjoyed the meal, a meal filled with seasonal and local ingredients! Had a little Eel River, Extra Pale Ale, Cheers to 33!

Happy Birthday, 33!

2008-11-06T12:43:00.001-05:00

Thanks Shaun for the surpise at the Good Fork and this beautiful cake from Baked and my birthday celebration in Red Hook!

Oregon '08 - Bend and Laura&Rob's Wedding

2008-10-30T12:13:00.010-04:00

Our travel was not as extensive this time around but we certainly managed to see more of the beautiful state of Oregon and drink more Oregon brews.

We ate waffle sandwiches from the Flavour Spot and indulged in dinner at Pok Pok, a Portland favorite.

We then set off for our next destination, Eugene where we had our favorites from The Eugene City Brewery. Ninkasi was not open!

Then it was off to Bend where we stayed at McMenamin's Old St. Francis School. In Bend we joined a Wanderlust Tour of Boyd Cave, an underground lava tube and spent time at both Deschutes Brewery and Brewery Pub (2). We enjoyed the spent grain pizza's and our sampler platter of: :)
Jubelale*
Fair Weather Fresh Hop
The Luckiest Lager
Mt. Angel Fresh Hop
N2 Trees of Doom Dunkel
Rooster Cream Ale
Red Chair IPA *
Harvest Moon Fresh Hop
Hop Trip
20k Imperial Bourbon Porter
Cascade
Mirror Pond Pale
Bitter
Inversion IPA
Black Butte Porter
N2 Stout
Green Lakes Organic Ale

After some GPS issues (never take a GPS with a rental), we finally ended up at Metolius River Lodges in Camp Sherman, Oregon what a cute little town. Shaun yelped to find Three Creeks Brewing, and I felt like we were in paradise, just a great way to end the day, in a quiet Brewery that appeared new, where I felt like a local drinking my Stonefly Rye. The next morning we took a hike and started to drive out, I remember stillness at The Lodge at Suttle Lake.

Breitenbush Hot Springs was something cool to experience together, the springs, the harp and the food were a nice way to end our vacation. It was back to Portland for Laura's wedding and time to be a bridesmaid! First, wine tasting!

We stayed at The Ace Hotel, maybe someday we will find our messages left there. The wedding was awesome and great to see all Alfredians.

The day after the wedding a few of us went to BEAST:
Brown Butter Crepes
Lamb Shank & Mkt Potato Hash
Cheese
Chocolate Truffle Cake

We then drove to Sauvie Island and spent the later afternoon at the Portland Classical Chinese Garden.

My first 5k

2008-10-13T22:52:00.002-04:00

I didn't finish last!

Midnight Munchies @ the 1st NYC Wine & Food Fest

2008-10-11T01:44:00.006-04:00

Sent from Shaun's iPhone at Daily Candy's Midnight and Munchies party. Not much to say here but yum. Tom Colicchio gave a rare musical performance alongside downtown band Milton.

Modern Beer Goggles

2008-10-07T01:51:00.003-04:00

Google released Mail Goggles to help those with drunken email addictions. If enabled, GMail asks users to complete “simple” math problems in a limited period of time before the email goes out.

Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown

2008-10-03T12:12:00.006-04:00

We stopped at a favorite, New World Home Cooking and we saw Revolutionary Snake Ensemble. It was there that night, and I knew. Just knew.

The last time I was in Cooperstown was back in 1996. Brewery Ommegang was not impressive.

A quick mention about the Hasu Ranch Alpacas, proves one can do anything and make a career switch if they choose!

On Sunday we hit the Baseball Hall of Fame before heading back.

Sam I am, Sam I brew

2008-09-02T12:12:00.001-04:00

See the July/August 2008 Draft archives for an interview with Boston Beer Company's Jim Koch and Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione. It's worth a read and Sam is a close second in my list of favorite pioneering brewers.

In the interview they address the definition of craft beer, the booming craft beer business at that time, the growth, diversity, the place for extreme beers, beer memories, alternate career, advice and what to look forward to from each of their breweries.

Enjoy the read!

Greek Wedding

2008-08-15T12:11:00.011-04:00

I was invited to go to Greece with KT as her tag along for Jason's wedding. It was the most incredible country. I could go back year after year. We started in Athens, traveled to Mykonos and then to Kefalonia, with stopovers in London and Madrid.

