Letter to the Past....

Dear Anna,

                Hello there, my name is Eric Rausch and I am from the year 2014 located in the frigid land of Duluth Minnesota. You may be wondering why I am writing to you and how I came to find the time machine as well as understanding that we can only send letters through the vacuum shoot. Jocelyn is actually my professor in class in the future, and she assigned me the duty of writing you and explaining the future! In the following letter I will be informing you of all the new forms of communications in 2014 compared to your 1873 such as a thing called “tweeting” and all about “posting”. I’m excited for this opportunity, I hope this helps paint a clearer picture of 2014 for you and gives you all the answers to your questions.

               

               Much like you stated in the letter you wrote to Jocelyn that she gave to me, when talking face-to-face even in my present (your future) we still surprisingly in fact talk about the weather quite regularly, especially in Minnesota where the weather changes every 5 minutes. It is one of the main ice breakers for our conversations. We also regularly discuss athletics the main one’s being football and soccer, I’m sure people have quite the sports following in your time as well, just maybe different sports.

                To answer your most crucial question it is going to take a few paragraphs to talk it all out with you, here we go. The way we communicate in my world (2014) can be accomplished in many, many forms or platforms. These platforms are different forms of social media communications, they have a wide array of them for all different scenarios.  These give us the ability to instantaneously communicate or share information with someone thousands and thousands of miles away if we want. (Crazy to believe I know)

                

                The first platform I’m going to explain to you is a social integration website (from the internet, whole different story) called Facebook. This is a place where you can post your thoughts for the day on your “wall”, as well as photos of yourself, family members, or any picture you feel like posting really. The site also allows you to see all of your friend’s thoughts of the day, pictures, or anything really. This site allows us as people of migration who move to places different from our home (usually) to connect with people who we may have left behind to pursue our own goals. If it is by instantly chatting on their Facebook chat platform, or just by enjoying pictures or posts of our friends that we can “like” (by hitting a button) or commenting on those posts or pictures. It was an ingenious idea that propelled social media into whole different realm then it was previously thought to reach before.

                

                Twitter is another platform of social media that has gained prominence in recent years, twitter is similar in a way to the previous platform Facebook, and however this is a more instant stream of information as well as friends thoughts of the day. Users “tweet” something but it has to be less than 140 characters, it may be less characters but this may be a little bit more challenging for some people because being able to relay your message in fewer words is a skill many people are continuously developing. Twitter to me is my main source of information about what’s going on in the world, while you can’t believe everything you read on there if you look closely you can actually find some very relevant information from reliable sources that could be a statement, photo, or link to a different website.

               

                Blogging is another popular form for communications that occurs in a non-face-to-face manner, this is done by people going to popular blogging sites and creating a blog of their choice if they so choose. This is great for people who may go on trips for a month, or study abroad and they can’t communicate with their loved ones through phone calls (Jocelyn said she explained to you telephones). The blogger will post whatever they feel like or whatever subject they want to talk about. For example, someone takes a trip to a museum with their study abroad program that they wanted to share with everyone. They would go to their “blog” and write up a summary of the things he/she did and saw, as well as any pictures they want to share they may have taken.

                

               The conclusion I have for you on my present (future to you) is that there is exponential ways for us as human beings to communicate with each other over vast distances that are not available to you.  I believe that if you were to find a way to my time, you would find yourself being less lonely because you can literally make friends from anywhere. You would have the ability to be in contact with them at any instant and be able to share with them whatever you feel like, it would literally be all up to you! My final statement is that the year 2014 is an amazing time in human history because we are the most technologically advanced we have ever been, information can be shared so quickly that we as humans are becoming more and more intelligent as we grow. I hope the best for you in the past (your present) and hope you can find a way to 2014 if that is something that you really want.

All the best to you Anna,

Eric Rausch

Longboard

                Here we are at the end of the line for my school project, my last beer review for the assignment, it has been a fun ride, at least for me that is. I’ve never been able to say I’m doing research and homework when I’m drinking beer in my life. I’d have to say it was probably one of the more exciting things I’ve ever done for school. Anyways, let’s get started here I chose a Kona Brewing Co. brew to review, based in Kona, HI called Longboard Island Lager.

                After the first initial pour the beer has a light golden hue that didn't produce a lot of head, making me believe that this beer could be on the lighter side of lagers in flavor. I get an aroma of sweet grain, musky hops, and butter. There is a definite taste of malt in your first initial sip, following with a hint of sweetness ending in a rather bitter taste.

