Beer and Balance: The IPA Conundrum

WHOA! May is wrapping up and I’m starting a new long-term project tomorrow, I better get this post out!

This past weekend found myself and my blazing biking partner amongst the storms, sun, mountains and desert of the Methow Valley in northern Washington State.

Upon finishing a near-summiting (via bike) of the 5400 ft. Washington Pass, my girl and I headed straight for the town of Winthrop for a brewery we spied earlier: Old Schoolhouse Brewery. It was a very attractive destination, as they claim, they’re “all about the beer.” How could anyone refuse that?

While eyeing the menu, I found my favorite beer of the last few years, the IPA. They have an IPA (“Ruud Awakening”) and an Imperial IPA, both relatively high in alcohol content. 

Side note: I actually hated the hoppiness of IPAs at first. Tastebuds DO change. The bitterness had to grow on me. Wait… that didn’t sound right… did I say that out loud?

Let’s talk about “balance.” As in beer… life… the circus… etc. etc. etc.

The Ruud Awakening (or “RA”) is described as follows: “Expect brutal bitterness, followed by a balanced citrus and floral aroma finish.” I could not find the original description of the Imperial IPA, but had a small taste (after having a pint of Ruud Awakening), and also had it verbally described by the brewmaster.

As he described the Imperial IPA (or “Imperial”), I found something quite curious: it was stronger, fuller bodied, and much more “balanced” than the RA… something I generally LOVE. However, it was not as satisfying for me at that moment.

Ahhh, balance... Don’t many of us equate being “balanced,” as the more “positive,” appropriate, acceptable or pleasing choice or plan of action as we live our lives? I think in general, we all strive for balance, no?

The “yin-yang” of balance is never quite 50-50 in its percentages. Under the surface, it just seems like it’s much more sophisticated (or complicated) than that. The dynamic fluctuations of what we describe as balance are happening all the time—like chances, learning and growth, they’re a little less predictable. 

I really liked the Imperial, all of its 9% ABV was quite pleasing, full bodied and balanced. I truly did like it… especially since I like stronger beers, and it’s often very difficult to create a balanced IPA as it gets up in the 9-10% range! But I almost instantly knew that the quicker, less strong (7%) fruited overtones of the Ruud Awakening were exactly what I needed at that moment in time. The brewer behind the bar even mentioned that RA was not as balanced, but it is also quite popular and has won many awards. 

Funny… it is perhaps balanced in a different way: the “brutal bitterness” that is up front finishes with the citrus and does not fall flat, hollow or empty like some beers, leaving you wonder what you just drank! So it’s concentrated on the front end, and the remaining 70% or so of the sip evens out quickly after that. This is honestly one of the best I have ever had—this small brewer is doing it right!

The RA spoke to me. It said: 

I am Ruud… I’m gonna hit hard you and fast, I’m strong enough, but still a little sneaky and back-handed with my alcohol… you’re thinking my hops are gonna get’cha, but wait till you feel the buzz… yes, I’m brutal, and will leave you in NO shape to even contend my big brother the Imperial. You’ll just stumble away, a strange mumbling under your breath… all that will be heard is… stay away from me, the Ruud Rebel!”

Maybe that’ll end up on their beer description some day…

So brewers and winemakers alike often use the term “balanced” very positively, and if the product is not balanced it often tastes “off,” as they say. Neither of these tasted “off” to me, and only one was described as being more balanced, but overall, the RA said something very different. 

You’ll have to use your imagination with how the Imperial ‘spoke’ to me… sorry!

I have had some very strange, wacky IPAs over the years. Anyone who drinks enough beer in more discriminating ways knows what I mean when I say “somethin’ wacky’s goin’ on in that pint glass!” So go for the balance… R-I-G-H-T.

That said, consider the useful part of the pint glass’o’wacky beer: it helps us create a reference point for the taste extremes—or the threshold—of what we define as “out of balance.” RA was not “wacky” to me, but it is not as balanced as the Imperial.

From a marketing standpoint, and from our definition of what to expect with the desirability of more balanced beers, one would think the balanced beer would be more popular. Wouldn’t descriptors like ‘smoothness’ or ‘more rounded’ be more pleasing for you? It was indeed, not the case (don’t forget all of Ruud’s awards).

