Band of "Brew-thers"?

It's Christmas time! So many things to talk about that could be Christmas related. Should I get into the exploration of the Craft Beer Advent Calendar? Nah, some people may look at that like I'm bragging.

What about BeerNog? Sounds good doesn't it? I got the recipe out of Randy Mosher's book Tasting Beer. I tried it, I didn't like it. It sounds better than it actually tastes. Maybe other people had success with a recipe or there could easily be a myriad of recipes on the vast cosmos of cyberspace. 

It's finals week for the OC BrewCrew. I couldn't help but reflect on what the 26 of us have achieved. There's been a fair amount of hiccups with technical challenges in the brewery, equipment failures, beer launch setbacks and more but why emphasize the negative? Those of you know me understand that I'm a big cynic anyway. 

No, I want to focus this post on the positive. The program? Well that speaks for itself. If it doesn't, then check out this video:

Olds College Students to graduate with a diploma in beer

What I want to share is what I think is one the best parts of this program: My fellow students. 
 

The OC BrewCrew

So relax with your favorite bevvy, and let me brag about the different aspects of the OC BrewCrew in this convenient bulleted list.

• Geography - We are a coast to coast class because we hail from different places in Canada. From the West coast of British Columbia, the land of hop heads and bigger egos, through Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Prairies, cutting through Ontario and embracing Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick, and even a guy who's originally from Newfoundland. To me that shows an incredible diversity and we are truly Canadian. We have come together across many miles to work together to help one thing: craft beer. Minstrels ought to be singing of this glory already.

• Age - I've been told that our class ranges in age from 18 to 40. I think our youngest Jackson is older than that due to a recent birthday. I know that I'm the 2nd oldest in the class (but I've been told I don't look it...or act like it). I've always viewed age as a number up until I turned 40 this past year. They say age brings experience, well the OC BrewCrew breaks that adage over its knee with ruthless abandon. We speculate that the average age of our class is about 28 which is much older than the standard Olds College Student. We're proud of this fact because our class constantly gets commended on our maturity. We're not stuffy, we've just experienced enough life to know that this program is to help our careers...not to sit around and just drink beer (which is pretty much the popular assumption). 

• Educational Background - I think almost all of our class has been to college before this program. Some have degrees (a couple guys with Fine Arts)! Some with diplomas! Some switched gears from other programs to take this one.  We have a guy with a PhD in our midst! The intelligence and raw knowledge of these people is astounding.  Since this is my first college experience EVER, I rely on a lot on these guys and gal to help me adjust and keep me grounded. I haven't heard a single person brag or boast about how they have been in college before or in other programs. In fact, many of them kind of hide it and embrace humility about their experiences. Those that have prior education share that freely with each other, whether it's with math consultation or just plain solid advice so they can help relate. It's uplifting.

• Culture - Each and every one of these people has life experience. Each one has trials that they've faced and have been a better person for it. Sure you could easily say that everyone goes through that but this is different. A few have their own businesses that they're trying to balance amongst all the schoolwork. Some are family guys with kids that they're looking after. Some are jetsetters and have been to numerous countries around the world from Australia to as far as Rome (where apparently it smells like urine at times) and other areas in Europe. Some with long distance relationships that they're balancing. We have big city Toronto folk meeting small town Prairie people. They bring those experiences to our collective table to add diversity to our group.

• Skills - These people don't just know about beer they are well rounded individuals that possess other interests and abilities. Our groups has some wicked musicians that can wail on guitar (that means you Dave & Jim!). We have a couple guys that have incredible film background (One of these guys won an iPad for his entrance video into the college) One was training to be a cop (psst! Don't...mess with her!). We have a former teacher, guys that have played hockey for years (I played for 11 years myself), one guy is bilingual, another is a computer tech expert, a few "code-monkeys", one played lacrosse, one guy is in theater, one's currently a bar manager, one used to work on a successful dairy farm, and there's more. I'm amazed at the raw talent and ability this class possesses.

• Attitude - We've been on a road trip to Yakima. We've been on field trips to Rahr Malting, AGLC, LiquorConnect, Labatts, even the bitter chilled windy brutality of ...the Olds College Wetlands and composting area (Seriously, it was wicked windy). Now with all those people you're bound to get personality clashes. Hell, I know I can be pretty abrasive because I have little to no patience for ignorance and idiocy. I can't speak for others but for me, each one of these people has shown me nothing but goodwill. These people mean well. They get it. If one of us asks for help, then a bunch of people will kick in. I've only seen this sort of chivalry and honour in a few other groups. I know a large part of this is that we're stuck with each other for essentially another 9 months but it's more than that. We're all willing to help each other out when the chips are down.  It's commendable.  All in all, we've come together.

