Just a quickie

So it's been a few days. I know. Some days there's just not much to write about. I'm sure over the course of the year though I'll still amass a good amount of things to look back on and reflect.

So the dog ate my glasses. Well, he didn't actually swallow them, but did a good number. They're fairly mangled, and I hope they can be fixed. It was timely though. I do need to get in to get the old eyeballs checked out and probably update my prescription. Good thing I have a back up pair. As Meg pointed out, this is really the first thing of value he's gotten a hold of. Usually it's toilet paper or socks. Too bad the glasses cost $500. After Boston he's getting neutered though. So I guess we'll be even.

Speaking of Boston, we fly out tomorrow! I'm pretty excited. The food that will be eaten, the beer that will be tasted and the good times that will be had by all will make for a great mid-winter get away. It's something I've been in need of in recent weeks. It will be nice to get away from the stress of work.

I tasted the beer for the first time last Saturday. This was after 6 days of aging. It had a bit of what is called a medicinal taste. Think of how a band-aid smells after a days wear and then put that in your mouth (don't actually put the band-aid in your mouth of course, that's not healthy). Apparently that taste comes from phenols and is considered an off flavor in some beers but not in others. I got some advice from a friend who brews and he told me to age it another week or two to let the flavor develop. I was excited, what can I say! The good news is that it poured a dark amber and not very cloudy. It also held a good one inch head and laced the glass a bit. So we may have a successful first beer after all. In the mean time I'm going to get ready to brew an American pale ale and a porter. More about that when the time comes.

Last but not least for this one, check out Porter Batiste Stoltz. They have been a support group for many New Orleans favorites for years. I just discovered them yesterday on Sirius Jam On. I picked up their album Moodoo on iTunes and if you're a fan of funky rock and roll with a blues twist, this could be for you. Check out tracks 3 and 7 (I Get High and Check Out Your Mind respectively) for some awesome jamming.



Until next time (from Boston!).

-MtR