Mutineer Magazine announces the addition of a new recurring column called “Inspired Beverage Voices,” created to celebrate regional innovators in the world of fine beverage culture. Each issue will now explore a different area, highlighting individuals working with local libations in inspired, new ways. With the support of No.3 Gin, the inaugural feature on Napa Valley will appear in the November 2011 edition and will introduce the nation to the new and innovative voices of TouteSuite Social Club, with Susan Quinn and Didier Loustau, Christophe Smith of Harvest Live, and Laura Levesque Page of The Healthy Junkie.

“It’s been said that a culture is defined by its articulate voices, so we couldn’t be more excited to highlight these new and inspired voices in beverage culture, beginning with Napa Valley,” says Mutineer Editor in Chief and Publisher Alan Kropf.

Today we celebrate the third and last of our Inspired Beverage Voices.

Laura Levesque Page R.H.N., a.k.a. The Healthy Junkie, beat three cancer diagnoses in her early ‘20s by turning away from drastic surgical methods and embracing the natural healing power of a healthy diet and lifestyle. “For me, health is simple: eat more vegetables,” she says. Her recipe for good health includes lots of beverages inspired by leafy greens and fresh juices, which she shares on her website and via Twitter. She also uses her wellness-centered blog, workshops and personal life coaching to inspire others to make better lifestyle choices.
thehealthyjunkie.com / @1healthyjunkie

Mutineer Magazine announces the addition of a new recurring column called “Inspired Beverage Voices,” created to celebrate regional innovators in the world of fine beverage culture. Each issue will now explore a different area, highlighting individuals working with local libations in inspired, new ways. With the support of No.3 Gin, the inaugural feature on Napa Valley will appear in the November 2011 edition and will introduce the nation to the new and innovative voices of TouteSuite Social Club, with Susan Quinn and Didier Loustau, Christophe Smith of Harvest Live, and Laura Levesque Page of The Healthy Junkie.

“It’s been said that a culture is defined by its articulate voices, so we couldn’t be more excited to highlight these new and inspired voices in beverage culture, beginning with Napa Valley,” says Mutineer Editor in Chief and Publisher Alan Kropf.

Today we celebrate the second of our Inspired Beverage Voices.

Christophe Smith is the founder of Harvest Live, an online portal that allows any person with a mobile device to experience a vineyard harvest and grape crush as it happens, without leaving the comfort of home. Inspired by all the “really cool stuff in Napa Valley that the consumer never gets a chance to see,” Smith’s creation uses an online streaming format that lets participants ask questions via moderated chat room or Twitter, and gives people all over the world a glimpse behind the scenes of a Napa Valley grape harvest. Archive footage is also available year-round on their website.
harvestlive.tv / @cork_dork

Mutineer Magazine announces the addition of a new recurring column called “Inspired Beverage Voices,” created to celebrate regional innovators in the world of fine beverage culture. Each issue will now explore a different area, highlighting individuals working with local libations in inspired, new ways. With the support of No.3 Gin, the inaugural feature on Napa Valley will appear in the November 2011 edition and will introduce the nation to the new and innovative voices of TouteSuite Social Club, with Susan Quinn and Didier Loustau, Christophe Smith of Harvest Live, and Laura Levesque Page of The Healthy Junkie.

“It’s been said that a culture is defined by its articulate voices, so we couldn’t be more excited to highlight these new and inspired voices in beverage culture, beginning with Napa Valley,” says Mutineer Editor in Chief and Publisher Alan Kropf.

Today we celebrate the first of our Inspired Beverage Voices.

Quinn and Loustau are the cofounders of ToutSuite Social Club, an innovative online video platform that is changing the way conversation happens between consumers and tastemakers. ToutSuite Social Club members can engage in a real-time, round table dialogue with their favorite product makers, while also connecting with fellow ToutSuite members around the world. Thanks to their headquarters in the Napa Valley, Quinn and Loustau have been able to sit down with the region’s winemakers and beverage artisans for irreverent personal interviews and panel discussions, with a long-term vision to cover a range of product categories on a regular basis.
toutsuite.com / @ToutSocial

Today Mutineer Magazine’s Editor in Chief and Publisher Alan Kropf was named as one of FOLIO: 13 Under 30. FOLIO: 13 Under 30 looks at just a few of the emerging leaders in the publishing industry ranging from social media editors to publishers to CEOs.

