Onward and Upward...............

2008-10-20T16:36:00.001-07:00

The boat ride was a four hour party, and a really good one at that.

This was the beginning of the boat ride to Uto, looks innocent enough....

Evening drinks ontop of the tallest building in Stockholm
My arrival on the train from the airport

Here's a bunch of Sweden pictures from when we first arrived, up till the departure for the island of Uto.

2008-10-20T16:36:00.000-07:00

2008-10-20T14:45:00.000-07:00

The Cellars of Pilsner Urquell

Old Brewers Guild Emblem in the Brewing Museum in Pilsen, CZ

Sumava mountains on the German border (SW Czech Rep.)

Lenka's balcony

Pilsen, CZ
On the way to the German Border.

river Vltava in Prague

Lenka's building

My first Pilsner Urquell in it's homeland...

Here's a smattering of pictures from my stay with Lenka in Pilsen and Prague, CZ. I stopped over for a bit prior to the wedding in Sweden.

Downtown Prague.

2008-10-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

My First Pilsner Urquell in its home land...
Downtown Prague...

For the middle of the summer. We all met in Stockholm, Sweden for Matt's wedding. I stopped in Prague and Pilsen first to see Lenka and drink one of the finest beer styles around...

2008-10-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

Dave gave me this sharp new jacket so I can hit the road... and spread the word...
Distillery tasting...

Idaho crew...
Midnight , two wheeled endevours...
I love my friends

Well.... to start off the blog again.... here's some rando pics from birthdays, Idaho Beer Festival, and a tasting at the distillery....

2008-05-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

I've been under the gun getting the distillery operating so I haven't had much in the way of interesting weekends, but its starting to ease up so I took a weekend in Seattle with Denver and Geargia for a Devotchka concert, seafood and rain. Pikes Place Market.
Laying in the sun on campus, Capitol hill, Seattle.
Elysian Brewing Company..

Brown bagg'n it in Capitol Hill
Like a sucker I went to the first Starbucks to see where this whole world dominance thing got started....

Just about the best crab of my life, straight off the boat
Pikes Place Brewery.
Devotchka...

2008-03-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Matt and Linn came out from Stockholm for a Pre-Wedding- Ski/Desert/Friends-Trip. We met up Thursday eve. in the Swell and dropped into Baptist Draw the following morning.

View from camp....

The smile says it all....
Last Drop into the main canyon...

The drive down from Salt Lake was one of the better ones..

Strait down, Rigging the big two stage rap. About 50' or so to the ledge, then about 70' or 80' to the floor...

2008-03-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

2008-03-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

2008-03-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

For those of who aren't aware, I'm now in charge of the first Utah Micro Distillery. High West Distillery is currently located in the Salt Lake Valley and will have a second location, along with a restaurant and club, in Park City, Utah in 2009. Founder and partner David Perkins contacted me shortly after my return from the UK and we connected immediately. I will continue to do private work for RedRock Brewing on a limited basis in the future, but I think I'll be plenty busy starting this company with David.

2008-03-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not German, but I had the flag in my bag for whatever reason...
With Spring here, we've had to go to the highest points in the Wasatch for good snow...

Unfortunately when we got up there the visibility was horrible. This was about 200-300 ft. from where you gain the ridge to summit Twin Peaks. When we got to the top the vis. was far worse.

2008-03-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

Spring has begun to take over the valley so its time to get the wheels spin'n.
First A.M. ride to work didn't disappoint.

2008-02-26T07:12:00.000-08:00

We've had a couple weeks of average snow and high pressure so........We took off to the desert...

From shorts, to thermals and rain gear, it was winter in the desert
Finishing a 20 mile day on Sunday we had a pretty magnificent hike out at sunset...

Druid arch

2008-02-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

With all the low elevation snow we've had the chance to get up to peaks-less-traveled

Went up to Mount Aire in Parleys Canyon for a point-to-point tour, In from Lambs Canyon and out by Mountian Dell and the gun range.

Looking down the NE ridge

Salt Lake Valley and beyond...

From the start at Lambs Canyon

Sumitting with the NE face to the left

2008-01-31T09:15:00.000-08:00

Sound Tribe Sector Nine

2008-01-28T08:43:00.000-08:00

Sunday the 27th, of Jan. The storm before the BIG STORM. We went up to watch the chaos build before a multiple foot dump in the mountains was forcasted. We were out of there by noon, it was nasty wind effected snow with 50+ gusts in the LOWER elevations...
This is the only picture I took...

2008-01-28T08:07:00.000-08:00

TIME TO TIPI! We finally made it up to the tipi for the setup. For those who aren't aware, me and two or three other friends built a tipi up Little Cottonwood Canyon at about 9300 feet back about four years ago. Every winter sometime in Jan. or early Feb. we go up to dig it out and get it setup for a season of 'over nighters'. It gets us easy access to the biggest and best terrain in the canyon...and plus winter camping is just plain FUN. The base of the floor extends about 3 feet or so below the top of the snow pack and it sleeps about 6-7.
The ridge line has some spectacular views.

