The Nut Graf by Holly K

Achieves Childhood Dream.

How Many

DUIs in the NFL?

A Guide To Craft Beers

¶ The

NUT-GRAF MSU Denver

LOCAL ARTIST

A TASTING GUIDE

Brew Beer

WITH LOCAL BREW SHOPS

Colorado

LOCAL BREWERIES

Vol. 1 Issue 2

Cover: Homemade White House Honey Ale Beer Recipe and reason for name inside.

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Beer brewing supply shop ferments friendly buzz. v Learn how to make your own beer, wine, and cheese. Colorado is booming with beer brewing supply companies. A quick internet search for “Colorado brewing supplies” and pages upon pages will appear. The holidays are just around the corner and handmade beer can be a great gift idea, but getting started soon is recommended, because the fermentation process can take weeks, months or years depending on the recipe. One of many friendly Colorado brew supply shops is located in Castle Rock. Castle Rock Homebrew Shop is a place tucked away in a clean, accessible industrial space, and owned by Eric Seufert. Getting started brewing beer might seem overwhelming, but he can help with any questions to start customizing supplies and recipes. Upon entrance the store had the aroma of freshly crushed grapes and warm hops screaming to the senses, “pour me a glass!” Or to be more precise, like the character Fat Bastard from Austin Powers said, “get in my belly!” The shop was pretty busy with a long line at the checkout counter because it was their tasting day. A day where customers and friends gathered around oak barrel tables and shared their homemade beer or wine. In the back of the shop, grapes were being pulverized and squeezed to their last drop of juice. The sun was peering over freshly crushed grapes and with the guidance of owner Seufert, brothers Duane and Kyle Mauck were creating a grenache-type wine. Instead of using a kit the brothers wanted to try making wine the hard way, which could leave their wine glasses dry for a very long time. “It could take more than nine months for the aging process,” Duane said. And if they’re lucky they will be sipping and swirling, literally fruits of their labor. A Grenache-type wine is typically aged in a medium-sized oak barrel, consisting of cinnamon flavors and has hints of tobacco or oregano notes, according to winefolly.com. Also, Mauck’s friend, Michael Roberts, was eager to crush his grapes to create a Cabernet Sauvignon, which he said, “can take about 1.5 years to ferment,” before enjoyment.

“Usually once a month we will do a beginning [beer making]group class, and an advanced group class,” Seufert said. “No wine making classes are given because the kits sold are pretty straight forward and takes about 10 minutes to get started with a kit.” To check out events at Castle Rock Homebrew Shop, or to contact the store for questions, they have a Facebook page found under their name. The shop will soon be launching a supplies website, to order online visit Castlerockhomebrew.com. “The next beer brewing classes can be found on our website, under events.,” Seufert said.

CASTLE ROCK HOME BREW SUPPLY

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Photos and story by Holly Keating

PRESIDENT / EDITOR IN CHIEF Holly Keating VICE PRESIDENT / MANAGING EDITOR Heather Pastorius SECRETARY / MANAGING EDITOR Stephanie V. Coleman TREASURER / MANAGING PHOTOJOURNALIST Danielle Shriver EXECUTIVE COUNCIL / VIDEOGRAPHER James Loupee FASHION EDITOR Lindsey Lightner SPORTS COLUMNIST Mario Sanelli FEATURES CONTRIBUTOR Stephanie Alderton FACULTY ADVISOR Kip Wotkyns

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ART - PHOTOGRAPHY - CONTRIBUTORS LAYOUT & DESIGN Holly Keating Heather Pastorius Lindsey Leitner Stephanie V. Coleman CARTOONIST ---- Melinda Jewett CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Danielle Shriver Trevor Davis Anthony Sandrin Holly Keating Lindsey Lightner CONTRIBUTORS Holly Keating Mario Sanelli Stephanie V. Coleman Stephanie Alderton Lindsey Lightner Karina Weber

The

MSU Denver

EDITORIAL

Support MSUD Student Club LIKE our FB PAGE

COPY EDITORS Stephanie V. Coleman Sean Bobic Marie Ipock Colleen Lewis Jasmine Hudacsek Antoinette Brown Rebecca Dickinson Heather Chabot Aaron Lambert J.R. Johnson Ben Landreth Joshua Schott Emily Pennetti Hassan Shah Vol. 1 Issue 2

COVER PHOTO:

By Holly Keating

The homemade beer featured on the cover was made using the beer recipe for a Honey Ale created by the White House. The name on the label, Obama’s Kick In The Pants, represents an increase of the recipes alcohol by volume, at nine percent, whereas the original White House recipe averages six percent. WHITE HOUSE Honey Ale and Honey Porter Beer Recipe

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Rocky Mountain BEERS A Look at Colorado’s Climbing Craft Beer Scene

If there’s one commodity that defines the state of Colorado more than marijuana or guns, it’s beer. Colorado is home to Coors brewery, one of the largest beer manufacturers in the country, so it’s not surprising that the yeasty beverage has so many fans in this state. However, Coors is far from the only name in town when it comes to beer. There are now more than 130 breweries in Colorado, and that number is rising fast. But these aren’t giant steel factories with sports stadium namesakes. They have names like Funkwerks and Two Rascals. They’re often located in small, out-ofthe-way buildings with few employees and even fewer advertisers. And they are coming to define Colorado’s beer industry. The owners of small breweries come from many different backgrounds, but one thing they all have in common is a passion for the craft. Charlie Berger, who co-founded Denver Beer Co. in 2011, said that, like most small businesses, his struggled at first with the complexities of commercial real estate and finances, but despite the difficulties, he found the craft beer scene “intoxicating.” (And he said that pun was intentional.) “We’ve been having fun,” Berger said. “And for me that’s the real measure of success.” Starting a brewery needs to be fun, because it certainly isn’t easy. The story of Dry Dock Brewing Company illustrates this. Dry Dock is located in a shabby Aurora strip mall with one nondescript sign facing the street, and none at all facing the parking lot. Yet it’s one of the most award-winning craft breweries in the Denver area. It started in 2002, when Kevin DeLange, at the age of 28, bought a homebrew shop called The Brew Hut. In 2005 he opened Dry Dock next door. Initially the brewery, cooler and tasting room were all contained in an 800-foot-square space, and DeLange was practically running it on his own. Then, in 2006, Dry Dock won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup for what became its Amber Ale. The medal put it on the front page of the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News business sections. The resulting growth in publicity and business allowed Dry Dock to move into its current space, an old auto shop off Hampden Avenue. Since then, it has continued to expand, and in January of this year built a new

