Well well well, it’s been quite a while since I’ve written on this blog and i’d like to take a bit of a change in tack on it. I’m going to continue to rant and rave about politics etc… when I have time but I’m also going to add some life tidbits and especially homebrew aspects. I’ve recently become interested in homebrewing and creating my own craft beer and right now I have the first batch in the fermenter. So I may do some quick reviews of craft beer and detail my progression as a brewer here.
To update on my life, things are amazing been with Jamie almost a year officially not though we have been “together” for much longer than that, in my mind all our lives. Recently I asked her to marry me and thankfully she has said yes. Actually it was YES YES YES, while I was still proposing. As we look forward to our life together I just have to be thankful for all the blessings in my life and remember that even when stressed I have been blessed with a very good life.
As for the brewing I’ve developed a taste for good beer (note this means no coors, budweiser, or michelob EVER) over the last 5 years or so and recently went to a friends house for a brew party. He was throwing in a new batch of Oktoberfest (partial mash) and taught me how to do a partial mash brew. It was great fun and really awakened an actual hobby instinct in myself. Finally something I can do, spend money on and not have a waste of time. I will either save money by drinking my own beer or God willing develop my own recipe that others may enjoy. It would be a great dream to open my own brewpub someday, but thats getting ahead of myself, I haven’t even brewed my own recipe yet.
So I spent my birthday money on a homebrew starter kit with an Ale Pail (primary fermentor) a 5 gallon glass carboy (secondary) auto siphon, bottling bucket, cleaners, etc… etc… I also bought two beer kits, one made by Annapolis Homebrew a Pennsylvanian Lager (Yeungling Style) that I brewed up last weekend, Jamie and I had a great time with great weather brewing it. It should be almost done with primary fermentation right now and I just need to figure out how to get my auto-siphon to work to transfer it to the carboy. Next (maybe next weekend) I will throw in the other kit I got which is a Bavarian Hefeweizen. Hopefully I’ll have about 3 brews ready for my Memorial Day BBQ to open up the summer season in the backyard.
Another thing I want to start doing and something that I think will help me fine tune my own brewing and recipes is to try all kinds of craft beers and review them, figure out what makes them tick for example. Our Grocery store actually has a much better brew selection than I realized even with make your own 6 packs. So on to what I’ve tried this weekend.
The first beer I tried was the Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat beer. Typically I’m not a huge fan of wheat beers (I know making the hefe, whats up with me?) but I have read about Leinie’s at the beer advocate and it seems to be a favorite brewery of many. Leinenkugel is from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and has been brewing since 1867. The beer quickly surprised me with it’s smoothness, it was not quite what I expected but pleasant. The bottle did not mention it but the first thing that struck me was the blueberry taste, quite strong, almost too strong. This was surprising as I’m not usually a fan of fruit beers and don’t buy them, this beer mentioned nothing of it yet I quite clearly tasted blueberry. Upon later review I found that they do in fact add a top-note of blueberry to the brew. The beer seemed rather carbonated to me as if I was almost drinking a soda, no necessarily in a bad way just more than i’m used to in a beer. Overall it was not bad as a wheat beer but not something I would go buy a 12 pack of. I’d definitely be willing to try a Leinie of a beer type i’m more enthused about.
The second beer I’ve tried this weekend was from the Kona Brewing Company from Kona, HI. Kona has been brewing since 1994, as I’m a major beach fan anything that represents beaches, surfing, and the ocean will get a try from me. The Kona I tried was the Longboard Island Lager. I found it a delightfully light beer with just enough flavor to be a real beer. I hate to describe it this way, because the taste is not at all similar but I can’t help but be reminded of Corona, in that its a great warm weather, at the beach kind of beer. Light bodied and smooth and easy to drink with just enough flavor. I highly recommend it and in fact after my sample I purchased a 6-pack of it.
Thats it for now I just hope my life continues to be blessed and continue to have good brews in my life. With something new to catch my interest I hope to truly post a lot more here.
I love you!!