Latest news with #MikeSiegel
Forbes
21-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Here Is The Goose Island 2025 Bourbon County Stout Lineup
This year features five variants of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. The groundbreaking original Bourbon County Stout is now available in a smaller bottle. Goose Island Beer Co. Chicago's Goose Island Beer Co. is largely credited with creating the first modern-day barrel-aged imperial stout with its Bourbon County Brand Stout. Although Goose Island is now owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bourbon County Brand Stout has been able to maintain its status as a highly-sought beer among beer lovers. In addition to the original Bourbon County Stout, since 2010, Goose Island has also released variants. For 2025, there will be five variants, a small bonus since there were only four last year. 'We don't have a set number of variants we release each year,' said Mike Siegel, senior innovation manager at Goose Island Beer via email. 'At the end of the day, we only move forward with beers when they're ready—and when we feel confident they're strong enough to stand on their own. Aging beer doesn't follow a strict timeline.... That's why some years we've released as few as four variants, and other years it's been eight or more. Just like with ingredients, the beer leads the way. We're just here to listen and follow where it takes us.' 'There are a lot of factors that go into deciding which variants we release each year,' said Siegel. 'As brewers, we always let the beer guide us. Nearly every variant starts as Bourbon County Original. Because barrel-aged stout can express itself differently from year to year, we pay close attention to the unique characteristics coming through in the base beer and look for ways to bring those forward–deliberately highlighting or accentuating signature expressions of that given year.' 'Take this year's Cherries Jubilee, for example. In tasting the base stout, we noticed rich notes of dried stone fruit, a touch of citrus, and a beautiful caramelized depth. From there, we worked with our key tasters to shape a concept that would highlight those qualities,' said Siegel. 'We decided to finish the beer in cognac barrels to enhance the dried fruit character, then layered in Montmorency cherries to really bring that profile to life. Panela sugar and orange zest act as supporting players—rounding out the beer and amplifying the nuances already present in the original stout. At every step, it's about listening to the beer and letting it lead the way.' Also new this year, the original version of Bourbon County Stout will be available in a four-pack of 10-ounce bottles. 'The new format reflects a shift in occasion—ideal for side-by-side tastings with the rest of the lineup or simply enjoying on its own. The four-pack gives drinkers more opportunities to experience the beer that started it all,' said Goose Island in its press release announcing the new packaging format on May 6, 2025. The variants will be available in 16.9-ounce bottles, as they always have been. All six versions of 2025 Bourbon County Stout will be available on Black Friday, which this year falls on November 28, 2025. Here is the 2025 lineup of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout: 2025 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout The original Bourbon County Stout was brewed to celebrate Goose Island's 1,000th batch of beer in 1991. The 2025 edition of the beer is aged for an average of 12 months in a mix of bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses and Wild Turkey. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Cherries Jubilee Stout Inspired by the flambéed dessert, this variation captures the essence of cognac-soaked cherries and caramelized citrus. The beer was finished in cognac barrels before being blended with Montmorency cherries, citrus and panela. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Chocolate Praline Stout This variant draws on toasted marzipan and dried fruit flavors of the Original Stout. With an additional blend of cocoa nibs, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews and dates, this variant showcases flavors of chocolate praline. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Double Barrel Stout The Double Barrel variant of Bourbon County Stout is a collaboration with Heaven Hill Distillery. The beer enjoys additional aging in Heaven Hill Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon barrels. The bourbon was aged for seven years before the barrels were used by Goose Island, elevating the bourbon elements of the beer. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Reserve Stout This variant of Bourbon County Stout enjoyed two years of aging in casks from Parker's Heritage Collection whiskey, a 10-year straight rye whiskey. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor's Stout The annual Proprietor's variant of Bourbon County is a Chicago-only release, while the other variants are available nationally. Goose Island brewer Colby Magratten was inspired by the beehives on her aunt's Rhode Island homestead. This variant is finished with walnuts, pistachios, cassia bark and honey, intending to evoke flavours of homemade baklava.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Austin city manager removes item on automatic license plate readers from council agenda
