Friday, September 25, 2009
moe.
I am rocking out to Timmy Tucker>Recreational Chemistry from moe. I don't like moe much at all with microphones on. Maybe I love moe with the microphones turned off. This band has befuddled me for 5 years.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Violence
This deserves its own post. Fermentation of Double Chin Ale 2.0 is unbelievable, to the point of worrisome. Blowoff tube went in Sunday afternoon. I think I inserted it a bit deep because there was tons of krausen and liquid in the bottom of the tube by monday am. Reset the tube a bit higher and dumped the liquid. Got home last night and there was a bubble into the quart mason jar about every 1-2 seconds with a violent, bad chinese for lunch, gurgle and woosh every 30 seconds. This morning (tues) is no different. I feel somewhat foolish looking at a sealed plastic bucket and laughing like Beavis, but hey, I gotta be me.
There has to be a reason for this. 1.060 isn't all that much in the way of gravity. Perhaps because it was mid to upper 80's in the house saturday when the smack pack was doing its thing? Temp still says 72 on the strip on the bucket.
Thursday night switched back to the regular water lock. Yeast still working their mighty magic. 8 sec bubble spacing after switch.
There has to be a reason for this. 1.060 isn't all that much in the way of gravity. Perhaps because it was mid to upper 80's in the house saturday when the smack pack was doing its thing? Temp still says 72 on the strip on the bucket.
Thursday night switched back to the regular water lock. Yeast still working their mighty magic. 8 sec bubble spacing after switch.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Disc Golf
This is just a place holder more than anything else so some day if I ever look back, I have a date.
I started playing disc golf last week. Technically, I started playing with Shemp and Blazo about a month ago before the Gov't Mule concert. It is really up my alley. Woods and enough technical to be interesting and minorly obsessive.
So far I have played South Mountain three times, great lunchtime getaway. I also played Jordan and Lehigh Parkway this weekend. My original problem was a hard hook to the right, 100% opposite of my golf swing. I seem to have that mostly straightened out, no pun intended.
Distance is what kicks my arse at this point, though I am seeing gradual improvement. I was getting 45-50 paces which is a pathetic 150' at jordan. Yesterday at the parkway, I had a couple 62's which is about 190 ish. I can't believe these guys throw 300. I feel like I am giving it all I have in the throw, so I guess it will be a technique thing.
I started playing disc golf last week. Technically, I started playing with Shemp and Blazo about a month ago before the Gov't Mule concert. It is really up my alley. Woods and enough technical to be interesting and minorly obsessive.
So far I have played South Mountain three times, great lunchtime getaway. I also played Jordan and Lehigh Parkway this weekend. My original problem was a hard hook to the right, 100% opposite of my golf swing. I seem to have that mostly straightened out, no pun intended.
Distance is what kicks my arse at this point, though I am seeing gradual improvement. I was getting 45-50 paces which is a pathetic 150' at jordan. Yesterday at the parkway, I had a couple 62's which is about 190 ish. I can't believe these guys throw 300. I feel like I am giving it all I have in the throw, so I guess it will be a technique thing.
Damn songs
I have a fairly wide appreciation of music, but a fairly narrow band of bands and songs I listen to in my truck and when I program. These times to me are when I am most in tune with myself. Warren, Allmans, Dead/Jerry/Grismon, Widespread Panic, more Warren, DMB, Bela Fleck, Floyd, Moses Guest. make up 90% of the menu.
Some days different songs strike me. Today, my fancy Sirius beeped at me for "My Morning Jacket" who have some great songs and and some not so great (Austin City Limits was an interesting one for them) so I rustily moved from 17 to "The Loft", cause I was in that kind of mood. Soulful, slow, borderline depressing without being depressed kind of thing (this last clause was to be the core of this post). Song was decent, but not memorable. Then this British girl came on, as I was deciding whether I was going to switch back to Jam on or Howard, and it gave me pause. It was "Cure-esque" if there is such a thing. Her name is Kate Nash and the song was "Nicest Thing". It was about the most heartfelt thing I have heard in a long time. Things like that are why I love music. Usually a riff, or beat, or lyric will strike something in me which resonates. This was kind of opposite, it was like I was being pulled in to what resonated with her, instead of her pushing to me. I obviously can't really explain it. It isn't earth shattering new musicianship by any means and I am sure the lyrics have been done a million times before. Sounds much like Cure "Lovesong" I would say.
Song is basically "He's not that into you". Instead of being campy and pop relevant, it is a mixture of deep soulfelt sorrow and moderatly positive, forward-looking hope? I think I like most that she doesn't once say she loves him, but with swarovski clarity answers what love is to her, and if I were being honest and open, to me.
All I know is that you're so nice,
You're the nicest thing I've seen.
I wish that we could give it a go,
See if we could be something.
I wish I was your favourite girl,
I wish you thought I was the reason you are in the world.
I wish my smile was your favourite kind of smile,
I wish the way that I dressed was your favourite kind of style.
I wish you couldn't figure me out,
But you always wanna know what I was about.