Maybe “unbalanced” should be officially proclaimed as a variable to consider in wine and beer pairings? Well… maybe the world’s not quite ready for that one…

I’m thinking that “balance” may not be all it’s cracked up to be. It’s determined by so many things that go beyond simple, quantified measurement—yes, to a degree, it’s subjective.

Balance seems to be created by many different things…

It can be created by the context of the consumer, and how you define “balanced.” If a beer dominates certain tastes in our palate, but leaves other areas of our taste buds alone, that could be called “unbalanced” or not ‘as’ balanced. But why define it so heavily or with such absolute fervor?

Think about how a designer might organize visual elements on a page. Is balance determined by perfect symmetry? I hope not. 

DEATH to symmetry! 

I think that kind of “balance” only leads down a confused path where we are spoon-fed the information, and we don’t have the opportunity to absorb it in more sophisticated and complex ways, allowing for our subjectivity and relating to enter the mix. 

Bring on the negative space!
In some situations, other longings may very well determine our quest for balance. In this case, it was a desire for fruity bitterness with a satisfying finish.

Did I mention I just biked a mountain pass? My thirst needed some satisfaction!

I also wanted something that would be a tasty offering with the burger and frites I was eyeing!

As consumers of products and content, we don’t always follow predictable patterns (mathematicians might argue that one). Or at least, we don’t “zoom out” enough to see the longer-term pattern or effect. For instance, if RA was determined to be ‘the’ beer for the thirsty cyclist, wouldn’t we want to consider it as a more “seasonal” beer? Sorry, I don’t think most cyclists bike mountain passes in January…
There’s a million ways we could describe the term “balanced,” whether in a beer, or as a qualifier for life. I’m not going to ask you to define it. Rather, try to ‘work up’ your own working definition, based on context. 

Context includes variables like changes over time, personal preferences, other situations that may affect your decisions, and other people that may become involved. It’s all dynamics, and determining balance just cannot simply be defined my traditional measurement. 

It all just… “depends.”
Let me know how you define balance… whether as an overall definition, or balance in a specific context. This blog only really chiseled away at a block of something much bigger… so thoughts are always welcome! I’m chipping away at a working definition of balance… one that is more about tendencies than absolutes, and that is also important to remember… there really aren’t any absolutes, but we’ll save that one for yet another post!

And all this thought started with a simple pint of beer…
Cheers!

Be well!
m

Creativity: The Power in Differences

In 1980, at the age of 40, John Lennon was shot and killed near his flat in New York City. Where were you? I remember that day, and I also remember it also as being just before my birthday. It wasn’t exactly a happy birthday. It also marked the end of the possibility of reuniting a small, ‘insignificant’ band called “The Beatles.”

The unique songwriting of John Lennon and Paul McCartney was never going to happen again—at least not in this world. A primary thread that made The Beatles so unique was the diversity of these two songwriters.

Far from insignificant, The Beatles powered through opposing personalities, altercations and adversity to find creative brotherhood and something special, at least for a brief window in musical history.

The flowering creative partnership was as diverse as two horizons, spanning from sunrise to sunset:

John had political views, was a bit of a sarcastic, cynical type, and was sometimes in trouble with the law—being deported (back to England) at least once. Some might say he represented the “darker side” of the music.

On the other hand, Paul was “lighter,” happier, and not quite as ‘unapologetic’ as John could be. He represented, among other things, the more positive side of the message delivered by The Beatles.

Together with George and Ringo, the ‘yin-yang-like’ relationship in the songwriting between John and Paul led an all-time influential rock band to hit the pop charts—and stay there for years. Their music spans decades, is used, licensed and accepted in numerous contexts, and is even experiencing a revival today in revealing remixes and dynamic use in the "Love" Cirque du Soleil performances. Today’s culture is adding its updates and unique contributions too!

This type of dynamic relationship has happened numerous times, and with larger throngs of people. The Traveling Wilburys capitalized on the developed uniqueness of their various members. People like Tom Petty, George Harrison (also a member of The Beatles), Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan already had a tremendous volume of material in their respective catalogs. Their creativity had time to simmer already. Now, when they came together… all of this came together, and created something very unique. The ingredients created mixes that you would never expect from any singular participant.

