Home Brew: Batch #1

So I finally worked up the courage to brew my first batch of beer.

The whole idea of sterilization made me nervous. Screw up that step, and you screw up the beer. It is the first step, and you only learn if you made a mistake 3-6 weeks later.

But it is done. The 5-gallon bucket is in my basement, and the yeast is working away.

Here are some photos from my journey…

Start with 2 5-gallon buckets. Sterilize them.Then in a 4-gallon brew pot (that’s what I had), bring the water to 170 degrees and steep the crushed grains, seen here in mesh bags, for 20 minutes.Then add malt and hops and boil for 55 minutes. Remember to stir occasionally. Then add the finishing hops and boil for another 5 minutes.

Then cool the wort to 70 degrees, and transfer to the fermentor bucket. Then add the yeast. I was given the suggestion to add a bag of hops here to give it a little more flavor. So I tossed a mesh bag of cascading hops into the bucket. Sealed the lid. Labeled it. And put it in the basement.

Saint-Sixtus Abbey in Westvleteren, Belgium

Meghan and I are heading to Europe in May. A couple of days in Paris, and a couple of days in Brussels.

Why Brussels, you ask?

Zane Lamprey and his show Three Sheets (now available on Hulu.com) on the Mojo Network.

Long and short of, there is a scene in the Brussels episode (watch here) where he visits the Delirium Cafe and is treated to many of the 2000+ beers on the menu. At one point, he is shown, not allowed to drink, share the name, or show the label of one local Abbey’s beer.

Our goal was to find that beer (And, who wouldn’t want to visit a place where the local hang-over cure is Belgium chocolate?).

Home Brew

Who likes beer? Better question, who doesn’t?

I got a home brew kit for Christmas from my lovely wife. And finally, last week, I got around to buying the ingredients for my first attempt at brewing my own beer.

I have decided to go with an India Pale Ale, along the likes of Sierra Nevada.

Wish me luck.

Updates and photos to come.

iPhone Travel… the recap…

I realized I never updated my travel with the iPhone.

I did ditch the laptop for just the iPhone on my trip to Spring Training in Phoenix.

I loaded my 8GB iPhone with 3 movie rentals from iTunes (Blades of Glory, Harry Potter #5, Michael Clayton). 2 audiobooks. All my podcasts. And a slimmed down music library.

I bought 2 sets of test headphones (Bose In-ear and Shure in-ear). The Shure headphones never made the trip, the wouldn’t fit the iPhone without an adapter.

I bought an iPod airplane charger because www.seatguru.com told me that there was a power outlet on the plane I was flying on, and at the seat where I was sitting. I couldn’t find it. And I didn’t need it, with the plane in airplane mode, there is plenty of juice to watch a 2 hour movie.

I also bought a hard case for the iPhone that has an easel back, so I could prop it up on the tray table. The angle was a little off, but better than holding it for 2 hours.

All-in-all, I never missed my laptop.

Email: checked.
Podcasts: listened to.
Movies: watched (2 out of 3).
Audiobooks: never got to.
Music. Enjoyed while waiting for my ride.
Directions: thanks Google Maps.
Photos: taken (check out my web galley).

I think I may have found the perfect replacement for my laptop. Next test: Europe.

Good News

Today we have learned that Lulu, who recently had a malignant growth and toe removed, is cancer free.

The biopsy on the removed toe showed no cancer cells.

A day to celebrate! Can you give dogs champagne?