Last month we sent our Vikings on a quest to make their finest cocktail using Einstok beer as their core ingredient. The results were impressive, and we were especially blown away by the cinematography of Mr. Ambrosio’s video that showcased our BEERmosa. As curious Vikings enjoy exploring, we sat down with Rocco to learn more about what makes him tick.
Q: Congratulations on winning our contest! What made you want to want to participate in the challenge?
A: Thank you! The possibility of contributing to Einstok in some way was exciting and it was the idea of “Imagine-a-Viking-Making-a-Beer-Cocktail” that made me decide to accept that challenge. I thought, “Let’s remix Einstok’s videos…with a VIKING HALL and a VIKING BEERTENDER!” I had access to some set pieces from a previous project that would put me in the Viking Hall so I just had to add details like the fruit, horn, beer and an axe.
Q: How long have you been a fan of Einstok?
A: Years. Some time ago, I was looking to fill a housemate vacancy so a friend came to see if he was a good fit. He brought Einstok’s Toasted Porter. It was Love at First Taste and, for a time, became my go-to. I’ve since discovered the Winter Ale – which has usurped the porter as my favorite Einstok brew. That friend did fill the vacancy, by the way.
Q: We noticed you are very passionate about Viking culture, tell us about that.
A: While I had been loosely interested in Vikings, The History Channel’s “Vikings” brought them to life in a way I couldn’t ignore. The show is edgy and stimulates the senses with sweeping landscapes, crude textiles, and sloshing ale. It got me interested in learning more about the world’s early inhabitants and their culture. So when my wife and I backpacked Europe for our honeymoon we began in Scandinavia – Sweden and Denmark. We spent time in Roskilde, outside of Copenhagen, to fill our hunger for Viking culture… literally (smoked halibut, cabbage and pickled onion, Nordic cheeses and hearth-baked bread) and figuratively (Viking ships as examples of timeless craftsmanship and maritime skills). There’s also much respect for the people as explorers, innovators, survivors, stewards of the land and purveyors of both the masculine AND feminine souls.
Q: What else are you passionate about?
A: Filmmaking and travel. I believe – as artists – we have a responsibility to engage and uphold the dignity of the human person. By exploring lands and cultures our understanding of the human person grows. I see filmmaking as a primary way to guard that dignity by normalizing authentic stories.
Q: Tell us about your greatest conquest.
A: The Conquest of Self. It’s one of the hardest conquests because it’s a daily battle of getting to the point where all your actions flow from authority over yourself. Self possession… being “in possession” of yourself. Then developing the habitual tendency to be your “Best Version”, both for your own good and for serving those around you.