The Brief Item regarding automated license plate reader program removed from Austin City Council agenda City manager cites concerns expressed by residents during Tuesday's work session Testimony focused on city's vendor Flock, which works with ICE and uses AI AUSTIN, Texas - Austin's city manager has removed an item concerning the city's automated license plate reader (ALPR) program from Thursday's city council agenda. What we know T.C. Broadnax said in a statement Tuesday night that staff will be withdrawing Item 67, a proposed extension of the city's ALPR program, from Thursday's agenda. Broadnax cites concerns expressed by Austin residents during the council's work session on Tuesday as a reason behind his decision. What they're saying "Given concerns expressed today, I have decided to withdraw this item from the agenda at this time to provide more opportunities to address council members' questions and do our due diligence to alleviate concerns prior to bringing this item back to City Council for consideration," Broadnax said in his message to the Mayor and Council. Local perspective A press release from the office of council member Mike Siegel says that dozens of residents showed up to the work session to testify about the program. "The speakers overwhelmingly testified against the use of ALPRs, citing concerns about personal privacy, threats to immigrant families, threats to political dissidents, and more. Much of the testimony focused on the City's ALPR vendor, Flock, which works closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and also uses artificial intelligence (AI) to develop profiles of vehicles based on camera footage and other sources," said the release. What's next Broadnax's decision essentially means Austin's ALPR program will end on June 30. A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4 at 11:30 a.m. where immigration, reproductive rights and data privacy advocates will be joining Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes, Council member Zo Qadri and Siegel. They are expected to speak against the use of ALPRs and mass surveillance tools in Austin. The Source Information in this report comes from a release from Austin City Council member Mike Siegel's office.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Stand up for us': Why Austin's hands are tied in its response to immigration policy
Under President Donald Trump's renewed administration, Texas has emerged as a key frontline in the push for aggressive immigration enforcement and widespread deportations. Texas residents – regardless of immigration status – feel the ripple effects in the economy, schools, healthcare systems, courts and public safety services. To better understand these challenges, KXAN spent the first 100 days of Trump's second term producing 'Undocumented,' a comprehensive project diving into the real-life consequences of related policies and proposals. AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's a question Austin City Council Member Mike Siegel says he's getting often: Why isn't the city of Austin doing more to take a stand against federal immigration policy? 'We just had an ICE raid a few blocks from my home over the weekend, and had a lot of community members reach out to me,' Siegel said on an episode of Inside Austin's Agenda in April. ''What can you do about this? Stand up for us.'' Inside Austin's Agenda: City Council Member Mike Siegel For years, the city of Austin has faced pressure from its largely left-leaning voter base to react to federal and state immigration rules. During President Donald Trump's first term, Austin was the poster child of resistance. That Austin City Council, which included now-Congressman Greg Casar, made Austin the first major U.S. city to declare itself a 'freedom city' in response to state and federal pushback on sanctuary cities — including Texas' Senate Bill 4 in 2017. 'We're not ready to give up': Central Texas Mom fights for daughter's citizenship That law prohibits any local policy that would interfere with state or federal immigration enforcement, effectively banning sanctuary cities. But the city of Austin fought hard against it, passing 'freedom city' resolutions, identifying legal loopholes in SB 4. For example, while state law allows officers to question someone on their immigration status, the city instructed police to inform people of their right not to answer that question, NBC News reported. 'I was the lawyer who represented the city as we challenged some of the anti-immigration laws of 2017, and so I'm acutely aware of what we're allowed to do and what we're not allowed to do,' Siegel said. Since then, state lawmakers have passed a bill that allows local law enforcement to arrest people they believe are in the U.S. illegally. That one came in 2023 and has been tied up in federal court since. Just like the previous council, Austin addressed that one with a resolution, too. Austin City Council passes resolution countering stalled state immigration law 'We really want our police officers focused on investigating violent crime. That's where their time and resources should be spent. Not carrying out this policy that we know leads to racial profiling, that will separate families and could potentially lead to deportations,' Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said after that resolution passed. A crowd of protestors gathered at the Texas Capitol after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations were conducted in Austin. