Thank you Left Hand Brewing

Left Hand Brewing is a brewery in Longmont, Colorado that just celebrated its 20th year in operation. It's also one of two new places of employment for me - which makes me real happy? Why? I've been slowing warming up to the craft beer industry for about five years now. Now that I'm bartending in the tasting room at Left Hand, my education just got put on the fast track toward Cicerone Certification and inside knowledge on what it really takes to produce, distribute and sell craft beer in America. Needless to say - I'm super stoked on this opportunity. Furthermore - I could not have asked for a better company to work for. The owners/founders are still part of the day to day operations, they've been on a steady, smart growth pattern over those twenty years - and the beer is absolutely incredible. So much so, they took home three gold medals at last year's Great American Beer Festival. No small feat - especially for a brewery of their size. Left Hand produced just over 63,000 barrels of beer in 2013, and is targeting somewhere around 90,000 for 2014. What else can I tell you - "we" now offer our famous "nitro in a bottle" technology for two other beers besides the Milk Stout. Our "Wake Up Dead" Imperial Stout is now being sold in nitrogenated 12 oz bottles, as is our Sawtooth ESB. Though these bottles are currently only available in Colorado - look for them to slowly be introduced across the United States into the 27 states where our other beers are currently being distributed. Thank you Ben, Cinzia, Morgan and the rest of the Left Hand that are helping make my dreams a reality. So much to look forward to!

T'is the season. Don't forget to wash your hands 4X as much.

Beer City TV No. 13. Boundary Bay Brewing, Co.

Beer City TV No. 13 - Boundary Bay Brewing Co. from Boulder Video Design on Vimeo.

Now in the Fort!

It has happened...

http://fortcollinsvideoproduction.blogspot.com/

Way more our speed that the uber-competitive Boulder. Don't get me wrong - love the Boulder and it's progressive community, sweet biking trails and proximity to Nederland and Eldora. But, if you want to settle in for the long term, best to have an Ivy League degree, some Gold Medals and a large bank account. These are the folks you are competing with for  tiny $400,000 houses and the good jobs. Not for me. Took us three years to figure it out I guess - LOL.

Because - NW represent, handmade, small business, Idaho style.

#batwave #snowboard #loveland twitter.com/beercitytv/sta…
— Beer City Television (@beercitytv) April 12, 2013

Mountain of editing.

Gotta be honest... I don't love video-editing. The entire reason I went back to school and learned a new trade was to get off my "chained to the desk" graphic-designer-ass and get out there in the world. It worked - for the most part - (cue montage of production photos from New Zealand TV shoot). However - my path didn't exactly lead to a career as a globe-trotting television camera man - well -  it kinda did, for a couple years. Eventually, I honed my craft as a producer and editor, in addition to my shooting background. So here I am - shackled to the desk again. The upside - I now have a family and a "life" - so 50% of my work doesn't have to be squeezed-with-a-shoehorn into the few business-hour shooting times I'm afforded. I can do most all of my post-production in the wee hours and odd times as I find them. The other 50% still allows me to get out and be in the world - no computers. Can't complain. Currently in the studio: Final edits on the Boulder Beer Company "About Us" web video, final edits on the Zinn Cycles "About Us" web video, three episodes of Beer City Television (Rancho Tastings, Boundary Bay Brewing and Tommyknocker) and a logo/identity project for "Don't Frack My Sixpack" (a campaign being promoted by Colorado brewers drawing attention to the careless proliferation of the practice of "fracking" the earth to extract natural gas deposits). Busy. Tired. Stoked.

Are people overusing the hashtag?

