Ray Walker brought up an interesting twist on the evolution of craft beer and preferences in the UK and USA.   An English colleague of mine back in the 90's used to tell me stories of drinking scrumpy, hard cider, and how intoxicating it was.  In the USA too there is a demand for the hard ciders and such, which originated in the UK. Nowadays many of those craft brewers are beyond being called microbreweries and have found a steadily growing niche for their products, at the expense of the big 3 brewers (Anheuser-Busch, Miller-Coors, and Pabst.  This is how a list of the top 50 brewers in the USA looks now. Note the abundance of craft brewers, virtually non existent 20 years ago.

Top 50 Breweries by Volume

In the early 1990's  my business partner, Jon, and I put together a business plan for a microbrewery. We shopped it around and one of the people we sent it to also was later involved with the start up of a microbrewery in Providence RI. I think he got some ideas from us . . .  Anyway we aproached Fleet Bank and they were interested, I got scared ( I can't speak for Jon) and  lost interest. I look back on it and wish I had followed through wtih it - it would have worked - we were ahead of the pack.  

Around the same time I began writing a YA book about the BWCA.  I finally finished it  in 2010 and then created this blog.  Time to get back to the microbrewery now . . .

A documentary is being filmed on Sigurd Olson's life. He is the father of the Boundary Water's Canoe area.  It is through his efforts that this area was preserved for prosterity.  The movie's title is derived from the first of Mr. Olson's books published. "The Singing Wilderness"was released  in April 1956 and a month later made the New York Times best seller list,  The success of this collection of essays put Mr. Olson on the same map as Thoreau, Leopold, Burroughs and other noted conservationists. Its succcess gave him the clout he needed to help preserve the boundary waters.   More info on this project can be found at:
http://singingwilderness.net/wordpress/

The Voyageurs a North Woods Canoe Adventre is now available in South Africa from Want it All at:
http://www.wantitall.co.za/Books/The-Voyageurs-A-North-Woods-Canoe-Adventure__0557311748 !

Jean Gore Read your book last night. Really enjoyed it. Is there a sequel in the works? Reminded me of when I worked at a camp for handicapped children outside of Roanoak Va up in the mountains. I learned to "canoe" on a beautiful mountain lake.

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Hi y'all

Recently got some positive feedback on my YA novel The Voyageurs (A North Woods Canoe Adventure) from Professor Owl's Book Corner.  Thanks Sylvia. I'm glad you enjoyed the read and helped me find my way out of the forest.  You can read the review at http://www.professorowlsbookcorner2.wordpress.com/. 

This news letter is for special needs children.  It is a very noble cause. They have a better discription on their website (http://www.professorowlspublicationcentre.com/pobc.html):

"Professor Owl's Book Corner & Newsletter is a complimentary monthly newsletter for children with special needs, chronic illness and learning challenges. In every issue there are special activities and crafts for those who are sick or have needs out of the ordinary.
These activities include reading challenges, games, safe web surfing, prizes and a special page; where we feature monthly heroes from the Variety Foundation, their stories are told on how they have followed and accomplished their dreams and have overcome or are living with their illnesses. "

Check it out.

Bruce

The Voyageurs (A North Woods Canoe Adventure) is now available on Amazon in paperback for $8.95 - a bargain!

A coming of age story about a boy's canoe trip to the North Woods with his uncle and their French Canadian guide. Part educational, part history part mystery, part fantasy . . .

Ben, a 13 year old boy, is invited to accompany his Uncle Jake and their French-Canadian guide on their annual canoe-camping-fishing trip into the North Woods. They fly to Duluth, Minnesota where they are met by their voyageur-like guide, Mick. Mick then drives them to the fringes of civilization so they can launch their canoes into the wilderness.

This trip is an awakening for Ben. He overcomes his lack of self confidence while learning outdoor lore, the history of the North Woods (the Minnesota/Ontario Boundary Waters Canoe Area), the voyageur culture, and solving a longstanding family mystery. Part educational, part history part mystery, part fantasy . . .

Available now on Lulu.com in electronic and trade paperback editions and coming  to Amazon .  ISBN 978-0-557-31174-3