Human creativity pops up everywhere because we love to talk about, speculate, and imagine the possibilities. We explore “the zone-like state” of being in that timeless space of creative possibility. It’s called “The Element” by Ken Robinson, or the “Flow State” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. The ‘first level of creativity’ stands within your individual abilities (Tom Petty developing his craft with his band “The Heartbreakers”), and the ‘second-level of creativity’ capitalizes on how your abilities may contribute to groups, ala the diversity of The Wilburys.

Let me be very clear here…

Experiencing the camaraderie within a group of artists or designers is still a very positive (and needed) experience, but the reality of today’s diverse workforce is more often the norm. It can be a curse if you’re not used to it, or that blessing in disguise, it all depends on how you frame it. If you choose to be more patient, build in some time, let the periodic frustration subside, hold the (sometimes) ambiguous tension, and look for available leverage points for change, you might reap the rewards of some unique solutions.

On the art and design side of things, with the advent of smaller teams and smaller businesses, you are more than likely to be the only “visual person” on the team. It’s not always the case, but it does happen a lot more when you are chosen to work on specific projects.

In addition, whether it’s different (or similar) job titles, that is not the only way we’re different. Regardless of your role or title on a team, we all have different communication and learning styles. And guess what? Really ‘speaking’ and winning over your stakeholders relies on you identifying and knowing this!


Whether we realize it or not, there's truly a lot of care that is required to cultivate the uniqueness of an individual, team or organization.


And at the end of the day, perhaps it's true... all you need is love. 

Sorry, I just had to say it

So how have you seen diversity realized? Whether it’s something you have personally participated in or seen from a far, were the results what you would have predicted?

;)

See ya soon!

m

Crafting the Ultimate Experience (AKA "The Linkery Method")

I must say I have been thoroughly empty of writing ideas over the last week or so. Apparently much has been percolating, but alas, nothing is coming out… nope, there’s no visible “deliverable” happening this week. Apparently being in “mid-stream” of a process of insight and realization can result in nothing tangible created on the surface. That said, quite often there is MUCH happening down below! 

While on recent journeys, I had the unique opportunity to experience some local life from a new point of view. I love feeling like a true “local” when I travel, as opposed to feeling like a tourist. It seems to be something I enjoy passionately. I also LOVE it when people come up to me on the trails in the desert, or even in Europe (speaking in foreign languages)… I guess it’s sometimes fun to just shrug or shoulders and stay stuck in my English tongue.

My trip to the southwest started and ended in San Diego. And on both ends of the trip, I went to a place called “The Linkery,” a fabulous restaurant for farm-to-table, somewhat untraditional cuisine, paired with some amazing brew and vino opportunities to boot! Everything was about supporting local farmers, growers, brewers and vineyards.

On one of the brick walls were 5 words, all alone on a banner along the far side of the restaurant. The words simply read:

"Gather"

"Grow"

"Cook"

"Craft"

"Savor"

See the words on the wall... in the upper left? And that's Chelsea behind the bar!

I couldn’t help but think about these words, and apply them to a wider context than perhaps they were initially intended. Effective design solutions need some kind of methodology. Formal or informal, they give us more precise amounts of considering all aspects of the problem at hand. 

Whether it’s developing training with “ADDIE,” using “ISD” (Instructional System Design) approaches, or grasping for the work of Alex Osborn (the “Father of Creativity”) and his description of the steps of brainstorming in the creative process, you have to have a strategy or method to achieve your goals. Even if you stray from using the same exact approach or exact steps every time, it keeps you on track, and develops a much more sustainable, comprehensive, thoughtful solution for you and your stakeholders.

Wow... now THERE are some fabulous beer choices!

So back to the "Linkery Method," as it will now be called.

Here goes:

Gather: Explore the landscape of ideas, and learn everything you can about your client and their competitors.

Grow: Cultivate the unique qualities of each idea.

Cook: Harmonize their combinations.

Craft: Bring them into resonance as a true and unique solution: one that addresses, and/or exceeds the requirements and realities of the need, desire or strategy.

Savor: Relish the results in the here and now, remember the results, be present to their full fruition (if possible), and look forward to their presence in future strategy and solution way-finding. Savor this time of the success, examine what worked well, what you can improve, and imagine future possibilities to build on.