As near as I can figure we moved about 800 to 1,000 pounds of snow out of it. Probably the most of any setup trip we've had (yeah...it's been snowing a lot here...)
The view from on top of our exit run from the ridge...

2008-01-28T07:49:00.000-08:00

Mat and Steph are parents of a healthy baby boy named Brady.

I couldn't be around for the Minnesota birthday so I initiated a Salt Lake City birthday celebration for the little guy on his big night... (his name wasn't known until he officially arrived so we had to make one up for the night...)

2008-01-21T09:52:00.000-08:00

Went for a hike up to Lookout Peak with the biggest crew yet of 5.

Artificial Ice Wall up a side fork of Emigration Canyon

A nice steep headwall we skiied on the back side of Lookout Peak

2008-01-14T13:39:00.000-08:00

As for the first tour of 2008.....it went well....

2008-01-14T13:36:00.000-08:00

I spent the last day of 2007 at Solitude Mtn. Resort on a phat powder day. I was supposed to meet up with a friend in the morning, I didn't find him, but I did find face shots all day long. A truly epic end to the year.

2008-01-14T13:22:00.000-08:00

It was a great, quiet, relaxing Christmas....

2007-12-21T12:54:00.000-08:00

On Dec. 2oth I flew back to MN for a quick week of Christmas with the family. My plane didn't leave till dinner time so I pulled a sunrise hike up Mill D Fork to play in the new snow.

The run out, back to the car...
The 'black curtain of death' over taking the airport and crashing into the mountains (which went on to dump 18 inches of snow in 12 hrs up there), I took this photo out the window of Salt Lake International Airport right when the they were anouncing over the intercom that the FAA put a freeze on all air trafic in and out of SLC until further notice.

2007-12-21T12:50:00.000-08:00

NEW TERRAIN! (for me at least...), up to Portor Fork of Millcreek Canyon.
Nearing the top. John up high right on the skin track.

2007-12-21T12:44:00.000-08:00

Me and Gwen
Merry Christmas

Denver, good friend and roommy, was nice enough to offer up a room in her home to me for a bit. This pic was taken during her cookie and alcohol party....

2007-12-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

Jake and I went to Little Water Peak, the sheltered snow was fantastic.
Jake
Setting the skin out...

2007-12-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

Upclose...backside of Mt. Superior.

Mike

2007-12-21T12:18:00.000-08:00

Days after my arrival in Utah, it put down 8 inches in the valley, and more in the mountains...a welcome back gift of sorts...
First outing in Silver Fork

Second outing in Days Fork

2007-12-21T12:11:00.000-08:00

The drive from MN to UT looks nice here, but trust me, it was horrible.
After getting side swiped by a lady in Nebraska, and hellish dust and wind storms in Wyoming, I arrived in Fort Collins, Colorado....ready for a beer at Odells Brewing Co.....
Downtown Fort Collins

2007-12-21T11:53:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm back in the states. Smiles all around the table.
Someone up stairs knew I needed a good shot of snow and didn't hesitate to provide right when I got back to Minnesota. I've never been more content shoveling for three hours....
A deck shot over thanksgiving from the cabin up north on a frozen lake.
Me and my bro out in the town...

It was soon time to leave MN and head west to Utah for yet another new chapter....

2007-10-09T03:38:00.000-07:00

Went to the Scotish island of Tiree for a long weekend. Its a three hour ferry ride from the port town of Oban. This is the sunset from Oban coming back.

Triee sunset on the warmest and nicest day....
We drove to Oban and went by bike from there

The Ferry left Oban at six a.m., this is the sunrise leaving the mainland.

Yes,,,,,the water was cold....I lasted about four minutes untill my brain went numb....it is october afterall....but I couldn't resist the waves.

The best and warmest day.....besides the water temp, you could say it was tropical
Port town of Oban coming back on the ferry....

2007-10-02T04:06:00.000-07:00

2007-08-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

2007-08-17T06:51:00.000-07:00

Ty left Edinburgh on the morning of Monday the 13th. He was the first to leave out of the group. I guess you can say that marked the beginning of the end for all of us in the UK. All smiles though, good ideas flowed across the table...
Sunday was a day of The Meadows festival with close friends playing live on stage, One last beer at Cloisters bar with all together, and one hell of a dinner at the Czechs house....until next time...
Look Stately?.....me and dave couldn't hold it.

