Task 5 - Pioneer Brewing Company Tour Review

(05) Visit a winery or brewery & take the tour

Activity: Pioneer Brewery
Location: 195 Arnold Rd, Fiskdale, MA 01518
When: June 30, 2013
Rating: 4-Stars

Touring the Pioneer Brewing Company located in Fiskdale, Mass was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  We arrived at the brewery for our 2 o’clock tour about half an hour early.  Upon entering the brewery we were each given a glass, this glass entitled you to one free beer at the bar.  We went to the bar and placed our order, I ordered the Pioneer American Pale Ale, which was a very good IPA; while everyone else in my group ordered the rapscallion honey which was a lighter and sweeter beer.  The description of the American Pale Ale is:

PIONEER AMERICAN PALE ALE (5.3% a.b.v / 40 i.b.u.)
Our flagship brew. Brewed with 2 row malted barley, crystal 60 lovibond malt and Munich malts. Hopped with Phoenix and East Kent Golding hops. Fermented with an English ale strain. This beer was called "the benchmark of New England Pale Ales or perhaps a step or two above" by BEER ADVOCATE MAGAZINE.

When the tour began at 2, we all entered into the brewing area.  Here we learned from the master brewer, how Pioneer Brewing Company brewed their particular brew.  The master brewer went over how they take barley, yeast, and water which they heat.  These ingredients become what is known in the beer world as mash.  The mash is then cooled and piped it to the fermenting tanks which were located in the other room.  It was also here that we learned that they had a special batch brewed of Birch Beer from a tree that was recently cut down on the property.  This Birch Beer was then taken to a beer festival and wowed the crowed.  Taking note of this, we asked if we could try this special brew.  We were told we could try it at the bar at the end of the tour.

The next stop on our tour was to the fermenting tanks.  It was at this point that the glass we got at the beginning was being filled with cold fresh beer from these fermenting tanks.  The first beer we tried was a really heavy IPA which was really bitter and nobody in the group particularly enjoyed.  The second beer was a logger which was more to the groups liking.  After we finished this beer the tour concluded.

As we were leaving the tour and returning to the main building, we went back to the bar to get a sample of the Birch Beer that wowed at the beer competition.  This beer was really sweet and fresh; it had almost mead like qualities.  After the tour was over, we walked the grounds a bit because there were some goats and chickens which we wanted to see and say hi to.

All in all, the tour was really good and informative; however, the beer they brewed was a heavy beer and mostly geared to the beer connoisseur or the customer who enjoys really hoppy beer.  The tour guide was knowledgeable about their products and really enjoyed the art of beer making.  If you get a chance I would recommend a trip out to this nice brewery.

http://www.pioneerbrewingcompany.com/pioneerbeer.html

Four Leaf Clover

While enjoying some time with the family at the lake house I was sitting in the grass down
by the water with one of our cats and happened to notice something special. Right there in front of me was the elusive four leaf clover. It was well hidden amongst a batch of other three leaf clover. 

The four leaf clover is a universally accepted symbol of good luck with its origin ages old. According to legend, Eve carried a four leaf clover from the Garden of Eden. Popular belief is that the four leaves symbolize Faith, Love, Hope & Luck.

According to Wikipedia the odds of finding a four leave clover are 1 in 10,000 and they are considered by most to bring good luck to the person who finds it. 

"The clovers also occupied a position in the cultural life of early peoples. White clover (T. repens L.) in particular was held in high esteem by the early Celts of Wales as a charm against evil spirits." Clover Science and Technology". N.L. Taylor, 1985.

Druids held the 4 leaf clover in high esteem and considered them a sign of luck. In 1620, Sir John Melton wrote: "If a man walking in the fields find any four-leaved grass, he shall in a small while after find some good thing.

The mystique of the four leaf clover continues today, since finding a real four leaf clover is still a rare occurrence and omen of good luck I plan to enjoy myself and live life to the fullest. I also plan to dry it between the pages of a book and hold onto the luck as long as possible.