So while Shaun was off in Montana, I was at the Parthenon. The New Museum of the Acropolis was not yet open but Kelly and I soaked ourselves in the history of Athens, it was beautiful. I thought a lot about John and Thalia and wished we had kept in touch... the food was incredible and after one day I was in love with this country.

I must say I was not expecting to love Mykonos, after hearing about it's reputation of a party town, but party we did. It was a culture I could learn to love. Food, drink, fun, beaches. We were in paradise, not sure how I can top the trip thus far until...Kefalonia.

Here we visited: Mirtos, Fiskardo, Assos, Argostoli, Agia Efima

We took a tour set up by Jason's family, we had dinners, activities, all set sail. The NYU Business Crew was a blast. Kelly knows how to plan a vacation!

The wedding ceremony was beautiful and I didn't feel like a stranger. I felt that we were the only ones in the town. We gathered in Antipata and the reception took place here at Anastasi church.

I also learned about Koufeta, the white symbolizes purity and the egg shape of the almonds representes fertility and the new life which begins a marriage. The hardness of the almond represents the endurance of marriage and the sweetness of sugar symbolizes the sweetness of future life. The odd number of almonds is indivisible, just as the the bride and the groom shall remain undivided.

A Wienermobile Journey

2008-08-12T12:11:00.005-04:00

In college during my sophomore year, I kept an article tacked to my wall, it would later become my obsession. The article was about the Hot Dogger program, the internship to drive the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. I laugh at this because it is not something I would ever fathom indulging in today but then I saw it as my ticket to a job in the Promotions business. I thought if I got this internship, I could get any job that I wanted. So it became my obsession and part of many jokes with my suitemates especially since Alfred University had Hot Dog Day. The Wienermobile even came to visit in 2006 but I was in London. My best friend even saved me some Wiener Whistles. So Senior Year, Christine and I drove to Wegman's to get the kid's size Wiener Mobile off the display, we tied it to the top of the car, her station wagon and drove from Alfred, NY to Long Island. Then I loaded it in my parents mini-van for a trip back upstate to The Gunks where my cousin's husband and I would plot out my script and film my interview tape. It was at The Circle C where I had an Epiphany. Did I really want to drive a Hot Dog truck?! The dream had died.

So that leads me to today, when I saw, "My Salvation Has a First Name," a one woman show by Robin Gelfenbien at the NY Fringe Fest. It was hysterical, a delight, especially for me, since I once too shared the same dream as Robin. It was the story of her quest to get the position, her interview, her experience has a Hot Dogger and beyond. I very much appreciated this show.

The Sixpoint Event @ Blind Tiger

2008-08-10T16:26:00.002-04:00

In heaven. It's crowded here though. Shaun and I went to The Sixpoint event at The Blind Tiger, a new favorite beer bar of mine.

The list:
Sixpoint Apollo Wheat
Sixpoint Belgian IPA
Sixpoint Belgian Rye
Sixpoint Bengali Tiger IPA
Sixpoint Brownstone
Sixpoint Triple
Sixpoint Diesel
Sixpoint Emasculator
Sixpoint Gemini
Sixpoint Gorilla Warfare Porter
Sixpoint Hop Obama
Sixpoint Reaction
Sixpoint Righteous Ale

We didn't get to try them all!

Day 7

2008-07-30T19:00:00.001-04:00

Day 6

2008-07-30T18:00:00.001-04:00

Day 5

2008-07-30T17:00:00.001-04:00

Day 4

2008-07-30T16:00:00.001-04:00

Day 3

2008-07-30T15:00:00.001-04:00

Day 2

2008-07-30T14:00:00.001-04:00

Day 1

2008-07-30T13:00:00.001-04:00

West Highland Way, Scotland Overview

2008-07-30T12:10:00.013-04:00

Scotland had been on my list of places to travel since 1996 when Ward's Best Bitter beer kept me from making my bus from Sheffield. A close friend told me the West Highland area and although he didn't walk it, suggested I would enjoy it. Sign me up. Shaun was interested too so we set off in early July for an amazing adventure.

My favorite part about our trip was how pure it was. Our job was to walk. No modern distractions. We would wake up, eat, walk, eat, walk, eat, sleep and do it all again the next day. It was an amazing way to see the country but even in remote locations, modern transportation was always up above, or in the distance or in view. I'd take this trip several times over again if I could minus the food poisoning. Someone asked me what we talked about the entire time, I guess that is something that just comes easy.