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By Stephanie Alderton

production facility near DIA. Dry Dock brews a lot of traditional-style beer, but DeLange said he likes to experiment as well. Those experiments don’t always turn out well. “I made a wasabi beer once, about four years ago, I thought it would be good,” he said. “Kind of a rice beer, and I put some wasabi in it and it was horrible… That was my best epic failure.” Most of the time, though, the beer turns out great, which is why Dry Dock’s biggest challenge now is managing their growth. Over the last ten years, they have gone from one employee to over 60, and from one 800-foot space to multiple production facilities. DeLange said this success has inspired many of his customers. When Dry Dock opened, it was one of just a few of its kind in Colorado, and the only one in Aurora. Now, about 45 breweries are set to open all over Colorado in 2013 alone. One of these is Former Future Brewing Company, a downtown Denver craft brewery set to open in late October. Right now it’s just a big room full of white plaster dust and a disassembled brewing kit. But James Howat, who is opening it with his wife Sarah, plans to make it a comfortable, sophisticated taproom with both old-fashioned and futuristic elements. Howat was a high-school science teacher until he decided to turn his home brewing hobby into a career. He said opening his own brewery seemed like a more profitable option than starting at the bottom with a bigger brewery or going to an expensive brewing school. When it opens, Former Future will serve very traditional beer, but Howat plans to make use of new technology as well, including social media. “Our marketing research is showing that 70 percent of people find out about breweries through social media, especially in our target market, which is mostly…under the age of 55,” Howat said. Time will tell whether Former Future and other brand-new brewers will become as successful as Dry Dock, but one thing is for sure: for those on a mission to find great craft beer, Colorado is the perfect place to be.

s s s

COMING UP

COLORADO BEER EVENTS

NOVEMBER 14, THURSDAY Chef and Brew competition 2nd annual, Portion of ticket sales will go to project Angel Heart. Come and join the fun while pairing gourmet meals with fantastic local brews. Beer is racing wine to be head of the gourmet dinner and is now becoming socially correct for any meal, see how it’s done. Information and tickets please visit http://www.chefnbrewfestival.com/

NOVEMBER 21, THURSDAY EPIC Brewing Beer Dinner Portion of ticket sales will go to project Angel Heart. @ Red Mountain Grill - 5 courses / 6 beer samples - $29.95 - Avon, CO - 7:00pm - (970) 748-1010.

DECEMBER 14, SATURDAY Denver Beer Festivus 2 p.m.-6 p.m. McNichols Building, 144 West Colfax Avenue, Denver Try all of Denver’s Beers in one place. Don’t be left listening about how cool this event was, buy your tickets here: http://denverbeerfestivus.com/#2k13 $40.00

DECEMBER 12, THURSDAY Beer and Cheese Pairing - Beer and Cheese Pairing @ Copper Kettle Brewing - 4 pairings - $20/pp - Denver, CO - 7:00pm to 8:30pm info@copperkettledenver.com.

Vol. 1 Issue 2

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SPORTS COLUMNIST The Loyal Sports Fan

hat it means to be a patriot—not to be confused with the Bill Belichick definition. True patriotism spans across the 50-nifty, the greatest country on planet Earth and the winner of back-to-back world wars. “From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foooooam.” Patriotism in the professional sports realm is born from and embraced by those who stand and kindly remove their cap for the singing of the national anthem, and wearing red, white and blue—or gold, orange, green, purple, black and the like on game days. Shell out that Andrew Jackson for a hot dog and a nice cold brew- hopefully a local one. Embrace the freedom to relentlessly boo, yell and curse players because they get paid millions more than you. It’s the American way. Game-goers think it’s a given right since tickets can cost $25 to $80 per seat for a pro football gamethen add extra money for parking and snacks. When sellout crowds may feel they’ve paid for behavior freedoms they cre-

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MARIO SANELLI

ate a perfect storm that parents wish they left their little ones at home. When the sellout crowd has more alcohol than blood coursing through its veins, and the masses are in beer lines or on the concourse searching for the beer lines. Refrain from the obscene or do so in moderation. If children are around, it could enrage the father who decided it was a good idea to take six-year-old Jimmy to his first baseball game on Opening Day. And when those once-a-year “fans” get back to wherever their ticket says they’re sitting, guess what they’re doing? Yelling, “Suck it, Mr. All-Star! My neighbor is better than you, and he’s a mailman!” Try blocking out those on the verge of a blackout, little Jimmy, and listen to your dad as he tries to explain on-base and slugging percentages to you in between handfuls of the trail mix mommy packed while she was ripping dad for his decision to take you to a baseball game on “idiot’s day out.” Aside from Jimmy’s first game experience, and those alcoholic one-timers who got company tickets from their boss and took that as an invitation to live life without morals at a public venue, there’s a different breed of humans filling stadiums across the country—genuine patriots. They’re the ones who support their team for the long haul and sport their favorite players’ jersey on a weekly basis. A mustard and beer stained pullover that bares smudged autographs of dudes who played a quarter-century ago, scores points towards genuine patriotism Don’t mistake these fans with those that participated in the Aaron Hernandez jersey swap at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. Trading in their No. 81 jerseys of the guy who went into jail as a tight end, and will most likely leave as the opposite, if not acquitted of first-degree murder. These jersey-wearing patrons are the ones who live and die by what their NFL team does on Sunday afternoon, or Monday night, or sometimes Thursday or Saturday. The outlook of their whole week hinges on whether their team won or lost. These are the real patriots to the game. The ones who play fantasy football, tailgate five-plus hours before kickoff, take up four parking spaces with their Ford F-250’s and Chevy Silverados, grill masters and smorgasbords. The ones who fire back at the asshole in their section wearing a Tom Brady jersey and feels it’s necessary to yell, “all day baby!” after every completed pass. Take a look around, on the walk into the stadium, at the rows of cars with bumper stickers and personalized license plates that read, “#1 fan,” “Broncos4ever,”“RaiderH8er,” and at the poles hoisting team flags that fly under the stars and stripes. This is patriotism at its finest.

EXPLORE Colorado Breweries From the COLORADO BREWERS GUILD coloradobeer.org By Heather Pastorious

We pulled 2013 Colorado Brewers from the Members Guild Listing

300 Suns Brewing 335 1st Ave Unit C Longmont 80501 720-940-6629

Beer By Design Brewery 2100 E. 112th Avenue, Unit #1 Northglenn 80233 303-517-2202

Amicas 136 E. 2nd St. Salida 80201 719-539-5219

BJ’s 10446 Town Center Dr Westminster 80021 303-389-6444

Arvada Beer Company 5600 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada 80002 (303) 467-BEER

Big Choice 7270 W 118th Place Broomfiled 80020 303-469-2616

Asher Brewing 4699 Nautillus Ct. #104 Boulder 80301 303-530-1381

Black Bottle Brewery 1611 South College Ave suite 1609 Ft. Collins 80525 970-493-2337

Aspen Brewing Co 304 E. Hopkins St. Aspen 81611 970-920-BREW Avalanche Brewing Co. 1067 Notorious Blair St. Silverton 81433 970-387-5282

