Breckenridge Brewery Release New Spring Seasonal Named Ophelia

Breckenridge Brewery will ring in 2014 with a new spring seasonal, Ophelia. Like its namesake from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, this beer is sweet and innocent. The unique hoppy wheat beer weighs in at 5% ABV (alcohol by volume) and offers a refreshing crispness with tropical fruit whispers. It’s worth noting, however, that unlike Shakespeare’s character, Ophelia, there’s no tragic ending with this beer. Quite the opposite, the beer’s light and hoppy finish leaves you wanting another.

“Craft beer is all about diversity, of course” explains Todd Usry, Breckenridge Brewery’s Brewmaster and Director of Brewing Operations. “Strong, complex, flavorful beers have made the craft industry what it is today, but there’s a growing desire for interesting and sophisticated, equally flavorful, session beers. That’s what we want to present with Ophelia – an approachable new beer, accessible by many.”

Ophelia hits the palate with a slightly aggressive hoppiness that’s balanced with light, fruit flavors. Subtle hints of mango, papaya, and guava round out the aroma of Mosaic and Palisade hops. Malted white wheat lends the fullness people expect in a craft beer, even a lighter one. Ophelia joins Avalanche, Vanilla Porter, Agave Wheat, Oatmeal Stout and SummerBright in Breckenridge Brewery’s line of session beers at 5% ABV or less.

The brewery’s complete portfolio runs the gamut from strong, hoppy beers like 471 Double IPA and strong, malty beers like Christmas Ale and Autumn Ale down to its session beers. Its small batch, barrel aged, and nitro programs bring additional variety to its offerings.

Ophelia will hit the market in 6-packs and kegs in early January everywhere Breckenridge Brewery beer is sold, and it will be available as the brewery’s spring seasonal through April.

About Breckenridge Brewery:

Breckenridge Brewery was founded in 1990 in Breckenridge, Colorado. In the past two decades Breckenridge Brewery has grown from a small 3,000-barrels-a-year brewpub to one of the most successful craft beer and restaurant companies in the nation. It now handcrafts more than 52,000 barrels of fresh beer annually and owns and operates five brewpubs and ale houses in the state of Colorado. For more information visit BreckBrew.com.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Taste the Passion Coming to Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail

The annual Taste the Passion wine tour event hosted by the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail (LPVA) is being held February 8 and 9, 2014. The event takes place from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Participants take a self-guided tour through the tasting rooms of 21 wineries along the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. Each winery features a special wine pour paired with a small plate of regional gourmet fare. Guests can indulge on the ever-popular pairing of wine and chocolate as well as wine and other sweet and savory delights.

Often referred to as winter wonderland, Leelanau Peninsula is a fabulous region to visit during the winter months. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing through the vines in addition to other seasonal activities are part of the optional fun during the event.

Tickets are $35 per person. Quantities are limited, and most LPVA events sell out quickly, so interested participants are encouraged to get tickets as soon as possible to guarantee availability. Get tickets and learn more details including lodging packages, transportation options and more at LPWines.com.

In addition to the event, participants can kick-off the weekend on Friday night, February 7, 2014 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Art from Michigan’s Wine Country event. Hosted by the Glen Arbor Art Association, the event takes place at the Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor. Regional art is featured and available for sale onsite.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a wine enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

The Macallan Masters of Photography Features Japanese Artist Daido Moriyama

To celebrate Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama and acknowledge his contribution to the art of photography, The Macallan will launch The Macallan Masters of Photography: Capsule Edition: Daido Moriyama – Remix, Remixed.

This limited edition offering of only 500 bottles, exclusive to Asia Travel Retail, features a remix of Daido Moriyama work from his renowned book of the same name “Remix” along with some other specially selected material. Each specially bound book, which includes a series of inspired French fold pages, has been hand signed by the photographer himself. The aim was to showcase his impactful style by bringing it to a wider audience, pairing it with a one-off cask strength single malt Scotch whisky from The Macallan.

The whisky chosen by The Macallan’s Whisky Maker Bob Dalgarno brings alive the subtleties of the photographers work. Matured in a first fill sherry seasoned oak cask (cask no. 15,245), the whisky is indulgent and sumptuous, and showcases the dark character of The Macallan (58.9% ABV). Measuring 75 on The Macallan colour scale this is one of the darkest single casks ever released and is priced at $1,750 (USD).

Ken Grier, Director of Malts at Edrington, commented: “We took our inspiration for this capsule edition of The Macallan Masters of Photography following an exclusive event by Daido Moriyama, supported by The Macallan at The Tate Modern, entitled ‘Menu’. 350 guests gathered and selected their personal menu of Daido Moriyama’s photographs which were then bound into a silk screened book cover and signed by Daido.