We were able to spend time in both Edinburgh and Glasgow too, so all in all we got a feel for what this beautiful country offers. I enjoyed Arthur's Seat and Parliament in Edinburgh. We went to restaurants like Spoon, Howie's, and bars, Bow Bar and Sandy Bells. The veggie haggis or smoked salmon did me in from Always Sunday and after the Castle and Whiskey tour, I was SICK. It was impossible to find plain crackers or anything like the comforts of home. Shaun picked an amazing restaurant and I couldn't even touch the food so we would return on our trip back through Edinburgh along with Khushi's. The restaurant, David Bann Restaurant. There was quite a lot of veggie fare in the cities.

In Glasglow, I was still not 100% but we made it to Kelvingrove Museum, Where the Monkey Sleeps and another amazing vegetarian restaurant.

Day 1 Milngavie to Drymen @ Glenalva B&B
The Clachan Inn, The Oldest Pub in Scotland 1734
Also a visit to the Glengoyne Distillery, single malt whiskey

Day 2 Drymen to Rowardennan Rowadennan Hotel
Hill top views and locals out for their daily "stroll"

Day 3 Rowardennan to Inverarnan Beinglass Farm - 14 miles!
Rocky paths, most spently on the Loch

Day 4 Inverarnan to Tyndrum Tyndrum Lodge- 13 miles!
Easy Day... reward Fish and Chips!

Day 5 Tyndrum to Inveroran Inveroran Hotel 1708 @ Bridge of Orchy
Donnchadh Ban was a gatekeeper on the local estate and his nature poetry is known as some of the finest in Gaelic tradition. One of his most famous songs is "Oran do'n cheile nuadh podsa," song to the newly married couple. It was written for his wife who was the daughter of the Innkeeper

Day 6 Inveroran to Kinlochleven Highland Getaway Hotel- 21 miles!
LONG WALK to the mid-point. Today was Devil's Staircase and a long descent

Day 7 Kinlockleven to Fort William Berkeley Guest House
Long stretch to the finish!

No midges!

Oregon Brewers Festival July '08

2008-07-30T09:56:00.001-04:00

It was Laura's Bachelorette weekend but since she is a good friend but non-beer drinking friend, I appreciated her joining in for the festival :). I went in with a plan.

My favorites from 2008:

Eugene City Brewery 100 Meter Ale*****
Surly Brewing Co. Coffee Bender, Brown****
Green Flash Brewing Co. Hop Head Red***
Eel River Brewing Co. Organic IPA**
Laurelwood Brewing Co. Workhorse IPA**
Dick's Brewing Co. Dick's IPA**

Aloe

2008-07-23T12:10:00.001-04:00

Shaun chose Aloe, a quiet, intimate restaurant in the East Village for one of our dates, it was here that the homebrew restaurant idea was born!

My last game at Shea (no pictures)

2008-07-22T12:10:00.001-04:00

Shaun, my parents and I went to Shea, this was my last time and as I hoped, I got to see the Apple rise once again. It was the Mets vs. Phillies and The Mets LOST. There are no pictures of us as Shaun's very new iphone ate the pictures. :-0!

Cornbread

2008-06-25T01:54:00.000-04:00

My new favorite song...

A Taste of Down Under

2008-06-23T16:16:00.000-04:00

I volunteered with One Brick/Shaun for A Taste of Down Under event to benefit the MDA. I was designated photographer for part of the evening and for the rest of the evening drooling over the Cooper's table waiting until it was ok to drink as a volunteer. I don't know if it is my nostalgia for the boys of Adelaide or the beer itself but I love it! They were pouring the Original, Sparkling, Extra Stout and Vintage.

An old pic from my visit to Adelaide, good thing it's not the one from Boston, boys!

WinterCoat and Brooklyn Beer Guy on Hops

2008-06-09T00:50:00.001-04:00

--- Forwarded Message ----

From: Wintercoat <info@wintercoat.dk>
To:
Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 2:47:34 AM
Subject: Re: English mail

Thank you, BBG, for taking the time to look us up and write us, and thanks for the lovely praise! Your comments on our hops shows that you know what you're about. Our hop profile IS different from most Danish and American microbreweries, as we try to avoid the strongly citrussy American hop varieties. Not that we don't like them - we do, and we use them in a couple of our beers where appropriate, mostly in small quantities - but just about every brewery out there uses them in noticeable ways. We prefer to have our own, unique hop profile, that we try to stick to as much as we can without distorting the character of a particular beer style. We try to make beers that are comfortable to drink - not sit-up-and-take-notice beers, but refreshing, pleasant ones that, once you're halfway down your first glass, you're looking forward to another of the same. That doesn't really apply so well to Double Hop in my case, as after one of them, I'm under the table! We use Northdown, Styrian Goldings and Hallertauer hops in Double Hop, as we do in most of our beers, in varying quantities.

