Category Archives: New Year

Farewell 2014

Another year in the books! Business at the brewery has been absolutely crazy in a wonderful way. I get home every evening and blissfully collapse into the couch wrapped in a blanket, pint glass in hand (or tea on those epically cold nights) as I watch the temperatures outside dip to -16.
paleLuckily we have plenty of brews to keep us warm here at the brewery. Here’s a little recap of my year!

January:
am12Got my bow, which I unfortunately haven’t had time to shoot in the past too many months. Sad face.
AM2First resolution for the year – get back to that. I miss it so!
AM10I learned I don’t have any DNA and basically don’t exist after two failed DNA samples.
AM4Watched my HOUSE begin building!
am20Beer, beer, beer!

February:
am13Stupidly cold. Similar to this week, actually!
AMAM4Some of my beer photography was published in a book!
AM15I flew to California for my birthday to see two of the loves of my life.
AM21I visited all of my favorite breweries.
AM26Well, most of them at least.
AM41I enjoyed California brews while watching the sun set on the ocean. Happy sigh.
am4I flew back to Colorado and watched my house progress even more.
AM11I hit a unicorn in my car.

March:
am10Went to Celestial Seasonings with my bestie.
amBecame obsessed with avocado toast.
am4Freaked out every day over how much progress was being made on my house!
am2Beer, beer, beer!
am6Got lovely gifts from Bhakti Chai.
AM15Flew with Marissa, met Lauren, Heidi and Laura.
Screen shot 2014-03-23 at 10.47.08 PM…and Kait, Marisa, and many, many more.
am11More house development and saying goodbye to most of my mountain views.
am17Bacon grilled cheese, beer and beer studies.

April:
am2Bhakti Chai brewery tour!
am27Bhakti Chia Pudding recipe creation.
amCraft Brewers’ Convention! Hung out with my buds Dan and Ashley the entire weekend.
am5Floors and drywall finished in the house!
AM22Watched the wonderful Verboten Brewing win awards at the World Beer Cup!
Screen shot 2014-04-24 at 9.53.04 AMMoved into my house and enjoyed beer on my back porch.
Screen shot 2014-04-24 at 9.32.42 AMDidn’t have enough money for food, but found a way to buy beer so I at least had something in my fridge.
am8Brewed at New Belgium with Snowbank Brewing!
am17Bought a kitchen table so I could have something to put a beer glass on. Because I still couldn’t afford food…

May:
AM8Brewed at my bro’s house for Big Brew.
AM12Cold break!
AM14Rediscovered my love for green monstas while on my new back porch enjoying the summer view.
am12Tapped our collaboration brew for Fort Collins Beer Week.
am16Installed our brew system at Snowbank!
AM6Enjoyed many Loose Leafs from my back porch.
vacuumGot attacked by a rogue vacuum.

June:
am7Made beersicles!
am1Made Coconut Glazed Sweet Potatoes!
am8Made Veggie Hash with Imitation Panda Meat.
am4Biked everywhere.
AM10And I mean everywhere.
AM14Had our first brew day on our own system with the help of a handsome brewdog.

July:
AM3Made friends with artichokes after a rough beginning.
AM1A very rough beginning.
AM6More brewing!
am6Biked everywhere.
am2Rehydrated from biking everywhere with Beer Camp.
am10Ate way too many artichokes.
amDid quality control for four of our (soon to be) eight beers.
am8Hiked two 14ers in one day.
am21Swore I’d never hike another 14er in my life as I cared for my torn feet and aching knees.
am18Braided my hair a lot. Took selfies of it. Cringed looking back on them. Posted them anyway.

August:
amTook care of this handsome gentleman while my parental unit toured Europe.
am6Drank some Zinfandel.
am5Fell head over heels in love with this handsome gentleman as I do every day.
am8So much love.
am15Kayaked around some Colorado lakes.
AMHad our brewery release party at Cranknstein!
AM8Celebrated the upcoming wedding of my bestie of twenty years.
am6Opened Snowbank Brewing with one of the most insanely busy days of my life!
am18Reflected back to crossing the border into Colorado a year earlier to begin such a wonderful life.