I wish you'd hold my hand when I was upset,
I wish you'd never forget the look on my face when we first met.
I wish you had a favourite beauty spot that you loved secretly,
'Cos it was on a hidden bit that nobody else could see.
Basically, I wish that you loved me,
I wish that you needed me,
I wish that you knew when I said two sugars, actually I meant three.
I wish that without me your heart would break,
Yea, I wish that without me you'd be spending the rest of your nights awake.
I wish that without me you couldn't eat,
Yea, I wish I was the last thing on your mind before you went to sleep.
Look,
All i know is that you're the nicest thing I've ever seen
And I wish we could see if we could be something
Yea, I wish we could see if we could be something
So enough about the dumb song that amazon got 0.99 richer from, and the girl who obviously laid it all out there. It's all about me, here and now, as I blog to me myself and I.
Last time I felt like this, it was a similar kind of song, with Warren covering the U2 tune "One" acoustically. I really obsessed about that one for a while, but as a song, not the lyrics. It took me a week or two to read the lyrics and then I felt weird. I don't go to therapy and don't plan on it. I think I was born with the tools to figure shit out. Realizing some things can't be figured out is a sign of maturity I think. I do have to wonder though if these 2 songs say something about me on a subconscious level, if there is such a thing. Why such a strong, palpable draw? I do think underneath there is something to it obviously.
On the exceedingly rare occasion I have these kind of talks with actual real people, rather than just myself, I get the lecture about setting standards too high, or establishing unrealistic expectiations so as to have an impenetrable barrier. There may be some truth to it I guess. I was married to someone who was never the one, not for a day. I never once felt the way Kate Nash does with the close exception of a girl from college. Is it really wrong to hold out for what she feels? I don't think so. Life is short and I am quite happy with it as it is now. I won't close the door on the possibility of relationshipy things in the future, but I know damn well what it will be like. Thanks Kate. I'm a feeling a little "deep" today because of you which I am not sure how to take, but I have some validation that others have innards similar to mine.
Some days different songs strike me. Today, my fancy Sirius beeped at me for "My Morning Jacket" who have some great songs and and some not so great (Austin City Limits was an interesting one for them) so I rustily moved from 17 to "The Loft", cause I was in that kind of mood. Soulful, slow, borderline depressing without being depressed kind of thing (this last clause was to be the core of this post). Song was decent, but not memorable. Then this British girl came on, as I was deciding whether I was going to switch back to Jam on or Howard, and it gave me pause. It was "Cure-esque" if there is such a thing. Her name is Kate Nash and the song was "Nicest Thing". It was about the most heartfelt thing I have heard in a long time. Things like that are why I love music. Usually a riff, or beat, or lyric will strike something in me which resonates. This was kind of opposite, it was like I was being pulled in to what resonated with her, instead of her pushing to me. I obviously can't really explain it. It isn't earth shattering new musicianship by any means and I am sure the lyrics have been done a million times before. Sounds much like Cure "Lovesong" I would say.
Song is basically "He's not that into you". Instead of being campy and pop relevant, it is a mixture of deep soulfelt sorrow and moderatly positive, forward-looking hope? I think I like most that she doesn't once say she loves him, but with swarovski clarity answers what love is to her, and if I were being honest and open, to me.
All I know is that you're so nice,
You're the nicest thing I've seen.
I wish that we could give it a go,
See if we could be something.
I wish I was your favourite girl,
I wish you thought I was the reason you are in the world.
I wish my smile was your favourite kind of smile,
I wish the way that I dressed was your favourite kind of style.
I wish you couldn't figure me out,
But you always wanna know what I was about.
I wish you'd hold my hand when I was upset,
I wish you'd never forget the look on my face when we first met.
I wish you had a favourite beauty spot that you loved secretly,
'Cos it was on a hidden bit that nobody else could see.
Basically, I wish that you loved me,
I wish that you needed me,
I wish that you knew when I said two sugars, actually I meant three.
I wish that without me your heart would break,
Yea, I wish that without me you'd be spending the rest of your nights awake.
I wish that without me you couldn't eat,
Yea, I wish I was the last thing on your mind before you went to sleep.
Look,
All i know is that you're the nicest thing I've ever seen
And I wish we could see if we could be something
Yea, I wish we could see if we could be something
So enough about the dumb song that amazon got 0.99 richer from, and the girl who obviously laid it all out there. It's all about me, here and now, as I blog to me myself and I.
Last time I felt like this, it was a similar kind of song, with Warren covering the U2 tune "One" acoustically. I really obsessed about that one for a while, but as a song, not the lyrics. It took me a week or two to read the lyrics and then I felt weird. I don't go to therapy and don't plan on it. I think I was born with the tools to figure shit out. Realizing some things can't be figured out is a sign of maturity I think. I do have to wonder though if these 2 songs say something about me on a subconscious level, if there is such a thing. Why such a strong, palpable draw? I do think underneath there is something to it obviously.
