increase your beer IQ. @WTEnews #craftbeer #beerIQ
Everybody wants a higher IQ, right? Well, I want you to have a higher beer IQ. If you find yourself sitting in a brewery and you glance down the menu and it looks like Greek to you, then hopefully this will help.
Pilsners
"What you need to know: The style we now know as pilsner was first brewed in the city of Plizen, which is found in the western half of the Czech Republic."
American Wheat Beer
"What you need to know: This is an Americanized version of the hefeweizen style, generally coming in a pale gold, light color with few hop notes."
Lager
"What you need to know: Light bodied and pale in color, this is the beer that made larger breweries after prohibition."
IPA
"What you need to know: Ask where the name India pale ale comes from and most brewers will tell you a story about beer shipped from England to India during the 19th century. The story goes that additional hops were added to the drink to increase preservation as hops have an antibacterial quality."
Porter
"What you need to know: Porters are very similar to stouts and, indeed, many modern brewers argue what exactly separates the two. The short answer is that the stout was simply a stronger version of the porter in the past, but today the two styles share many of the same characteristics."
"What you need to know: Originating from England and Ireland, these are the beers that most often feel like a meal."
"In certain styles such as IPAs and a lot of pale ales, you should be able to taste the flavor of the hop (and the resulting bitterness)," said Tim Moore, head brewer and founder of Freedom's Edge Brewing in Cheyenne. "While other styles, such as stouts and porters, the hop flavor should be almost non-existent and only contribute to balance out the sweetness of the malts." I hope this has helped you learn a thing or two about craft beer, I know I did.
Referenced from the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
balcony falls. @jravirginia @amerwhitewater #rivers #whitewater #paddle #canoe
With such amazing day forecasted this past Sunday, I couldn't think of anything I'd rather be doing besides loading up the canoe and hitting the river.
There are some pretty good options close to Bedford, Virginia for low key whitewater and the James River is one of my top picks. From home, it's about 40 min. one way to a section of the James commonly referred to by the boating community as Balcony Falls - named after a class III rapid just two miles from the boat launch in Glasgow, Virginia. From the pictures we'll share, you'll see why this section of running water is such a great destination.
A look at the the Balcony Falls section of the James river; put in within Glasgow and take out before the Snowden Dam.
Near Sedalia, Virginia on St. Rt. 122 (Big Island Highway)
It's pretty tricky start once you put on the river and your options are limited. At most water levels, there's really only one line to run. I've seen people attempt other lines but I always aim for the dicey middle section; there's less room for error.
As the Maury and James Rivers converge, the canyon opens up to some amazing views. This is a pretty safe section to prop up your feet, toast to a beautiful day and let your pup take a swim.
Barley enjoying a swim shortly after the confluence of the Maury and James Rivers.
Within the first mile, the river starts to drop slowly as you descend into the canyon. A few ledges and some fun wave trains lead up to a large pool of water just before Balcony Falls.
The Falls are pretty straight forward and there are several places to pull off to plan your line. About 3/4 of the river diverts to Balcony Falls and its often deep enough at low river levels to find a safe route.
There's a nice beach on river right that's often home to the Blue Ridge River Runners but I typically opt to run Balcony and eddy out on the rock beaches at the base of the Falls. Some of the better views are seen from the bottom of Balcony as tubers and beginners attempt their first descents.
A view upstream from a rocky beach at river right just below Balcony Falls.
Barley hunting down some rocks to play with.
After Balcony, there's several small ledges and a few fun rapids before reaching Jump Rock. As its name suggests, many river runners stop here to enjoy the 15' drop into the James.
As many times as I've floated Balcony Falls, I've typically packed up and paddled straight through to the take out without stopping; yesterday was an exception. Barley and I picked a rock island just before the last rapid to park and visit with the river's guest as they floated by.
Looking back our day on the river.
The part of the river most don't look forward to is the last 2 miles. At this point, the river begins to back up and pool before Snowden Dam. This lengthy stretch of flat water is my closure; it's an opportunity to reflect on the day's adventures and plan future stops for my next float.
To learn more about this float and plan your next Appalachian float adventure, visit American Whitewater.
And special thanks to the Blue Ridge River Runners for helping me wrangle up my gear at the take-out. I look forward to seeing this MSO sticker on my next run down Balcony Falls.
Sporting an MSO sticker and sharing some good stories with the Blue Ridge River Runners.
weekly video VIII - the roadery. @theroadery #motorcycle #touring #caferacer #pacificcoast
weekly video VIII - "the roadery" - a production for The Roadery Motorcycle Touring Co.
Sure, it's far from a day drive from Appalachia to the Pacific Coast but this brilliant clip brought back some memories of traveling Highway 1 via motorcycle just a few months ago.
The Roadery offers unique motorcycle tours of the American west for people who want to experience the beauty, culture and camaraderie of the open road. They reconnect you with some of the most fundamental things in life that are often overlooked; nature, friendship and reflection.
wornwear. @patagonia #outdoor #gear
I first stumbled upon the brand Patagonia about 17 years ago when i moved to Morgantown to attend college. What i didn't know than is how much i would come to appreciate the quality and durability built into each piece of gear they make.
Like their products, their business ethics and corporate responsibility are truly inspiring. They analyze every aspect of production to increase efficiency and lower their impact on the environment. I have really enjoyed their worn wear videos which highlight people that are out there doing it...and enjoying the enduring quality of patagonia products.
Sourced from Patagonia
appalachian food summit. @dailyyonder #travismilton #locallygrown #rural #sustainable
Growing up in Appalachia you learn some things, you now what a ramp is, you probably have raised honey bees (or at last know somebody who has) and you learn to appreciate the unique foods.
Ramps are used in many dishes and are considered to be a part of the Appalachian Culture.
"In mid-May chef Travis Milton prepared a locally sourced meal for about 70 participants in the first Appalachian Food Summit at Hindman Settlement School in Eastern Kentucky. Lora Smith reports in Ace Weekly that the highlights of Milton’s feast were “a kilt lettuce salad with homemade crab apple vinegar, sour corn, beaten sweet potato biscuits served with cured ham, honey butter and pepper jelly, fried catfish with a tomato gravy, potatoes with foraged ramps and bacon, and green tomato hand pies.”
During his trip to the Food Summit Travis was able to visit the area in Virginia where he grew up. "Walking into that utility building reinforced some thoughts and feelings I’ve had for quite some time now. While we face the present and try to plot a course for our future, the beginning of the answers lies in our past. I am very proud of where and what I come from, and I want us to all be able to take pride in where we are going."
While reading this I felt that connection with my past, and as emotions welled up, I wondered what the future holds. "Let’s resurrect the walls of our canning sheds, our spring houses and our long lost homesteads so our families, our history and our memories are not forgotten. This is our time and our future, so pull up a chair, because everyone is welcome at this table."
Referenced from The Daily Yonder.