Prepping for Hawaii - Nikon AW110 Waterproof Camera & Nikon D80 Additions

Well we are 3 month away from Hawaii and I decided that while I love my SLR camera It isn’t always the most convenient. There are often times when conditions prohibit the use of my favorite camera such as events where water is involved. Since much of my time in Hawaii will be spent either at the beach or doing some form of water related activity I thought it was time for me to spring for a waterproof camera.

I researched many different options and settled on the Nikon AW100. I picked it for a couple reasons. First, I have experience with the brand and am comfortable with the quality of their products both in build and performance. Second, the reviews speak for themselves. Who can argue when so many people have such great experiences? I am looking forward to getting this camera wet in the waters of Oahu.

I do plan to bring my SLR for those days and events where I prefer the performance of an SLR but this camera will be a great compliment. I also plan to be able to use it when I am Kayaking or Boating. Great way to get those shots without worrying about the water.

I also got a great deal online and only paid $184.95 for the camera which has a retail of $349.99 at Target. That leave me with enough extra to purchase a second battery, a case and a couple good high speed memory cards with plenty left over.

Update 7/11/13: So this camera is out of stock and the vendor informed me that it is back ordered and they expect it to ship in 2-4 weeks. Hopefully that is accurate and I will have it in time for my trip. If not I’ll end up paying full price for it at Target. Everyone knows I am not a fan of paying full price for anything. They also adjusted the price to 174.95 to the currently website price.

Update 7/23/13: The vendor informed me after calling that it is due to ship on Friday and they have upgraded my shipping from ground to 3-day air at no charge. Looking forward to trying the camera out soon.

Update 7/29/13: Vendor informed me after calling that they are having trouble sourcing the camera and that it could take a while to receive. I cancelled the order since I want it for the trip and didn't want to risk waiting for it.

Update 7/30/13: I purchased the camera on eBay. It is new in the box and unopened I am looking forward to receiving it and testing it out in the pool. I also ordered a floating strap and case for it as well. I did pay a little more then the online retailer's price of 174.95 but I know it will get here on time. I just need to purchase a second battery and Ill be satisfied I have everything I need/want.

Now that the camera is purchased and actually coming I thought I should pick up a float and case for the device. I don't want to risk dropping it an losing it in the water and when not in use I don't want it getting damaged. As such I purchased the Coolpix Floating strap and the Nikon Sport case. Both will be great additions to the new camera.

In addition to finally buying the AW110 I also picked up a few other items for my Nikon D80. Battery power is always something to be aware of and rather then worry about carrying an additional battery I purchased the MD-80 Battery grip for the d80. It will hold two batteries and double my camera's battery life. It does add weight to the unit but worth not having a battery flopping around in my pocket. It will be a great addition for those long day long tours where I want to make sure my camera will last all day.

Task 1 - Visit Hawaii

Task 1 - Visit 1 New State or Country: Oahu, Hawaii

While I have not yet gone to Hawaii the trip is booked and I am excited to go. I used money made from my part time job to finance this incredible adventure and I can't wait.

Step 1: Pick the Island: After researching where to stay I settled on Oahu and particularly Waikiki. I picked Oahu because it has many of the attractions that I feel are must see's while in Hawaii. It is also the state capital and home to the majority of Hawaii's population. I choose Waikiki because of its notoriety as the place to visit. Usually I prefer to be off the beaten path but for this trip I thought I would follow the herd.

Step 2: Pick the Dates to Travel: I know a few people who have or do live in Hawaii and asked what time of the year did they think it was best to travel there. They all thought that the fall was the best time because it was before the busy holiday season but after the kids all go back to school.  That left me traveling sometime from late September to early November.

Step 3: Pick a Hotel: I looked at alot of hotels on Waikiki from the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, to the Sheraton Waikiki and the Moana Surfrider. My critera was simple I do not want to have to cross Kalakaua Ave to get to the beach. I also didn't want to be right smack in the middle of the beach either where the majority of the crowds would be. As such I settled on the Sheraton Waikiki. Its ideal because I can get to the beach easy enough but also have the option to swim in its incredible infinity pool overlooking the ocean.