I'd say hell yeah... on Facebook it seems to be the new way of adding bragging adjectives to your posts. Got me to wondering about just how far that hashtag transcends the web. I once thought it was strictly a Twitter thing, then came to believe it was just a way to call out search terms that would somehow be searchable web-wide. Looks like I was part wrong and part right - they work even better at places like Instagram, Tumblr, etc. A good take on it can be found here.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/7/3960580/hashtags-are-bigger-than-twitter-vine-tumblr-instagram

#hashtagfreak #learnsomethingneweveryday #hashtagmuch

Beer City TV Ep. #09 - Part 3 of 3 from The Great American Beer Festival 2012

Beer City TV - Episode No. 9 - GABF 2012 Part Three - The Gluten-free Story from Boulder Video Design on Vimeo.
In this, the final part three of three from the 2012 Great American Beer Festival, we meet some of the companies fighting the good fight in making a tasty and comparable gluten-free beer. Featured in this episode are Shine Restaurant, Brewery and Gathering Place from Boulder, New Planet Beer also from Boulder and Munton's Malted Ingredients out of the United Kingdom.

Beer City TV #E08 - Part Two from the 2012 GABF

Beer City TV Episode #E08 - GABF 2012, Part Two - Colorado from Boulder Video Design on Vimeo.

We sent host Stephen Angus and cameraman Craig Stephens back for more punishment on Saturday of the 2012 Great American Beer Festival in Denver. They captured some stories from the Colorado breweries we didn't catch on Friday. Featured in this episode: Bristol Brewing, Lone Tree Brewing and Pateros Creek.

Beer City TV Episode No. 7 - The Great American Beer Festival 2012. Part One of Three.

Beer City Television - Episode No. E07 - GABF 2012, Part 1 of 3 "The Other Guys" from Boulder Video Design on Vimeo.

We spent a couple of days at this year's Great American Beer Festival. As you might imagine, we wound up with a lot of footage, so we've decided to edit it into three shows. This is Part One of Three, focusing on non-Colorado breweries. Part Two will feature Colorado breweries and Part Three tells the Gluten-Free story in craft beer today. Stay tuned!

You've come a long way baby... CRAFT BEER!

It's been a long journey since the days of designing the chalkboards at Thompson's McMenamins Brewery in Salem, Oregon. What was once a hobby, fascination and reward (visiting breweries up and down the West Coast of the United States), is now quickly on-track to becoming my next career path. My introduction to craft beer came by way of the Oregon's McMenamin's Breweries. First - like all good newbies - I first dipped my toe in the mash tun with a tasty treat called Ruby - a Raspberry Wheat Beer. I quickly learned my way around the McMenamin's beer menu falling in love with their Terminator Stout. From there - it was a small leap to my four years in Bend, Oregon - falling in love with a little pub called the Deschutes Brewery where my palate was expanded. Here, while publishing a snowboard magazine, I developed a relationship with Deschutes not only as an advertising partner - but the unofficial headquarters for magazine staff meetings and all things apres-ski and snowboard. Favorite beer? Gotta give it to the Jubelale.

Now - a decade or so later - I've become a full-time student, aficionado, fan and snob of all things craft beer. In 2009 I started Beer City Television in Portland, Oregon - spending a day at the North American Organic Brewer's Festival where we met and interviewed the likes of Eel River Brewing's Ted Vivitson and home-brewing grandfather Fred Eckhardt. Now that I'm based in Boulder, Colorado, not only am I in the other "beer capital" of the West Coast, I'm diving deeper into my education and appreciation of the art and craft of beer. This includes brewing my first homebrew this year, a Chocolate Porter by way of Charlie Papazian's book The Joy of Home Brewing.

Which leads me to my final thought - *PLEASE TAKE NOTE COLORADO BREWERIES* - I'm now looking to start working part-time in a brewery, doing just about anything I can find to do! Slinging beers, slinging bags of malt or just slinging a few words of marketing hype to help sell the product. The only way I'm going to learn as much as possible is to get on the inside - and what better way than to become a brewery employee. Thus far, I made a pitch to Boulder Beer about becoming their Boulder Sales Rep. I didn't win the spot - I did however make the cut from 200-some applicants to six, thanks to a little video resume and put together for them. I'll share it with the one or two of you that actually read my blog - right here. I'm also shaking hands and asking questions at some other veteran breweries around Boulder like Oskar Blues, Twisted Pine - as well as some of the newer endeavors such as Gravity Brewing in Louisville and the upcoming Fate Brewing here in Boulder. So excited about the next phase - stay tuned here for the occasional "play by play".

