California’s First Micro-Malthouse to Open in Bay Area

Admiral Maltings, California’s first small-batch malthouse of commercially available malted barley, is slated to begin production in May or June in the San Francisco Bay Area.

One of about 30 other micro-malthouses in the US, Admiral Maltings will offer locally sourced malted barley to California’s regional breweries which, until now, have had to source their malted grains from out of state (Montana, North Dakota) or internationally (Canada, Germany, England).

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Beer Hall of Fame Inductee: Alaskan Brewing Amber

Along with being the 49th state in the American union, Alaska is known for its harsh winters, wild animals, mining and the Alaskan Brewing Co. And the brewery’s flagship beer, Alaskan Amber, was born out of all the traditional elements normal to the country’s largest state.

Sipping the brew, one notices its candy-like under- and overtones. While the malt doesn’t overpower the palate, it is certainly present. But the beer, born in Juno in 1986, also drinks softly even when chilled close to ice cold. The recipe’s original brewer, Geoff Larson, a co-founder at Alaskan Brewing, says he practically stumbled upon the recipe when his brewery was just beginning.

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Violin Virtuoso Andrew Joslyn’s Serene Debut LP Was Born of Chaos

Seattle-based violinist/composer Andrew Joslyn has toured the world on the strength of his playing. He is most definitely a musician. But the prolific artist could easily have been the world’s most accomplished juggler.

Sitting across a table from him in West Seattle’s cozy Uptown Espresso, plans, words, and ideas tumble out of his mouth at an amazing rate—objectives he seems to keep afloat, bouncing in midair—but they aren’t just wishes, they’re descriptions of the many actual projects he has his hands on.

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Here’s 5 Easy Munchies That Cost Less Than $3 To Make


Weed is expensive. But even more than that, life is expensive. When was the last time you didn’t have a car payment or a ridiculous tech boom rent hike (our sympathies, west coasters!)? This inevitably sharpens your gaze in the grocery store: you keenly notice which items are on sale, which are bargains, which will taste good while stoned — all while lamenting a bottomed-out bank account. It’s the new year, which means, at least for the month of January, most of us are trying to stick to our resolution to be more budget conscious. With that, we present five easy “meals” that cost less than $3 to buy and prepare and will totally hit the spot.

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What Exactly Is a Cicerone, Anyway?

In the world of beer, one word is growing in popular recognition. And, perhaps surprisingly, it’s not a style or a brewery. It is, rather, the title of beer expert: a cicerone.

It’s the beer equivalent of sommelier, or wine expert. Perhaps you’ve heard of it, perhaps you haven’t. But what is a cicerone, exactly? How does a person become one, and what happens after that?

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The Safety Pin Box Helps Allies Walk the Walk

“It’s one thing to say to folks, ‘Go and do the work,’ ” says Seattle activist and writer Marissa Jenae Johnson. “I certainly understand that sentiment, but it can be hard for some people to grasp.”

The work she’s referencing, of course, is visible, tangible efforts made by everyday citizens to dismantle oppressive systems like racism, ableism, and the patriarchy. Johnson, world-renowned for her work with Black Lives Matter, is a staunch advocate for sacrifice, especially when it comes to privileged white people giving up their comforts to people of color and the marginalized, who have suffered at the hands of an abusive system for hundreds of years.

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Seattle’s Freakout Records to celebrate its artists with festival

When Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready walks into a KEXP music fair wearing your record label’s T-shirt, you know you’ve officially made it.

That’s what happened for Freakout Records, a new Seattle-based venture started by four locals — Ian Cunningham, Skyler Locatelli, Guy Keltner and Nathan Casey — who, in addition to running the label, are putting on a loud, two-day music festival Thursday and Friday (Dec. 8-9).

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Bringing Beer Back to Where It Began

Before the Industrial Revolution, women ruled the beer-brewing world. It’s true. The act, associated with the kitchen primarily, was handled mostly by women, who first brewed beer for their families, then for their communities, and later, when a little money was available, for paying customers in tap houses.

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The Website That Asks What You Need and What You Can Give

Natasha Marin, the Seattle-based conceptual artist who created the donation website Reparations.me, which gets tens of thousands of clicks daily from all over the world, remains surprised at the number of people in need and how relatively little it takes to help.

“You think you know what’s going on,” she says, Facebook notifications dinging incessantly on her computer. “Then suddenly you’re facing this portal—like, wow, there are a lot of people out there that have no choice but to take a chance on this project. There are people who are dollars away from having their lives saved short-term. That’s shocking.”

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