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bynum and KXAN Viewer Photo) But between state and federal rules, the city of Austin's hands are largely tied on what more it can do in broad brush strokes. That is, if it doesn't want to lose massive chunks of funding or face legal penalties. 'So that's where you can't, quote, unquote, be a sanctuary city. You know, we can't use our police officers to disrupt ICE enforcement, things of that nature. Or, you know, frankly, our chief of police could lose her law enforcement license. We could have funding taken away from our city,' Siegel said. 'And so that's kind of the balance, you know, SB 4 and other state legislative efforts that constrain our local control. We have to stay within those parameters and still do as much as we can.' After Trump immigration order, ICE 'force multiplier' agreements with Texas police surge There have been dozens more bills filed this legislative session tied to immigration. One would require large counties in Texas to work more closely with ICE on immigration enforcement. 'We declare ourselves a welcoming city, and that includes for all immigrants, right? And so we really try to live up to that, but we don't want to do anything that will jeopardize our funding or our autonomy,' Siegel said. KXAN Graphic Artist Wendy Gonzalez, Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle, Digital Special Projects Developer Robert Sims and Digital Director Kate Winkle contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
28-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Living Security's Unify Platform Just Got Smarter-3X More Visibility, Zero Blind Spots, and AI-Powered Adaptive Intelligence That Connects Your Siloed Security Data
AUSTIN, TX / ACCESS Newswire / April 28, 2025 / Living Security, the global leader in human risk defense, today unveils powerful adaptive intelligence capabilities within its Unify platform. By fusing human expertise from its Human Intelligence Team (HInT), advanced AI phishing simulations, and industry-wide threat telemetry, Unify now delivers a minimum of 3X more visibility into human risk compared to outdated security awareness tools. This advancement is validated by third-party research from Cyentia. Today's security leaders are navigating rapidly evolving and complex AI-driven threats. According to Cyentia's findings, most organizations only see about 30% of their human risk surface, leaving the majority of behavioral vulnerabilities completely unaddressed. Living Security's AI-powered HRM platform closes this gap by helping organizations see-and act on-the rest. Analyzing millions of daily signals across behavioral data, identity access, and external threat activity, Living Security's Unify platform provides security teams a complete, real-time picture of human risk and empowers organizations to detect and respond to human risk with precision and speed before it becomes a breach. 'The biggest cybersecurity risk isn't malware or zero-days-it's people,' said Ashley Rose, CEO of Living Security. 'Most security tools operate in silos, leaving leaders blind to the full picture of who's at risk and why. Unify closes that loop-connecting data, quantifying risk in real time, and automating action before threats escalate.' Despite over $200 billion spent annually on cybersecurity according to Gartner, many organizations still lack the ability to identify high-risk users-typically the 8-12% of employees whose access and behaviors make them most vulnerable. Identity and access management systems detect access anomalies, phishing tools monitor inboxes, and malware platforms flag endpoints-but none of them connect the dots to tell the whole story. Named a Global Leader in Human Risk Management by Forrester, Unify is the only platform that brings together identity, behavior, and threat intelligence giving customers over 90% reduction in exposure to human risk through real-time, automated interventions, according to Cyentia. 'That 90% drop isn't just a stat-it's millions saved, breaches avoided, and a workforce transformed into your strongest layer of defense,' said Mike Siegel, President of Living Security. 'With Unify, our customers turn human risk into clear, compelling metrics that leaders can act on. We deliver real-time, easy-to-digest intelligence that shows progress, proves impact, and drives alignment from the SOC to the C-suite.' The data is undeniable: Attackers already see the full picture. Now defenders can too. Living Security's Unify acts as a central intelligence layer, transforming fragmented security data into real-time, expert-driven insight. It delivers adaptive defense through AI-powered phishing simulations that mirror adversaries, are personalized to the individual, and evolve as tactics change. For teams lacking in-house expertise, Living Security's unique Human Intelligence Team (HInT) adds a human-led layer of deep analysis-bringing context, prioritization, and a laser focus on the users that matter most. HInT uncovers potential breaches by leveraging deep security expertise, real-time insights, and intelligence from Unify's data ecosystem to help organizations address critical blind spots before disruption to their business or brand reputation. Living Security's HInT service is now available for select customers. Visit Booth #4425 at RSA Conference for a live demo of Unify and see how Living Security is helping teams break silos, act faster, and build a defense that never stops