Thanks for reading! Cheers. ETK.

Beer City Television Episode No. 6 - Twisted Pine Brewing. Part 2 of Two-Part Series

Beer City Television - Episode #E06 - Boulder Breweries By Bike Pt. 2 - Twisted Pine Brewing from Boulder Video Design on Vimeo.
Part two in our series "Boulder Breweries By Bike". On the second half of our day we rode to Twisted Pine Brewing and learned a little about their history and their oh-so-spicy hot pepper beer - the Ghostface Killah.

Beer City Television Episode No. 5, Asher Brewing Company

Beer City Television - Episode No. E05 - Boulder Breweries By Bike Pt. 1 - Asher Brewing Co. from Boulder Video Design on Vimeo.

In this first of a two part series, host Stephen Angus and myself traveled by bike from the Boulder Video Design farm in South Boulder, to Asher Brewing Company in Northeast Boulder. We spoke with the founder and brewmaster Chris Asher about what it means to be Colorado's only Certified Organic Brewery. Part Two of Boulder Breweries By Bike is #E06 and features Twisted Pine Brewing.

Video converting. The .MTS file.

I've been shooting on cameras that utilize the new AVCHD format for a couple of years now. Because I've always downloaded footage directly into Final Cut Pro on a Mac, things have been seamless. Recent video-editing only needs presented me with the task of converting raw .MTS file from someone else's camera, without the benefit of the additional source files and folders (a different story for a different day). My final solution, was not to pay the 35-plus dollars for conversion software online (which top 20 Google returns would have you believe), but instead, found a piece of shareware called HandBrake. Goes to show you don't always have to pay the man. http://download.cnet.com/HandBrake/3000-2140_4-43951.html

Zinn Cycles!

Signed on to produce some videos for custom bike frame manufacturer - Zinn Cycles this week. Sooo stoked! Check out their site - and soon - you'll be able to check out some more of my handywork. Great company, Lennard seems like a great guy - and I'm looking forward to capturing his story.

My road to the craft beer industry...

My friend Jeff laughed saying I was having a midlife crisis. I had to remind him that this was, in fact, my second "midlife crisis". My first being the transition from Graphic Designer to Video Producer in 2004, now, I'm moving out of the video and design world, into the wonderful world of beer. As my few readers may or may not know, the craft beer industry has been experiencing astonishing growth over the last decade, unfettered by the recession. My knowledge, love and passion for craft beer has continued to grow to the point that I started my little web series, Beer City Television, back in 2009. Now, after spending so much time with brewers, founders, owners and other craft beer industry folks, I've decided it's the place for me. On a recent shoot with Boulder Beer, I met with the President of the company, Jeff Brown, and discovered our mutual love for bicycle racing - particularly mountain-biking. Jeff was kind enough to agree to let me buy him lunch so I could pick his brain a little about the industry, which I'll be doing tomorrow (and reporting on right here). To add to the craziness of it all, after agreeing to meet me, their Marketing Director posted a job for local Sales Rep - to which of course - I had to apply for - with a touch of my own creativity. Oddly enough, as I was typing this blog just now, my phone rang. Boulder Beer calling... "would you like to come in for an interview tomorrow?" - What the what? Umm... hell yeah! Hilarious. Interviewing with the three gals in the marketing department at 11:30am, then going out to lunch with the president at noon. Something seems to be going right for me here - I'm going with it. Wish me luck friends and peoples! I'm settling into Boulder more than I ever dreamed I would. This is good. :)

BCTV #E04 - Boulder Beer

We bring to you, the long-awaited webisode #E04 featuring Colorado's Oldest Craft Brewery, Boulder Beer Company. Big thanks to El Jefe and Brewmaster DMZ for the hospitality. Lots more to come on BCTV. Now give 'er a spin!