Blue Spruce Brewing Company 4151 E. County Line Rd. Unit G Centennial 80122 303-518-4938

Avery 5763 Arapahoe Ave Boulder 80303 303.440.4324

Bonfire Brewing 127 2nd Street po box 5276 Eagle 81631 Bootstrap Brewing 6778 79th St. Unit B Niwot 80503 303-652-4186

Backcountry Brewery 720 Main St. Frisco 80443 970-668-2337

Boulder Beer 2880 Wilderness Place Boulder 80301 303-444-8448

Vol. 1 Issue 2

Breckenridge Brewery 600 South Main Breckenridge 80424 303-623-BREW Breckenridge Brewery 471 Kalamath St. Denver 80204 303-623-BREW BRU Handbuilt Ales 3974 Arbol Ct. Boulder 80301 303-819-2487 Brewery Ricoli 4335 Wadsworth Blvd Wheat Ridge 80033 303-344-8988 Bristol Brewing 1647 South Tejon Colorado Springs 80906 719-633-2555 Bull and Bush 4700 Cherry Creek Dr. South Denver 80246 303-759-0333 Butcherknife Brewing PO Box 773207 Steamboat Springs 80477 970-439-0110 Carver’s Brewing Co. 1022 Main Ave Durango 970-259-2545

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81432 970-626-5333 Colorado Sky 12909 Horizon Tri Castle Pines 80108

Caution Brewing Co 12445 East 39th Ave Denver 80239 970-315-2739 CB&Pots 555 Zang St., Flatiron Crssing Broomfield 720-887-3383

Colorado Mountain Brewery 11202 Rampart Hills View Colorado Springs 80921 719-434-5750 Coopersmiths 5 Old Town Square Ft. Collins 970-498-0483

CB&Pots Collindale 1441 E. Horsetooth Rd Ft. Collins 80525 970-226-0148

Copper Club Brewing Company 233 E. Aspen Unit #A Fruita 81521, 970-8584700 Copper Kettle Brewing Co 1338 S. Valentia Street Denver 80247 303-681-4554

CB&Pots Denver Tech 6575 S. Greenwood Plaza Blvd Englewood 80111 303-770-1982

Crazy Mountain Brewing Co. 439 Edwards Access Road Avon 80632 970.926.3009

CB&Pots Ft. Collins 1415 W. Elizabeth Ft. Collins 80521 970-221-1139 CB&Pots Highlands Ranch 43 Centennial Blvd Highlands Ranch 80216 720-344-1200

Crooked Stave 1441 W. 46th Ave, #19 Denver 80211 720-508-3292

CB&Pots Westminster 1257 W. 120th Ave Westminster 80234 303-451-5767 City Star 321 Mountain Ave, Unit 1 Berthoud 80513 (970) 532-7827 Colorado Boy 602 Clinton St. Ridgeway

Denver 80202 303-296-0800 Dillon Dam 100 Little Dam St Dillon 80435 970-262-7777 Dolores River Brewery 100 s. 4th St. Dolores 80014 (970) 882-4677 Dry Dock 15110 East Hampton Ave Auroura 80014 303-400-5606

Durango Brewing 3000 Main Ave Durango 970-247-3396 Echo Brewing 5969 Iris Parkway Unit C Frederick 80503 720-445-5969 Eddyline 926 S. Main St. Buena Vista 81211 719-966-6000

Crystal Springs Brewing Company 876 Sunshine Canyon Dr. Boulder 80302 303-844-5602

Eldo Brewery 215 Elk Ave. Crested Butte 81224 970-349-6125

Dad and Dudes Breweria 6730 Cornerstar way Aurora 80016 303-400-5699

Elevation Beer Co 115 Pahlone Pkwy/P) Box 310 Poncha Springs 81242 719-221-6963

Denver Beer Co 1695 Platte Street Denver 80202 303-433-2739 Denver Chophouse 1735 19th Street

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Elk Mountain 18921 Plaza drive Parker 80134 303-805-2739

Epic Brewing 3011 Walnut St. Denver,801-906-0123 Equinox Brewing 133 Remington Street Ft. Collins 80524 970-484-1368 Former Future Brewing Co 1290 S. Braodway Denver 80210 303.752.9846 Funkwerks 1900 E. Lincoln Ave Ft. Collins 80524 970-482-3865 Fate Brewing Company 1600 38th Street, ste. 100 Boulder 80301 303-449-FATE Glenwood Canyon 402 7th St. Glenwood Springs 970-945-1276 Golden City 920 12th St. Golden 80401 303-279-8092

Great Divide 2201 Arapahoe St. Denver 80205 303-296-9460 Grimm Brothers 547 N. Denver Ave Loveland 80537 720-624-6045 Hall Brewing 8530 N Vinegaroon Parketr 80138 Hogshead Brewery 4460 w. 29th Ave Denver 80212 Horsefly Brewery 846 E. Main Montrose 81041 970-249-6889 Kannah Creek Brewing Co 1960 N. 12th St. Grand Junction 81501 970-263-0111

Kokopelli Beer Company 8931 Harlan Street Westminster 80031 720-840-6835 Left Hand Brewing Co 1265 Boston Ave Longmont 80025 303-772-0258 x 101 Lone Tree Brewing Co. 8222 Park Meadow Drive Lone Tree 80124 303-792-5822 Moonlight Pizza 242 F Street Salida 81201 (719)539-4277

Gordon Biersch 1 West Flatiron Circle Broomfield 80021 720-887-2991 Gravity Brewing 1150 Pine St, Unit B Louisville 80027 303-544-0746 Great Storm Brewing 204 Mount View Lane, Unit 3 Colorado Springs 80907 719-266-4200

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BEER REFILLS

Mountain Sun 1535 Pearl Street Boulder 80301 303-546-0886 New Belgium 500 Linden St. Ft. Collins 80524 970-221-0524

Odell Brewing Compay 800 E. Lincoln Ave Ft. Collins 80524 970-498-9070 Oskar Blues 1800 Pike Rd Longmont 80501 303-776-1914

Grab a growler for refills and take your favorite beer home. Photograph by Holly Keating

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Oskar Blues 303 Main St. Lyons 80540 303-823-6685 Our Mutual Friend 2810 Larimer St. Denver 80205 Ouray Brewing 607 Main St. Ouray 81427 970-325-7388

Pagosa Brewing 100 North Pagosa Blvd Pagosa Springs 81147 970-731-2739 Palisade Brewing Co. 200 Peach Avenue Palisade 81526 970.464.1462 Paradox Beer Company 106 Village Terrace Ste E Woodland Park 80866 (719) 686-8081 Pateros Creek Brewing Comp 242 N. College Avenue Ft. Collins 80524 970-484-PCBC Phantom Canyon 2 East Pikes Peak Ave Colorado Springs 80903 719-635-2800 Pikes Peak 1756 Lake Woodmoor Rd. Monument 80123 719-208-4098 Prost 2540 19th St. Denver 80211 303-729-1175 Pug Ryan;s 104 Village Place Dillon 80435 970-468-2145