“This made such an impression that we were moved to further celebrate his work by creating a very distinctive limited edition. We felt passionately about capturing Moriyama’s challenging perspective and style. His influence over the photographic world in both Japan and the rest of the world has been profound and we’re relishing marking his life and work with this latest release.”

Tasting Notes: Daido Moriyama – Remix, Remixed (58.9% ABV)

Colour: Darkest cherry

Nose: Opulent and intense. The cask shows its darker side. Raisin, fig, date and clove are the heavyweights of the group supported by ripe apple, black cherry, chocolate, ginger and resinous wood.

Palate: Viscous, orange peel, citrus oil. Ginger, wood spices and clove. Treacle shows later with a depth of sweetness then bitter chocolate

Finish: Long and warming

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a whisky enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Bambu Announces the Grand Opening of its Newest Shoppe in South San Francisco

The San Francisco Bay Area founded Vietnamese chè chain, Bambu Desserts & Drinks, announced the grand opening of its newest shoppe in South San Francisco this past weekend. “The love and demand for Bambu chè continues to expand across the Bay Area,” said Kelly Nguyen, co-founder and CEO of Bambu Desserts & Drinks, Inc. “Our chè is true enjoyment in a cup for all ages.”

Bambu - South San Francisco located at 2223 Gellert Boulevard, South San Francisco launched its grand opening this past Friday, December 27 at 9:00 am and they continued the festivities until 9:30 pm Sunday. “We were instantly hooked on our family first visited Bambu in San Jose,” said Richard Tan, owner of Bambu - South San Francisco. “As soon our visits became a weekly family tradition, we knew we wanted to open our own Bambu shoppe as soon as possible.”

Located in Gellert Square, Bambu Desserts & Drinks is surrounded by many popular restaurants such as Ling Nam and Topping. Also near Lucky Chances Casino, this Asian mecca serves South San Francisco and Daly City’s dominant Asian communities including Filipino and Chinese. “It was great to see such wonderful local support this holiday weekend,” continued Richard.

“It’s truly great to see Richard and his family’s passion and commitment to sharing Bambu’s unique experience with their community,” said Kelly. “My sisters and I are proud to share Bambu with South San Francisco and Daly City communities and we hope that they enjoy our chè and drinks as much as we do.”

Bambu Desserts & Drinks was founded in 2008 by four sisters in San Jose, California. With 32 new shops opening across the U.S. in the past 19 months, Bambu has become nationally known for its fresh, healthy and colorful Vietnamese-inspired chè, fresh coconut drinks, Vietnamese espressos, blended coffees, and exotic smoothies. Their menu has nearly 100 desserts, coffees, teas and drinks to select from, but you can order any item “just the way you love it” including extra jellies, pearls, or shots of espresso.

For more information on Bambu Desserts & Drinks, visit DrinkBambu.com.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a vodka enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Seattle Area's Woodmark Hotel Honored as One of The Best in the World

Woodmark Hotel

For the second time in as many months, The Woodmark Hotel & Spa has been ranked as one of the best hotels in the world in Travel + Leisure Magazine. This award announced just on the heels of the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Award voting the Woodmark Hotel among the top properties in the World last month.

The Travel + Leisure 'World's Best' list is based on a comprehensive reader survey that rates each property on their facilities, location, service and culinary fare. As one of only three hotels in Washington to make the list, The Woodmark offers exclusive waterfront views and is well known for its personalized guest experience, array of amenities and fitness activities, and fresh local dining at bin on the lake and Beach Cafe.

"It is incredibly humbling to have the voice of our valued Woodmark guests' evolve into a Best in the World designation," notes Howard Jacobs, general manager of The Woodmark Hotel & Spa. "Our team of dedicated associates bring their passion and commitment for our guests each and every day and we couldn't be more proud of their efforts."

Touted as a popular urban property, the hotel's focus on unique touches that improve the comfort of each guest was a key component in both awards. Whether it's complimentary late night snacks, in-room martini bar, or cruising Lake Washington on board Woodmark II, it's clear that guests of The Woodmark love the broad array of offerings.

In November, The Woodmark Hotel & Spa was voted one of the best properties in the world in the annual Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards for the second year in a row, with almost 80,000 votes cast.

Bringing together a host of fitness activities and amenities, The Woodmark Hotel welcomes each guest with an uncommon blend of inspired personalized service and a serene lakeside setting just minutes from Seattle, Redmond and Bellevue.

