Missing in Action

I'm back! 

Where did I go? 

Nowhere, I just had a baby and have been adjusting to my new lifestyle and schedule. 

I have missed Gin & Pearls so much and have been eager to get back at it. 

My baby is already five months old and we have gotten into a "swing of things" balancing my new job and taking care of his cuteness.

Hopefully I still have some readers out there and you didn't give up on me just yet.  I have many posts on my mind that I plan on preparing for you all very soon to continue my adventures in life and style.  

xoxo,

Gin & Pearls  

The Collective Brewing Project: Your Craft Beer Hangout

I have been awaiting this post for a very long time now.  Aside from having a baby on the way, the husband and myself have been quite preoccupied the past few years with The Collective Brewing Project.  

Back in 2012 the hubs, Ryan, and one of our best friends, Mike, decided to open a brewery.  Three years later that idea is a reality; a brewery and taproom in the Near Southside district of Fort Worth known as The Collective Brewing Project. 

It was a long process to go from an idea to an actual working facility, but we have officially been open over six months now and business is booming.  

The Building

We didn't want just another warehouse brewery like most Texas breweries are; we wanted a unique space that was comfortable year-round (thank you air conditioning) with a fun vibe.   Being a taproom in addition to a brewery we needed a space that was inviting, a place that you could bring the family to and enjoy a cold beer at.    

After nearly a year of looking for the perfect space we found it in the Near Southside District of Fort Worth, just a few blocks South of downtown and North of Magnolia.  The building was built in the 1920's, which we loved, and has a history of being a paper mill, a church, a tannery, and more.  

The space had been sitting empty for a few decades so it was a mess when we found it.  We spent the long hot summer of 2014 renovating the space by ourselves, which was not easy.  We destroyed, built, and re-modeled the 4,700 square foot building. 

The bar was meticulously built from the ground-up using a combination of steel, metal, and old ship-lap, that we re-purposed from a closet within the building.  The exposed brick walls were cleaned-up and all the old broken windows were replaced.  

As you enter the building you find yourself in the taproom; bar to the left and plenty of seating ranging from handmade high top tables to stained picnic tables.  Edison bulbs hang from industrial cords wrapped around wooden beams, the taproom wall is covered in a selection of beers handwritten on chalkboards, and string lights lace in and out of the exposed ceiling beams and air ducts.  

As you walk past the taproom you are greeted by the brew-house, where the magic happens.  The walls are lined in beautiful stainless steel tanks and dozens of re-purposed barrels, housing fermenting beer (Please Don't Touch Our Bungholes).  Complete with a puppy friendly patio out back, it is the perfect taproom/brewery for the neighborhood.

The Beer

The reason to have a brewery in the first place...the beer.  My husband Ryan, the head brewer, makes some of the best beer I have ever had.  No, I am not saying that because I am biased, I truly believe it.  His beer is damn good!  

We have three 'beer concepts' at The CBP, Standard Pours, Taproom Projects, and a Funkytown Series.  

The Standard Pours are our everyday beers that started us off.  We most always have our Mustache Rye'd Rye Porter, Tropic Thunder Green Tea Saison, and Pale Galaxy Session IPA.  Other Standard Pours at times have been our Apes in Space Apricot IPA and Fantastikolsch.  

As we move into the Taproom Projects we get a little bit more creative and selective.  These are our experimental beers that are brewed for a one-time limited edition release, or brewed multiple times because of overwhelming demand.  Our Brown IPA has made its way onto the projects board more than once.  We have also offered beers such as the Citra Citrus Elderflower Wheat, Mr. Green Pale Ale, and What's the Angle of Your Galangal?  Thai Spiced Wit.  

The Funkytown Series is what we have made our mark on the town with.  Making a name for Sour beer in the DFW Metroplex, the Funkytown Series is all about wild yeast, brettanomoyces, and barrel fermentation.   Our Petite Golden Sour is our most popular beer; both at the taproom and in local beer watering holes around DFW.  Our most recent 'baby' is our Sour Red aged in Cabernet Barrels, as well as our Farmhouse Belma Brett Saison Dry-Hopped with Belma.  These beers are very limited and AMAZING. 