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Pumphouse Brewing 540 Main St Longmont 80501 303-702-0881 Renegade Brewing 925 w. 9th Ave Denver 80204 720-401-4089 Rifle Brewing Co 412 Park Ave Rifle 81650 (970) 625-8008 Revolution Brewing 325 Grand Ave Paonia 970-527-3304 Revolution Brewing 325 Grand Ave Paonia 970-527-3304 Riff Raff Brewing PO Box 5945 Pagosa Springs 81147 970-264-4677

Rock Bottom Loveland 6025 Sky Pond Dr Loveland 80538 970-622-2077 Rock Bottom Park Meadows 9627 E. County Line Rd Englewood 80112 303-792-9090 720-566-0198

River North Brewing 2401 Blake St #1 Denver 80205 (303) 296-2617 Rock Bottom Colorado Springs 3316 Cinema Plaza Dr. Colorado Springs 80309 719-550-3586 Rock Bottom Denver 1001 16th St. Denver 80265 303-534-7616 Rock Bottom DIA 9100 N. Pena Blvd Denver 80249 303-534-7620

Photograph by Holly Keating

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80301

80907

Ska Brewing 225 Girard Street Durango 81301 970-247-5792

TRVE Brewing 227 Broadway #101 Denver 80203 (303) 351-1021

Southern Sun 627 S, Broadway Boulder 80301 303-546-0886

(719) 634-0029

Rock Bottom Westminster 10633 Westminster Blvd Westminster 80020

St. Patricks Brewing Co 4750 S. Santa Fe Circle, Unit 2 Englewood 80110 303-718-7575

Twelve Degree Brewing 820 Main Street Louisville 80027 (303) 579-1004 Twisted Pine 3201 Walnut Street Ste A Boulder 80301 (303) 786-9270

Rock Bottom Orchards 14694 Orchard Parkway Westminster 80023 303-255-1625

Steamworks Brewing 801 East 2nd Ave Durango 81301 970-259-9200

Two Rascals 147 N. 1st St Montrose 81401 (970) 249-8089

Rocky Mountain 625 Paonia St. Colorado Springs 80915 719-528-1651

Strange Brewing 1330 Zuni Denver 80204 720-985-2337

Upslope 1501 Lee Hill Road Boulder 80301 303-449-2911

Rockslide 401 MAIN ST Grand Junction 81501 970-245-2111

Suds Brothers Brewery PO Box 9 Fruita 81521 970-858-1286

Very Nice Brewing 20 Lakeview Dr. Unit 112 Nederland 80301 720-771-9903

Rockyard 880 Castleton Rd Castle Rock 80109 303-814-9273

Telluride Brewing 156 Def Society Dr Telluride 81435 (970) 728-5094

Vine St. Brewing 1700 Vine St. Denver 80206 (303) 388-2337

Royal Gorge Brewing Co 413 Main St. Canon City 81212 (719) 345-4141

Tivoli Brewing Co. 70 Ruddolph Ranch Rd Blackhawk 80422 (303) 582-1597

Walnut Brewery 1123 Walnut St. Boulder 80301 303-664-4017

Sanitas Brewing Co 413 Main St. Canon City 81212 (719) 345-4141

Three Barrel 586 Columbia St Del Norte 81132 719-852-3314

San Luis Valley 631 Main St Alamosa 81101 719-587-BEER

Tommyknocker Brewery 1401 Miner St. Idaho Springs 80452 303-567-4419

Shamrock Brewing 3550 Frontier Ave, Unit A Boulder

Trinity Brewing 1466 Garnden of the Gods Rd., Colorado Springs

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Westminster Brewing Co. 3676 W. 100th Ave Westminster 80031 303-717-7158 Wild Mountain 70 E. First St. Nederland 80466 303-462-0882

Wild Woods Brewery 5460 Conestoga Ct. Boulder 80301 303-484-1465

Wynkoop Brewing Co 1634 18th St. Denver 80202 303-297-2700

Wit’s End Brewing Company 2505 W 2nd Ave, Unit 13 Denver 80219 303-359-9119

Yak and Yeti 7803 Ralston Road Arvada 80002 303-431-9000

Photograph by Holly Keating

Craft Beer Tasting Guide 101 By Stephanie V. Coleman

As one of the largest craft brew producing states in the country, Colorado is a hub for finding the latest beer styles and for some, the plethora of beer is a wonderful thing. For others, choosing between a pale, an IPA or a pilsner can leave their head spinning. Don’t worry - we’ve got your back. We’ve broken down the basics on craft brews so you know what you’re getting this Oktoberfest. See pages 12, 13 to start the craft beer tasting guide 101. Vol. 1 Issue 2

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Craft Beer Tasting Guide 101 All beers are considered either an ale or a lager. Without getting too scientific, the main difference between the two is the type of yeast used during the brewing process.

American Pale Ale

Clear to lightly hazy, this golden to amber beer has a fragrant hop aroma, with citrus and sweet malts. It has a prominent hoppy spice and a lingering finish. Try: Deschutes’ Mirror Pond Pale Ale

India Pale Ale (IPA)

Golden to copper in color, IPAs can be medium to full bodied and can have grapefruit, pine, and earthy aromas. Flavors of citrus and malt are present with a hoppy bitterness that leaves a long lingering finish. Try: Goose Island’s IPA or Dogfish Head’s 60 Minute IPA

Amber Ale

Copper or ruby red in color. Has a sweet malt flavor and nutty aromas. More medium bodied with flavors of caramel, toffee, and light hops. Clean finish. Try: Widmer’s Drop Top Amber

Ales

Top fermented Quick brew cycle 7 days Brewed at higher temp. Strong, hearty, more robust taste.

Lagers

Bottom fermented Long brew cycle several months Brewed at lower temp Smooth, crisp, clear sometimes a more subtle taste.

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CHECK OUT HIS BIG MUG

Ales include everything with ale in the name, think india pale ale (IPA), pale ale, amber ale, plus – porters, stouts, Belgian specialty beers and wheat beers. Here are just a few popular ale styles found year-round in Denver:

Photograph by Holly Keating Dry Dock Brewery “Sample” Aurora, Colo..

