Well the day is finally here. Today I turn the big three-oh. 30 years of not really knowing what the hell to do with myself and what do I have to show for it? Well aside from a pretty damn good life I have a kick ass and supportive girl. We made a wonderful baby beer together and bottled it just the other day - we named it Black Ork Ale.
Can you see why!?
It would probably be easier to put the beer in a keg but there is something about cracking open a bottle of your own beer that is just too good to pass up. Plus it makes it easier to share it with friends and family. Here is what our little bottling setup looks like (the red thing is called the "red baron" and is used to put the caps on the bottles).
It is my job to put the caps on and bring new bottles while they are being filled.
Now the Black Ork Ale is finishing in our cupboard where it will sit for another 2-3 weeks before it is ready to drink. In the meantime there is a whole batch of our last beer (a Brown Ale) in the fridge to finish before this one has to move! It's a tough job but someone has to drink all this homebrew!
It has been too long since I posted a beer review. Here is one I had after my trip to Fort Collins, CO back in January of this year (so long ago now), Alaskan Pale Golden Ale.
It has been too long since I posted a beer review. Here is one I had after my trip to Fort Collins, CO back in January of this year (so long ago now), Alaskan Pale Golden Ale.
Alaskan Brewery - Alaskan Pale Golden Ale
Beer Type: American Pale Ale
Appearance: 12 oz. brown bottle with a kind of crappy looking label (featuring a font I strongly dislike). Don't let the crappy label fool you though, this beer is quite nice to look at. The beer poured a clear golden color with a short lived head.
Smell: Carmel with a bit of citrus and hops.
First Drink: A sort of sour citrus up front followed by sweeter caramel flavors. I can just make out some hops in the taste but the bitterness is what really comes through.
Mouthfeel: Light and maybe a bit thin? The carbonation is a little high for me but it is well balanced overall.
Last Drink: Still a lot of sour flavors with a bit of yeast or bread flavors as well.
Drinkability: Overall this is quite different from the Pale Ale I typically drink. Not too light and not too heavy and a little creamy, this is a good session drink.
Notes: Another beer from my trip to Fort Collins, CO. This brewery is not available here in Texas that I have seen but they make a lot of beers. I also have some of their Amber to review and I hope it is as good (or better).
Verdict: 3.75 out of 5. I could finish off a six pack of this without a complaint.
Links: Beer Advocate and Alaskan Brewery.
So what is in store for my 30th birthday you ask? Well I intend to eat some breakfast tacos, drink some coffee, paint some models, play some Warhammer Fantasy, and drink plenty of beer. Not too different from a typical day really, but at least today I can blame the drinkin' on the birthday and not the work day!
4 comments:
You are a man after my own heart.
If there is one thing better than a beer drinking wargamer, it's one who makes his own beer.
Cheers.
I am a little ashamed I did not start homebrewing sooner. It isn't terribly difficult (just a little time consuming) and the rewards are substantial.
Oh well! Got to make up for lost time I suppose!
At least you started. I have been intending to look at brewing my own beer for the last 10 years or so. My intense lazyness just gets the better of me, I think.
Out of interest, what is Black Ork beer like? Sweet? Bitter? Light? Heavy? Full of mushrooms?
Not sure yet, haven't tried it! It started out as a Black Ale so it is a bit heavier beer - like a stout or porter. I expect this will be 8-10% ABV when all is said and done (and hopefully w/o mushrooms).
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