The property features 100 expertly crafted guestrooms and suites, rejuvenating spa treatments at Northwest Face Spa and delectable culinary offerings at two on-property waterfront dining venues - bin on the lake and Beach Café. For those with a more active agenda, The Woodmark offers a variety of activities from paddle boarding and kayaking to on-site customized fitness programs with their Director of Adrenaline.

For more information about the Woodmark and to make reservations, call 425-822-3700 or visit TheWoodmark.com.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a tequila enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

80% of World Leaders Now on Twitter

The Digital Policy Council (DPC) released its fourth annual ranking of world leaders' use of the social media website Twitter.com. DPC's latest report indicates continued but decelerated growth in the number of heads of state on this medium. In 2013, 80% or 4 out of 5 world leaders were using Twitter. This figure represents a growth of 8% over 2012 contrasting sharply with the upsurge of 78% between 2011 and 2012.

Top 10 World Leaders who Tweet

President Obama of the United States continues to occupy the #1 spot, gaining 16 million followers in just one year, due to the president's popularity and comfort with social media. A noticeable upturn occurred during the U.S. government shutdown in the fall of 2013 as Obama, politicians and citizens alike tweeted their frustrations about the situation.

The most dramatic debut was the rocketing ascent of Indonesian leader President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY for short) to the #2 spot. SBY joined Twitter in 2013, and quickly gained 4.2 million followers. As the leader of the most populous Islamic country, SBY shares candid and personal opinions in an effort to strengthen democracy at home and throughout the region.

Venezuela was another big mover, slumping from #2 to #13. The passing of the popular Hugo Chávez triggered the drop, although Chávez's successor, President Nicolas Maduro was immediately accepted, entering the ranking in the Top 15.

The greatest upward movement among the top 10 was that of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. He jumped from #10 last year to #7 in 2013. Sheikh Mohammed's followers increased by 1 million to 2.4 million, an indication that his openness to different cultures and public dialog resonates with UAE citizens and residents who, Sheikh Mohammed says, "continually arise to the occasion whenever approached to contribute to innovative ideas."

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina moved up one spot to #6. Fernández's preference to communicate with the public directly via social media rather than traditional press conferences is prophetic of how leaders will leverage Twitter in the future.

Who are the Holdouts?

With 80 percent saturation among world leaders on Twitter, the profile of holdouts warrants examination.

Political leaders in China, the world's most populous country, remain absent on social media. Twitter has been blocked since 2009, and while China does have its own micro-blogging platform, called Sina Weibo, it is strictly regulated by government censors. U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron opened a Weibo account prior to his visit to China in 2013 prompting calls for President Xi Jinping to follow suit.

More surprising is the European democracies that do not utilize Twitter, with Denmark and Sweden as notable examples. In fact, no European leaders are even represented in the Top 10. Perhaps more apparent are the leaders of politically unstable governments who simply shun social media or jumped onto Twitter only to let their accounts go dormant.

Indeed, according to DPC's analysis, 67% of the countries that utilize Twitter were politically stable, indicating that leaders confident in their political legitimacy are most apt to utilize social media.

In 2014, the DPC expects penetration on Twitter for world leaders to rekindle and reach 90 percent, with leaders ultimately realizing how to employ Twitter effectively as a means of strategic communications — an insight seized by Iran's newly-elected President Hassan Rouhani who became active on Twitter in 2013 for international relations even though the site is blocked in his own country.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a vodka enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Horseheads Brewing Signs Distribution Deal with NYC-area Sarene Craft Beer Distributors

Sarene Craft Beer Distributors LLC today announced that it signed a distribution agreement with Horseheads Brewing Inc. for the Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island.

Based in Horseheads, New York, Horseheads Brewing has received numerous awards and accolades for their beers since opening their doors in 2007. Under the extensive experience of head brewer and owner, Ed Simchisen, Horseheads has received the award for best brewery in New York at TAP New York in 2010. More recently, their porter has ranked in the top three for “Best Craft Beer” in New York State for 2012 and 2013.

“We believe Horseheads may have even better offerings than the porter,” said Matt Schulman, Co-founder of Sarene. “We can’t wait to bring an incredible year-round portfolio, including one of the best pumpkin beers and best chili beers in the world to our book. We’re confident that going forward, Ed will continue to brew exceptional beer that keeps his customer base excited for each and every batch.”

Horseheads will be launching with Sarene in January with all package from the year-round collection as well as seasonal and specialty beers. Draft will be intermittently available upon request and consistently available later in 2014.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.