Brown Ale

Craft Beer Tasting Guide 101

As the name suggests, Brown ales are usually brown in color, sometimes with a reddish hue. Many American varieties have rich nutty flavors. The bitterness and hop flavor can vary as well as the alcohol content. Try: Rogue’s Hazelnut Brown Nectar

Porters & Stouts

Usually pitch black in color, porters and stouts can have a wide range of flavors - from light to rich and full bodied. Often there are flavors and aromas of coffee, chocolate and roasted malt. Less bitter hop presence. Try: Odell’s Cutthroat Porter and Deschutes’ Obsidian Stout

Hefeweizen

A German style wheat beer made with a yeast that produces banana and clove flavors with a dry finish. Just a little hop bitterness. Pale in color, Hefeweizens have a cloudy appearance from the unfiltered yeast style. Try: Dry Dock’s Hefeweizen

Lagers include pilsners, bocks, dopplebocks and to celebrate the fall season – Oktoberfests/Märzen. Try out a few of these popular styles.

Pilsner

A lager, golden in color with malt, citrus and floral notes. Hops flavor create a dry, refreshing finish. Try: Santa Fe’s Freestyle Pilsner and North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner

Bock

Stronger than your typical lager! Has an amber to brown hue and a robust malt character. Can have a hop bitterness, but most are made with a lighter hoppiness to let the malt flavor shine. Try: Breckenridge’s Pandora’s Bock or New Belgium’s Hoppy Bock Lager

Dopplebock

As the name suggests, Dopplebocks are more full bodied than a bock and contains a higher alcohol percentage. Even more malty flavor than a bock and can range from dark amber to black in color. Many versions have chocolate notes. Try: Fort Collins’ Dopplebock Don’t forget seasonal beers! Many brewers have jumped on the popular seasonal brew making bandwagon, creating small batches of beers using seasonal flavors available for a limited time and usually sell out fast. Enjoy an oktoberfest or autumn ale to celebrate the fall season or get your gourd on with pumpkin style beers, which have hit liquor stores and restaurants now. Try: Sam Adams’ Oktoberfest, Left Hand’s Oktoberfest, Breckenridge’s Autumn Ale, Dry Dock’s Imperial Pumpkin, Uinta’s Punk’n Harder to find, but totally worth the search: Elysian’s The Great Pumpkin or Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale

Cheers!

Photograph by Holly Keating OKTOBERFEST, 2013 Breckenridge, Colo..

Vol. 1 Issue 2

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Photojournalists

Photographs by Trevor Davis

Loveland, Colo., Fourth of July, 2013

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Poets Page

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Photojournalists

Loveland, Colo., Fourth of July, 2013

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Photograph by Anthony Sandrin

Fashion

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The Entrepreneuress:

Marisa Stewart

From ballet dancer to marketing major to entrepreneuress, Marisa Stewart has hit her stride. By Lindsey Leitner

After dancing ballet for 14 years, including a role as an Arabian dancer in the “Nutcracker” at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Stewart knew she wanted to go to college and have the normal college experience. Her goal was to become a pharmaceutical sales representative or get a job in the entertainment business. After graduating with a Marketing degree from the University of Southern California, the opportunity to intern for A&M Records opened,she took the job which, led to many paths for Stewart. It t turned into a full time gig. She went onto work in many jobs after this. Before starting Star Candy Boutique in LosAngeles, Stewart worked various jobs, including being a business banker and selling real estate for seven years. Nothing seemed right for her until one day she came up with a unique idea for a Boutique—a place that defines style, affordable luxury, personality and class—all in a pair of blinged-out panties. Stewart loves being an entrepreneuress and could not imagine doing anything else. .... continued on page 20

“I actually started it and didn’t tell any of them, just my husband.”

Marisa Stewart of Star Candy Boutique Photo Courtesy of Marisa Stewart

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Fashion

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What made you want to start your own business? I used to do custom work. I would bling everything, even nails. I would bling my nails before it was even trendy [and] I used to do custom logos. I knew a lot of managers at Bloomingdales and they [said I was ]really talented [and asked ]why I didn’t do something with it? I didn’t want to do t-shirts because it’s so common. So by accident one day, I had this design and I was downtown at the store where I would get heat press done and I forgot the t-shirt I was going to put it on. They didn’t have any nice t-shirts so I was looking in my car and I had bought some underwear a couple days before. They were still in my car, brand new. I put the design on the underwear and a couple days later I was wearing them and my husband [said] ‘What’s that, that’s really cute. That’s what you need to do!’ How did you incorporate rhinestones into your designs? My manicurist used to do rhinestone designs on my nails. She taught me how to do it. I learned how to lay the stones and everything from her. So I started doing phones and it grew from there. Was your family supportive when you decided to start your own business? I actually started it and didn’t tell any of them, just my husband. It was really kind of a surprise to everybody when I told them, but I was pretty established by the time I anStar Candy Boutique nounced my business. When they found out, they were supPhoto Courtesy of Marisa Stewart / T-shirt Model portive. My mother was super happy and she was proud. Why did you keep it a secret? I didn’t think that they would be supportive from the beginning, to put all this money into it. I didn’t want to have any negative vibes while I was starting it. So we were really positive about it, me and my husband. So I just thought, let’s see what happens with it and take it from there. How did you come up with the name? I had a logo made for another name. Then we found out when we were trademarking it, I couldn’t use the name because there were bra straps being made with that name. It was too similar of a category. So we had this great logo, the one that we have now, and it was for Rock Candy. But then my lawyer said I couldn’t use it and I was heartbroken. After a couple of months, we were looking at this cool star logo and I thought why don’t we just call it Star Candy. What’s your favorite part about being able to work for yourself? Making my own hours as much as I can. I have crazy hours because I deal overseas. I’ll get phone calls at three or four in the morning and emails that I have to approve. I kind of have crazy hours but it’s nice not having to answer to anybody and to do my own thing. Do you have any big plans for Star Candy Boutique? We are looking to expand into camisoles to match the panties. We’re actually looking into carrying accessories, like bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and we have a full bridal line. What’s your favorite product that you sell? My favorite pair are the Wanted because those are our original pair. That’s the one that started everything.

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Fashion

}

Denver Fashion Designer Inspires Other Artists.

Following a childhood passion and having creative outlets helped Meghan Throckmorton achieve her dream job. She now owns her own boutique and inspires other artists. At a young age she said she would beg her father to take her to the farmers market to sell her handmade items. As an adult she continues to sell handmade items.

By Lindsey Leitner

Meghan Throckmorton was a childhood dreamer. She once wanted to be a dancer and then a children’s book author. With her father being an entrepreneur and her mother an artist, it’s no surprise that Throckmorton has always flourished with creative expression. Creativity and independent thinking were highly valued in her home growing up in Kansas City. Her mother taught her to sew at a very young age and she used to beg her father to take her to the farmer’s market to sell her handmade jewelry. Throckmorton grew-up and later attended University of Kansas. After college, she lived in both Thailand and China. Following her journeys overseas she moved to Santa Barbara, Calif. where she worked for Diesel Shoes. After living in Calif., she moved to Denver where she lives with her husband and 3-year-old daughter. Besides being a full-time mommy and wife, she owns and operates Rakun, in the Denver the Sante Fe art district. Rakun is one of those amazing stone houses turned art gallery. Rakun offers collections of “local sourced, sustainable made goods from candles, tasty treats,” to fabulous boutique dresses. The Nut-Graf team took a few moments and met-up with Throckmorton at her shop Rakun, to show you her wonderful, charming shop. You can also check her shop out online, hosted with Etsy, a handmade artists website. Besides showcasing Rakun’s items on Etsy, Throckmorton also belongs to the Denver Creative Movement. DCM’s goal is to highlight local artist and musicians in Colo., build a learning environment as well help promote and support other artists. Meghan and her daughter take applause after fashion show. Photo Courtesy of Meghan Throckmorton RAKUN Denver, Colorado.

