What’s the difference between certified organic beverages and non?

Organic Nation Spirits

Well, besides the obvious, sometimes there is a special passion – of the organic pursuit variety.

I’ve recently had the uber pleasure of meeting and befriending Diane and David, Organic Nation Spirits. The gin and vodka they create is certified organic. Their passion is as clear as the delicious spirits they craft with great care and affection.

Good spirits, good beer, good wine. While we may all had our own affinities, it’s good to remain open minded to what makes other peoples’ clock tick tock.

Another common connection is the remarkable Joy and Bob of White Water Warehouse. In fact, this very day they are all on the Rogue River on a Martini Madness trip (no worries – imbibing happens at the end of the rafting day). If you’ve been reading you’ll know Joy and Bob invited me to be part of the inaugural Raft and Craft Trip in July (what a fantastic crew and trip!).

Meeting your maker can have a fun and not-6-feet-under meaning. And like Diane says, sip responsibly!

Okay, so you know I already like SOB. Local (for me), great engaged beer passionate people with a high quality line up. Does it get better?

Come celebrate with us - tissue paper hats optional!

Only when you add a birthday to it – mine! It’s actually tomorrow yet as any of my friends know (now you, friend!) I LOVE LOVE LOVE my birthday. It’s your own personal holiday and reason to celebrate all the great things this incredible ride of life has to offer.

So – come join us at the SOB tap room today starting at 430 pm to celebrate. Bring a favorite toast to share and enjoy a few beers. We’ll be glad to see you.

As I celebrate, I’m reminded that I’m grateful for great friends and family, quality beer, tasty food, a safe place to reside and live, a free country in which to pursue happiness and opportunity, my Fine Husband and loving dogs.

Cheers!

Wow! Who’s up for a Gastravaganza in Denver Colorado September 18th, 7- 9 pm?!

Gastravanganza!

Details and tickets available here – on Chelly’s site.

Chelly’s Denver Gourmet Tours and Women Enjoying Beer is collaborating and partnering with terrific breweries and street food vendors to offer a totally unique and tasty adventure.

Our terrific Featured Beers will come from Avery Brewing, Wynkoop Brewing, Breckenridge Brewery, Left Hand Brewing, Del Norte Brewing and Odell Brewing.

Fabulous tasty Street Food will be from Steuben’s, Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs, Gastro Cart, Brava Pizza, and Cake Crumbs Cupcake Truck.

We’ve room for up to 300 – so sign up today. It’s happening the same week as Denver Beer Week and Great American Beer Festival (a don’t miss beer event).

Cheers – see you there!

Beer and food. Food and beer. Mmmmmmm...raise your hand if you think that’s a great combination??

Beer & Salsa Event

Last night we had a fantastically tasty 5 course Beer & Salsa Event.

YES! Great midsummer theme – met with success by the energetic and fun lovers who joined us. We extended the theme from the lovely room inside Lithia Springs Resort to one of their outside areas where we proceeded to beat the candy out of a custom Pinata.

The grounds also has hops growing on it so Robin and Kathy took extra special care of us by putting some cutting in the floral arrangements on the tables – very nice touch and great for people to see hops up close, cones on the vine.

Here’s the menu and recipe ingredients – Cheers!

Monteith’s Pilsner Style Beer and White Bean & Corn Salsa with Melba Rounds

White beans, corn, green onions, olive oil, salt & pepper

Monteith’s Black Ale and Olive Black Bean Tapenade with fresh French Bread

Black olives, black beans, capers, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper

Russian River Consecration and Fresh Melon Salsa with lemon and orange cookies

Honeydew, cantaloupe, canary melons, sweet yellow onion, mint

Southern Oregon Brewing Pin-up Porter and Heirloom Tomato Balsamic Vinegar Salsa with blue tortilla chips

Heirloom tomatoes, diced canned tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper

Ninkasi Total Domination IPA and Spicy Pineapple Pepper Salsa with baked tortilla corn chips

Fresh pineapple, jalapeno, poblano, Anaheim peppers, cilantro, salt and pepper

Hungry yet??

dining room at Marial Lodge

July 20th – Day 3 and the final day of our inaugural Raft & Craft trip.