Step 4: Plan the Activities: Once the dates and hotel were locked down the fun part of planning what activities I wanted to do began. I decided that I wanted to do a few guided tours to to compliment the free time I would have on Oahu.

1. To acclimate to the island I thought that an island tour would be ideal as an opportunity to see what was on the island and what we might want to go back and explore more.  I settled on Discover Hawaii Tours Ultimate Circle Island Tour.
2. What vacation to Hawaii is complete with out visiting Pearl Harbour and the USS Arizona Memorial. To maximize seeing everything we opted to include that in addition to visiting the Dole Plantation and the Polynesian Cultural Center with an included Luau. Discover Hawaii Tours Pearl Harbour, Dole Plantation, Polynesian Cultural Center with Luau
3. Being an avid fan of kayaking, hiking and anything really outdoors I picked a tour that would allow me to do all the things I wanted to do without torturing my travel companions. We would visit the film location for Jurassic Park as well as hike above the Kualoa Ranch fish ponds before kayaking to Chinaman's Hat. Discover Hawaii Tours - Chinaman's Hat Experience
4. One final tour we have yet to settle on is a big one and would add a good deal of expense to an already pricey vacation. It's an opportunity to visit the big island on a fly away tour to visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and rainbow Falls. We would get to see the most active volacano in the world and walk thought the Thurston Lava Tube. Discover Hawaii Tours - One-Day Hawaii Volcano Eco Adventure.

The rest of the vacation would be spent with out any planned tours or trips and we would get the opportunity to relax, enjoy the beach, and explore as we see fit.

Task 7 - Animal Adventures

Task 7 - Animal Adventures
Location: 336 Sugar Road, Bolton, MA
www.animaladventures.net

I had purchased a groupon for 4 to visit Animal Adventure’s in Bolton, MA We arrived at our schedule time and were added to a family who had already started a tour 30 minutes earlier. While I don’t mind addon’s I was a tad disappointed that we were added to a tour that had started 30 minutes prior. We were assured however that the areas we had missed we would circle back to at the end of the tour.

Our tour started with the alligators & crocodiles and a few very large snakes. They are beautiful and clearly very rugged reptiles. We saw several types from Albino and American alligators to caiman crocodiles. What struck me was the number of these reptiles all jammed tightly into the small enclosures. They seemed to be so starved for room that they were climbing on each other.

Next we perceeded into the other side of the main building where we were ushered into a small room on the side. Here we meet Obidiah an amazingly beautiful 3yo Eurasian Eagle Owl. Next we meet an chinchilla who entertained us by taking a very animated dust bath. We learned that because their hair is so fine and soft that they have trouble drying off if they get wet and that they prefer to clean themselves using the fine dust. He seemed to really enjoy the opportunity to play and rolled around creating a pretty good could of dust. Next we got to meet a hedgehog. He was beautiful and his spiky coat was surprisingly soft if you pet him from front to back. 

After having met the Hedgehog we moved into the main area of the building. We meet three Mountain Coati’s names Buffy, Ursula and Jane and their friend Abu a white-nosed coati. They looked like ant eaters and enjoyed lounging around and playing in their enclosures. We also saw a wood chuck who like me was struggling in the extreme heat. This poor little guy was on his back doing his best to stay cool. Multiple times I had to step outside to catch some fresh cooler air.

When I asked why they keep is so warm they indicated that the majority of the facilities residents are cold blooded and require warmer temperatures. I would learn that later when we went to the reptile room to meet the snakes. Before going to the reptile room we continued our tour where we meet three Ring-tailed Lemur’s named Reese, Flash and Tarzan. These beautiful animals were hanging out by their tails in their enclosures and seemed to really appreciate the visit. They entertained us for a good long while before we meet the next resident he was so small and cute but I was assured that he was less then friendly. He was a monkey and while the type escapes me at the moment he was full of energy and I struggled to get a good picture since he wouldn’t sit still.