RAKUN ITEMS AVAILABLE @ http://www.rakunshop.com/

interview continues on pg 20

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When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur and start Rakun? Since I was really young, I’ve always had little businesses in the works: everything from jewelry-making to a neighborhood theater company. I started to get serious about selling things I made while I was living in California and working in the corporate fashion world. Working in a corporate environment made doing my own thing a creative outlet for me. This was before Etsy and the rapid growth of the handmade movement, so it was really hard to get my work into stores. I started to daydream about a store that would help designers get their start and navigate the business side of designing and crafting. I couldn’t stop thinking about this business incubator, so my husband convinced me to give it a shot a couple of years ago. It took me awhile to realize that what I was always doing in my free time was what I was meant to do full time. Do you feel you were born to be an entrepreneur? I think I was raised to be an entrepreneur. I started working for my dad when I was 7, and he put me in charge of projects starting in middle school. When I entered the punch-in-punch-out, micromanaged corporate world, I really struggled to fit in. My dad taught me to work hard, be as efficient as possible, and constantly find ways to improve what I’m doing. At my first job, we had to clock in at the exact second our shift began. I know it sounds crazy, but I had a hard time wasting those 5 or so minutes I had to stand by the time clock and wait. My drive is complemented by a lot of passion for what I do. I often get up in the middle of the night because I can’t wait to sew or send someone an email about a partnership idea. I have a hard time taking vacations because I love what I do too much to take a break. What is the most important trait an aspiring entrepreneur should have? Patience. It takes time to refine an idea and for a business to catch on. I think it’s important to get going on a dream as soon as possible, but entrepreneurs also need to be ready to adapt and wait. What made you want to start Rakun?

Photos courtesy by RAKUN

I saw a need for a place where creative people who weren’t familiar with line sheets, MSRP, order minimums, etc. could get their start. To be honest, sometimes the nuts and bolts of running a shop gets a little tedious: cleaning, bookkeeping, etc. But it’s worth it because I get to meet and help so many awesome creative people. Even if my shop isn’t the right fit for a particular artisan, I love bouncing ideas around and helping them find their niche. It can be so hard for creative folks to put themselves out there, and I hope I can be a good resource and cheerleader for independent designers. How did you come up with the name Rakun? I wanted a cute animal logo, and a raccoon seemed appropriate because it’s an urban animal and a collector. A lot of designers use recycled materials too, so a raccoon seemed like a good choice. The spelling change is just for fun. It’s the spelling of raccoon in several other languages, including some of the places I lived right after college. So it’s a nice reference to my past adventures. What is Rakun’s mission? My basic goal is simply to add to our city’s vibrancy by promoting creativity. I am passionate about building opportunities and resources for Denver creative, but I keep the shopping experience fun so that the average consumer isn’t bogged down with messages about sustainability and community. I really want to create an experience where responsible consumerism is the natural choice … because it’s fun. Why do you focus on selling goods from Colorado?

It’s the least I can do to help build our community. Selling locally-made goods keeps money in our community, keeps our vibrant creative class working, and celebrates what makes Denver awesome. Do you only sell sustainable goods? Everything I sell, even if it is made from new materials, is more sustainable than something made overseas. The fuel savings alone make buying locally a more environmentally-sound choice. Most of the designers use some recycled materials in their products, both as an environmental choice and to save money. Why is selling sustainable goods important to Rakun? Simple choices make all the difference. A lot of people who shop at Rakun buy factory-made goods too, and that’s okay. I am glad to be another option for consumers looking to make little changes to make a lighter impact on the earth. It might be practical for everyone all the time, but it is a simple step that keeps us aware of the impact our choices have. How do you choose which items to sell in Rakun? I used to be really open to anything made in Colorado, but that made the collection in my tiny space a little jumbled and confusing. So now I pick things that I would want to wear and trust that shoppers will appreciate my taste. It took me a couple of years to confidently curate the shop. What is your favorite thing about owning Rakun? I love being a part of the vibrant creative community in Denver! I’ve met so many awesome and inspiring people doing incredible things. Every day is a new adventure because of the amazing people who’ve crossed my path thanks to the shop. It doesn’t feel like work because it’s what I love the most.

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Colorado Local Band HELLO DOLLFACE brings new eclectic sounds. In “4 years” they have rocked more than

“400 shows.” The band shares how they have beat the fear of making their music work.

A S H L E Y

By Holly Keating

Introducing the Band Members of; Jesse Ogle Electric/Upright Bassist Arrangements, Booking, Management, Finance, PR David Rodriguez Drummer, Repair/Maintenance, Investor Ashley Edwards Vocalist, Keys, Acoustic/ Electric Guitar, Songwriter, Graphic/Web Designer, Media, Social Marketing, General Marketing, Management How and when did Hello Dollface get together – how did you all meet? Ashley “Dollface is a 3-piece project born of extremely fortunate timing and the good old world wide web. For most, stringing together a band via online is like worst-case scenario internet-dating, but we lucked out.” “We have been together in Durango, Colorado (a college mountain town) for nearly 4 years originating in December 2009 and have played close to 400 shows together in 10 western states. David (drummer) moved here from Texas, Jesse (bassist) moved here from Oregon, I moved here from California on accident all in different years. We connected here unexpectedly, all on our separate journeys. They call the Animas, the river running through Durango- “the river of the lost souls” which is a legend that the river keeps people here for a lifetime once they are here. There is a lot of magical and creative energy in the four corners. I believe in signs, so us 3 finding each other here was the first.”

D A V I D

J E S S E

How many times a week or month does the band perform? “We are all full-time musicians and every dime of our income is generated through music. We are so fortunate to have such a variance in our sets, it allows us to be versatile and are pretty much able to play any crowd at any venue. As full timers, there is a balance required between booking Artist showcases- which are shows with shorter, high energy sets (1-2 hours) playing only our latest and favorite original music. Working gigs are (3-5 hour sets) mixing bar-friendly covers and originals for bar crowds). Collectively, between touring (10 western states between Texas and California) and just playing our home region (CO, NM, AZ) we play a lot of shows. Especially this last year, we have been playing consistently between 15-30 shows a month. Our last 4 week tour consisted of 27 days in 8 states. The full band travels and performs frequently and we will book acoustic shows on nights that require a more mellow energy. Generally speaking, I am singing 3-7 nights a week, sometimes 2-3 shows may happen in one day between regular club shows, festivals, private events, and bar/lounge gigs. We get a lot of calls while we also aggressively book a lot of shows. Humble, yet proud, I can honestly say that we are the hardest working band I know.” Please explain to our readers how you would describe your music? “We have been genretically classifying our music as Indie Soul the realm of semantics for the last few years. Not indie pop or indie rock, but literally short for independent soul. Hello Dollface is soul music without hard, defined lines.”