Dawn came again gently after a full nights sleep at Marial Lodge. We were at breakfast by 8 for a day of about 16 miles, through a canyon and much sunshine. Good bacon at breakfast only enhanced the day!

Off we went to get on the river by 9 am. The day felt chilly to start as we went through some striking narrow canyons for the first while. Completely different and we heard some good stories as we all rode. There are pretty of serious rapids, Blossom and Coffee Pot among them, which has WWW making sure everyone is safely on board the pontoon rafts. No sense taking foolish chances with Mother Nature.

Rogue River

This re-solidified the excellent and wise experience of Bob & Guy for the benefit of their guests. We all felt safe the whole time – which of course only makes the trip that much more enjoyable (and recommendable).

By midday lunch stop, we’d seen lots of turtles, plenty of other traffic including the jet boats on tour, and several other rafting parties. A few areas of still(er) water had Bob and Guy using the oars more to move us along.

Lunch was generous again with BLT’s – mmmmm! – and more fresh fruit and veggies. On the river again after a bite to finish the float.

Landing safely around 145ish (no watch on), Bob & Guy easily navigated us to a ramp, where we all proceeded to unload and unpack. After all the fanfare of that, the rafts were loaded on the trailer,

pontoon rafts safely loaded up

some of the guests said goodbye and headed off, and we climbed into the truck to drive back over the pass to Galice, where cars were parked upon our launching.

The road over the pass is rather dramatic and closed in the winter for good reason – it rises from 90 feet above sea level to over 5000! And I couldn’t help but think - “what a great ride this’d be on a snowmobile!” Anyway, just shy of 2 hours later, we slid into Galice, gathered gear and bid adieu.

What a spectacular trip! Ultra hospitable, safe, fun, refreshing, tasty, energizing and now I can’t wait for next year.

Thanks to Ninkasi & Russian River for great beers

Thanks to Joy & Bob, Guy and guests for allowing me to share those 3 delightful days with them.

Life is good.

Life jackets for the river rafting

July 19th

Yaaaaaawn…smack smack….waking up with the natural light is a treat. That’s how day 2 came about on our Raft & Craft Trip. After a fantastic first day, we’re all all-ready for another one.

Everybody rousted out and up to breakfast at 8, with one slow riser who came happily and sleepily in a bit into the meal. No real big deal…we’re on relaxed mode. After a brief good morning and a warm breakfast, we returned to our cabins to pack and be at the river for day 2 by 9:30 to set out.

So we were. Loaded up, ready to go and off we went at about 945ish – another blue sky sunny day ahead of us on the Rogue.

View from the pontoon style raft

I kayaked again for a short bit then was happy to give it to a guest for the rest of the day. I tell you what – I honestly don’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed and alert at the same time! Riding on the raft, soaking up the sun like a sunflower, and feeling so well taken care of.

The morning was smooth again with a variety of rapids as well as an opportunity to jump into the river and float along with the rafts with a life jacket – very refreshing. One of the other kayakers joined the Dunkers Club too!

We stopped for lunch for more fresh tasty fare with a cliff high view of the river. After we were full we set out for the Rogue River Lodge, an historic stop along the river with a colorful history including past visits to some Hollywood celebs years back.

Historic Rogue River Lodge

We meandered around, taking in the museum, a few of us jumped into a crystal clear swimming hole (COLD – whew!), and then headed back to our rafts.

It was only a short bit downriver till our nightly lodging – Marial Lodge - which was entirely lovely and comfortable. The crew proceeded to group unpack again – many hands, you know – and took to assigned cabin rooms. As I offered up to meet in one hour later for the beer tasting upon our arrival, several of the goers said “We have to wait an hour?!”. Good response….and it told me the guests were thoroughly enjoying a great combination trip.