• Beer Skills - You might be thinking, "Don't you mean brewing skills?" Nope. The course is more than just brewing. There's Sensory Evaluation, Packaging, the retail side of things and more. Sure the homebrewers have the edge but they're willing to share their expertise to help those of us that don't home brew get up to speed. It's a lot of sharing of techniques, insight, and learning that isn't limited to the classroom. This BeerLearner is getting knowledge almost 24/7 here.

You think HBO might run with this idea?

I guess all in all, we're sort of a Band of "Brew-thers". Ok that may be a bit extreme because we're not fighting wars or anything but I call us a "Brew-therhood". We simply take pride in our passion, and it's all fueled by craft beer.

Thanks for reading,
The BeerLearner

Dear Shaker Pint...

Some of you may know from my Facebook page that I've been researching beer glassware and I've taken a firm stand on the subject. For my Communications class, I did two speeches on the subject.  During my research, I was inspired to write the following letter.

Dear Shaker Pint

We've known each other a long time; in fact, we go way back.  You and I have had many a good time together in many a fun place. You’ve helped me get through some rough times and also been part of celebrating a lot of my personal victories. You’ve never judged me. You’ve never complained when I would rant and rave.  You’ve been there time and time again.  The thing is, I can never get back together with you over craft beer like we used to.  I know that’s what you want but I’ve moved on.  Please, let me explain.

You know that I’ve been always been into craft beer; I’ve never hidden that from you. I’ve had a passion for it that spans decades.  My tastes have evolved and I find myself resenting you because you’re trying to showcase craft beer, and it's just not working out.

It’s not your fault. You were never made for the complexity and depth that is craft beer, but now I see you everywhere,  letting everyone get their hands all over you and it makes me uncomfortable. Sure, it was fun at first because I figured that you were just being flirty because you enjoyed all the popularity that bars and restaurants bestowed upon you. The thing is, you were never designed for that. There’s a reason you’re called a shaker and as your friend, I think you’ve lost your way and I am partly to blame.

I remember seeing you behind the bar that day. You were clear and bright as day and impeccably flawless in your brilliance. Your friend the metal mixing glass and you were working up a storm and making amazing martinis with class and poise. I was hooked. I had to have one.  I remember having a “Delilah” and will never forget how your shaking sound resonated across the bar like music.  I didn’t fall in love then, but I did have a serious case of “like”.  As you know, it wasn’t until years later that you ended up in my home.  We made many martinis, some good, some not so good; but it was fun nonetheless, right?  You certainly took the edge off during many a night. ;-)

                                                                                                                      

When you started serving craft beer, I thought “Sure, I’ll try it.”  We had one. Then over time we had more  until we thought that was the norm. We got caught up in that “everyone else is doing it” thing.  Maybe we just wanted to be accepted, and should’ve stopped right then.  I should’ve respected your true calling, and I am so sorry.  I’m sorry for not giving you the respect you deserve.

Back then it was great, but now my tastes have changed…and I know yours have too. As you know we broke up and it was ugly.  I shouldn’t have been so blunt by saying you don’t provide good head and you go flat too quick. I’m sure there were nicer ways to say that, and I’m sorry. Let’s be brutally honest though, you don’t.  And that’s ok, because it’s not your thing. I can respect that.

 I’ve watched you from afar, and seen how you fell from grace.  Now I see you being chilled, with ice coating every inch of you, when you serve beer.  I confess, every time I see that, I sigh and shake my head.  You deserve so much better.  It’s as if you need to dress yourself up to hide your true self. It seems like you’re ashamed of your true calling.  

Shaker pint - looking scratched with no "make-up"

What makes things worse is that now I see you serving everything to everyone: soda, iced tea, water and even milk.  And you doll it up with a straw. I’m half expecting you to start putting on the “duck face” to get attention.  When is it going to stop? I stopped making martinis because it just wasn’t the same knowing that you’re used for pretty much everything else now.  You’ve become a sellout. I know that’s harsh, but you need to hear it. It's not meant to hurt your feelings; it's the truth. Since your new found popularity, you’ve traveled all across North America putting every kind of label all over you.  I know, I know, who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity for such notoriety? I’ve seen you sport everything from Alaskan Brewing to even Starbucks. Starbucks!

Now, we have those awkward silences when the waitress unknowingly brings you over to my table and you hold craft beer.  Sure, we have the beer together, but it’s always feels wrong.  I just can’t do it anymore.  Especially with you all dolled up and fake looking.  I feel so sorry for you.