Photos courtesy by Hello Dollface

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Colorado Local Band

HELLO DOLLFACE ....continued

“This definition of Soul meanders. We like to take our listeners on a journey or what we call a “genre tour” throughout the set, blending emotions and elements of sophisticated heart-felt pop, jazz-funk, reggae, disco, folk, and even some r&b. All of our music is lyrically reflective, often aetherial, groove-based with synthy indie twists and soulful vocals that can shine sweet, we can also be angsty and gritty, and eclectic. Some songs I have even written in Spanish and Swedish. Really though, HDF it is a fresh, vocally featured sound with a lot of intricacy. Nothing about our arrangements stay simple. Jesse is the syncopation king, and when he and David lock up there is improvised magic that can never be repeated. We sometimes never play the song the same way twice and it is always evolving.

Our bigger headlining Durango theatre shows have been the most surprising and most popular events, selling out both the Henry Strater Theatre and The ACT (Formerly the Abbey Theater) In Durango, of which we hold events and fundraisers biannually. We are lucky to have oversold the old Abbey last year for our CD release party with our collaboration with Salt Fire Circus (capacity 320)

I think this is why our live show is really our best platform and the least accessible, only way to describe our sound. As far as our recordings, I think we have run into some interpretation complications. You might listen to our first EP and think we are rock/blues band, our 2nd LP and think Jazz/Funk/Latin Club, and our newest record Virtue and think you got a copy of the unheard of up and coming band at SXSW (we wish.) Our latest urecorded music is on a whole new level, it is hard to even compare the new music with that of the past. We have been through two guitar players in 3 different records and now we remain as a three piece with occasional guest musicians and a completely new interpretation of Hello Dollface. We can’t wait to start recording this winter!

have Sold Out the Henry Strater (capacity 280) in our last three shows, our latest was this past Saturday as a Bob Marley Tribute which included several guest musicians. We are hoping to expand our theatre events to bigger cities like Denver, which is why we keep a rigorous schedule to get people to come to our shows enough to have representation in a theatre of such size.

What venue do you all play at the most? We really try and diversify our venues as not to tire out our listeners and to keep a fresh sound and show. We play many different types of venues acoustically in Durango, venues are opening and closing and shifting with the growth of the scene here this past few years and the full band keeps our high energy shows 1-3x a month locally and we travel otherwise. We play a hand full of clubs regularly in our region (CO, NM, AZ) and rotate them throughout the year. As for clubs we love to play ZINC in Albuquerque and the Lost Leaf in Phoenix. Intimate shows are amazing.

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Describe your artisian inspiration – who inspires you and influences your music? Jesse: So many, mostly fellow musicians more than well-known artist. As far as well-known artist, Corinne Bailey Rae is one and John Lennon and Herbie Hancock too. This could be a small book if you had time to hear it all!

Do you have any current big shows upcoming – where, when and how much can people expect to pay for tickets? We just finished our big theatre show this past weekend at the Henry Strater Theatre selling out the Hello Dollface Bob Marley Tribute. We are booked now into May of 2014, all across the west (including Boulder and Denver) and our next big production will be New Years Eve again at the Henry Strater, tickets are usually very fairly priced (between $10-$20) and we have some exciting plans for a TBA CD release party sometime this spring. How many albums does the band have & where can folks pick up a copy of your cd? Hello Dollface currently has 3 EPS all available at our shows and online with I-tunes, CD Baby, Amazon, as well as on Spotify. We are working on the 4th and we keep an acoustic cd with us as “ACE REVEL” that is only available at shows. Does the band have a FB or website page so folks can stay well-informed of up coming events? Yes! Of course! Social media is our best friend. Facebook.com/listenhellodollface and also-on a laptop or computer (not mobile or ipad) www.hellodollfacemusic.com has all of our dates Describe for folks any struggles your band faced while it was getting started? Ashley: Well, it is a struggle to string together media to prove you are who you are and that you can and will deliver. If you do not have media that adequately and perfectly conveys the ever-evolving live show, music, or artistic message you are shooting for, it is hard to take the project to the next level. Jesse: So many minor struggles like, finding the right venues, writing good songs so you can throw out unwanted covers, transportation, funding, finding the right members, sharing the same visions and basic touring logistics. This could be a small book if you had time to hear it all! With life in general in or out of the band – does any band member want to give our readers insight to any trials they faced and how did they deal with it and what perspective was built for you personally on that experience?

you are only successful if you make it big or something. Probably the most heartbreaking experience I had was being fired from a 3/4time position at a non-profit where I was a music director because I played too much music, I was told that music was getting in the way of me teaching music. That still confuses me today because the best teachers are the ones that actually live what they teach! Ash: I think it is interesting to reflect on all of the angst I experienced before and while committing myself fully to music and this project. No one ever tells you “you can be completely sustainable and successful and fulfilled in your life by pursuing your passion with creativity. Usually there is some weird stigmatism and social pressure we experience into our adulthood while choosing a profession and following a particular life path. People around you are okay with what you do as long as it doesn’t threaten or make their experience in comparison-uncomfortable. In my experience, I have realized everything is a choice and that realization isn’t necessarily easy. Creating a career from music is empowering and also a very vulnerable, intimate, and reflective. You really only have yourself to rely on for dissolving fear of failure and doubting your own capacity. Building an empire takes infinite patience and requires diplomacy, a mission, heart, and courage, amidst wild enthusiasm while paving your own way and establishing good solid relationships. There is no one to follow and no one to tell you what to do. You have got to want it more than you did yesterday and you have to be aware of what’s happening in this industry while also wearing blinders to protect yourself from the harmful self-sabotage practice of comparison. After our tour vehicle purchase, our successful kick-starter, adding more states to our tour, and growing exponentially through our new shows, plus the transition of going from a 4 piece to a 3 piece has been a wild ride. We are reworking a lot of our material right now, as to become more exploratory, more experimental, and also more groove focused, writing songs backward from the beat and relationship of the drum and bass, massaging a vocal and melody around it whereas before every instrumentation was based off of vocal melody and riffs. David: We are influenced by our future and new opportunities and adventures as a 3 piece.

