I think the first time I ever listened to Pink Floyd was when I was in junior high. I had started to discover my parent’s classic rock collection, and was regularly spinning their Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith and Lynyrd Skynyrd records. I don’t know if they had Dark Side of the Moon on vinyl, but I remember listening to it on CD. I remember it being a very good and enjoyable record, but at the time, I was a Zeppelin fanatic,…
Growing up, Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday, but in the past 5 years or so, it has almost grown to a mythical status. Instead of it just being another holiday, it has become my holy day. A large part of that is due to my training and certification with the CiceroneⓇ Program, which required me to immerse myself in the world of beer and food pairing. Thanksgiving has now become the perfect opportunity to do a beer pairing dinner,…
I don’t think I can remember the first Belgian Dubbel I ever had, but my guess would be that it was either a Chimay Premiere (Red) or New Belgium’s Abbey. I can actually remember the first time I had New Belgium’s Abbey. I was on a road trip with my friend Dave from San Diego to Chicago, making several stops in between. One of the those stops was in Fort Collins. We stayed at a hotel in town and borrowed…
One of my favorite all-time Simpsons characters has to be Groundskeeper Willie. Between his appearances in the annual “Treehouse of Horror” episodes, his overall surliness and catch phrase, it’s hard to find a Simpsons fan out there who doesn’t appreciate ol’ Willie. According to the internet (so it has to be true), Willie’s character was originally just supposed to be an angry janitor. Dan Castellaneta, who does the voice, originally tried out the character in a Spanish accent, secondly as…
Last month, I wrote to you about the importance of early detection as our best defense against breast cancer. Today, I’m spreading the same message, but this time for the guys. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the 2nd most common cancer among men (skin cancer is first). Over 2 million men in this country are prostate cancer survivors, so it can be successfully treated if it is detected early enough. In recent years, men’s health has…
One of my favorite parts about Joyride is how we have supported our community and local charities from the beginning. We normally host 1-2 charity events every month, typically on a Saturday from noon to 4pm, where we donate $1 from every pint sold. It’s an easy way to mobilize supporters, all they have to do is show up and have a beer or two! It’s been a really fun way to support some fantastic local charities. A cause…
The first smoked beer I ever had was Alaskan’s Smoked Porter. I remember going gaga over it, remarking several times how much it tasted like smoked salmon. I later learned that it didn’t actually taste like salmon, but the alder wood that is typically used for smoking salmon is the same wood used for smoking the malt of the porter, and my mind made an taste association. Since then, I’ve tried to buy the annual edition of that beer every…
Although I’ve never been to England (in fact, I’ve never left North America, something I intend to change soon), I’ve wanted to brew an English IPA for some time. I’ve always been a fan of English hops, especially East Kent Goldings, and the delicate and delicious flavors they provide. My favorite English example of the style is probably Bengal Lancer by Fullers, and my favorite domestic example is probably anything from our friends down the street, Hogshead. If anything, it’s…
Pretty…. One of the things that helped me get deep into craft beer when I moved to Colorado was the variety of different beers I found at some of my local liquor stores. I was always impressed that I could find a brewery I had never heard of before, and try a beer from an old favorite that I never had the chance to try before. The selections that were available to me helped me slide down into the rabbit…
Fresh Nugz in various stages As I believe I’ve stated before, I love fall, and I especially love fall beers. I also like hops. I mean, our slogan is “Hop On!” after all (even though the slogan doesn’t just apply to hops themselves but more applies to inviting others to join you). But we do enjoy hops and hoppy beers here at Joyride. I try my best to not just brew hoppy beers and to cater to the…