September:
art1The artichokes continue
AM2The brewery explodes with popularity.
RainbowOur social media outlets become extremely popular.
bankDelicious beer was consumed.
a2I fell in love with Umami.
aa1I fell in love with The Silver Seed.
am7I enjoyed even more sunsets on my back porch as the sun began to set earlier every day.
pump1We played with a flame thrower and caramelized 100lbs of pumpkin.

October:
am2We got even busier and the posting began dwindling. I received a dirndl for all of my dog-watching efforts.
am6I delivered kegs in said dirndl.
am7I visited my old brew system in said dirndl.
am13One of my favorites came from California to visit!
GABFGreat America Beer Festival happened!
AM8Wonderful invitation to a beer pairing dinner where the dessert was a chocolate waffle cone smothered in BACON.

November:
c5Wore two different dresses for my bestie’s wedding!
c9Got my hair did for said bestie’s wedding day.
c10Finally got my hair dyed by our brewer’s superbly talented sister after the wedding.
am5Had our first snow of the season.
flake2Did lots of brewery social media pictures. So.
ginger1Many.
snowyPicture.

December:
Beanie1All brewery. All the time.
brew1And I couldn’t be happier about it.
hoodOh, look! A penny.
christmas1Christmas was spent with my wonderful family.
Stout1And my adorable new town was explored.
stoutAs we say farewell to 2014, I’m ready to welcome 2015 with open arms and nothing but excitement for whatever this incredible year has in store.

Happy New Year!

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Getting Life in Order

I’ve been a little MIA recently, trying to get everything sorted out for the new year. A new planner had to be purchased so I could write down a new schedule and make new to-do lists so everything I put off would actually get done. The past few days have been spent setting a Cicerone daily study schedule and getting my life back in order after the lovely holidays.
All of the Christmas decor at Enegren Brewing had to go. Sniff.
The weather lately has been crazily summer-like! I hiked in eighty degree weather yesterday and was craving iced coffee the entire day. Today it ended up being a bit cooler (about seventy degrees…), so I took advantage of the almost-but-not-quite-or-really-even-close-to-winter weather and made some classic autumn baked goods before the season escapes from my grasp.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spiced Donuts. I used the same recipe from the Blue Eyed Bakers and added a crapload of chocolate chips. The brew boys were hard at work when I arrived with a big bag of donuts in hand, but they found some time to inhale them.

I’ve decided to start my new year with one definite resolution – take one day a week off from my phone and my computer. This means no Untappd check-ins, no perusing Facebook, no updating Twitter and no texting. I’m sure this will be ridiculously difficult/impossible seeing as how dependent I am on my phone supplying me with GPS and a direct link to all my social networks lately.

I’ll also get back to cooking delicious foods and sharing all my beer tastings and different aspects about beer that I learn throughout my Cicerone studies with you. If you have any questions about the process or anything beer/food/life related, I’m more than happy to answer!

Any resolutions you’ve made for the new year?

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Happy 2012!!!

Happy New Year to all! I hope you all had a wonderful, safe holiday! I spent my evening sipping a homemade hot toddy, coughing up a storm and watching In Bruges. Not quite the successful evening we’d planned, but we were miserably comfortable.

