Roger Wilco

This evening's dedication goes out to all the unsung singers, underplayed musicians, and unsigned bands rocking in obscurity. I'm not partial to the horns, but this is the best free copy available on the internet.

In other words, I was over Unger and Unger was over Dunn. Roger, over. Huh?

Always on Your Mind

Today's dedication goes out to Mucous. For a subject always on his mind (and offering correction to his recent comment), I give you Aerosmith cuttin' a serious rug. Proof too that old ugly people can rock.

One for the Doctor

A Saturday dedication to Dr. B with special thanks for the article on primordial yeast. Mmmm, mmm good! Proof too there's always a future for late bloomers and community college grads.

No video on this, but does include the extended guitar solo.

Beer for a Saturday Morning

Well it's been a full week in the jar. All signs point to another fine batch of Dortmunder Export.

That said, I'm still disgusted about all the sediment. 2 steps forward, one step back I suppose. But criminy! Just depressing to see.

Of course, this is partly because the focus at this stage is on a big glass jug full nothing really going on. Geysers still occurring, bubble too. Very infrequently. So all you see is a good looking beer - color, clarity, body - and a pile of crap on the bottom.

At other steps in the process you see different stuff. During mash, temperature control is the mission. Visually, the grains froth while stewing in hot water. Chemically, starches are breaking down into fermentable sugars; pure water now stained in golden, amber and bronze tones.

The subsequent boil stage is even more action. There's fire control, maintaining a balanced roll. Hop additions that release a foamy green scum; volume evaporating all the while. Will transfer to the secondary fermenter this weekend and bottle in another 5 to 10 days. Then wait 3 weeks for a drink.

This whole process is an exercise in preparation, patience, forbearance, and controlled execution. The ultimate goal achievement activity. Outward Bound for the sedentary lush.

Or like church. 'Cause all previous sins are forgiven once the beer meets bottle. At least until you get to taste it. That's when the real party starts. Or ends.

Guess we'll see...

On top of the sky

there's a place where you go

If you've done

nothing wrong

And down in the ground

is a place where you go

If you've

been a bad boy

- Entwhistle

Sediment Sucks!

I hate sediment! This batch brewed great. Everything perfect from mash to boil...right up until filling the fermenter.

Then all Hell broke loose. My new $20 strainer failed to strain the silt. So it hit the fine funnel screen and immediately clogged. The funnel overflowed, spilling precious beer over the deck. I had to wait for the funnel to slooooowwwwly drain, then remove that screen altogether.

Because of this, the repeat batch has about a GALLON of sediment on the bottom. So even if everything goes without a hitch from here, yield will still be 42 bottles max.

That said, fermentation is going great. Had a bubble within 7 hours, and full gurgle after half a day. The stuff was swimming and frothing and exploding with life. Things have calmed down now, with only the occasional geyser. Sediment is still (!) settling out. I put a wedge under one side of the carboy to tip the sediment toward one side. This step is claimed to help extract trub-free when transferring to the secondary. We'll see. There will be plenty of trub - regardless.

I mean, what's a brother gotta do man?

Obama Gets Back

My President and yours, folks! A lot (and I mean lot) to love...

I like big butts and I cannot lie

You other brothers (Sarkozy) can't deny

That when a girl walks in with an itty-bitty waist

And a round thing in your face

you get sprung

Satire Can Be Pretty Ironic...

The King is dead. Long live the king*!

I personally believe, U.S. Californians can't do so because uh, some people out there in our nation don't have satire. And I believe that our education like such as San Diego, LA, and uh the San Francisco everywhere like such as. And I believe they should, uh, our education over here!

* Ohio

Beer in the Headlights

So I get home from July 4th festivities with one thing on my mind: brewing.

Went to the Grape & Granary yesterday and bought another batch of Dortmunder Export. "Philbony Gold" was a big hit under warm weekend sunshine. That case was devastated by early Saturday afternoon, as was Dot & Feather's Batch 001. Very gratifying to have made good stuff.

Anyway, I will mash & boil again Friday evening. Could even have company - if Chopes gets permission from the ex. Quoth Mucous, "Ouch babe."

Got additional good news courtesy of the G&G. Their beer expert assures me the Imperial Pale Ale -- my second solo batch -- is indeed not yet ready. Just as I surmised, it needs a lot more time to bottle condition because it's so malty. "Leave it in your basement and forget about it until Christmas. Will make a perfect present to yourself," he says. Nice.

I need to brew much more, soon. Running out sucks...

Raiders of the Lost Art

A fine quote of the day:

"My complaint simply concerns the decay of the art of lying. No high-minded man, no man of right feeling, can contemplate the lumbering and slovenly lying of the present day without grieving to see a noble art so prostituted"

– Mark Twain

Don't lose your Head

Wait for it...30 seconds in. No comment from PETA for the unethical treatment of mannequins...