The Lager In Me

Nothing beats a homebrew. I'm trying to only drink beer that I've brewed. It's partially a budgetary plan (homebrews are way cheaper than store or bar-bought), and partially a gustatory decision, cause they're generally really tasty. And once you get used to good, homemade beer, Corona, XX or even Modelo Negro tastes kinda mass-manufactured, like a robot brewed it and shot it out of its fingertip into the bottle. But since robots can't drink beer, the taste is just a little bit off, but nobody seems to notice or mind much anymore. Well now I notice, damnit. And I can't go back- I'm doomed to a life of good beer. Good as I can afford, anyway.

Anyway It's finally staying chilly here in the heartlands (whatever that means), which means that, for us low-rent homebrewers of El Sur, it's lagering time! Actually, my first ever lager is in the fermenter right now. It's a general modification of the infamous, beloved "Rocky Raccoon" honey lager recipe that homebrewers have adored for years. It's similar to a honey beer we did here last fall, 'cept that was an ale. Anyway, because of the honey it was the bomb. Hopefully this beer, too, will be the bomb.

Anyway, these photos are of my hardcore fermenter & the sweet fruit it yields. It's only a plastic 5-gallon bucket. But man, its been the beginning of so many delicious ales (and now lagers) and yeast life/death cycles, it's sort of like a family friend. No, not really. I don't know why I wrote that. It is a pretty cool bucket, though. I mean, inasmuch as a bucket can be "cool." ...which is not at all. Unh.

Here's the truth, though: the yeast story absolutely amazes me, and since it happens regularly in this bucket, since hundreds of billions of yeasties have been birthed and lived out their entire lives in my fermenting bucket, I figure its either a pretty magical or morbid place. Probably, it's both. Anyway, enough rambling from me. I'm going to eat Indian takeout with my lady now, and maybe watch a little Simpsons....second season, that is. (It's all about season 2 of The Simpsons.)

[Upon re-reading this post, it is evident to me that my overuse of the word "anyway" has gotten out of control. Somebody stop me.]