The Facts

Style: American Pale Lager (Island Lager)

ABV: 4.6%

IBU: 20

Color: Light Golden

Brewery: Kona Brewing Company (Kona, Hawaii)

Rating: 5/10

                     I’ll admit once I first poured the beer, I knew that this wasn’t a style of beer I usually enjoy too much, the color seemed off and the aroma wasn’t really impressing me. After my first glass I noticed that it definitely had more of a malty style, not much of a flavorful taste. The color just didn’t stand out to me as a really tasty beer.

             

               My final thoughts and recommendations on this beer is that for my taste, this wasn’t the style of pale lager that I enjoy, however that is nothing against their brewery they have a very successful business with other delicious choices. If you happen to be out looking for a Pale Lager I would suggest to you that heed my words and look elsewhere for a selection of pale lager, such as Blue Paddle from New Belgium Brewing Company. One thing I do enjoy about the beer is the look of the bottle and its label. They just catch the eye so well with a different shaped bottle than other beers for a different look, as well as a bright label with surfers  and waves on the front. Makes the beer look exciting and perfect for a day on the beach!

              To finish it off here I just want to thank anyone who took time out of their day to read these beer reviews I hope you enjoyed them and found it helpful for new beer to try out!

Cheers,

Eric 

Skooool Vikings!!!

Bent Hop

                Hello again beers enthusiasts! As promised, here is one of the two reviews I’ll post today from beers I have been researching all week. The first beer I’ll review about is a local brew from Bent Paddle Brewing company right here in Duluth, MN. After doing two craft beers from Wisconsin one after the other, I had to bring it back to the home state. (By the way did anyone watch the Vikings game today? We scored an 87 yard touchdown to win in Overtime, INSANE) I selected the Bent Hop Golden IPA because it is personally my favorite IPA, so I may be a little biased but I wanted to review it for you anyway.

                My first pour of the Bent Hop IPA, my initial reaction was that the beer has a very good level of head, as well as a nice golden colored hue. This is because I would say and I believe the Bent Paddle Website as well thinks that this is a non-traditional IPA. My first whiff of the aroma of the beer was hints of citrus, and fruit, as well as the hop aroma. After my first of many sips of the beer, I observed that is not super hoppy but still has a good bite of bitterness too it, to counteract the subtle flavors of the fruit. A smooth and tasteful flavor compliments the enticing aromas of the beer. Here are the Facts.

Style: Golden American Style India Pale Ale

ABV: 6.2%

IBU: 68

Color: Golden Hue

Brewery: Bent Paddle Brewing Company (Duluth, MN)

Rating: 8.5/10

                The color of the beer makes it so enticing because the golden hue makes it look so delicious and desirable. It isn’t a super Hop IPA coming in with 68 IBUs, but it still delivers that typical IPA “bite” that I enjoy so much. The label on the can is very interesting it has a very sleek design that catches the eye of customers, they have a small little saying on their can that I really found cool. “10% of the world’s fresh water is found in Lake Superior, 100% of our beer is made from that water.” However I think that the beer would look way better in a bottle as opposed to an aluminum can.

                  

                My final thoughts and advice for the Bent Hop, Bent Paddle Brew, is that I think this is a very fantastic beer from a company that is only going to continue to brew excellence as more and more capital and resources become available to them. It’s a different twist on IPAs but one that I enjoy because Bent Paddle was willing to try something different and take a risk to which I think paid off greatly. I hope you enjoyed this review and hope you find yourself enjoying a Bent Hop in the coming weeks.

Cheers,

Eric

Tis' The Season

Snowdrift

What a long weekend it was, it was frightfully cold outside and the Minnesotans we’re on the prowl fighting the good fight with good old Mother Nature. Some calls us crazy, but we, we say we’re resilient. Exhibit A I found myself on this cool crisp late November day in Minneapolis, and of all places outside in full winter gear, hand warmers and all, screaming and yelling “Skol Vikings” Barley over 10 degrees and I couldn’t of cared less, we watched one heck of a football game, culminating into a Minnesota Vikings Victory!! It was my first cold outdoor Vikings game, and it was AWESOME.

I’m back in the great white north (Duluth) and as I’m watching Sunday Night Football I’m offered a beer. A surprisingly delightful vanilla porter. They call it Snowdrift and it’s from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company located in Chippewa Falls, WI. I know, I know another beer review from Packer Country? Trust me, the next one will be from Viking Territory. Enough of my rambling, let’s talk beer.

First of it was offered to me in a can, not a good start, for some reason I think bottled beer has a better taste then aluminum stored beer. The beer had a very good pour, showing the typical signs of a dark porter, the opaque dark brown liquid, with a nice tan layer of head to finish off the pour in my pint glass. My first whiff of the aroma gave me hints of coffee, chocolate, and vanilla. After my first few drinks of the Snowdrift I had the taste of vanilla, and coffee mostly standing out to me. You really get these flavors because of the roasted malts they brew the beer, as well as the selected hops they use. Let’s take a look at the facts:

Style: Porter

ABV: 6.0%

IBU: 16

Color: Opaque

Brewery: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company (Chippewa Falls, WI)

Look: Aluminum Can with decorative winter colors, big attractive logo.