I’ve moved on.  You could say I’m playing the field because I see the tulip, Nonick, and stange on occasions. Yes, you’ve heard right, even the chunky Maskrug, but sue me, I like a lot of heft in my hand.  They don’t judge and they’re honestly better suited to my needs. Sure you could label me and say that I’m just a player, but I’m not a single glass kind of guy for my craft beer.  I need someone who was actually designed to properly showcase the aroma and appearance of my beer. Keep in mind that you don’t hear the wine aficionados getting a bunch of flack for using different glassware.  That’s the life I want to live. I’m willing to accept the ridicule and stigmas and that it goes against what is popular…and I’m okay with that. I can live with it. 

Look, you are great the way you are and you don’t need be something you’re not in order to prove yourself. Now you are everywhere. There are so many copies of you that you’ve lost your sense of self, even ones that dubious proprietors use that are 14 ounces in order instead of 16 oz in order to dupe customers out of their hard earned cash.

I know that me avoiding you is probably not the most mature approach here, but it’s what I need to do and I wanted you to hear it from me.  We can still be friends, but not when it comes to craft beer.  I’m willing to go out on a limb here and say that maybe the metal mixer cup would be interested in spending more time with you.  You two have a lot in common considering he gets used for milkshakes.  The two of you are an amazing pair with true synergy. He seems like the strong silent type that will always wait for you.

Metal Mixer and Shaker - in happier times.

I wrote earlier that I don’t drink martinis anymore.  Truthfully, it’s because I gravitate to craft beer.  One day, I’d like to have a martini. I can picture myself looking up in a bar and seeing you in your glory, that familiar rhythmic sound echoing in the air, as you and metal mixer work hand in hand to create that fine cocktail. Or maybe we can meet in the middle and catch up over a beer cocktail from time to time. I would like that.

So please, remember your roots and keep to your strengths. 

Sincerely,

BeerLearner





A great post on the subject - http://hoplogblog.blogspot.ca/2013/02/shaker-pint-glasses.html
Another blog that focuses on glassware in BC - http://adrianmarariu.tumblr.com/post/15428247549/beer-glassware-in-vancouver-with-don-farion
Proofreading thanks go to Garret Haynes. Check out his place on the web at http://garrethaynes.blogspot.ca 
Thanks to my Comm Prof for reading this and encouraging me to post.  

DISCLAIMER: This is my version of satire. I'm sure some of you may be bent out of shape by what you just read and you're entitled. I ask that if you comment then please keep to the constructive side of care. Why? Because I'll take what you say more seriously. Thank you for reading.

Someone give Father Time a beer & a book to slow that boy down.

First of all,

It’s been a bumpy ride here at school because I have technically 8 courses. That’s right EIGHT! I’ve been told by many that this is NOT NORMAL! So apologies to the following are required:

• to my friends and relatives that are reading this expecting my aforementioned and promised weekly email updates. Yeah, I hooped that one. I didn't think that 8 courses would be so demanding on my time. 

• to my fellow beer aficionados and enthusiasts that expected more from this blog. All I can say is "Umm, I'm going to school? Uh...(looks at the ground sheepishly), I've never been to college before?  Er...I'm learning lots of beer stuff and things?....Look! A BARKING SQUIRREL! (makes a run for it)"

• To other beer bloggers or even bloggers in general. All of you can't tell me that starting out blogging was easy is it? It's like anything, it needs dedication right? I apologize for dragging down any stand up reputation of the term "Beer Blogger". (Whew, that should keep them pacified because I never considered myself a "Beer Blogger" in the first place.)

 So I AM dedicated...to my studies. For example, here is a pic of the bookshelf in my room.

It’s like a well stocked beer fridge! Recognize any?

Notice they’re all beer books, not books about the other subjects I’m taking, like Business Mathematics. Keep in mind I have about 4 more sitting in my locker at the college. Oh CRAP! I just realized I have to get that “Designing Great Beers” book back to Adam (Sorry Adam). 

  

I guess this mini-library is a lot like the stereotypical woman who has many pairs of shoes in that I have a fair number of beer books. Yes, I do read them when I can. Now do I say this to brag? No, because of course in the beer-geek world, some guy is going to get his nose out of joint, say "Oh YEAH?!" and then go and one-up you. Regardless, I get bored with that sort of nonsense VERY quickly. So if you’re one of those people...stop, just stop. Thanks.

Please keep in mind that I have about another 6-7 beer books at home in BC. I didn’t feel the need to bring them ALL here but I’m glad I toted the ones I did.