On the exceedingly rare occasion I have these kind of talks with actual real people, rather than just myself, I get the lecture about setting standards too high, or establishing unrealistic expectiations so as to have an impenetrable barrier. There may be some truth to it I guess. I was married to someone who was never the one, not for a day. I never once felt the way Kate Nash does with the close exception of a girl from college. Is it really wrong to hold out for what she feels? I don't think so. Life is short and I am quite happy with it as it is now. I won't close the door on the possibility of relationshipy things in the future, but I know damn well what it will be like. Thanks Kate. I'm a feeling a little "deep" today because of you which I am not sure how to take, but I have some validation that others have innards similar to mine.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Back in the saddle
Ah, Labor Day weekend. Time for some sweet labor. Kicked off the weekend in grand fashion with the latest iteration of America pale ale. Slight modifications from last time. Ditched the .5 lb crystal 20 and added .5 wheat. Swapped Nugget for Warrior. Swapped the Amarillo for Cascade.
11lbs American Pale 2 row
1.5 lbs Malted Wheat
.5 lbs Munich
.5 60 Warrior
.5 12 Cascade
.5 12 Chinook
.5 4 Chinook
.5 0 Cascade
Should deliver 42 IBU
Preheated MLT with 3 gals boiling water this time. That was perfect.
4 gals at 166 gave me 153 on the nose which is what I was shooting for. 60 mins later it was 151.
First runnings were 2.5 gals @ 1.080. I really should have gone with my gut and used rice hulls. there was standing liquor at the far end of the MLT. Not sure if the hulls will up that initial run or not.
4 gals @172 for sparge. Held for 15 minutes and ran off. 1.030
Start of 6 gal boil 1.050
End 1.058
I'll take that.
I hope I can milk the Double Chin until this one is ready for some side by side comparisons. My hopes are that it will be slightly less sweet and a bit lighter color. Double Chin screamed cascade from the first taste so hopefully this is a step in the right direction.
Chilled wort down to 95 with chiller then put it in fermenter and put whole thing in beer fridge. Still waiting as I write this pitch the Northwest Ale Yeast.
Efficiency 60.3 with SRM of 4.8 according to http://www.brewheads.com
Unlike last time, this took off like a bat out of hell. Pressure in the airlock before I went to bed. Bubbling at 4 secs when I woke up. Got back from disc golf and there was a bulging bucket with the depressed part of the lid filled with foam. Installed the handy dandy blowoff tube and it is dare I say violently fermenting. Very very strange. Pitched at 72, it dropped to 70, now back up to 72. No idea why this is happening, but is smells great. We shall see rabbit, we shall see.
Sept 14 - moved to secondary and dry hopped with 1 oz cascade plugs. 1.014. First impressions. No bitter bite at all, I think the warrior was a good call, but should have gone heavier. Could have significantly upped the IBU's I am guessing but it should be nice and drinkable.
Sept 22 - Tasted it and it is going to be good. Light on the aroma so added another ounce of cascade plugs and weighted it down with a ton of glass beads. This should be interesting.
11lbs American Pale 2 row
1.5 lbs Malted Wheat
.5 lbs Munich
.5 60 Warrior
.5 12 Cascade
.5 12 Chinook
.5 4 Chinook
.5 0 Cascade
Should deliver 42 IBU
Preheated MLT with 3 gals boiling water this time. That was perfect.
4 gals at 166 gave me 153 on the nose which is what I was shooting for. 60 mins later it was 151.
First runnings were 2.5 gals @ 1.080. I really should have gone with my gut and used rice hulls. there was standing liquor at the far end of the MLT. Not sure if the hulls will up that initial run or not.
4 gals @172 for sparge. Held for 15 minutes and ran off. 1.030
Start of 6 gal boil 1.050
End 1.058
I'll take that.
I hope I can milk the Double Chin until this one is ready for some side by side comparisons. My hopes are that it will be slightly less sweet and a bit lighter color. Double Chin screamed cascade from the first taste so hopefully this is a step in the right direction.
Chilled wort down to 95 with chiller then put it in fermenter and put whole thing in beer fridge. Still waiting as I write this pitch the Northwest Ale Yeast.
Efficiency 60.3 with SRM of 4.8 according to http://www.brewheads.com
Unlike last time, this took off like a bat out of hell. Pressure in the airlock before I went to bed. Bubbling at 4 secs when I woke up. Got back from disc golf and there was a bulging bucket with the depressed part of the lid filled with foam. Installed the handy dandy blowoff tube and it is dare I say violently fermenting. Very very strange. Pitched at 72, it dropped to 70, now back up to 72. No idea why this is happening, but is smells great. We shall see rabbit, we shall see.
Sept 14 - moved to secondary and dry hopped with 1 oz cascade plugs. 1.014. First impressions. No bitter bite at all, I think the warrior was a good call, but should have gone heavier. Could have significantly upped the IBU's I am guessing but it should be nice and drinkable.
Sept 22 - Tasted it and it is going to be good. Light on the aroma so added another ounce of cascade plugs and weighted it down with a ton of glass beads. This should be interesting.
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