Thermite 2011

No, I'm not returning to write a post. Just here to show off a superb thermite reaction I did. This was unedited so jump to 3:00 for the actual fun stuff. The wind was really strong so very little of what I said could be heard. That's OK. I was trying to be teachery and stuff.

Enjoy:

Awesome day

Today was an awesome day in my brewing life.

I did what few brewers have ever done.

I brewed 6 beers in one day!!!!!!!!

While the rest of you were fighting mobs of people to get a Xbox for $10 off, I was brewing beer.

I started this morning in the vicinity of 10AM and finished around 10PM. I brewed the following:

Carbon Black Oatmeal Stout

Rye Pale Ale

Maifest Bock clone

Belgian Duppel

Metathesis Pale Ale (double batch)

All of these were partial mash recipes, so it took ever longer. I ended up with two 5-gallon pails full of spent grains. They are now sitting in my composting bin waiting until spring.

It was tricky at times figuring out what hops went where, but I did it. I had two batches going at all times. While my wife and kids decorated the house for Christmas, I brewed. I was very busy.

I will not have to brew for a few months.

back in the saddle again

I was recently offered an interim "promotion" to an administrative position at my college. I don't want to tell you what it is, but it rhymes with "Gene of the Smackulty." I quickly accepted the position only to find out later that apparently, I can't fire anyone I want.

I've been learning and doing a lot! This has left little time to brew. Thankfully, I've finally gotten things into a nice groove and have planned a few brews.

I just ordered the ingredients for 6 batches of beer. In no particular order:

Maifest bock

Metathesis Pale Ale x2

Carbon Black stout

Double bock

Rye Pale Ale

By Christmas, I should have a stout, porter, pale ale, and a rye pale ale ready to go. That should make me happy. Besides, that's what its all about.

R.I.P.

I finally dumped it.

It took me a while to build up the courage to dump 5 gallons of beer down the drain, but I did it.

This was my first total loss.

Patents vs copyright

When a drug is patented, the patent last 20 years. It often takes 8-10 years of testing before a drug can be sold to the public. That means the drug company has only 10-12 years to recoup the costs. After which, anyone can make the drug and sell it.

Try that in any other creative endeavor and it gets labeled "outright theft of intellectual property."

Recently some Thai animators, created a nearly identical replica of Beauty and the Beast. Oh the horrors!!! Disney's patent on Beauty and the Beast would have run out long ago.[1] This knockoff would be totally legal if it were a drug. If so, you could buy it at Walmart for $4.

[1] yes, it was released in 1991, but I'm sure the testing and development started years before.

10-10-10

10-10-10

Anyone know the importance of this?

Is anyone a fan of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?

Can anyone make the connection?

The first person to do so wins a prize.[1]

non-nerds need not napply.[2]

[1] I'll email you an emoticon.

[2] alliteration enhanced.

oops, I did it again.

I'm kind of like this:

I once had trouble with a bit of a beer geyser. Well, tonight I got fooled again. Shame on me..or.. don't get fooled a second time... whatever.

After killing three kegs within the matter of 2 days (thanks in large part to my family), I went about filling those three kegs.

I had removed the faucets for cleaning and...um... well...err...forgot to attach them... again... like that other time. I had a nice spray of pale ale flying out of my tap tower.

BUT!!!!!! Since God apparently likes me, 97% of the beer was sprayed into a garbage can. For 12 seconds I was pissed off!!!! But then, I realized all of the beer was in the garbage can. How sweet.

Still, it was a pretty stupid thing to do.