Rating: 7/10

         I like the amount of effort and time they clearly took to design the label. Makes it more eye catching with the potential to drive more customers towards their brand and to purchase it. It had a surprisingly attractive color once poured into a pint glass for more observation really nice dark brown that you want to see. I however wasn’t all that impressed with the taste, it was a little too sweet in my opinion, not really giving it that really nice roasted flavor that makes it a little more bitter. The head of the beer when first poured was a solid level, but quickly disappeared to a small thin layer that you don’t want in a porter.

        My conclusion of this beer is that for what the price of the beer is, I would probably recommend you to look for something similar from different brewery, that is if you are a more traditional porter drinker and in on it being really sweet. There’s nothing wrong with their recipe, as it is clearly a popular beer for them as they make it only a few months out of the year every year. It just isn’t what I’m looking for in a seasonal porter, but that’s the whole reason of me doing this right? Too give you my thoughts on the beer I drink!

As always thank you for your time,

Cheers, Eric

The first of many.....

Bubblejack

I’ll admit when I first started buying beer the Viking pride I have in me made it a struggle to enjoy Wisconsin craft beer. However, much to my dismay Wisconsin has some great breweries that produce tasty products. In the last few years craft beers have greatly changed my beer preferences, two years ago I would be the guy buying twenty four packs of Keystone Light (16oz, of course) never really understanding that I was drinking water with a little yeast and hops thrown in a can of nasty, nasty light beer. Then I took a tour of the Shells brewery in New Ulm, MN. My beer taste buds were never the same. I’m so excited for the opportunity to review beers for an actual school assignment, never thought that would be an option.

Enough of me babbling on about my boring story let’s get to the task at hand. I went to the store earlier tonight and browsed the shelves for a good forty-five minutes searching for some beer I had never tried before. Then, BOOM the Bubblejack IPA from Rush River Brewing caught my eye. I immediately grabbed it and headed for the register. Alright, let’s get started!

   

              My first impressions of the beer after pouring it into a cold pint glass was that it had a nice level of head after the pour, head being of course the top layer of foam in the beer glass. After the beer was poured I smelled the aroma of the beer and observed that it had an almost fruity hint along with the hop smell. After a few sips of the beer I noticed that it isn't the most “hoppy” IPA, probably because it’s an American Style IPA. However, while I was enjoying it I was impressed that the first smell I got of the beer complimented the flavor very nicely, there was a little hint of fruit flavoring, as well as a small bite of citrus. Here are the facts of the beer:

(Bubblejack IPA)

Style: American IPA

ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 6.5%

IBU (International Bitterness Units): 60 + Dry Hopped

Color: Light Amber

Brewery: Rush River Brewing Co. (River Falls, WI)

Look: Brown Bottle, Green and light tan label.

Rating: 7.5/10

             The color of the beer isn't as dark as one is used to having with an IPA, it’s more of what I would describe as a light amber color, which is fine don’t be worried the beer still has plenty of flavor. The IBUs in the beer is around 60 which mean it’s on the less hoppy side of an IPA which explains my first impressions of the beer being a less hop filled IPA, and not having the typical IPA “bite” to it. Another observation after my second glass of Bubblejack is the beer has a really nice and smooth taste to it. One negative I have is the label of the beer, it isn't quite the most interesting beer label I've ever seen. To me it just seems pretty bland and boring not the most exciting colors, my advice would be to start over on the label and work on something that will bring attention to the beer so people look at it. (Remember I searched for over 45 minutes on the beers shelves at Cash Wise before I actually noticed it) 

             My overall conclusion of the beer is that if you’re looking to get interested into craft beers, or micro-brews and find that some IPAs are still too bitter for you to really enjoy, I would recommend this beer. It is a lighter less hop filled American style IPA that I think is more mild mannered and could be a beer that would pair well with a burger right of the grill from home, or at your local favorite watering hole. However, be careful because they 6.5% alcohol content does creep up on you because of the smooth drink-ability this beer has, so in that regard make sure your limiting yourself to just one or two of these if you have anywhere to travel.  (Below is a few of the pictures I took of the beer for you to get your on glimpse of the bottle and what it looks like in a glass!) Writing continues after images

             

Thank you for your time reading this blog, and my first beer review, I’m excited to get better each time I do one of these, so if you don’t see some information you’re looking for, post a comment for me and I will try and find that piece of information for you, as well as include it in my next review which will be up Sunday! (Below is a few of the pictures I took of the beer for you to get your on glimpse of the bottle and what it looks like in a glass!)