working. About Living Security Living Security is the global leader in Human Risk Management (HRM), delivering 3X more visibility into human risk than compliance-based security training platforms. Living Security's Unify platform integrates identity, access, and threat activity to eliminate the chaos of siloed data-pinpointing the 8-12% of users who pose the greatest risk and automating the right response in real time. Powered by AI, human analysis, and industry-wide threat telemetry, Unify reduces exposure to human risk by over 90% and transforms fragmented signals into intelligent, adaptive defense. Named a Global Leader in Human Risk Management by Forrester and trusted by security-forward enterprises like Unilever, Mastercard, Merck, and Abbott Labs, Living Security helps organizations see clearly, act fast, and stay ahead of tomorrow's threats. For more information, visit and follow us on LinkedIn. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE: Living Security press release
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Serious tradeoffs': Austin considering I-35 covers versus other city needs
Editor's Note: The video above is KXAN's previous coverage of the potential 2026 bond package. AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tuesday, city leaders are slated to discuss whether or not Austin can afford to build covers over the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT's) I-35 expansion project, connecting east and central Austin. Those covers are called 'caps and stitches' and may look like deck plazas, walking or biking trails or green spaces running over the wider highway. 'These caps would not only stitch our city back together, they would create new, valuable land in central Austin for parks, civic space, and future development. If we fail to fund the roadway elements now, those caps can never be built,' Austin City Council Member Chito Vela wrote in a message board post. Austin's full capped I-35 'vision plan' could cost over $1B But Austin's current proposed Cap and Stitch Vision Plan could cost more than $1.4 billion, city transportation officials have previously explained. That doesn't include the cost of operating and maintaining those spaces. 'That would use up our entire capital budget and so we really have to be careful in the investments we're making both in terms of our annual general fund decisions as well as our capital budget decisions,' Austin City Council Member Mike Siegel said on an episode of Inside Austin's Agenda last week. Austin leaders need to commit funding to TxDOT to build the roadway elements of the caps and stitches by next month, if all goes according to schedule. That part alone could cost roughly $250 million, transportation staff have previously said. Austin's vote on I-35 cap and stitch funding delayed again amid federal funding uncertainty 'What I want to get into is whether it's worth it compared to the tradeoffs,' Siegel said. He noted the city's financial department has explained, 'we can only ask for so much in bond dollars before our credit rating goes down and the price of debt goes up, basically. And so every $100 million that we dedicated to cap and stitch is instead of something else that we might need.' That's where the city's possible 2026 bond election rubs against the cap and stitch project. While the city works through a comprehensive bond package that it may bring to Austin voters next year, the amount of money the city may need to borrow for caps and stitches will play a role. 'If we take that [the bond proposal] to the voters in November of 2026, that will require debt. And if we're issuing debt to deal with the caps that we're talking about, that will impact how much we can do on the comprehensive bond package,' Austin Mayor Kirk Watson explained. That is likely to be a central point of Tuesday's Austin City Council work session talking about the caps and stitches before council votes on its commitment to TxDOT next month. Inside Austin's Agenda: City Council Member Mike Siegel 'We have about $10 billion in unmet capital needs, we can only spend $1 billion at most, or ask for 1 billion at most in expenditures and so there's going to be some serious tradeoffs,' Siegel said. Austin leaders are eying a comprehensive bond package that you could vote on in November 2026. The 2026 Bond Election Advisory Task Force is working through what may be included in that ask of taxpayers. That task force has two appointees from each council office and the mayor. It meets once every month, starting in January of this year. Austin working early to address 'budget asteroids'; it may mean a tax rate election 'The city has real needs whether it be parks, whether it be road infrastructure…the council has asked for a comprehensive approach,' Watson said. While the task force is still in the early stages of figuring out what it might work into that bond package, they're gathering information from city staff on what each department may want to prioritize. The task force's March meeting included briefings from city leaders working on transportation, homelessness and housing. 'In July 2025, staff will present the preliminary ranked needs assessment that will NOT include refined project scoping and cost estimating since that work will not have been initiated at that time,' a memo from city staff said. You can find a proposed timeline from city staff in that memo here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