Ryan and Mike (with a little bit of me) have been friends for over twenty years and share a love for craft beer.  What they have created in the heart of Fort Worth is a craft beer experience like no other.  They have put their blood, sweat, and tears into The Collective Brewing Project, and it does not go unnoticed the second you take a step into the taproom or a cold CBP beer touches your lips.  

With the help of Ben, our cellarman, as well as an amazing taproom staff of friends, The Collective Brewing Project is a brewery that will long indulge craft beer lovers. 

Come out to the taproom for a few beers with friends or family, or even by yourself, and enjoy the atmosphere.  Whether you want to sit at the bar and strike-up a conversation with the bartenders about our Crowler machine, play a round of giant jenga with your best friend, or sit on the patio with a few half pints and a bag of kettle chips, The CBP is a great hangout.  

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Follow The CBP on facebook, twitter, and instagram to stay up-to-date on the latest events including:

Trivia Night

Yoga & Beer

Live Music and Food Trucks

Festivals

Bikes- Beer- Donuts- Coffee

#funkytownbeer 

Adventures in Pregnancy

I am officially almost done being pregnant; with my due date in a mere 17 days the end is in sight.  It has been a very long 9 1/2 months; in a sense I feel like my life has been put on hold since September.  And of course being so close to the due date I am super uncomfortable, sleep terrible, and ready to meet our little man.  

 I have a lot to do in the next 17 days to prepare for baby boy Tucker's arrival, but the hubby and myself are so excited to see our baby boy for the first time and to bring him home. 

A lot has happened in the past few months...

we painted the nursery, we had our baby showers, we spent a ton of money on baby stuff, we set-up the nursery, we decorated the nursery, we got an outside ultrasound done, I have been to tons of doctors appointments, attended birthing classes, have read some baby literature, pre-registered at the hospital, and much more.  

We still have some organization to do to the house before his arrival, as well as a deep cleaning of the house, and a few more baby purchases, but we are mostly ready.  Luckily I have the next couple of weeks to get it all done.  

Our baby boy has been doing very well, he is measuring perfectly, head-down like he should be, and moves like crazy all the time.  His favorite thing to do is move his little feet under my ribs so you can see his bony heels poking out of my belly- so cute.  His daddy loves to talk to him and tell him how loved he is.  

Our dog, Roxy, is definitely aware of his presence.  She loves to follow me around the house, even to the bathroom; I have a new shadow that won't leave my side- haha.  She also loves to go into Tucker's room and stare out the windows; we always find her there when we get home. 

We find ourselves daydreaming about Tucker being here and all the fun we will have as a family.  Our lives are about to change drastically, and while it can be a little scary to think about at times, we are looking forward to all the new adventures in front of us and can't wait to experience them all. 

Drink of the Week #13: Green Moss

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day I give you a delicious green drink.  No, it's not green beer, or a margarita, or even a mojito, it's a healthy breakfast smoothie. 

The hubs and I enjoy a little bit of moss every morning for breakfast.  A refreshing blend of fruit, green vegetables, almond milk, and some heart-healthy seeds is a way to start the day feeling great.

The base for Green Moss is Spinach; we tried Kale a few times but it yields a grittier-vegetable character that we aren't a fan of in our moss.  The addition of banana gives the moss a creamy character while the peaches, my favorite ingredient, give a vibrant acidity and fill-out the moss.  Any fruit can be used of course, but after trying different variations of berries, pineapple, and more, peaches win everytime.  

To add a boost of health to the moss we add flax seeds and chia seeds.  Not only do the seeds add protein, fiber, and omega-3s to the drink, but they are also heart-healthy (just make sure you have a quality blender or the seeds won't breakdown).  

The last component is some liquid.  You could simply use water, but water takes away flavor, so we add almond milk and fresh-squeezed 100% orange juice.  Any milk works, soy and cashew also add a great flavor component. 

 A quick, easy, deliciously healthy green breakfast, or even afternoon pick-me-up.  Green Moss is my favorite green beverage hands-down. 

Baby Bumpdate

We are officially entering the third trimester and have just 13 weeks to go before we meet our little boy.  January was my best month by far; the only month where I did not experience terrible pregnancy symptoms.  As I am entering my third trimester new symptoms are beginning to show and I am starting to become tired and out of breath much more.  The most difficult part has been sleeping, I don't really do it.  I am constantly uncomfortable and toss like a turtle on its back all night; plus the acid reflux forces me to sleep sitting-up some nights.

