First 1/3 of 2014

So I haven't kept up my resolution to blog weekly, but I have kept up with my resolution to brew! My goal for the year is 60 gallons...i.e. 5 gallons each month. So far this year we have seen "Awake from Slumber" a Dunkelweizen brewed with Maple Syrup, "Amusing Red-Headed Chipmunk" the second round on an Irish Red bearing that name. I just put into bottles my second round of "Awww Nuts..." a Nut Brown Ale.

My fourth "beer" this year was "Racing Chipmunk", Root Beer. I brewed this for St. Tom's annual Keggarokee event during Grand Prix week at Purdue. This was a milestone for me because it was my first experience kegging and force carbonating. It turned out very well. The root beer turned out very smooth and almost creamy compared to the normal sharp bubbly of store root beer. Everyone gave the root beer great reviews and it went very well with ice cream for Root Beer Floats.

What beers do I have on deck? I think the next two are going to be a Strawberry Hefewiezen I am waiting for strawberries to come into season...may even hand pick these at a berry farm. My girlfriend is pumped about this one excited to help pick, possibly help brew, and more than willing to help consume.

The other beer on deck is also a new experience. It is a Chocolate Stout brewed with Peanut Butter. This will be my first All-Grain brew which will help me to use the two newest tools in my repertoire, a mash tun made from an IGLOO cooler

and a homemade wort chiller.

What else? One of my endeavors this summer is going to be to try a batch of wine. I figure I already have most of the tools...and the process is very similar...so why not give it a shot. It will most likely be something sweet, and I may never do it again...but I want try it out to be able to say I've done it.