I’m attempting to sum up some highlights of this year with pictures, and I’ve realized that I have had a WONDERFUL year. If you thought 30 pictures was bad, prepare yourself for a visual onslaught.
The first of many, many nights at Ladyface, TRULY appreciating beer.
Learning all-grain brewing with Grayson and Frank.
Watching my first polo match in Indio.
Staying in a hotel in Indio where someone was possibly murdered…
Multiple trips to Ojai.
Opening my first brew: Dos Beckis!
Recording ADR for a film that has yet to surface… C’mon, Scott!
Enjoyed my first (of many) sangrias at Sofrita!
Created a recipe for Newman’s Own!
Had a blogger meetup at Ladyface.
Made Oatmeal Stout Brownies with Caramelized Bacon – this has gotten me recognized in the brewery and at the homebrew shop: “Hey, you’re the one who made the brownies with bacon!”
Attempted to resign, and then officially resigned from my retail job.
Went to Colorado for two weeks…
Was so sick that every time I inhaled I had to cough. (Seriously, I didn’t sleep for a week thanks to this horrible illness as I’m sure you can see in that picture!)
Went to the Odell’s Small Batch Revival. I jokingly told my brother that once he and his wife opened their brewery, I would be pouring in their taproom. They said, “We’d really prefer a sommelier for beer.” I went home, researched, and found the Cicerone program.
I became a Cicerone Certified Beer Server. I’m scheduled to take the exam to become a Certified Cicerone in the next few months…
Became a member of the American Homebrewers Association.
Was featured on The Chive three times!
Went to Breckenridge for a show and got to meet/interview the head brewer, Matt Darling.
…and enjoy Breckenridge in all of its chilly glory.
Purchased a MacBook Pro with my own earnings.
Purchased a camera. Then immediately upgraded to an even better camera!
Visited Wades Wines new tasting room. Then visited again and again and again. Then was interviewed by The Beer Wench.
Tried mussels for the first time. Tried mussels for the last time.
Visited Island Brewing Company.
Got a tour from the brewer.
Brewed my second batch of beer with the Maltose Falcons.
Finally trespassed and got a closeup look at an old abandoned water park.
Became a founding member of Ladies at Ladyface.  Haven’t missed a meeting since.
Went to the second concert of my entire life with my friend/cousin Allie. She owled.
I owled.
Went to Seattle for the first time in my life.
Visited Elysian Brewing Company and became obsessed with their Avatar Jasmine IPA.
Learned how to use the bus and visited Deschutes Brewery on our way down from Seattle.
Made a pit stop at Sierra Nevada Brewing in Chico to try all SIXTEEN of their brews.
Met the brewers at Enegren Brewing Company.
Weasled my way into the brewery and started volunteering there so I could be a Cicerone Certified Beer Server who’d actually served beer to people instead of just passed an online test. Then they threw me into a brewniform, let me help with a brew day and got stuck with me.
I learned how to lift 50lb kegs over my shoulder while wearing heels. Enegren will seriously have a hard time getting rid of me.
I visited TONS of breweries. The few I’ve featured are only skimming the top…
I created some delicious recipes for the autumn season…
Some boozy autumn recipes as well.
One of my recipes was featured on Taste Terminal and was their second most popular post of 2011!
Discovered a program for HDR and went slightly beserk with that. Consequently, I realized that food doesn’t always do so well with HDR.
Brewed again with Frank and Grayson up in Santa Barbara.
Met the Beer Chicks at the latest Ladies at Ladyface.

And that’s barely skimming the surface. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all!
Raising a glass to 2012 being as good, or even better than 2011.

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January Challenge!

     I make it a point to never restrict myself when it comes to resolutions every year. I find that if I tell myself that I can’t have something, I end up craving it more than ever and then feel guilty when I give in to those cravings. That’s why most of my resolutions included the word “more“. MORE whole grains and vegetables, MORE hiking, MORE monstas, etc. This way, I feel great when I succeed and get tons of health benefits. Win win!

     However… there is one restriction I’m giving myself for the month of January. NO DAIRY!

Oh Paciugo, I’ll miss you so!
Don’t worry, I’m not actually bailing on them – they have plenty of non-dairy options!
     The reason I’m banning dairy is because I find that my skin becomes porcelain when I keep milk products out of my diet. Every time I ditch dairy, my skin thanks me, but I find some excuse (GELATO, GELATO, GELATO) to go back, hoping that this time will be different. This is the final test – if I succeed, I will officially say goodbye to dairy forever, which will probably be better in the end anyway since I’ll be ridding my body of all those added hormones. Yuck.
     On a little more splurge-y note, we celebrated my wonderful mom’s birthday this week! As a final goodbye to the holiday season, we went to Wood Ranch. Meat ensued.
I think I’ve officially fulfilled my barbeque craving. 
At least for this next month 🙂

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMMEEEEEEEEE!

What would be the most difficult food for you to give up?
Life is going to be TORTURE without gelato!

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Filed under barbeque, gelato, green monsta, Happy birthday mom, hiking, New Year, Paciugo, resolutions, restrictions, ribs, whole grains, Wood Ranch

Dreams of a New Year!