Our US importer, B.United International, www.bunitedint.com can probably give you information on where our beer is available nearest you. I just had another email from a customer in NY, who also had high praise for Double Hop. He drank it at The Waterfront Alehouse in Manhattan, mentioned a "keg", but since we have shipped Double Hop on both kegs and casks, I'm not sure which he actually drank.

Keep your eyes peeled - or ask B.United, for Double Hop in bottles. It's due to arrive on US shores around Labor Day, bottle-conditioned in ½-liter bottles.

If you're ever in Denmark, feel free to look us up.
Sincerely,
Disa Fink
WinterCoat

NAME

EMAIL

ADDRESS Hi,

I wanted to say that I just tried your Double Hop IPA yesterday when I was visiting Washington DC and thought it was an superb and unique IPA. A very unique hop flavor, quite aromatic and fresh and really satisfying on a warm sunny afternoon.

I am from New York City (Brooklyn) and wanted to know if you are or intend to ship any casks our way. Would love to have that again and to try some of your other beers.
Thanks for making that a highlight of my trip!

Treating PTSD with Puppy TLC

2008-06-03T22:57:00.000-04:00

Puppies Behind Bars - Dog Tags

2008-05-26T23:53:00.002-04:00

Even though I am not interested in promoting this site created for P&G by NBC Universal, I was excited to find that Puppies Behind Bars, the organization I volunteer for, had an in-depth feature. Through the Puppies Behind Bars program, inmates and puppies, have teamed up to change the lives of disabled veterans, click here, to see how you can help match a service puppy with a disable veteran in need. America is one of the yellow labs in the program.

DE to DC for Savor

2008-05-25T12:09:00.007-04:00

DE:
Just another beer and food tour for us! I was so excited to finally make it to Dog Fish! I have been interested in Sam and his story since American Beer Movie. It's incredible to see how his Brewery has grown and also hit capacity. Dog Fish Brewery in DE, on tap:
60 Minute
90 Minute
Raison D'Etre
Indian Brown Ale
Midas Touch
Aprihop

I bought a pack of Limited Release Immort Ale, brewed with peat-smoked barley, juniper berry, vanilla, maple syrup & aged in oak and a Seasonal Releas, Festina Peach, a neo-berliner weisse fermented with peach juice.

We then went to the original Brewery to see the Randall in Rehoboth Beach.

DC:
Savor: an American Craft Beer & Food Experience wasn't a favorite beer event of mine, but the stand out for sure is the beer from New Albanian Brewing Company.

Favorite Beers:
21st Amendment Brew Free or Die IPA
Avery Brewing Maharaja Imperial IPA
New Albanian Brewing Company, Indiana: (Jesse Williams and Jared Williamson)
Hoptimus Imperial IPA
Thunderfoot Oak Aged Cherry Imperial Stout

A trip to DC would not be complete without a visit to Mr. Lincoln.

Mini Bar - Tasting Menu

2008-05-17T10:41:00.005-04:00

The Menu:
"Nitro" Sangria
Parmesan "Pringles"
Beet "Tumbleweed"
Olive Oil "Bon-Bon"
"Mojito"
"Bagels&Lox"
Blue Cheese and Almond
"Dragon's Breath" Popcorn
Conch Fritter
Steamed Brioche Bun with Caviar
Cotton Candy Eel
Green Almonds and Pedro Ximenez "Raisins"
Zucchini in Textures
"Ceasar Salad"
Sea Urchin "Ceviche" with Hibiscus
Parmesan "Egg" with Migas
Corn on the Cob
"Guacamole"
Salmon- Pineapple "Ravioli" with crispy Quinoa
New England Clam Chowder
Breaded Cigala with Sea Salad
"Philly Cheesesteak"
Kumquats & Pumpkin Seed Oil
Frozen Yogurt and Honey
Thai Dessert
Chocolate Covered Corn Nuts
Carrot Cake Macaroon
White Chocolate, Black Olive and Mango Box
Saffron Gumdrop with edible wrapper

LA and Ojai

2008-04-28T12:08:00.006-04:00

A trip to LA is not complete without a stop at In and Out. Even if I am meat free for months, I can't resist!

