Domino!

Just saw this video linked from the OBC listserv.

Cancer fighting beer

I swear, sometimes life just gets better. Soon we’ll have homebrewers offering the ‘Prostate Porter” or ‘Melanoma Old Ale’. 

Uh…those names are for cancers that the beer would prevent. Not cause.

Abundance

One thing about going to the OBC meetings is that sometimes there are goodies to take. 

And this time, there were bottlecaps. Including Budweiser bottlecaps. 

For home brewing there is nothing more punk rock than serving stouts with a Budweiser cap.

Well, maybe there is, but it’s as punk rock as I need to be.

“They proved beer is good for you”

Huzza nuns!

Too successful

Ever wonder what happens when the yeast really takes off?
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D’OH! Cleanup on aisle 3!

Headwounds and other hazards of homebrewing

Today’s batch was for a saison, because I’ll be going on vacation in a few weeks and I’m told that this yeast wants to be left alone for four to six weeks in secondary. I figure I can leave it and forcibly forget about it, due to not being home.

Saison yeast at the ready

The basics go fine; a half-pound of Caramunich steeped for about thirty minutes, eight pounds light malt extract, one pound wheat malt extract, and about an ounce and a half of Hallertauer hops sixty minutes, another half an ounce at five minutes, we’re good! The OG came to about 1.10, and all I have to do is add the yeast that Joe, a fellow brewcrew member was kind enough to give me from his saison, and first step is done.

Now, like many homebrewers, part of my brewing setup is in the basement-or some other semi-safe environment like a garage or the Roman Colosseum. So, after boiling wort for an hour, I have to haul the three and a half gallons down to the basement to cool it off. The basement is, for a man of my height, a headache in the making. Metal ducts, wooden crossbeams, and light fixtures are all at the exact height to incur headaches for me.

So far only the ducts have taken their blood payment, but today it was the day for light fixtures. I was cleaning up when I walked full on into the lightblub and shattered glass everywhere. Fortunately the wort was sealed tight far away from the accident, but I still put this on the ‘list of things not to do again’.

Crybaby

My sister and her husband came through town last weekend, and I had a chance to give them some of my latest creation. They both enjoyed it quite a bit, and it’s gratifying when people enjoy with my beer. Since I don’t see my sister’s family too often, I relish the chance to offer them beer. 

Their youngest, Gabe, toppled up to his father and asked “Some more?”
“You want some beer?”
“Yah!”
And so he offered Gabe a sip.
Gabe’s reaction:
 
 
My beer makes babies cry.

Sam Adams to be biggest US owned brewer

This story has the details, but the headline tells you the meat of things.

I’m not sure what this will mean, but I think that it’s interesting that a brewery known for the variety of styles they produce will soon be the largest, as opposed to the singularity  of styles that A-B is known to make. Perhaps this will encourage more breweries to make more interesting beers to drink.

Of course, other people have different takes on this.