A Beer and a Dog

"Why should I blog about brewing?", I asked. "Nothing like a beer and a dog...", So Sayeth Virtual Wayne.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

ESB…

I put an arf case into the fridge the other morning and as we speak am sampling another one.  This one tastes flawed, similar to the first batch of Märzen that I dubbed “Private Stock” so I wouldn’t have to shame myself before my fellows… There must be a critter lurking in some of my brewing equipment.  Maybe one (or more) of the carboys… perhaps in the bottles their own selfs.  I suppose that we all have this happen, some people more regularly than others… but this is not the way that it is supposed to be.  I must pay more attention to sanitization.  I have already gotten some new hoses… better put some denture cleaner into the carboys.  And I really should get a newer brewing pot.  My canning pots are about beat all to hell.  Must get stainless steel…

And should probably invest in some powerful sanitizer and let the Clorox go for a while.  This should be easy to find and fix.  Should.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

My calm has been harshed

My calm has been harshed…

   What is wrong with this country when it takes half of your income just to get insurance coverage?  It wasn't like that in the past.  I just don't know how people are supposed to survive.  You know, in the 19th century the official policy of the Government regarding the Indians was to make them totally dependent upon the US Government by killing off their way of life, the buffalo.  This Government policy nearly extinctified the buffalo, and the Indians were brought to a state from which they haven't really recovered.  They are indeed dependent upon the Government...and the same thing is happening to the rest of us.  Love it or hate it: We NEED O'bammaCare!  We can't survive without it, now. With the usury fees of the insurance companies that the Government has been oh, SO willing to turn a blind eye to have made that a necessity.  We are all Indians, now. Soon, we all will be living in Government trailers on Government property…

   I think back on both of my grannies: they lived for years off of what they had been able to sock away during their lifetimes and had some to leave their kiddies when they passed on.  My own dear ole mammy was able to pass on what was left from her inheritance... and it has taken all of our cut to stay alive just these past few years; surviving longer doesn't seem like it is going to be a reality.  I really don't know what to do.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Couldn’t wait. Had to try one of the new ESBs…

I put one of the latest ESBs into the fridge before I left for work yesterday and when I got  home I popped the top to see ‘whatup, humaan?’  Needs another week carbonating but the taste is good.  Bitter.  Mmmm…

Only three weeks until time to bottle my latest Oktöberfest; then, it’s wait again.  That’s the hardest part of brewing your own beer, the waiting.  The only thing that you can do to lessen the pain is to brew more often.  And I should.  But I don’t.  I spend my time working on my new project, grudgingly doing housework or lawn work, taking well deserved naps, etc.  But I should brew.   It isn’t like I drink a lot; Usually one maybe two beers a night if any at all, and I give a lot of the stuff away.  (I dropped a sixpack by The ‘C on Willie-D for El Jefè and the other minions of the State to enjoy, some of my previous Oktöberfest – flawed as it is, they may not really notice.)

I think that this year I’m only going to brew Oktöberfest and ESB.  The Year of Oktöberfest and ESB they will call it in the annals of CyberDave… not my PERSONAL anal, mind you… Wayne…

Meanwhile, I sit here, wondering.  What does the new day hold? Should I finish the wash that I started last night?  What’s that sound?

Friday, June 3, 2011

Bottled my third batch of 08.C: ESB, tonite.

I kept forgetting to do things.  Couldn’t find tools either; bottle cleaner, hydrometer…  Finally found them all.

Then as I was racking to the bottling bucket, I remembered that I didn’t make a priming slurry as is my custom when I bottle.  So I just added the sugar to the bucket as it was filling and gently stirred.  Got 49-12 oz. bottles with a 6.62 ABV. A little higher than style because I boiled off too much liquid.  Should have added another arf gallon… But what the heck. I like it around that volume.

Not one of these.. these... FAUX CyberDaves... but the TRUE CyberDave!


About CyberDave

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Contract engineering, working in the field in which I truly love: Mechanical Design.

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"Bonus Nachos!" as we say on my planet. "And CHEERS!"