Some other food I enjoyed on this trip was ice cream at Mashti Malones, food from the LA Hollywood Farmers Market, Ford's (finally!) another trip to M Cafe de Chaya.

We walked through Griffith Park, felt old at Ketchup and spent hours in the Museam of Jurassic Technology, right in Culver City! A MUST for any visitor to LA.

For the last weekend of my trip, I headed out to Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. Along the way I stopped at Anacapa Brewing (Pierpoint IPA). The Valley Inn & Spa was incredible, the service is not what I am used to, it was almost embarrassing! I thought the Kuyam Morocaan Mud Treatment was different but you will just have to try it yourself. Went hiking in Matilija Canyon and enjoyed some meals at Suzanne's Cuisine and the Ranch House.

Jazz at Barge Music

2008-04-18T12:07:00.001-04:00

The night before I left for LA, Shaun and I met in Brooklyn at the Fulton Ferry Landing at the Barge. It was Jazz Night with the Judy Carmichael Trio, guitar, trumpet and piano. It was a beautiful program and romantic setting. A nice send off. A sample of Judy Carmichael's piano tunes.

Happy Birthday Shaun! Chocolate Pudding at Clinton Street Baking

2008-04-10T20:35:00.008-04:00

Shaun's 29- My Suprise, Pie!

2008-03-19T20:37:00.003-04:00

Steve's delivers from Red Hook! Then Jen had to deliver upstate. :) We spent the weekend up in Phoenicia skiing and enjoyed a lovely meal at the Catskills Peekamoose Restaurant.

I met Ed Levine, April Bloomfield and spotted Josh Hartnett at The Spotted Pig

2008-02-29T00:12:00.001-05:00

Here are snippets from Ed's post on Serious Eats on 2.28 so you can see how my day started out. After his post, see my note about The Spotted Pig.

We were having an important meeting at Serious Eats headquarters starting at 11 a.m. that would likely go all day, so I bought a few breakfast items for our guests at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery:

A cinnamon-honey scone
A caramel macaroon
A coconut-pineapple macaroon
A brown-butter-pecan macaroon
Two pesto croissants
A small coffee cake
An exotic-fruit danish
A pistachio-cherry brioche
Pain au chocolat

A late lunch followed three hours later at The Spotted Pig.I ordered two desserts for the table to share—a banana toffee pie and a ginger cake—and had two forkfuls of each.

I think I had about five forkfuls of each. So I hadn't had meat in a number of months but when Ed started singing praises of the Serious Sandwich, the Cubano, at The Spotted Pig, I had to indulge and order it. It was a triple indulgence. I'll never forget it. He reports that April Bloomfield uses heritage pork shoulder and brines it for three days, slow-roasting it, and then cooking it in duck and pork fat.

See Ed's take here.

Not only was that ginger cake divine, there was also a little eye candy for dessert, Josh Hartnett across the room.

Wells Ales and the weekend of brews

2008-02-22T11:56:00.004-05:00

2.22
Legacy Hoptimus Prime Double IPA
Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel Hybrid
Green Flash West Coast IPA

2.23
Grand Cru @ Radegast, Williamsburg

2.24
Captain Lawrence Imperial IPA @ Blind Tiger

Boston Beer Hop Sharing Program 20,000

2008-02-21T00:11:00.004-05:00

A nod to Jim Koch and what is continues to do for the craft beer industry. This is a tremendous testament of his genuine concern for the industry that he has helped build over the years. For a couple of months, brewers have been facing unprecedented hops shortages. Boston Beer looked at their own supplies and decided they could share some of their hops with other craft brewers who are struggling to get hops this year. They are offering 20,000 pounds at their cost to brewers who need them. These include East Kent Goldings from Tony Redsell, a top English grower featured by Michael Jackson in Michael Jackson’s Beer Companion and German Noble hop Tettnang Tettnanger from small farms in the Tettnang region in Germany.

Extreme Beer '08

2008-02-17T06:33:00.005-05:00

Extreme Beer Fest in Boston has become one of my favorite beer
fests and this is only year two I have attended. It will remain on
my "to do" each year. It's an extremely well executed event, never too crowded and Night of the Barrels is a must on Friday night.

There is always a great panel session to attend. This year, we attended the Session Two panel and the speaker was Shane Welch, Sixpoint BROOKLYN. Food is provided by Sunset Grill and Tap (included in the price of the ticket too!). Last but not least, another favorite is what you see to the right, a waffle from Waffle Haus of Vermont. It's made with fresh yeast dough and sugar and is intoxicating. So bummed for Shaun who had a cold and lost some of his taste buds. Next year!