Happy Thanksgiving!!                 

BEER BLOG #1

Blog Advertisement

Hello! Welcome to the blog of WHY NOT? Brewery. We are investing much of our non-brewing time to the social media marketing sector that has blossomed over the last 7 years. The exposure we can gain with this cheap and effective marketing ploy is crucial to our success as a brewing company. For without knowledge of one’s product the potential customer cannot purchase the goods of an unknown company they’ve never heard of. That is why we are focusing most of our marketing online and also of course with TV ads, when we can afford them that is.

We have started this blog slowly over the past few weeks, to help ensure that we establish a strong social media advantage on marketing. Here at WHY NOT? we strive to deliver a strong presence of young minds with a severe eagerness to succeed in our very first attempts at our dream jobs that will blossom into successful careers!

Please if this is the first you have heard of our small startup brewery with growing expansions in many fields please join us at www.whynotbeer.com (not real) to take a look at our story, as well as our products. We have interactive videos that we have listed on our site of our process in the beer brewing field. We love what we do but take it very seriously and our CRITICAL of every single batch of beer that we brew.

The major aims of our company are:

·                        Deliver the finest beer we can brew to our amazing customer base

·                        Strive to make new recipe’s and advancements in the brewing world

·                        Testing the limits on taste buds everywhere

We hope you also follow us on our own social media accounts, with Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and also Vine! @WHYNOT?Beer and YouTube channel WHYNOTUS.

In our latest blog post we are here to update you on how our new Porter “Unintended”  has been doing, while we spread word fast it took about a week of “Unintended” being on the shelves for it to take off! After that the rest has been amazing! We can hardly supply enough to the limit stores we supply! If this keeps up more and more investors will become intrigued with us and our amazing business plan/model.

We will be having an event with our newest friends BENT PADDLE BREWERY (NOT REAL,NOT FRIENDS, “I wish”) at the AMSOIL ARENA were we will be having beer tastings of all our products. Also we will be having a raffle for small prizes, as well as a 100 foot putt contest where if a person sinks a putt they get 20 cases of their choice of their favorite BENT PADDLE, OR WHY NOT? Beers. We are excited for this opportunity for exposure with a respected brewery as Bent Paddle, and can’t wait to see you all there for the fun and activities.

                Cheers from all of us here at WHY NOT? Brewery and raise a glass to all of those beer lovers around the globe. ENJOY!

-WhyNot? Brewer

Why Not?

The company I will be promoting for this semester on Social Media is a fictional brewing company call Why Not? Brewery. Opening a brewery has always been a dream for me, so I figured why not make a fictional brewing company for this semester. My company mission statement is as follows, “We we’re bored so we figured WHY NOT?”. The aim of this company is for us to sell beer for a reasonable price for our target market of twenty something year old's getting into the swing of their careers looking for a solid option of tasty microbrews. This company all got started with two of my close friends who decided to brew beer one day, that event triggered a chain of events that led to possibly one of the most successful breweries in the future. We have started off with one option of beer at the moment our original WHY NOT IPA. It is set to be the beer we are most recognized for and hopefully becomes the staple of all IPAs. With the perfect blend of bittery hops flavor with a small recognizable sweet hint to help balance it out, this beer could change the face of IPAs as we know it. We are going to be using social media as the main focus of our marketing campaigns, with the way the world has been progressive over the last decade, we believe this is going to be CRUCIAL for our success. The fact that as a couple of twenty four year olds who are starting a business like a brewery it is essential that we use our skills to keep all accounting balances up to date and balanced. With our limited life experience it may be hard for us to raise the money need for capital for the business. However, the fact that we had grown up in a time with so much technological advancement we have realized that we can use this to our advantage when we are speaking to potential investors. We have been experimenting mostly with different recipes trying to find the right ingredients needed to find our next great beer to follow up our IPA. It has been grueling tough work with a lot of thrown away beer, and weak stomachs from drinking terrible batches that didn’t quite work out. Although we believe we are right on the verge of our next great recipe, which we are hoping to unveil at our next scheduled presentation with companies looking for more money. The beer recipe we are currently trying to crack is a dark porter, we our very partial to the Bent Paddle Black, which we are hoping to mimic yet throw our own variations to give it that WHY NOT? Flavor. With a solid variety of beer we are hoping we can receive enough capital to buy a large warehouse to start the actual brewery location. Thank you for taking the time and reading about the company I am so proud about, let’s raise a glass to WHY NOT? Brewing and hope for immense future success!!