First State Brewers' Blog

I've had 3 beers over 7% ABV on tap for the past few days... ouch. I managed to kick the Oak Aged Vanilla Porter and replace it with my Black Honey Ale tonight, but that one's no slouch either (6-6.3%). Bottom line is I like to brew heavy hitters, and now it is 30 minutes to midnight and I can feel it. Go me. My keg line-up is completely different than 3 weeks ago for our meeting. I've now got on tap:

• Black Honey Ale
• Nasty Habit Abbey Dubbel
• Native Rage India Red Ale

I addition to tying a good one on tonight, I also managed to:

1. Rack my Wheatopia to secondaries
2. Watch Tristan&Isolde
3. Do some significant overhauls to the the Tank class for my GUI

The wheatopia probably won't live in a secondary for long - just long enough for some of the yeast to settle out, followed by kegging and carbonation, and will quickly be ushered on-tap. If necessary I plant to counter pressure fill the hell out of my remaining Dubbel, for competition submission and for enjoyment / dispersement. That stuff rocked... many people who have tried it have claimed it is their "new favorite".

My programming for the GUI is definitely progressing. Every lunch hour I seem to come up with ideas or think through problems that will ultimately benefit the application and components. Today I figured out how to simplify my Tank class greatly, did some quick test programs, and then brought them home for integration.

Tristan & Isolde was an OK movie, however I have to admit that I didn't find it nearly as "epic" as my favorites (Braveheart / LOTR) nor very romantic... something about infidelity rubs me the wrong way regardless of the "context" or the backstory. Be honest and open, do your friggin' duty and do it with honor... What's so hard about that? Yeah it sucks sometimes, but come on - walk away from something if it isn't right. < /rant >

Lots of stuff going on this weekend:

• Heavyweight open house
• Open house at Twin Lakes saturday for $10
• Buzz-Off competition at West Chester Iron Hill

The latter is actually my main source of concern this weekend, aside from brewing a batch of beer. I submitted two beers, "My Wife's Nutty Brown Ale" and "Queen's Darkness Strong Stout". I am extremely nervous how they will do and place in the competition, and I will probably be on pins & needles until I know. Not sure I can take the blow if one or the other gets totally panned, but at the same time I am not sure I really give a flip either - I brew for the enjoyment of friends & family, and they are ultimately the judges whos opinions really matter to me. We'll have to see what happens.