     Happy New Year! Now that I have my resolutions securely down and written in stone (or in a really pretty notebook), I’m ready to share! FIRST though, I’d like to share some of the “Morning After” quotes that I heard at work today:
1. “Did anyone else wake up miles from their house and not know how they got there?”
2. “Anyone have a great story about last night?” “I do, but I can’t share it…”
3. (In reference to someone’s bruised cheek and split lip) “What happened to your face?” “I don’t know yet. I’m waiting for someone to text me and tell me.”

Yep. Happy New Year.

     NOW for my resolutions!
1. Only try NEW beers when out – unless from a local brewery, like Ladyface, Island Brewing Company, etc… Gotta support the local breweries!
Bonus points if I try beer that scares the CRAP out of me – haha, get it? Weasel Crap Beer!
2. Spend more time with family and friends.
My GORGEOUS parents!
The lovely Tanya.
Serenading Dan.
Sleepy Malachi – who is being lame and flying off to France for six freaking months.
Sweethearts Jenny and Boa.
Grayson the Thoughtful.
Beautiful Allie.
Plus TONS more. It’s a year to focus on what’s really important – the people in my life.
3. Get back outdoors and HIKE!
4. Eat more vegetables, whole grains and olive oil!
Kitchen Sink Salad contains all of this!
5. Quit my retail job.
Seriously, it’s hazardous to my health!
I know I said I was putting in my two weeks notice last week, but I chickened out when I told my sweet coworker and saw the look on her face. I’m such a people-pleaser.
6. Travel more!
Stormy Arizona deserts.
Bee parts.
Me on the road = Ecastatic!
7. Drink more Monstas!
Cuz they’re DELICIOUS! And good for me. And stuffs…
8. Spend more time in the kitchen.
And spend more time out back, with this amazing view!
I need to get back into my apron and start cooking, STAT!
9. Attend more blogger meetups!
Need I say more? No, no I do not.
10. Join the Homebrewers Association, as well as the local homebrew club, and BREW IT UP!
Beer is good! Beer is good! Beer is good! And stuff!
(Lyrics from an actual song)
11. Start my new website and blog. That’s right, I’ll be heading up an actual website this year, as well as changing the name of my blog! I’m hoping the transition will be easy for you, but there’s still some time to get used to the idea before I officially move. EXCITED!!!

     There you have it – a sampling of my resolutions! I have a few more, but decided that twenty feet of pictures was probably more than people could handle as it is. I hope you had a blessed beginning to your new year, and that you’re as excited for what’s to come as I am!
Happy New Year! Let’s make it worthwhile!

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Filed under Arizona, beer, blogger meet-up, friends, green monster, hiking, homebrewing, Island Brewing Company, kitchen sink salad, Ladyface, Morning after, NEW WEBSITE, New Year, retail, Weasel Crap Beer

Happy New BEER Eve!

     Happy New Year’s Eve!!! Everyone seems to be doing resolutions in the blogosphere, but I’m still in the process of putting mine together. I’m one of those people who likes to spend the entire day thinking about new, exciting changes, jotting them down in pretty notebooks and then sharing them with family and close friends while we sit around eating shrimp canapes and sipping fine beers.

I’m fancy like that.

     We had a wonderful week with my brother and sister-in-law. I haven’t had so much beer in one week EVER. I’m definitely looking forward to a little detox – until MY beer is ready to try!
Speaking of which, it had a little bit of an overflow the other day. Overflow = VERY happy beer! My sis-in-law helped me save it.
MY ALMOST BEER!!! Took a reading with my hydrometer today and snuck a little taste.
HAPPY!!!
I got to try that scary Weasel Crap Beer that I’ve been fearing/desperately wanting to try. It was an experience! I can tell that it’s a good beer, but holy crap is thick! I was fine sipping it until I started thinking about how it was made. I had a total of half a glass and then couldn’t mentally handle it anymore.
Still glad I tried it!
We took “the brewers/vegans” out to Island Brewing Company in Carpinteria for a tasting while they were here.
Verdict from the beer snobs: GOOD BEER!
Yesterday, we all took a trip to the airport to ship them off to a cold, snowy place. It was sad to say goodbye, but we all had a wonderful time!
Miss you guys already!

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Filed under 2010, airport, Carpinteria, Island Brewing Company, Kriek, Liefmans, Mikkeller Geek Brunch Weasel, New Year, vegan