Farewell 2013

2013 was a wonderful, painful, beautiful, heartbreaking and joyous year. I warn you now – this is a picture and link heavy post. It was a busy, busy year.
amBaby Avery at our first Ladies at Ladyface of 2013.
am1I made my first grown-up purchase – a new Prius C to help me drive those 100 miles per day I averaged with my post-assistant-brewer job.am2A media access preview night at Chloe’s – Golden Road’s secret pub space.am3My pops happened to be in town and was able to join me.AM4Abandoned places. I love them so.AM5John, Patty and Joe from The Chive came to visit!AM6For my birthday, the parental unit flew out and surprised me with a beautiful suite on the coast.AM7Abandoned places. I seriously am obsessed.AM8So tragically beautiful.AM9Irish Car Bomb bread pudding. I insist on taking a little credit for the idea of this… I think Phil and Thomas from Custom Melt and Custom Pie might allow that.AM10Death by chocolate with Jenny.AM11Samuel Adams Brewery for training. I passed.AM12I had Utopias. Epic.AM13Met Ben Franklin. He told me to “Chive On”.AM14Had my first raw oyster. I didn’t hurl. I actually enjoyed it!AM15Consumed the most kickass donut that exists in the entire universe.AM16Traveled to Sierra Nevada Brewing for more training.AM17I say “training” very loosely. We mostly just drank their amazing beer and ate wonderful food.AM18We were spoiled by some specialty cellar brews.AM19I brewed at Miller in Irwindale. I drank Coors Golden got a can of Coors Golden and let my coworkers finish it.am20This is a big frickin’ brewery. HUGE.am21Took inappropriate pictures of brewers in short shorts. I’m not sure if the majority found it wonderful/hilarious or frightening/NSFW…am22Was given a personal tour of The Bruery in Orange by Tyler King himself!AM25Another personalized tour of Golden Road Brewing for a client I was schmoozing.AM26Ladies at Ladyface: TWO YEARS!AM27This little one kept growing!AM28Banjo and Fiddle Fest with Enegren’s Brew Chief Joe Nascenzi.AM29Family brew day in Colorado!AM30I passed the Cicerone test!!!! I had to decide which cellar beer to break open to celebrate with.AM31Honestly, a good two and a half years of my life studying everything beer for that moment.AM32My first recipe/picture accepted to FoodGawker!AM33Did I mention I passed the Cicerone test? I’m still kinda psyched about that…AM34Hosted a Samuel Adams beer dinner at Roy’s in Woodland Hills.AM35Hosted a Firestone pairing dinner at Salt in Calabasas.AM36Got my Chivette shirt and a mustache hat.AM37The parental unit came to visit again!AM38Went to Boston to see Commander Matt’s family and enjoyed tons of seafood and kayaking.AM39Got the worst burn I’ve had in my entire life. I still have a tan line to THIS DAY, and it doesn’t look like it’s planning on fading anytime soon…AM40Stopped by The Chive before they moved out of Venice. I miss them!AM41Celebrated Avery’s first birthday! AM42Started going to archery every Saturday.AM43Angel City Brewery tour for works!AM44Said farewell to J.J. – a beloved Lady at Ladyface who moved to Oregon.AM45Watched this movie. Three times. It’s that awfully amazing.AM46My lovely Janelle cooked me this delicious dinner and became my strongest shoulder. AM47A great friend invited me down to his neck of the woods for good beers and yet another brewery visit.
AM48Hosted a Golden Road pairing dinner at Tuning Fork in Studio City.AM49I was able to dress casual for work for the first time in seven months since I was “repping the brewery”.AM50Went to the Citrus Classic Hot Air Balloon Festival.AM51And hosted the beer pairing dinner there.AM52Visited Figueroa Mountain’s new taproom in Santa Barbara.AM53Traveled to Colorado for a weekend and decided it was time to get back to where I belong.AM54Said farewell to my brew boys who kept watch over me in college. Congratulations to Grayson – almost officially old and engaged!!!AM55Met and said farewell to Wolf Creek Brewery’s replacement for me – Joseph Isaac, assistant brewer extraordinaire who owes me a beanie and beers since the Colorado Avalanche destroyed the LA Kings… Before they destroyed us back…AM56Another dinner with two of the people I adore the most on this earth.AM57Had a catch-up/farewell luncheon with Yousef Abu-Taleb – my favorite Beast from back in the day.AM58A Vertical Epic tasting with my Ladies of Ladyface. Heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time.AM60Drove my little car across California, Arizona and Utah to cross into Colorado!AM61The view from my current home.AM62Testing the local breweries – Black Bottle Brewing.AM63Lunch and tea with my oldest best friend, Michelley.AM64Traveled to Germany and had a beer in the town center after 30 hours of being awake.AM65Went to Andechs Monastery and had the best beer of the entire Germany trip.AM66Had Weiswurst and Weissbier for breakfast at the Glockenspiel.AM67Went to Salzburg, Austria on a day trip.AM68Found an amazing wine bar in München and became friends with the owner.AM69Went to Amsterdam and took the Canal tour.AM70Visited Anne Frank’s house. Speechless.AM71Visited Heineken. Delicious.AM72Went to Scotland and visited Cask and Barrel.AM73Went to Loch Ness.AM74Visited the ruins of Dunollie.AM75Went to BrewDog in Edinburgh!AM78Flew back home and cuddled with my Barleywhine.AM79Took a few spins around town on the motorcycle.AM80Went to City Star Brewing in Berthoud.AM81Found a great girls’ night spot at Next Door in Loveland.AM82Went to GABF.AM83Got together with California friends at GABF.AM84Met Lauren from Me and the Mountains at GABF!AM85So many wonderful Californians at GABF. I miss them.AM86Pink Boots Society meeting.AM87Brewed on the first official snow day in Colorado.AM88Went to a Colorado Avalanche game and wore a mustache.AM90Went to Left Hand for a flight.AM91Halloween, pumpkins and good beer.AM92Brewed at Verboten with the Verboten Sisterhood. Pink Saison – turned out delicious!AM93Broke out my old brew boots for the occasion.AM94Got hired at Loveland Aleworks!AM95Found and drank KCCO Black Lager!AM96Went for a weekend getaway to Fraser. AM98Made some awesome new recipes – this one featuring Gingerbread Ale by Bison Brewing.AM99Almost lost my Barleywhine to HGE. He lived and thrived. We’re all so very thankful.AM100Re-met Curtis and met Liz Chism of Council Brewing when they stopped by for a flight!
christmasWore a battery-operated, homemade ugly Christmas sweater to serve beer to all those thirsty folk on Christmas Eve.

It’s been a year full of amazing memories, wonderful friend and people and moments I’ll never forget. I don’t regret a single thing, and I am so very blessed. Thank you, 2013, for a beautiful year!

What are your favorite memories from 2013?

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2 Responses to Farewell 2013

  1. Thin Man

    Happy New Year from Thin Man Brewing in TN. Always enjoy your blog. Sipping a “Simconan” 2IPA right now. All Simcoe and fermented on Heady Topper Conan yeast.