2007-08-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

Ahhh yes, The Great British Beer Festival, Earls Court, downtown London.
Oni and I went for three days----it was a cask ale extravaganza
Mid day we took a few beers to go and headed for Hyde Park for a buzzed-up-lay-about.
Oni giving a nice "Olive" wave....
U.S. breweries like Stone, Rouge, Dogfish Head..etc.. sent cask versions of their brightest and best over the Atlantic for the festivities.
All stands had two levels of casks in the back and a whole bar of beer engines up front, the longest line I waited in was 60 seconds long.

2007-07-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

The life of a labby sucks...

2007-07-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

Denver dropped into town once more and Tyler swung by on the chance we'd be on the balcony..

Before we knew it, the blue came in and we toasted to the sunrise

2007-07-16T07:55:00.000-07:00

Meet my dream team..

2007-07-09T03:20:00.000-07:00

This is the Bay of Musselbourgh, an hour and fifteen minute bike ride from my flat.

2007-07-09T03:10:00.000-07:00

I was out riding the other day and found a shortcut to New Zealand

2007-06-29T15:20:00.000-07:00

The barley fields surrounding the brewery are in full swing...

Cycling inbetween storm cells...

2007-06-27T03:44:00.000-07:00

Well, current cumulative grades just got posted, so those that where pleased went for a few pints on the lawn...then downtown...to several bars.

Okay, now that the past six months have been accounted for (more or less), it's time for new stuff. Right now I'm just getting into my thesis so most likely you'll have some geeked out Brewery/Laboratory pictures to come, but I do plan on getting up to the highlands again before I leave.....Stay tuned...

(I'll leave you now with a few pics of the pilot distillery where the "magical liquid" appears every morning...)

2007-06-26T05:23:00.000-07:00

Finally, back to Edinburgh for more whisky on the balcony.

I think I missed this lecture...

2007-06-26T05:18:00.000-07:00

From there, it was on to Spey Bay where the Spey river meets the north coast.

2007-06-26T05:16:00.000-07:00

Scotland is home to the largest ski industry in the United Kingdom.

2007-06-26T05:11:00.000-07:00

2007-06-26T05:06:00.000-07:00

Went for a wee half day hike up into the Caringorm Mtns.

2007-06-26T05:02:00.000-07:00

Town of Inverness

We headed north to the highlands for better whisky and elevation...ahhh Aberlour, they put on a supreme tasting...

2007-06-26T04:57:00.000-07:00

My brother came out for a week of whisky and rain.

2007-06-26T04:51:00.000-07:00

(This one's for you Gwen...)

Edinburgh Crags and the Castle in the distance.

Midnight Aga.

drunken evenings on the balcony....

2007-06-26T04:47:00.000-07:00

Perfect days in Scotland are few-and-far-between, when they happen, you make the most of it.
Meadows Park (largest/nicest park downtown) for bread and wine, with Lenka and friends

Slivovice shots are safer on the kitchen floor than in chairs.

Beltane fire Festival on Caltin Hill. A fire performance to signify the change-over from winter to spring.

From Blackford Hill

From atop the Edinburgh Crags.

2007-06-26T04:38:00.000-07:00

Spring eventually came a little bit ago so I found a bike. From Blackford hill to Portobello beach (east coast) and around Arthurs Seat...

2007-06-26T04:20:00.000-07:00

This is a half-ass panorama with a few patches missing. Taken from atop Blackford hill, the best hill in the middle of town.

2007-06-26T04:14:00.000-07:00

Taken from the roof of de Halv Moon Brewery in Brugge, Belgium.

Cellars of Rodenbach (they have over 300 of these oak vats)

The showcase Cellar (they actually allow you to rent this one out for dinner parties)

Rodenbach's cold cellar.

2007-06-26T04:08:00.000-07:00

Paulaner's brewpub in down town Munich.

The town and mountians of Innsbruck, Austria.

2007-06-26T04:02:00.000-07:00

The many levels of Berlin's Central Train Station (two levels of trains with over ten tracks and three more levels of commerce inbetween).

If you go to Germany, drink this beer.

(Berlin-to-Munich)

2007-06-26T03:54:00.000-07:00

Inbetween 2nd and 3rd term I went down through Germany, Austria, Belgium, and up through London. This is Weihenstephan (a great German Brewing School) in Friesing Germany, just outside of Munich.

2007-06-26T03:46:00.000-07:00

The Heriot Watt anual Beer festival. (me and the gals)

North British Continuous Distillation facility (produces much of the "grain spirit" that goes into blended malt whiskys like Johnny Walker and such).

Approx. 17 minutes after finishing 2nd term finals, we had a whole leaf cask conditioned I.P.A. tapped and ready for us in the brewery.

2007-06-26T03:43:00.001-07:00

New year's eve was fun, but they cancelled the festivities down town due to wind and rain. I tried to "rush the human wall" and didn't make it.

2007-06-25T11:11:00.001-07:00

Here's a few pics from earlier on in the year...drinks on the balcony, downtown christmas market, the brewery....