Kropf is in good company as Beer West Magazine Editor in Chief and Publisher Megan Flynn was also named as one of FOLIO 13 Under 30.

It’s been a big year for Kropf and Mutineer Magazine. In addition to being named for FOLIO’s 13 Under 30, he was also selected in 2011 as one of the world’s top 30 beverage professionals under the age of 30 with Wine & Spirits Magazine’s 30 Under 30, and was recognized in minonline’s 2010 15-to-Watch, which highlighted 15 of the next generation of media superstars.

To read the entire citation from FOLIO: for Alan Kropf, visit their website.

Mutineer Magazine’s Editor in Chief & Publisher Alan Kropf is being recognized by Wine & Spirits Magazine as one of world’s top 30 beverage professionals under the age of 30, alongside honorees including Jean-Frederic & Marc-Andre Hugel from Alsace and Raphael Bereche from Champagne.

Sasha Kadey of King Estate is quoted in the article, saying “It’s a post-digital publication designed with a digital look and feel that works for people who consume their information online. The combination of the post-digital design and the almost surreal art vibe of the photography has a lot to do with their connect with their audience.”

An excerpt from the article:
“With the help of Kropf’s brother, Brian, and friend Jeff Dorenbush, they bought an RV and drove up and down the West Coast doing demographic research for the future millennial-mentoring, all-encompassing beverage rag that went national in 2009.”

Check out the entire roster of sub-30 fine beverage individuals in the September issue of Wine & Spirits Magazine.

It’s no surprise that people in Washington state want liquor reform and the privatization of liquor sales, and that is made evident with the support of two initiatives, Costco backed Initiative 1100 and Initiative 1105, both of which failed last year with 53% and 65% of voters voting against them, but with how close I-1100 was is proof that people are tired of the monopoly that the Washington State Liquor Control Board has on liquor within the state. Even with people being tired of that monopoly and wanting privatization, many didn’t agree with the manner in which I-1100 and I-1105 proposed it be done, which is why it may not have passed. Washington Governor Chris Gregoire herself was opposed to both I-1100 and I-1105, but she went on to say “Do I think that we should reform liquor? Yes. And I would expect the legislature to pick up where the voters left off and still do something important in that area.”

With that said, sponsors for Initiative 1183 announced today that they estimated they turned in nearly 350,000 signatures to qualify the the new liquor privatization initiative for the November ballot. According to The Seattle Times, “I-1183 would close state liquor stores and sell their assets, including the liquor-distribution center. It would allow private stores to sell liquor and create licensing fees for sale and distribution of liquor based on sales revenues. Costco is the main backer, providing most of the more than $950,000 in cash and in-kind contributions raised so far.” Like last year’s Costco Wholesale Corp. backed I-1100, Costco is promoting I-1183 along with the Washington Restaurant Association, the Northwest Grocery Association and the Washington Retail Association.

As with last year, a group called Protect Our Communities will campaign against the measure and they will use scare tactics and false figures of how readily attainable hard liquor will be for minors and the increased amount of drunk drivers on the road. I’m already looking forward to their campaigns …

Mutineer will be watching this one with interest. Stay tuned.

Alex Prud’Homme, author of the new book “The Ripple Effect”, stopped by The Daily Show last week to talk about just how important of a resource clean water will be in the 21st century.

From the interview:
Prud’Homme: Between drought, flood, and self-poisoning, I think the human race is in for a tough time water wise.
Stewart: And the bad news?
Prud’Homme: No one’s paying attention.

I can say with great enthusiasm that Mutineer Magazine is certainly paying attention, with lots of great water content in the pipeline (pun intended) for upcoming issues. Stay tuned for more!