I find that there are SO many books out there that I want to still get, such as the following:

The Brewmaster’s Table by Garrett Oliver. -  I’ve been recommended this book many times by many people. I should just cough up the money & get it. Garrett Oliver is the Brewmaster for Brooklyn Brewery in New York. I’ve been told the book is a journey of his beer pairings with food. Considering the guy wrote an article for Cigar Aficionado magazine about pairing beers with cigars, I think he’s pretty well travelled. I don’t smoke, but that’s pretty cool.

Designing Great Beers by Ray Daniels – Just from perusing this book, it has great charts and insights on brewing to style guidelines. For a wanna be homebrewer like me, this would be a great start.

Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation – I have the book from this series about hops (For the Love of Hops) and the one about Water. According to my pal JP, this book strictly talks about dry yeast...or was it wet yeast? Damnit! I can’t remember now. Well basically it eliminates one of the yeasts from the text, which is a bit one-sided in my view.

Sacred & Herbal Healing Beers by Stephen Harrod Buhner– My pal Mike Victory has this book and it’s very informative. It inspires me to want to brew a Heather Ale. I also like history and this book has some great historical references including recipes!

How to Brew by John Palmer – I’ve been told in no uncertain terms by a few colleagues in my class that it’d be “foolish to start home brewing without this book”. I’ve heard of this John Palmer fella before so it seems like a good bet. I have a home brew book written by Randy Mosher (who’s Tasting Beer book is pretty much one of my bibles) but what is one more right?

So what are some of the beer related books that YOU are looking to get? Please, put it in the comments.  Are there books that you’d think I’d benefit from purchasing?  It’s not that far off from the holiday season so maybe, just maybe, the books we want will end up under the tree or in a stocking...if we've been good. 

Thanks for reading,

BeerLearner

Disclaimer: Above I made reference to the “stereotypical” woman with lots of shoes as a matter of perspective and an attempt at humor. It wasn’t meant to offend. For the record, I have about 18 pairs of shoes and boots – which, last time I checked is a LOT for a guy.  Oh yeah, I own 3 pieces of glassware that are shaped like boots. Does that count?

Week 1 - Beer School (aka Brewmaster & Brewery Operations Management)

And so it begins,

The title for the course is a bit of mouthful isn't it? Much like a chewy stout or a bombastic porter. 

Personally, I find it a bit gutsy to say that each of the 26 of us in the inaugural class is going to erupt out of the course as full-fledged, bonafide Brewmasters. Brewers - Sure! BrewMasters? I reserve my judgement but of course have high hopes. 

Where do I begin talking about this course? Let's talk location, location, location, shall we?

Geography:

I'm proud to say our class is a true coast-to-coast representation of Canada. We have people from the East Coast; like Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and even P.E.I. Some lads out from the Prairies, local boys from Calgary, a gal from Edmonton, and a handful of us, like myself, from British Columbia. 

You might be thinking - no one from Quebec? All I can say is: Je ne sais pas. 

For those of you that don't know where Olds is located, it's about 1 hour North of Calgary in Alberta. 

From https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBe50Ol6pOPuYB_IYgkKY8m_RS65kvMyY8CTnnwQLNioX2CeCoVDNl9ibkn6nidTufjPG76yeGCXBm3rRv7I_YHjrMo5tIs9-E0z3t3VhSeUJmMD-V_aR0FwoZ7sdkZhz7zZ-KyWDcPTI/s1600/Olds+map.jpg

    Another thing about the town of Olds is that you can’t turn a corner without smacking into a liquor store around here. And the prices are cheap; much better than BC by far. (Disclaimer: I better be careful or the BCLDB will hunt me down out here.) You’d be surprised as to how many would be willing to order in product for you. They must like their booze out here and I'm okay with that. 

   A couple of the guys from my class work in a couple of the liquor stores in Olds. I say that's good representation for the craft beer scene.

     The college and brewery are a mere 15 minute or so walk from where I live. Before registration day I got to look through the windows to have a peek. This really just transmits into getting my nose and handprints all over the windows to almost the point of drooling. 

     I know I was pretty excited when I walked up to the intersection where the college is located and saw this from afar:

     Now in subsequent posts I'll do my utmost to put in more pictures but this guy has to get prepped for a trip to Yakima, Washington. It's a class trip where we'll learn about the wonderful way of hops from the region and establishments such as HopUnion. I'm still overwhelmed by the schedule so I better go get things organized. 

Thanks for reading, 

Jason Armitage

(aka The BeerLearner)