Back in Business

So, hoseheads, first I would like to appologize for my lack of attention paid to the blog. I have let myself get distracted by school and whatnot and now realize the errors in my ways, I am back in business.

I had a very productive December in the brewing department, got a counterflow chiller up and running ( I love it, it's definitely the way to chill if your doing full size boils) and Katie (in her wonderful promotion of brewaj and generosity) gave me a 10 gallon brew kettle with a spigot so I now can boil the whole batch and don't need to siphon (see photo). I also got some recipe kits for my b-day from katie and my folks, so I've got plenty to keep me busy for now. I just bottled a spiced winter ale that tasted pretty good at bottling time and I've got a dark cherry stout in the secondary that needs to be bottled soon.

I've got a couple of things I'm thinking of starting in the near future. The first is to get a more substantial mini-mash method (gz I may be picking your brain about this sometime soon). The second is to start into the wine making. I don't think I'll need much more equipment, it just takes a lot longer from what I hear, so I guess I had better get started if I want to drink it any time soon. If anyone's got any wine tips, or a good way to make a mash tun on the cheap if I'm just using it for the specialty grains, let me know.

Later hoseheads, and happy brewing!