Back on track.

One way I have been able to gauge being "settled" in a new city and new apartment has been getting back into brewing. On a side note, we also realized that our reserves from previous batches (sangria tea ale, orange coriander wheat..etc.) were quickly dwindling. This helped expedite getting settled.

In many senses, brewing is just as "therapeutic" to me as baking. The one main different is time. Baking, thankfully!, only takes at the most a day to complete. Brewing on the other hand, requires patience, and at the very least 1 month to complete. I found each very difficult to mess up, but following directions and knowing the process is key.

We've got quite the pantry fermenting happily. Our spicy hard cider is bottled and will be ready to enjoy this fall. (See what I mean about patience?). Our belgium tripple is nearing the end of its secondary fermentation. Our raspberry slow stout (RSS) is almost ready for secondary fermentation.

I was thinking last week as the RSS was taking forever to start fermenting on just how much I enjoy the whole process. And, when I say whole process I mean it. Drinking your masterpiece is the big payoff, but having an adult science experiment in the house is exhilarating!

I have to laugh now as I was panicking that the yeast hadn't started to kick in 24+ hours after it was pitched. I realize now that this is not uncommon for stouts, especially when they contain lactose. This certainly is something I will keep in mind in the future. I look forward to learning more tips of the trade from the American Homebrewers Association. (We just got our membership!).

Now if only we knew what we'd like to brew next? We've got a couple recipes up our sleeve, as well as some exciting ideas, but we are certainly open for suggestions. Cheers!