Jesse: The main trial I think we have all faced is gaining acceptance that it is okay to follow your passion in life no matter what. A lot of people don’t see being a musician as a “real” job. I personally have had struggles with convincing people of that. I feel I have no choice other than to be a professional musician and a teacher of music, which is a life long process. Ironically it’s generally thought that

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Colorado Local Band

LAMA LIVE is known for their high-energy live shows. The six-piece Denver based band is headed by New York hip hop artists Namm and Ha Boogie.

The vocals are set over guitar-heavy progressive rock (Matthew Shaw and Aaron Willoughby), complimented and accented by keyboards (Levi Smith). The band’s anchored with a rock steady bass (TJ Wethington) and drums (Chris Doxtator) and then to smooth their sound out, Matthew and Levi broaden the vocal dynamic of the band with hooks and harmonies.

By Stephanie V. Coleman

What’s the origin of the name LAMA Live? What does it mean? The name comes from the New York foundation Lama Squad. L.A.M.A. Stands for Little Ambition Makes A lot. We know it’s not grammatically correct, but Lama has a much better ring than Lamal. When did you form LAMA Live and what inspired this band? “The band formed at a diabetes benefit. The band faction of the group was per-forming as The Free Electric Band. Namm and Ha had some back up tracks that were not family friendly due to language. They asked us to back them up. We practiced for about ten minutes, locked in two songs, and they’ve been working with that same formula for over two years now. It was just too high energy and original not to explore. We’ve been having a blast evolving the sound” How would you describe the genre of music LAMA Live plays? Who are your major influences? “We all bring our own tastes to the project, so our sound is pretty eclectic. The hip-hop is inspired by the sounds and figures of New York’s music history. The music is inspired by legends of the progressive rock music scene.” Who writes your songs? What are the main themes/topics for most of your songs? “Our songwriting is pretty organic. Our singers bring their own lyrics to the table. The orchestration is a group effort and a process that we never finish. The songs get to a point of being fit to perform, but they never stop changing. Improvisation is a big part of our sound.” Our major theme is New York City, namely Brooklyn and Far Rockaway, important bastions of hip-hop. Life has no right answer, and we each have our own ver-sion of what’s best. Our songwriting explores the struggles of trial and error with those versions, as well as the triumphs that come from perseverance.” Could you briefly describe the music-making/song-writing process? “Songwriting is like turning a grain of sand to a pearl. Start off with something small and insignificant, [and] turn [it] into something shiny. We’ve all written music for 10 plus years and know what should go into a song, so the process is a conversation about what to use next, sometimes with words, sometimes with instruments.” “What has been your biggest challenge as a band? “We’re a seven-person band, and we all have lives outside the band. It takes a lot of communication and sacrifice to make the project work, but that’s something we’re all willing to do.” What’s the ultimate direction for LAMA Live? Are you seeking fame, fortune or just the plain ol’ love of playing music and musical expression? “Playing music for the sake of expression comes first. Fame and fortune may or may not result from the effort. It’d be great if it did.” How do you all get psyched up before getting on stage to perform? “We don’t actually. We’re all pretty mellow. We hang out and talk. But once the show starts our energy goes through the roof.” What song is the band’s favorite to perform live? “All of them.” LAMA LIVE also has a Facebook to view new videos, shows, songs and photos.

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OPINION

By Mario Sanelli Stephanie V. Coleman

NFL’s indiscriminate DUIs

Mothers Against Drinking and Driving, 2013

MADD Statistics • Drunk Driving costs

the United States $132 billion a year. • In 2011, 226 children were killed in drunk driving crashes. • Almost every 90 seconds, a person is injured in a drunk driving crash. • In 2011, 9,878 people died in a drunk driving crashes • An Average drunk driver has driven drunk 80 times before first arrest.

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A trend between two acronyms has developed over the past decade. Those acronyms are DUI and the NFL. “Fifteen Super Bowl championship rings, 55 Pro Bowl appearances, 31 All-Pro selections, 21 first-round picks, three most valuable player awards and two defensive player of the year winners. These numbers represent the collection of NFL players arrested on drunk-driving-related charges from 2007 through last season,” previously reported by Timothy Bel-la, a senior digital producer for America Tonight.

Drinking and driving is a serious issue, and one that has serious consequences, just look at MADD’s website statistics. Consequences besides death appear arbitrary. Counseling, and some alcohol abuse classes are what pro athletes are subjected to when they get slammed with a DUI. Maybe since athletes are equipped to handle DUI’s with their deep pockets and top-notch lawyers, their consequences are easy. Kind of, they go to jail, post bond, and play in the next game. So, what are the higher powers of the NFL doing to cut down on the amount of players involved in DUI incidents? Hopefully something, and soon, because the number of offenders speaks for itself, showing there is a DUI problem among NFL players.

GAME CHANGE

Clearly, the NFL and its players’ association have no choice but to step up and take action to reduce the DUI arrests in their organization. Stiffer penalties for players have been discussed extensively, with the NFL pushing for a mandatory two-game suspension for a first offense. However, the union has not agreed to this. Last year, they did agree to a one-game suspension along with a one-game fine for a first offense, but no finalization or announcement was made because negotiations over the Human Growth Hormone plan took a precedence over changing their substance abuse policy for DUIs. Currently, a players’ first offense for driving under the influence results in a fine up to a maximum of $50,000. This is a slap on the wrist with the money these professional athletes earn. Should players be punished based on their blood-alcohol concentration at the time of the arrest along with an automatic one-year suspension? However, the NFL is trying to step-up their game to help players avoid more DUIs. On Sept. 4, 2013 the NFL partnered with Uber technologies, which offers an upscale car service in conjunction with an app, providing rides for players in minutes by simply tapping their smartphones. The app depends on G.P.S., so players don’t need to know the address of their exact location as long as they have their phones on them. The NFL is offering players a $200 credit toward this service as an incentive. The question is will the players use this service and is it available across the U.S.? Uber’s services are also limited geographically, currently offered in only about half of cities where NFL teams are located, leaving many teams without this option. While Uber is expanding, certain markets have regulations governing taxi companies, making it difficult to establish in some areas. The NFL’s efforts to reduce the number of players getting behind the wheel after a few too many cold ones are commended. Yet, it’s up to the players to respond with smarter behavior.

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W O R

Y D FE

Aug., 2013 Library

By Melinda Jewitt, MSU Denver art major

BACK TO COLLEGE

Billy ~ Another year in this place. (Exhausted sigh) Rowdy ~ But at least your not the only crazy bird, and if crazy is obtaining a degree, then crazy is good.

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Y D IFE

Oct., 2013 Central Classroom

By Melinda Jewitt, MSU Denver art major

ZOMBIES ON CAMPUS

Rowdy ~ Look! Billy ~ You ruined my song...What? Rowdy ~ Zombie-Pocalypse!... (SQUAK!) Billy ~ Oh heck no... I knew it, we need to get to class. Vol. 1 Issue 2

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Photograph by Danielle Shriver

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