I was ready for a few days away relaxing with good company, great food and wonderful wine, but the feeling of being that relaxed took me a little by surprise. And despite the best attempts of people around me at work the post-holiday relaxation glow lasted well into the following week, it really was all rather spectacular.

Silverado Trail, Napa Valley

Sterling Winery and the view, Calistoga

Wheels…

Castello di Amorosa, spectacular winery, but totally out of place. 

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Anheuser-Busch has of course denied these accusations and stated, rather flatly, that they are in compliance with labeling standards.

Is Anheuser-Busch watering down Budweiser? Probably, yes. Years ago I went on a tour around the Coors brewery in Memphis (twice in a row, second time for more free samples, I was a student at the time) and at Coors the guide talked about how they “condition” the beer to bring it to the correct specific-gravity.

“Conditioning” involved adding spring water, and specific-gravity is a fancy way of saying alcohol content. The poor tour guide, having to deal with 5 British students who were clearly there for the free samples, finally admitted that conditioning did involve watering the beer down.

Now I know more about the process and have been involved in a few home brewing experiments, understand that there will always be differences batch-to-batch. It’s a very controlled process on an industrial scale, but inevitably there will be little things that alter it a little one way or another.

It makes sense that if you want a consistent 5% alcohol by volume beer then you would aim to brew it a touch stronger and water it down a little to get your perfect 5% every time. I think I’m am experienced and somewhat picky beer drinker, but I’m pretty sure I can’t taste the difference in a beer with 4.5% AVB and one with 5% ABV.

While I do think the Coors, Budweiser and Miller is tasteless to begin with (and watering it down will not improve that), it does very well in the market place. Over three-quarters of American beer drinkers choose these rather flavourless, fizzy beers and their beers of choice on a Saturday night.

There is nothing wrong with that, but it’s so unnecessary.

We live in an exciting time for beer in the US, the variety and quality of craft beers have gone through the roof. Unencumbered by tradition there are thousands of small craft breweries making some very interesting and innovative beers. With in 15 miles of my house I know of 8 craft breweries and at least three proper alehouses with an ever-rotating assortment of top class local beers. Some breweries are in strip malls, others in converted garages, but they nearly all have tasting rooms or attached bars.

I have friends that would turn up to my house with a 6-pack of Budweiser in hand and they would be pressured into trying something else, stretch themselves a little and explore what beer can be. It can be a slow journey, but is so worth it.

Rob made it to 42 years old as a staunch Miller guy, that was his beer of choice and that was that. Over the last couple of years he’s slowly wandered along the path and will pull a Wheat beer or even a Pale Ale off the shelves in Safeway. He’s a long way from the deep hoppy bite of an Imperial IPA, and indeed may never get there, it’s not for everyone. But he does know that beer should have some flavour and is able to recognize what he likes in a beer. And that’s good enough for me.

American style IPAs, a little lighter than a traditional IPA, are just one example of what local craft brewers are giving us.

Everyone lives close to a brewery, give them a visit and look for something brewed locally in the supermarket. You may be surprised, like what you are tasting and want to learn more. And you’ll be doing something good for your community.

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Local Everett Brewers (opens into a new browser) 

Scuttlebutt Brewing ‪

Diamond Knott

Lazy Boy ‪

American Brewing Company

Big E Ales

Foggy Noggin Brewing ‪

Sky River Brewing ‪

Brick Yard Brewing

A stunning couple of nights in London, now it’s time to prepare for the main event on Tuesday. I hope you are all having as much fun as I am.

1. Find a time that works for you.

Someone told me when I started this that I would need one of the following: insomnia, proper coffee maker or a case or two of Red Bull. I know that every conversation I have with Sharon the editor she keeps pausing to take continual sips of coffee, but I never developed a taste for the stuff. I’m not in a rally car sponsored by Red Bull any more, and that stuff is spendy when purchased by the case. Ignoring the amphetamines option just leaves insomnia. After everything that went on last summer I still struggle to keep my energy level up all day, it is often lowest in the evening after work. So I adapted and discovered that by getting up at four I get a couple of hours in with good energy before I’ve got to go to work.

2. Prioritizing my writing

You don’t get to be a proper storyteller by putting it so far down “the list” that it’s sitting between “Ride a Motorbike around Alaska” and “Climb El-Cap”. I have discovered I enjoy writing (editing less so), more than I expected and while I don’t spend two hours every day writing it is something I make sure to carve a little time out for. I am a writer because it’s not just what you do, but rather, it’s part of who I am. And something that important to me becomes a priority.

3. It’s not supposed to be easy

What’s more, for me it’s probably not going to get much easier. Dad once said that stuff really worth doing (I think he was trying to talk me into paint the front of his house at the time) requires a lot of work and skill. I’m starting this as someone who got “could try harder” in English Lit at school, so I’m less prepared than most. This writing thing is hard work, but that’s fine, it’s going to be worth it in the end.

4. Dealing with fear

One of the themes through my writing is how I deal with change and fear. That could be fear of the unknown, failure, what I will become if I don’t change or fear of what people will think. A little preparation, being pragmatic about it and fear is diminished. I have found that if I face my fear head on and it’s gone. I was told at a conference last year that people who fail at writing typically do so for one of two reasons. First they were lazy, or two because they were afraid. I’m not lazy, so if I failed it would be because of the second. What’s the worst that can happen?

Is writing a book is going to see me fed to the tigers in the coliseum?  Nope.

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5. Stop listening to the naysayers

When I first started this project and put together the proposal I was rejected, a lot. I was told that it would not sell, maybe they are right, but I’m not writing for them, I’m writing for me. I was told by my editor that my job is to prove them wrong and product the vest manuscript I can. That’s my job, and I can do that.

6. Not worry about what I can’t control

Worry is one useless emotion, especially if it’s stuff out of our control. We can’t control reviews, Amazons terms and conditions, reviews, readers and so many other things. I can’t control how people treat me, over the last two years someone threatened to have me thrown out the country, sent to prison, living on the streets and bankrupted. This is why I have a lawyer, she deals with her and I don’t have to. It takes the worry away from me, and just as importantly, the control from her. As an emotion worry does nothing. Thinking about what can happen has its uses in identifying issues and developing plans to work around them. That’s not worry, that’s planning and is a good thing.

OK, I do worry that Barnes & Noble is going to do something stupid and follow Borders in committing bookstore hari-kari.

7. Don’t dwell on the mistakes

Yeah, I screwed up big time in the past, we all have. Everyone has something they are not proud of and one of the things I’ve found is that others don’t care what happened. Mistakes will haunt you and stay with you only if you let them. They are a large part of my writing, not explaining them, but getting over them. Writing is way more fun than even the best therapists office.

8. Admit what I am

I may not make a living at it, but I am still a writer. If I got the chance to sit around in by robe writing about unicorns and fairies it would be pretty sweet, but that’s not ever going to be me. Writing is a way for me to relax from my daily job. It’s still a hobby, abet one I take seriously, but it’s for fun. But I am a writer and I like that label.

9. I’m in no hurry

I’m not going down the self-publishing route, but I am working with people who understand this is my first time at this and are very supportive. An experienced editor told at the beginning of this process that books are like wine; they need time. So I was told to take the time. That I’m not being judged on how much I write, but rather how well I write. I’ve hit the milestones, am slowly moving forward and am making sure speed does not come at the cost of quality.

10. But a little urgency never hurt

Yeah, I get this is the opposite of what I just said, but there we go. As the sign on the conference room door at work says “Warming: Deadlines are closer than they look”, and with out deadlines it would be chaos.