A Brown Ale with a Serious Twist...

DSCF2311
Originally uploaded by cleartuesday

That only Dogfish Head could envision. This Brown Ale is technically a Pumpkin Ale that packs a serious punch. Its ABV clocks in at 7% and its character is equally deserving of the title "Punk"

Grade: A-

Appearance: Don't let its traditional Brown Ale appearance fool you. Rather, it beckons or entices you. Its a deep, clear brown with a nicely formed milky-white head that laces the surface. The carbonation level appears to be moderate.

Smell: This is a prelude of what's to come. A nice blast of nutmeg pierces the senses followed by a hint of cinnamon. Hop character is irrelevant to nonexistent.

Mouthfeel: This well balanced, medium body gives the beer a "chewy" sensation. The pumpkin itself is present and the taste dissolves into the nutmeg/cinnamon combination detected in the aroma. The punishing 7% ABV is present but is pleasantly balanced with the other flavors so it doesn't shock you into submission. A warning to those who wish to make this into a session beer, however, I do find it hard to resist only having one.

Serving Type: 12 oz Bottle

Pairing Notes: While I don't have any at the moment, I am looking forward to pairing this beer with a slice of Pumpkin Pie. So I will be purchasing another four pack for Thanksgiving this year.

Honorable Mentions: ApriHop - a mean IPA with a touch of Apricot. Sheer genius or madness? You be the judge. But one things for sure, its another damn fine beer brewed by Dogfish Head Brewery.

One Hour Warm Up Sketches

Riddick02
Originally uploaded by cleartuesday

The digitally "Inked" version can be found Here. This is a process I use to get into my creative mode... often accompanied by my Creative Playlists on iTunes, I'll spend an hour sketching whatever comes to mind - when something cool starts to manifest, I'll run with it. I'll start again on a clean sheet of paper and fine-tune the rough into a presentable version then scan it in. After the scan I'll begin coloring the piece in Photoshop.

I only allow myself an hour to test my techniques and see what I can apply using what I've learned from previous One Hour sessions. This process is my way of testing my abilities so that I can begin to improve and expand upon my style of art.

I also posted the Inked version on Drawingboard.org with the hopes of getting a few honest critiques.

Website Status: Brettskidesign.com

The Website is progressing! Recently, I've added a Digital Sketch Book page. This is a place where I show off my personal art, outside of my design work. The design side of things are proceeding well, I hope to also add a feature to the Website where I take the viewer through my Logo Design process.

After all, I am attempting to establish myself as a Logo Artist.

I have learned that Twitter is an excellent platform.

In an effort to attract more customers, I put my link up on Freelancedesigners.org.

That's it for now!

Miscellaneous, Experimental Fun!

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Originally uploaded by cleartuesday

Greetings!

The Design front has been quiet - I've been in touch with some local Design studios and I'm trying real hard to get myself an Internship. The About page is up on my Website now and my Portfolio is available per request, here.

Now, onto the experiment! Before I was into Design I flexed my cooking skills on a regular basis at a local Bagel shop. I've had this recipe for Sesame Seed Bagels floating around in my head for a while now and two weeks ago I purchased the necessary ingredients. They came out exceptionally well and the recipe can use a couple minor tweaks. Overall, I was very happy with the outcome and now, I have a small demand going on. Will I keep up with the supply?

Perhaps! : )

Website Status: Brettskidesign.com

Finally, my website is up and running again!

http://www.brettskidesign.com

Currently, it is incomplete. In development:
- About.html
- Contact.html
- Portfolio.html
- Sketchbook.html

I'll update the status of those when the coding is done, and is uploaded to the main page. But for now, this is a small victory for Brettskidesign!

And because of that, I say: huzzah!

The status of my Website

brettski_logo
Originally uploaded by cleartuesday

Brettskidesign.com is down for now but its not out. I'm working hard to get version 2.0 up and running. More information will be available when the time draws near - my portfolio is available per request in .pdf Format.

Well, it didn't win...

mktsqday_logo
Originally uploaded by cleartuesday

But I'll be using this piece in my Portfolio. I'm particularly proud of this logo because its both basic, and yet complex. Most of the previous Market Square Day examples (including the '09 winner) were a little too noisy. Logos that are scaled down and a little less intense seem to be more difficult to design. The brain is always looking for ways to fill that empty space and to make modifications, which often tend to hinder the message of the design. A great design incorporates the balance of the message, art and has a life of its own.

The current and previous winners can be viewed here:
http://www.proportsmouth.org/MSDLogo.cfm