My favorite resident was soon to come and it turns out that they have a kangaroo. He too was struggling to keep cool in the heat and was relaxing in his enclosure. I would have loved to have seen him up and moving around but can’t say I blame him.

Featured front and center when you enter the building was one of the most violent of all was a smaller caiman crocodile. We learned how these guys are the most vicious of all that they have at the facility and are only handled by select staff.

Finally we entered the reptile room where we met monitors, snakes and iguana’s. One of our guides favorites was the Indian sand snake. It was almost impossible to tell which end was its head and that it was that way as a defense mechanism. We also meet a gecko who had lost a tail at some point who was def a climber.

Having endured the heat long enough we shifted our tour back ourside where we meet their two pot bellied pigs. These guys didn’t seem to be bothered by the sun or the heat and were enjoying running around full of energy.

They also had a few goats one of which had recently given birth to a small calf. This little guy was smart and stayed inside a little building that they had to avoid the elements.

Our final stop of the tour was the back yard where we would meet a pair of foxes and several very large tortoises. The foxes much like the other animals were doing their best to stay cool in the heat and were relaxing. The tortuous on the other hand was moving around and while he wasn’t moving fast we all managed to capture a picture with him.

While we enjoyed our tour we found the facility a tad disorganized and messy and wondered about the animals well being. Particularly the owl who when we asked we were told was perfectly healthy. I wondered why they would keep him so confined rather then returning him to the wild where he belonged. We were told that he is a popular bird and as such they keep him.

I’d love to see this place focus more on making the facility appealing to visitors since I believe that the services they offer are very important. Right now it just looks dumpy and poorly taken care off. It’s a hodgepodge of buildings and enclosures.

Task 5 - Moonlight Meadery

(05) Visit a winery or brewery & take the tour

Activity: Moonlight Meadery
Location: 23 Londonderry Road Unit #17, Londonderry, NH 03053
Cost: $25.00 per 2 people (Groupon)
When: June 1, 2013
Rating: 5-Stars

Having learned how beer is brewed, wine is age, and alcohol fermented I thought I would learn how honey wine or mead is made. At Moonlight Meadery in Londonderry, NH, I learned from the son of the founder Michael Fairbrother that when you combine 1 part honey and 3 parts water with yeast mead is produced.

After a quick history lesson about the origin od mead he began the tour in their newly expanded Moonlight Meadery production facility. Here the tour guide explained the process of fermentation, filtering, aging, bottling, packaging and finally distribution of their various mead products. I found the tour both informative and enjoyable.

By the end of our tour at the meadery, we went through the nearly 64 different meads they produce and like father like son, our tour guide has a deep passion about their mead products. His experience and personal preferences guided our tasting session from the dry to the sweet offerings. 

During the tasting, I learned that you can affect the flavor by combining the mead with other ingredients and/or by aging it in oak barrel vs a regular fermentation tank. Mead that contains spices are referred to as metheglin, mead that contains fruit is called melomel, and meads that are fermented with grapes are called a pyment.

Moonlight Meadery calls their product Romance by the glass… and they name each of their different meads accordingly. First, I sampled Sensual, a traditional mead made from just wildflower honey. It was an excellent way to start as I learned how traditional mead should taste. Next I tasted some of their specialty meads. The meads I tried were: Red Dress, Kurt’s Apple Pie, Serenity, Sumptuous, Temerity, Admiration and finally their most premium mead Utopian. Utopian Mead is aged in Oak Barrels that had been used by Samuel Adams’s to age Utopias. These barrels impart a flavorful yet subtle fruity sweetness like a fine cognac or aged sherry without the bite.

I couldn’t leave without making a purchase and selected Kurt’s Apple Pie as my mead of choice. Made from local apple cider and Madagascar vanilla with a touch of Vietnamese cinnamon it tasted just like the apple pie my grandmother used to make in a liquid form. I can’t wait to try his suggestion to drizzle this over some fresh made vanilla ice cream.