Not Quite Märzen

I was so excited about this beer. I spent time researching and formulating a recipe. I wrote out all the equations and calculated all my target numbers. Then I purchased the ingredients. They smelled so good and furthered my excitement.

Brew day came and I set up all my equipment, mashed, boiled, hopped, cooled, and pitched.

A week later i checked my masterpiece and found that almost half my beer was trub and fermentation stopped at the halfway point. It being a lager, which I’ve attempted only once before when I was much less experienced, I figured maybe this is just how it goes. It’s cold so it will ferment slower right?

No. Another week later, nothing changed. I raised the temp a few degrees. No change. Add a little corn sugar, corn sugar ferments and nothing else. Another week after that, still no change. Ahhhhh. WTF?

You know what? I’m just going to bottle the bugger and hope it will be drinkable and non explosive.

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I bought ingredients for two more batches. A very black roasty stoutish beer and a very light light American ale. I’m so excited about these beers.

Pumpkin Patch

The week has come to an end. ‘Twas the last weekend of fall break for the kids. What better way to spend it than at the pumpkin patch with the rest of the island? There were so many gigantic pumpkins. They were orange. And the grass was brown. So were the wood chips.

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Camping at Waimanalo

I stole the boys away to Waimanalo beach park to go camping for the weekend. We met up with a couple of friends and spent the weekend bbqing, crabbing, swimming, beaching, drinking (not all alcoholic), building fire, playing cards, singing campfire songs (often not around a campfire), eating cake, making s’mores (yes, we ate those too), and just had an awesome time.

The kids all had a blast. They played hard and then slept hard. And then did it again the next day. I love seeing them happy and having a good time. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with good friends an relaxing and soaking in all the fun in the sun (though it occasionally results in red skin).

Note to self. Not properly setting up your tent may result in it blowing away in the middle of the night.

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