Symptoms aside we are getting very excited to meet our little man and have finally found the time to start planning for his arrival. 

We officially completed our registries and have baby showers on the books.  While the nursery is nowhere near ready, we at least can say, as of yesterday, that it has been started.  My hubby and father-in-law built the crib and changing table yesterday, so I guess it is official now, we are having a baby.  Haha. 

We have so much more to do, like paint the walls, get more furniture, decorate, and actually prepare.  I have a feeling a lot of it won't happen until April, but it is still plenty of time before our May due date.

The most exciting news by far is that our little man has a name...

Gender Reveal

It feels like it took a century to find out the gender of our sweet baby, including having a sonogram to see what our baby actually LOOKS like.   When we finally got to experience both we were blow-away to see toes, fingers, and the baby moving all around.  It was worth the wait and the best way to start 2015.  

We had an amazing sonogram tech for our gender reveal.  Before she told us what we were having,  she gave us a good 10 minutes to just watch the baby moving on the screen.  It was such a wonderful experience for the hubby and myself.  

When she finally told us the sex I screamed, accidentally, the baby is exactly what we thought it was, and what we were hoping it would be (besides being healthy of course).  

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Immediately I wanted to get our gender reveal photos done.  I wanted to do a series of photos holding two different bundles of balloons, one pink and one blue, and then slowly release one of the bundles into the air; to be left holding the balloons that would reveal the gender.  They were going to be the cutest photos of the hubby and myself since our wedding day.  

I set-out getting my hair done the morning of, stopped and bought two bundles of balloons, picked out outfits for the hubs and myself, enlisted the help of a friend to take our photos, and found a location to have the photo shoot.  Everything was set-up to be perfect.  Until....the photo shoot went terribly wrong...

It was INCREDIBLY windy everywhere we tried to go.  The balloons were hitting us in the face and trying to fly away; not to mention my hair was attacking me.  Our photographer had to be quick to take a shot whenever the wind would stop for a brief second, therefore not giving it enough time to adjust, so 95% of the photos were a blurry mess.  Then, the hubby got excited thinking the photos were looking good and released the balloons before we were ready to release them.  Typical luck right? 

All that aside, we are beyond thrilled to announce that....

It's a BOY! 

A cute, button-nosed, long-limbed, precious baby boy.

With nothing but the turquoise balloons in hand we had no choice but to move the photo shoot inside and change our photo plans. 

We decided to take pictures inside our brewery.  The place that we spend most of our days and nights, the place that we have devoted our lives to creating for nearly three years now, the place that our sweet baby boy will grow-up in, and the place that will hopefully one day provide us with the means to give our baby all the worldly experiences he deserves.  While I was upset that my photo shoot plans did not go as planned, it seems meant to be that we took the photos where we did.  

Your daddy and mommy love you baby boy!  

Looking Forward to 2015

With the crazy busy year of 2014 behind me I am looking forward to all the wonderful things that 2015 holds, as well as its possibilities. 

First, lets take a look back at this past year:  

• In 2014 I decided to close my five year blog, The Sassy Writer, and went to work on creating a blog that I could be proud of and love, Gin and Pearls.  I worked for two months creating a look that I loved and Voila!  While I don't get a chance to blog as much as I want to, I love my new endeavor in the writing world.  
• I started the year by closing my Sunday Champagne fashion boutique and took a big financial bite because of the risks I took opening it.  It was a somber, depressing moment for me.  
• We went on a wonderful three-day vacation to Durango, Colorado to spend time in the mountains with family.  It was peaceful, relaxing, and the perfect excuse to spend time with my husband.  
• Our brewery, The Collective Brewing Project, finally opened its doors in Fort Worth and is a success. 
• My wonderful hubs and myself announced that we would be adding a baby to our little family come May. 

My 2015 Goals:

• Quit my job (and find a new one).
• Have a successful birth, healthy baby, and be a good mommy/wife. 
• Take a long vacation outside of Texas for my 30th birthday. 
• Lose the baby weight I put on (join a group workout class).
• Pay off debt and move to a new home in our ideal location.  

While I only met one of the six goals I made for 2014,  it was a busy year for us and I know that 2015 holds more.  With the brewery open and a baby on the way, it should be an amazing year, one of our best yet.