After everyone was once again showered up and had wandered back to the lodge, I had the table set

Tasting night 2

and ready for the 2nd night of beer tasting and pairing. Here’s the menu we enjoyed:

• Ninkasi Double Red Believer with molasses ginger cookies – also paired with the smoked salmon and Oregon Hazelnuts
• Ninkasi Oatis Oatmeal Stout with Dagoba chocolates (milk & dark)
• Russian River Temptation with tangy chevre on water crackers

MMMMMMMMM! Again, met with happy enthusiasm and ‘mmm-ing’ all around.

Dinner in the adjacent dining room followed our tasting on the deck and we all savored a dinner and good company, including 2 other guests staying at the lodge. One of the very unique things about Marial Lodge is the turn tables at the tables - space saver, serving genius. Our host Lori told me her uncle, who had the lodge previous, hated wasted or unused space.

Marial Lodge on the Rogue

The rest of the troop bug doped up and went for a walk. I stayed in and lazily read a few of the books on the coffee tables in the lodge – history, stories, nature.

One can only take so much stress, so I headed to bed as the sun went down. Ready to get an abundance of sleep again before day 3.

‘Night!

Tomorrow – Day 3

Prepping the sturdy and stable pontoon rafts

July 18th

Gorgeous day dawns in Southern Oregon. Okay, well, it was really beautiful – partially because we were all looking forward to it as well. Funny how it’s as ‘nice’ as you want it to be.

I got up and drove to meet Bob and Guy at the Rand boat launch for the inaugural White Water Warehouse and Women Enjoying Beer Raft & Craft Trip. When I arrived they were both occupied preparing the 2 pontoon rafts, setting up equipment, gear, coolers, and so on. Practiced hands to be sure – they’ve been at this since 1983.

The guests began arriving at 9 am and everyone exchanged introductions. After our own bags were dry bagged and packed on board, Bob gave us a safety talk and we were off!

Lunching it up - Day 1

Down the lovely and very scenic Rogue River. That first morning, 3 of us experienced the trip at water level in inflatable kayaks. All life jacketed up, we floated along and had an ideal first morning.

Oh – and I started the trip Dunkers Club, going over twice – kerplunk! The key to kayaking, I learned, is to head straight into waves; being 90 degrees to them is how you’ll make it through them. The water, I’m here to tell you, was lovely and felt great in combination with a strong sun.

The river was also deep enough in most places to safely be in the river, legs dangling below you, with no fear of scraping. The tough part is getting back into the kayaks with a bulky (and important) life jacket. Once again, Bob & Guy are smart veterans who help guide you the entire trip so you are totally at ease and able to fully enjoy the adventure.

Tumultuous Rainey Falls

We put in at Rainey Falls for lunch where Bob and Guy proceeded to efficiently unpack and set up. It was obvious right away no would go hungry unless they simply didn’t eat! Fresh foods and plenty of it - cucumbers, hummus, blueberries, cherries, sandwiches (meat, tomatoes, trimmings, PBJ), pasta salad and lots of other stuffs. Lemonade and water to quench our thirst and restock the water bottles, a nice view to enjoy during the midday meal and a cloudless sky to gaze at. Tough job….

After repacking up and heading into the current again, we traveled a while more, with a stop at a water fall with a spot deep enough to cannon ball into – which some of us did following Bob’s lead!

Back into the current we go towards Black Bar Lodge, our accommodations for the night. We landed peacefully, everyone happily intact, around 5pm. After a quick group unload, we headed to our charming cabins, showered up and met in the lodge for the first beer tasting and pairing - 1 of 2 for the trip.

Craft Beer - the "Craft" part of the trip

This being the first time WWW & WEB have collaborated, it went off with much success. The lodge is comfortable, we had three courses and the very happy guests and gracious hosts all had a good time.