The favorites of the weekend:
Friday Night: Night of the Barrels, where all the beer has touched wood
Sam Adams Utopias this year aged on Cacao Nibs (The only time I get to taste!) ****
Rodenbach Grand Cru ***
Boulder Beer Co. Oak- Aged Never Summer Strong Ale **
Magic Hat Brewing Co. Braggot, made with clover honey, malt, chamomile flowers **
Ithaca Beer Co. Old Habit *
Saturday Session 2:
Boston Beer Sam Adams Imperial Stout **
Boulder Beer Co. Mojo RISin' Double IPA w Amarillo Hops ***
Brewery Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout **
Lagunitas Brewing Co. Hop Stoopid Imperial IPA **
Magic Hat Brewing Co. American Sour Ale *
Oskar Blues Grill & Brewery Gordon somewhere between double IPA and Imperial Red *
Rogue Ales Brew 10k brewed with Vienna, French Special Aroma and Maris Otter Pale Malts; Yakima Summit and German Saphir Hops, coastal waters and that special PacMan yeast. **
Rogue Ales Morimoto Imperial Pilsner **
Sixpoint Craft Ales Gran'dad's Nerve Tonic "GNT" ******
Southern Tier Brewing Co. Choklat Imperial Stout **
Southern Tier Brewing Co. Unearthly IPA *

Saturday night finish was at Mella Modern Indian on Tremont. Not sure if it was all the extreme beers, but I think we both thought it was the best Indian we have had to date!

Of course the yearly trip would NOT be complete without a visit to the Sam Adams Brewery which we did on Saturday. What I didn't realize is that now that the staff has come and gone, and come and gone again in the ten years since I used to work at the Brewery, "I used to work here" means nothing, I actually had to get tickets for the tour! :-0 Ah, but it used to be a place I called home...

RouXbarb- Knoxville

2008-02-09T07:51:00.000-05:00

On North Shore Drive in Knoxville, TN is this little restaurant that could next to the train tracks. It seems off the beaten path for a tourist but I was here for work and the entire team met at RouXbarb for dinner.

It's always exciting to see where the locals go and find the hidden restaurants in different cities across the country. RouXbarb is a place I would return. It's sustainable, local, seasonal and all of the above. Everything is made from scratch and all the dishes have a southern hint to them, with dishes like pimento mac and cheese. They seem to have vegetarian specials daily. It's cozy and BYOB.

The Sunsphere!

2008-02-08T20:40:00.000-05:00

Hot Beer, the latest from Japan

2008-02-02T00:16:00.002-05:00

"Kirin introduces its new "Hot Beer" that's consumed in a steaming cup like coffee. Based on the company's Ichiban Shibori Stout dark beer, the drink is served with a stick of cinnamon and sugar cubes on the side. The heat of the beer is supposed to bring out flavors not present when served cold, including a deep aroma not unlike that of coffee. The beer is being test-marketed at the Kirin factory in Yokohama, but the company suggests that curious beer aficionados can try it by microwaving beer to about 120 degrees Farenheit (50 degrees Celsius) and stirring it rapidly to give the beer a Cuppochino-like foamy head on top. It's supposedly good poured over vanilla ice cream, too." - From J-List Side Blog

Stevi's Mission: Heal with Dog Tags

2008-01-15T12:03:00.003-05:00

Stevi was the first dog Shaun got to meet from PBB. The three of us had an eventful weekend, one that included the Red Hook Ball Fields, a must! Photos are displayed above.

Stevi's Mission: Heal. Stevi will be paired with Bill Campbell, an Iraq war veteran in Feb.. Stevi will meet Bill when she is 17 months, and is the very first service dog Puppies Behind Bars will donate under its new "Dog Tags" program. She was raised by inmates in the Edna Mahan and Mid-Orange prisons.

When I read these stories of dogs like Stevi that I help socialize, I know how lucky I am to be particpating in this program. In some small way, I get to make a difference in someone's life.

NAME
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ADDRESS	Hi, I wanted to say that I just tried your Double Hop IPA yesterday when I was visiting Washington DC and thought it was an superb and unique IPA. A very unique hop flavor, quite aromatic and fresh and really satisfying on a warm sunny afternoon. I am from New York City (Brooklyn) and wanted to know if you are or intend to ship any casks our way. Would love to have that again and to try some of your other beers. Thanks for making that a highlight of my trip!