Beer and Diapers: The Ultimate Baby Shower

With only five short weeks left until I meet my daughter, it was essential that one of my baby showers needed to include my beer loving friends.  My last few months of pregnancy have been filled with love from every gamut: girlfriends, family, coworkers, and students.  It was time to include the group of friends that I have missed imbibing with.  Here is my guide on how to plan and execute the perfect co-ed baby shower.

1. Invitations

Parties and job interviews have one thing in common: the first impression is the one that sticks.  Take the time to find the invitation that fits exactly what you want.  I had great success on Etsy.com with ModernBeautiful out of Boise, ID.  Not only were they able to revamp one of their samples, they even matched the printing ink to the colors of my nursery.  Don't be afraid to ask the artist to taylor their design for your needs.  It is YOUR party after all!




2.  Contributions

Nobody likes to show up to a party empty handed.  Instead of leaving it up to your host to figure out the logistics, be clear on your invite on how the guests can help.  With beer drinkers, I thought it to be best to have them bring some of their favorite sippers, along with some much needed diapers for Baby Girl.  That way, guests are happy with their drinks and can share with others.   This helps break the ice in conversation before the ABVs kick in!


3.  Location

Step one: scout out the backyards of your friends.  Step two; pick your favorite.  Step three: con them in to hosting your shower.

4.  Recommendations

As a first time mom to be, I am a little unsure of what to expect.  While everyone's take on parenthood is different, I thought it would fun to call upon my experienced mom, dad, aunt, and uncle friends for some tips.  I had these advice cards printed out by the same great artists over at ModernBeautiful.  Hand out a writing assignment after a few beers and watch your friends squirm!

5.   Confections

Don't let anybody tell you differently, every party needs a good cake.  Pair that with a hoppy IPA, a refreshing Blonde, or a crisp Pilsner and your beer loving guests are in heaven.  For some added fun, make sure the frosting is brightly colored and stains your guests' lips and tongues.  The photo opportunities are endless!

Brewing Up Baby: A beer lover's guide to pregnancy

My 2015 came in with a bang.  Not only did my husband and I pull off a surprise wedding for all of our friends, we also found out that we were expecting a future homebrewer of our own.

Over the past few months, my happy hours have been replaced with afternoon walks and my nightly brewski is now a flavorful cup of tea.  While the adjustment has been...well...an adjustment, I have also noticed friends are a bit unsure of how to act.  Here are three steps on how you can support your favorite beer lover while they aren't able to imbibe.

1.  Include them.
Even though I can't drink, I still love to be a part of the beer scene.  Don't assume that you can't still offer up an invite for a brewer's dinner or tap takeover with your pregnant friend.  Keeping up on the new trends and styles is what every beer geek is about.  Just remember that they might not close the joint down like they used to.  I've found that my nose has become so fine tuned that I can smell off flavors a mile away.  Invite, geek out, and have fun!

2.  Find new hobbies to enjoy.
The reason why you enjoy your beer lover is because they are well versed in all things beer.  But don't forget, they also can probably school you at pool, get you by some strokes in golf, and maybe even be the best teammate for pub trivia.  While all these activities should include beer, it sure doesn't mean that they have to.  Saddle me up with an NA macro or pint of root beer and I'm a happy gal.

3.  Make plans for a post birth beer celebration.
Come August, I will be primed and ready to enjoy some beers after this span of dry months.  With an eye on beer travel and festivals, I can't wait to get back in the game.  Support your bumped buddy with some plans to look forward to.  Not only does it keep their spirits up, it also reminds them that there still will be a beer life after baby.

Don't worry friends, while my palete is resting and I'm growing a human, I am still the same beer loving girl that you love.  Hang in there, I'll be back before you know it!

Kickstart Ghostfish

Last night I tried some fantastic gluten-free beers.  Yes, I know.  There might be a lot wrong with that sentence.  1.  What am I doing drinking gluten-free beers?  2.  Did I really mean "fantastic"?  Let me give you some back story.

I have known about Ghostfish Brewing from the beginning. Watching a trio of passionate beer loving guys take their dream of creating Seattle's first gluten-free brewery to a reality has been nothing short of inspiring.  What was even more inspiring were the four beers I tried last night.  From a wit to a pale to a porter to a dry stout, I had to keep telling myself these were actually gluten-free.

Now, here is where you come in.  The Ghostfish Brewing team needs your help in the next two days.  They are less than $5000 away from making their Kickstarter goal of $30,000 for an R&D lab.  Why does this matter to you?  Research and Development labs are how breweries make exciting new beers.  After tasting what they already have brewed, I couldn't be more supportive for this cause.

And you should be too.

Act now...the clock is ticking!

Boo Brew Bash

When NWBeerBabe invites you over....you go.  It doesn't matter what time or how long it will take you to get there...you go.  When she invites you over for her second annual Adult Halloween...you get there early. With strict instructions to bring a snack, bottles of beer, and to arrive before the first Elsa rang the door bell, we headed up north to her very own Naughty Gallagher's Pub, a self named residential beer paradise.

The next few hours flew by.  Bottles opened.  Steaks grilled.  Laughter heard.  Elsas spotted.  Trick or Treating parents hydrated.  Stories told.  Memories shared.  Too many home brewing beer lovers were present to not have an elite beer line up.  Now that my Untappd app has recovered from overuse, let's review my favorites from the night.

1.  Eclipse Elijah Craig 12 from FiftyFifty Brewing Company
This imperial stout aged in heavily sought after Elijah Craig Bourbon barrels from Heaven Hill Distilleries was a luscious treat.  After learning more about this brewery, I am more than tempted to find a way to get my hands on a ticket to their 2014 Eclipse party on December 4th.

2.  16 Barrels from 10 Barrel Brewing Company
One thing that I love about anything else is finding a unique bottle from a favorite brewery.  I thought I had enjoyed every 10 Barrel beer there was, so when 16 Barrels came out, my jaw dropped.  This smooth Golden Ale aged in Pinot Noir barrels was nothing short of delicious.

3.  Cowiche Canyon Fresh Hop from Fremont Brewing
With the overload of barrel aged treats, this fresh hop from Fremont was a welcomed refresher.  Toting a nice bright hop aroma, its bitterness balanced perfectly with the malt.  Rumor has it that there were four cans at the table.  However, they mysteriously disappeared before I could get my hands on another taste.  If you see this treat around town, scoop it up.  Like Halloween candy, Fresh Hop Season won't last forever.