What it is (and what it will be)...

Ok, so this whole thing gets under way tomorrow morning and the general goal will be to post these every Friday. Before it gets rolling though I wanted to give you a little background, let you know where I'm coming from and what to expect.

My travels with New Holland Brewery have taken me to so many places I'd not have gone or known about and allowed me to meet such cool, great interesting people. There are so many different things going on in the craft beer industry and so many people to learn from. My hope is that as you check in on this project you will learn some new faces and names in craft beer and also learn a bit more about the people you already know. At the same time I hope to shed light on some of the things that fly under the radar, but are so crucial to the way craft beer works, is made, is distributed, is enjoyed, is read about, is learned, and is perceived.

Let's see what happens. See you tomorrow. Read more!

The Year of the Interview

So it's that time of year again: grand announcements, plans, resolutions, plots, schemes, promises. I've hung up my camera on the other blog and have something new and interesting that I'm hoping people enjoy as much as I have in the few weeks I've been working on it so far:

In 2011 I will post one interview about beer right here on the Grain Bill every single week. 52 interviews covering every aspect of the beer industry and this beer culture of ours. I am really excited for the interviews I've already completed and just as excited to see where the project goes from here. So don't be shy beer people, if you want to be involved drop me a line. Posting begins this week....be on the lookout. Read more!

I Christmas Alone....the winter mix

Aimed at the first snow of the winter I am just about on time with the delivery of my winter mix, a depressing collection of songs to keep those cold days more bitter than sweet. A note: The idea for this mix was born during the making of Creature Comforts as I would come across songs I liked, but kept saying, "Too sad" as I tossed them back on the heap.

So for no reason other than my own amusement I offer you, "I Christmas Alone...Just Quietly Awesome" my attempt at one of the most depressing Christmas CDs of all time. I should also note the contributions of Bob Marley & The Wailers of all people, who curated this mix with me as I found several old songs of theirs that were just as sad as anything else you'd want to hear at 3 AM on a snowy night while you stare at the windows with a drink in hand, just waiting for the sharp scrape of a plow to come along and cut everyone's dreams of a snow day down to bare asphalt. Enjoy!







Tracks below....








Tracklist:

1. Intro - Throw A Blanket Over Me
2. There She Goes - Bob Marley & The Wailers
3. Long, Long Winter - Curtis Mayfield
4. The Rains Came - Big Sambo & The Housewreckers
5. If At Last - ???
6. Can't Believe That You're Gone - Denny Beline & The Blues Busters
7. Here Today - The Beach Boys
8. I'm Not Bitter - The Minus 5
9. Eyepennies - PJ Harvey (w/ Sparklehorse)
10. It Hurts To Be Alone - The Wailers
11. In The Station - Armando Piazza
12. Bodies & Minds - Great Lake Swimmers
13. Secrets - Edison Woods
14. View From Below - The Minus 5
15. Winter's Going - Bonnie Dobson
16. Thunder In My Heart - Timmy Shaw
17. My Cup - Bob Marley & The Wailers
18. How Can You Be So Cold - Lee Mitchell
19. Nobody Cares For Me - Lloyd Henriques
20. Send Me That Love - Bob Marley & The Wailers
21. Sing It Again - Beck
22. Outro - We Need The Eggs......






(...I'm sorry to you for my body...and my mind.) Read more!

1/1/11......it begins.

I've got news. The Grainbill is going B I G in 2011. As Adam Mundy would say, 'Stay Tuned'.......................... Read more!

A Full Explanation of Subtlety, Balance, and Moderate ABV Levels is in order so that people that talk loudly and proudly start to get it...

Maybe I'll get on here and do that one day.

Hey Grainbill, I still love ya kid.

I'm tired of people mistaking balance for boredom. One day they'll get big boy tastebuds and understand. Read more!

Creature Comforts - Fall of 2010

The planned fall mix and what actually ended up becoming the fall mix are two entirely different things, although the theme has more or less remained intact. What started as a collection of thoughts and ideas from my friends followed often by songs that those same friends have shared with me turned, originally out of neccessity, into a look at what my own creature comforts seem to be. Fall is a time of year for me that I find hard to put fully into words. The way that this season changes is more satisfying or awakening or inspiring to me than the others and it always marks the coming of my ideal climate and favorite holidays. ("And hoodies, everybody loves hoodies" - Harvey Globetrotter, B-Reel) One day I'll move to where it's fall all the time.

To all those friends I called, recorded, or threatened to call and record: Maybe next time, my technology game is not yet at the level to pull it all off properly. Some of the songs are just too good for me to not lead in with a few words from the friends that showed them to me...so they'll have to wait. Others are here though, along with songs and artists that I really love listening to. Hope you enjoy. Tracklist will be down below. As always, I suggest some headphones and going in without the tracklist the first time around.


Creature Comforts - Dr. Joel (Fall 2010)















Intro - Comforts
Market Fresh - Broken Social Scene
Michigan Girls - Califone
Dynamite Walls - Hayden
Street People - Bobby Charles
Jesus Was A Capricorn - Kris Kristofferson
I Still Miss Someone - Gram Parsons' International Submarine Band
He Don't Love You (And He'll Break Your Heart) - Levon & The Hawks
Better Day - Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
Mykonos - Fleet Foxes
Eugene - Andrew Bird
Cosmos & Demos - Devendra Banhart
Island Cottage - Sea Oleena
Early Morning - Troyka
The Wild Kindness - Silver Jews
Gotta Cheer Up - Cotton Jones Basket Ride
Ferdinand The Imposter - The Band
Christ For President - Billy Bragg & Wilco
Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window - Bob Dylan
Outro - Learn Cheap...and Spin on the Wheel Read more!

PITTSBURGH!

Read more!