Category Archives: Beer

Hop in the Saddle Launches! Let’s Celebrate Properly.

Posted on   |  

Signing session

Hop in the Saddle turned out fabulously. The monolithic effort of creation, production and fundraising was successful. When I stroked the artful matte cover of a fresh copy, I knew we’d done it. After many late nights, missed dates and empty bottles—not to mention caffeine/chocolate abuse—we proudly present this gorgeous pocket guide.

The perfect way to celebrate? Throwing a killer party, with a special happy hour just for our Kickstarter backers. After that, everyone’s invited.  And you won’t want to miss clunker roller racing (beer for the winners!), tunes from DJ Roxie Stardust, and free nibbles from Cheese Bar, Saraveza, Olympic Provisions, Hair of the Dog, Soup Cycle Grand Central Bakery and Tula Gluten Free Bakery Cafe.

And, yes, there will be beer, and it will be served from the world famous Metrofiets Beer Bike. Expect ales from Deschutes, Widmer, Hopworks and more. Plus beer cocktails by Jacob Grier.

With every purchase of Hop in the Saddle, you’ll get a free beer ticket!

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating some of our favorite things: beer, bicycles, community, indie publishing and getting it done.

Click here for the invite and RSVP >

When:
Thursday, November 15
6-7pm Kickstarter Backer Happy Hour
7-9pm Launch Party

Where:
Velocult (1969 NE 42nd)


Hop in the Saddle beer koozies have arrived!

Posted on   |  

Koozies! They keep your beer cold while keeping your hands warm. What’s special about this one? It’s wool knit, just like a cozy sweater. We custom designed the pattern with our hop logo, then found Angie Hill of  Pixelknit Textile Design to bring it to life. We’re loving it:

These koozies are available for the next two weeks as a reward for pledging $50 to our Kickstarter campaign (two copies of  Hop in the Saddle are included with your koozie purchase). Buying this styling beer koozie is a fabulous way to support our project while stocking up on awesome gifts for your beer-loving, bike-enamored friends.

 

LINK TO KICKSTARTER >

Brew in a Bag

Posted on   |  

It all started with one concept: a book about bikes + beer. But it wasn’t long before a bounty of Hop in the Saddle-inspired ideas swirled under our helmets. One of my favorites? Our custom-designed Hop in the Saddle beer bag. In tandem with an ultimate Beer Bike, you could be sporting some serious style with this beer bag/pannier filled with a chilled 6-pack and 22-ouncer, U-lock, laptop, snackage and personal goods. The bag is made of oiled canvas. Have you seen the stuff? It’s natural, durable (couldn’t believe how my 2-year-old’s paw prints wiped right off) and delightful to carry. The top of the bag folds over, giving you the flexibility to use it as a tall tote, handbag or around-town pannier. I love the flexibility of this bag, which will be my go-to hauler for my daily doings.

   

The amazing woman who made this vision a reality is Portland’s own Rebecca Pearcy of Queen Bee Creations. I am inspired. It’s been a joy meeting in her buzzing hive-like studio where we witnessed her creativity in action. On top of the talent, she’s a delightful person. We couldn’t be more pleased with this partnership. People like Rebecca remind us why Portland is home.

   
Here are some pictures of the prototype. We’re still working out the nuts and bolts, but we’re almost there.


Behind the scenes inspiration at Queen Bee!

Order one today by supporting Hop in the Saddle on Kickstarter at the $250 level. In addition to the custom pannier, you’ll get a heap of goods, including 2 copies of Hop in the Saddle (check that gift off the list), a copy of Cycling Sojourner, a knit beer koozie (another favorite I’ll be blogging about soon) and a super sweet hand-crafted bottle opener. That’s some serious schwag (total value exceeds $250!).

LINK TO KICKSTARTER >

 

 

I’m a Cheater: How I Became Seduced by Beer

Posted on   |  

Sorry, wine, I know you have always been the one I sought after…and the one I chose.

But it’s been a long hot summer, and beer is so cold and tingly. Mostly I’m talking IPAs that backhand slap you with bitter hops flavors then tickle you with floral herbaciousness. Then there are those delicate seasonal saisons I keep sipping at backyard barbecues.

Just try to spend a summer writing and editing about the incredibly vibrant craft beer scene in Portland and not be seduced by pint after pint of cool brew. For me, Lucy Burningham’s vivid beer writing was like Danielle Steele novels must have been for so many lonely women. It’s no surprise that at the end of the work day, her (Lucy’s not Danielle’s) words sent me barging through my front door, tripping over the dog, to get to whatever beer was waiting in my fridge.

My role in Hop in the Saddle was to be the straight up bicycle expert. But something happened along the way. I fell in love. Disgustingly. Like icky teenager-style infatuation mixed with deep-dip-kiss, become-my-life 20-something swooning. It’s so bad. I mean good. Pour me another.