Standing Stone Brewing Company (SSBC) and Rogue Creamery are a common pairing. The award-winning creamery makes a Standing Stone Stout Cheddar and the acclaimed craft brewery/restaurant features Rogue Creamery cheeses on its menu.

The two have taken their collaboration a step further to advance their common mission around sustainable business. Standing Stone has inspired Rogue Creamery to give free commuter bikes to employees who have worked at least 1,000 hours and who agree to bike commute 45 times in a year, replicating a program SSBC recently launched.

It all started with a wager made over a few pints of ale. Rogue Creamery co-owner David Gremmels stopped by for a beer and asked SSBC co-owner Alex Amarotico about the new commuter bike program, mentioning that his team members expressed interest in it. “I casually offered to buy a commuter bike for cheesemaker and plant manager Craig Nelson if he committed to bike to work at least 45 times, and if David and co-owner Cary Bryant agreed to buy bikes for their team members making the same pledge,” says Amarotico. “I was pleasantly surprised when David told me Craig and the Creamery were in.”

Whether you pride yourself on your home brewing skills – or wish you had some, this may be the chance of a lifetime. Today, Travel Oregon launched the “Cuisinternship” (pronounced: quiz-een-turn-ship) contest, which will award seven lucky people with the opportunity to shadow a notable Oregon culinary personality in a week-long cuisine-internship. The winner of the Brew Master category will spend their time making craft beer with Jamie Emmerson of Hood River’s Full Sail Brewery.

These are the words we received in an email regarding the Travel Oregon’s Bounty Food & Drink competitions to live out your dream of being a pro in the culinary arts. According to a recent press release, seven winners lucky contestants will be offered an all-expenses paid trips (this includes airfare, lodging and a $1,000 food stipend) during which they will spend one week shadowing an Oregon expert in his or her field of culinary crafts. This is part of Oregon Bounty’s push to promote tourism while celebrating the state’s artisan culinary prominence. Oregon Bounty Cuisinternships are offered in the following categories: