Year of the Grain

In the past I made it a rule not to make any new years resolutions with the one exception to stop smoking. . . I don't smoke so it's an easy resolution to achieve and at the end of the year I really feel accomplished. It seems to me that people look at what they want to change in their lives and then resolve to change it. "I'm too fat!" "I'm not rich enough!" "I smell funny!" It doesn't make sense to look at how your life sucks and it doesn't seem like a productive way to start the year. So I've never really been an advocate of the New Years Resolution. This year, however, I've decided to make a few resolutions. I'm not going to try and change the negatives, rather I intend to accentuate the positives.

One of my resolutions, the one this particular blog focuses on, is to brew a fantastic batch of home brewed beer. My resolution is rather involved. In addition to brewing a great beer my resolution is to enter one of my beers into a homebrew competition and earn a medal.

This blog will follow my progress to achieving my resolution. Not only will I document where I am at in getting to the goal but also some very tasty recipes, tips for the home brew enthusiasts, and actual reviews of beer, both mine and others. Also, if you have any questions you would like to ask me, feel free! I will answer them as best I can.

As a Christmas gift my wife got me a MR. Beer kit. It is considerably less complicated as the set-up I've already created but it has a few things that will improve my process. I can use the silly little 2 gallon keg as a secondary fermentation or conditioning vat and use it to alter small parts of my batches with adjuncts. As a result I've started to form ideas about what I will be brewing this year. I've already got grand plans for my home brewery this year.

So here is what I have planed:

1) a batch of hard cider (for the wife). It will only be a 2 gallon batch, but that's all she really needs, and it will last her a while.

2) a 5 gallon batch of nut brown ale. I will alter a couple of gallons during conditioning to have a coffee flavor.

3) a 5 gallon batch of porter.

4) (not a brew, but similar process) a six gallon batch of Italian Barolo for a good friends wedding.