Monday 6/8 Update

I feel like a broken record saying this, but I am making progress. The frustrating part is that it seem like there is little to really show for it at this point.

The actual brewing that I have been doing has been okay recently. Discouraging in that the last few batches that I have gotten on tap have been sub-par, but brewing and tasting them have been good to put a lot of what I have learned into practice. It seems like I have been learning a lot more of what I don't want to do than what I want to do, which is good information to have, but I could use a win or two pretty soon.

I think that the trouble that I am running into is trying to design a beer that is both good and unique. Sounds a lot easier than I am making it right now. I don't want to put out the exact some beer as another brewery, but there is only so much you can do before you make a weird beer. I keep on trying different combinations of ingredients that are not traditionally used together and I am finding there are reasons that they aren't used. Not that the beers are terrible, but there is usually one or two things that aren't quite right and that can usually be traced back to the recipe. I think every once and a while I need to remember to heed the advice of those that have come before me.

Not really sure what is on the docket for future brews, running low on space and need to spend some quality time drinking to catch back up. I plan on brewing the second batch of the Mountain Man Barleywine soon, slight tweaks to last years brew and making it earlier so it is ready come Thanksgiving or Christmas.

That was hardly an update, but that is what I'm calling it. One of these days I will take a step forward instead of sidestepping the issues, then I will have a worthy post.