Ninkasi was our featured beer partner. And I couldn’t resist also featuring a Russian River beer each night too.

The menu the first night looked like this:

• Ninkasi Total Domination IPA paired with a robust blue cheese
• Ninkasi Radiant Ale with fresh mangoes and deep red plums
• Russian River Consecration paired with Dagoba chocolates (super fruit and Roseberry)

Mmmmmmmm! Lots of great questions and comments came from the group, we all polished off a few (taster) glasses of the beers and savored the foods.

Inside my Black Bar Lodge cabin

Needless to say, they were then really excited about the next nights treats!

After dinner, Bob shared some entertaining stories about the river, lodge and area folk which was totally relaxing. As if we weren’t relaxed enough! A little more conversation flowed and with the sun going slowly down, we all bade good night to each other after given our time to regroup for tomorrow and headed out to our cabins.

It didn’t take long for camp to be silent save for the deer and birds settling in around us. Lights out at 10 as the generators got turned off for the night.

To bed. Ahhhhh….

Day 2 – tomorrow.

And what a call it was!

Joy & Ginger - raring to go!

Joy Henkle, White Water Warehouse, called me on a random (to me) day in May. She had found my site and was looking for interesting topics and people to write about.

She got ‘interesting’ (!) and we connected almost instantly. Thankful I am for her reaching out. Because one thing quickly lead to another and we put our heads together to hatch the inaugural Raft & Craft trip – fabulous white water rafting paired with delicious craft beer tastings at days end.

Brilliant Joy!

Joy and her Husband, Bob Meister, own and operate White Water Warehouse, a very competent class rafting company based out of Corvallis OR, one of the heart beats of the Hops industry in Oregon.

The trip went off smoothly July 18th – 20th with a great group of folks including very gracious guides and hosts – Bob and Guy.

The next three days will be the story of our trip from where I sat on the raft.

Enjoy the read – and know that there are more of these trips on tap for 2011. It’s a great time to plan now for a glorious adventure next year.

Everyone wants to be reminded of good stuff. And part of that is learning about the good stuff.

Good stuff begets growth – when people learn, they are the right kind of consumer and provide for growth, whatever your definition of growth is (not necessarily larger).

We’ve got lots of that – good stuff – that can help your brewery and beer business grow.

Want some ideas? Let’s start with just a few.

1. Focus groups, even thus far, from hundreds of women have yielded dozens of categories of information per marketing beer to women. Valuable and useful information.

WEB can help you grow your beer business

2. On premise expertise. Want to figure out how your taproom, pub, brewery, and restaurant crews can better and still responsibly sell more beer and brush up on their customer experience skills? WEB has that kind of knowledge for you.

3. Educational workshops and discussions. WEB has numerous ways to help open the conversation with your consumers, within your crew, as well as from consumers to staff and staff to consumers. They’re all related and all different. Know which one to do when.

4. Events execution. WEB works with you to customize events to best fit your goals, market share, vision, and budgets. Most importantly – WEB helps you get more women holding your beer in their hands, more often.

Need more reasons? Call me to talk about it. 515.450.7757.

This operator is standing by and the women are waiting.

WWW raft trip on the Rogue

Whew! How life goes round and round…

Friday was a fabulous Oregon Hops Growers Association BBQ hosted by S S Steiner in Brooks, Oregon. I was lucky enough to get to go and met several hops growers and other beer community enthusiasts and supports. Good people all (great food too!).

From Sunday through Tuesday I’ll be on the Rogue River with White Water Warehouse on a signature Raft & Craft Trip.

Joy, Bob and I will be plotting more beer and rafting adventures for 2011. In the meantime, visit their site and get in touch with questions. A raft trip would be a fantastic way to celebrate and reward your staff, treat your friends, and in general enjoy a few of the wonderful things our country affords us.

Now, where’d I put that paddle…