Just remember… there’s no single process that works every time. Many work most of the time, but none work for everything ALL of the time. The main message here: have some processes (you’ll slowly see which ones work for which situations), but be prepared to mix it up… and try things, have fun with it and make creativity enjoyable!

Ok, I’ll try to not take so long to write next time. I have written two other posts, (yet to be published) just coming up with this one… GHEESH!

m

One Techie’s Walk Through the Desert: Reflections on Invention

So in case any of you were wondering—although no one really asked—my posts had disappeared over the past week because, well, I disappeared. Disappeared into the desert, that is.

I guess a needed a little contrast and perspective. I needed to go from the cold, wet and grey of Seattle. and experience a place I have not been in a few years: the southwest.

I have felt a certain calling from the states of AZ, UT and NM for a long time now. I think I had forgotten how much the place had transformed my life and fueled my creativity over the years.

The trip was a wee bit different. Not only did I fly AND drive (previous trips always involved driving the entire way from Seattle), but on this trip I also had a digital camera… and a new toy… my iPhone.

Yes, getting lost in the desert is a little harder when you have a compass, the ability to use social networking, maps, and last but not least: the amazing camera of the iPhone 4.

Holy CRAPOLI!

Although I only have a Canon Powershot for a digital camera, I quickly found myself surprised that I was suddenly taking more shots with my iPhone. Could it be because it was more convenient? More available to share photos with others? An unexpected penchant for more dramatic, truer, warmer lighting and colors? Man, I just don’t know—perhaps all of the above.

New technology has created a new (or at least a renewed) relationship with photography.

And I’m LOVIN it!

It’s an amazing time to be alive. On one hand, we have the potential to get completely lost in the immersive worlds of all of our various amazing inventions, unplugging from human relationships and creating our own individualized environment. Perhaps on the other end of the spectrum, we also have the ability to transform the world into a better place through access to data, and the sharing of content, which in the past was either not possible, or involved too much work to expediently bother doing on a regular basis. These things never really became a regular part of our experience because they simply weren’t very practical.

The simple physicality of everything has also changed. From antiquated computers that were once the size of very large rooms, to desktop computers, to laptops, mobile devices and immersive tools like the iPad, we now have the convenience and mobility to forge relationships with technology virtually everywhere we go (assuming we have a fully charged battery or a large generator). So the size, portability and now the quality of our inventions have exponentially increased, and now everybody gets to see and share with each other what they’re doing.

Ummm… is that always a good thing?

We’ll save that conversation for another post.

So, back to getting lost in the desert... Well, I think I could have gotten lost, even with a compass. (Wait, I DID get lost... Mojave has poorly marked trails for trail-running). Oh, yeah, back to Sedona... heck, I think Sedona loves my iPhone and would have gladly kept my new toy, had I allowed it. It freely gave itself to my camera and display, and represented the contrasts of the reds-oranges, greens and blues beautifully. Main criticism: weak depth-of-field. This land of photographic and artistic primaries held up wonderfully, and even gives up some fantastic effects when you should directly into light sources (AKA the abundant gift known as the sun).

From San Diego, to the Mojave Desert—from Sedona to Joshua Tree National Park—this camera never failed me. The quality of this thing was amazing. My biggest concern: running out of storage on the phone. Good thing I had my laptop with me for some muscular photographic file transfer!

I have been to the southwest at least 5 times now, but this trip was different. There are many reasons for this comment, but I can’t help wondering how much of it was due to technology, and my renewed passion for photography and composition.

The tools we use affect our experience so profoundly. It’s always good to try some new ones.

I think for the first time, I camped alone.

New experience, familiar technology.

I flew and drove.

New experience, familiar technology.

I used iPhone, paper maps, and word of mouth to assist my journey.

New experience, familiar technology.

~ Ok, the iPhone was relatively new ~

All this said, it’s hard to imagine the journey without all these inventions—from human language, to paper maps and symbols, mobile devices, and human shelter… There is a fascinating ‘retrieval of the human voice’ happening right now. We’re experiencing a cultural renaissance of communication that has the power to divide, or the power to unite. Let’s err on the side of responsibly moving forward.

Ok, but let’s have a little fun at it at the same time…

See ya next time.

m