Beer City Television #E04 - Boulder Beer Company from Boulder Video Design on Vimeo.

My Snowboarding History and Sports Marketing History

So here I am again - the road with many forks. One of the forks leads down snowsports industry work - which excites me in an old school way. This morning I had to write a letter to someone at a certain local ski resort. Found myself recounting my history in the mountains, which prompted me to share it here - for whatever it's worth. Fun!

 A snapshot of my snow, marketing, design and video history - chronologically:

'91 - First day snowboarding - Hoodoo Ski Resort, OR
'93 - Two-year degree in pre-press/Graphic Design, Chemeketa College - Salem, OR
'93 - Bonfire Snowboard Tour with my old band Aggro Batch. Was featured in Warp Magazine - story by Billy Miller, photos by Trevor Graves. Trip included Matt Goodwill, Jim Moran, Noah Salasnek, Jim Hale, Lance Pitman. We road tripped to Jackson Hole, Sun Valley, Big Mountain and others.
'94 - Art Director for Bonfire Snowboarding - Salem, OR
'94 - PSIA-Certified Snowboard Instructor - Willamette Pass, OR
'95-'02 - Founder/Editor/Designer/Publisher Volcano Magazine - Snow/Skate/Music - OR/WA/ID/MT, (published for seven years) - Bend, OR
'95-'98 - Season Pass holder - Mt. Bachelor, OR
'96-00 - Industry partner - Mt. Bailey Snowcat Skiing, OR
'94-'95 - Graphic Designer and Marketing/Promotions/Race Course Crew (on and off-site) - King of the Hill Extreme Snowboard Competition - Valdez, AK
'98 - Art Director for Morrow Snowboards - Salem, OR
'00 - Art Director for Nemo Design - Portland, OR
'01 - Freelance Designer - Nike - Beaverton, OR
'04 - Two-year degree in Video/Film Production, DeAnza College - Cupertino, CA
'04 - Season pass holder - Kirkwood, CA
'04-'06 - Television camera credits - Bay Area Backroads, Marin Report, Taste for Adventure (shot in New Zealand, British Columbia and Northern California).
'07 - Travel video project - Saas Fee, Switzerland
'08 - Season pass holder - Mt. Baker, WA
'08 - TV pilot producer - Snomad Television (shot at Crystal Mountain, Tamarack, Brundage, Solitude, Brighton, Homewood, Mt. Baker Giant Banked Slalom). 
'09 - Season pass holder - Mt. Hood Meadows, OR
'06-'12 - Freelance Video producer, Shooter and Graphic Artist. (Credits include: Producer/Promoter of "The Cyclocross Diaries" for Wend Magazine, commercial videos for Justin's Nut Butter, commercial video for ActiveJunky.com, short films for Author Solutions, cameraman for Seattle Sonics NBA Team). 
'08-'12 -Social Media, Marketing & Blogging professional - (Klout, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blogspot, Flickr, Youtube, Vimeo, Google+). 
'11 - Art Director, Norse Boards Online Snowboard Retailer - Summit County, CO
'11 - Season pass holder - Vail, CO
'12 - Season pass holder - Winter Park, CO
'12 - Motion Graphics and Video Editing Project for Loveland Ski Area's 75th Anniversary.
'12 - Season pass holder - Loveland Ski Area, CO

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http://bouldervideodesign.com
http://youtube.com/fluffyturns
http://flickr.com/keeney
http://www.facebook.com/volcanomagazine
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=3345864&trk=tab_pro 303-919-9789

Beer City Television • Webisode #E03, Upslope Brewing

Beer City Television - Episode #E03 - Upslope Brewing from Boulder Video Design on Vimeo.

Beer City Television - Webisode #E02 - Funkwerks

Beer City Television - Episode #E02 - Funkwerks from Boulder Video Design on Vimeo.