Been away for a bit.

The Brew Mentor

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I lost my best friend and brother in law! There, I said it. It should all be easy now, right? Not so much.
On 1/1/19 I brewed a 15 gallon batch of Kolsch with my Son-in-law and my Brother-in-law. We started at 8 am and spent the day together brewing and just enjoying the company. At 9 am we toasted with a 9% barrel aged stout and captured this photo together. It was the 2nd last photo ever taken of him.
He's front right. The next day he was gone.
43 is too young!
The grieving is long and hard for all those who were blessed to have him in our lives.
Pray you never have to go though your best friend's brewing stuff!

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I can relate, just lost my Dad, he was 62, and my hero.

It has been tough sledding.
From my family to your's, we send our condolences.

Tim
 
Many Many condolences to both of you. My father/hero/friend is battling with Cancer now and this hits close to home for me.
 
I lost my best friend and brother in law! There, I said it. It should all be easy now, right? Not so much.
On 1/1/19 I brewed a 15 gallon batch of Kolsch with my Son-in-law and my Brother-in-law. We started at 8 am and spent the day together brewing and just enjoying the company. At 9 am we toasted with a 9% barrel aged stout and captured this photo together. It was the 2nd last photo ever taken of him.
He's front right. The next day he was gone.
43 is too young!
The grieving is long and hard for all those who were blessed to have him in our lives.
Pray you never have to go though your best friend's brewing stuff!

nryWilAJt19YCEvC0nim15XEimw2sOhDPZjKjyE7C9x2jl4yQFKdSMoCLbIm19gXHexzXmRmLtqGW6ZYWAj4njkmKSRnTDjQLQ0OwIvsx03vpuwoRLANizUgPsAZi0J6b7NOxiFZ6EXfKLgNhriaXbUHW-K78DJdGMvhLYb10CCshyLqGWq3hNyN9t2o_ntQYkI0WWYarKx1v8f-2y6tYiS_YLnzwNkAxyzcRjsBr6alGCiUtSVIMAJNJ4UKsiLAoCZLL69nc6O7IClEl8IjAue313DGmF_KzXbxbHvT9eTZqy_S-bfKRdDe6GpnjwC6rQdlVrMT-cwhWM04TXaqKfwGr87Ot997GgVL528xpsXnH4p_k1JIawrNkLC9I7zqEYGT1mIGyTK8_-I4Haw8LDruJKCTYfynZrN55eOwYeB6BL55JOhDmL1D_M_TFtMyD45zdGg4Nq9P-b0pinJ_nIBJ7RNv4Lk24Akcm_Eh_UgLhtAEPQ937vAHb0oOZIlxWmQ4TudqU_Byn2-K5jQpoDCuRACrmmwB2kqP1stypjzzszc00a7-dDH1l3KCsGqJHz1_bQN7gw4T4VcC9P3yQv3nPybol9I9t9XRaGjXDyqgGHUkWRdBjeVHoD-BdXgGrQQ1UG42nlUYNgiC8aiO0Guovxmlp2Y=w493-h657-no
It's never easy. I lost my best friend a few years back, about the best I can say is it gets less hard. My condolences, my friend.
 
I found 18 pounds of grain in his basement, bought and crushed on 12/30/18. Not sure what it is, but it was sealed up in a bucket so it shouldn't be too stale.
Without knowing what it is, I decided to brew a batch with it. Here's what I came up with.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/814102/todd-s-last-stand
I know he wasn't a fan of crystal malt, so i'm thinking it's mainly base malt with maybe some specialty or toasted.
To that I added enough German base malt to get it to 6.5% ish. I'll add the dark malts late, just before the sparge and do it old school in a Mash Tun that I built a long time ago.
I have the hop schedule on the recipe and will add dry hops to it.
Assuming it comes out great, I'll never be able to repeat it.
One last joke on me from above!
 
I found 18 pounds of grain in his basement, bought and crushed on 12/30/18. Not sure what it is, but it was sealed up in a bucket so it shouldn't be too stale.
Without knowing what it is, I decided to brew a batch with it. Here's what I came up with.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/814102/todd-s-last-stand
I know he wasn't a fan of crystal malt, so i'm thinking it's mainly base malt with maybe some specialty or toasted.
To that I added enough German base malt to get it to 6.5% ish. I'll add the dark malts late, just before the sparge and do it old school in a Mash Tun that I built a long time ago.
I have the hop schedule on the recipe and will add dry hops to it.
Assuming it comes out great, I'll never be able to repeat it.
One last joke on me from above!
Well BM I'm pretty sure it will come out excellent and no you won't be able to repeat it. These situations are tough to take but we have to trudge on. You will repeat the kolsch and remember the good times, and we will all raise glasses in honor of lost friend's and family. CHEERS!
 
I brewed it yesterday. Kind of strange brewing a 10 gallon batch in my old Mash Tun.
I missed on my strike temperature and had to pull some of the water and reheat it to get it up a few degrees. Other than that, everything went well. I forgot what a pain in the ass batch sparging is, but I got it done. 10.5 gallons to the tank @ 1.065.
The late additions worked out well with adding the color and very little roast character.
Funny the little things that come back to you... Todd, whenever we'd be brewing and something wouldn't work out just right, would always say " It'll be Beer!" and then we'd move on.
I miss him every day.
Cheers all!
Brian
 
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Funny how it is the things you miss the most, that hurt the most, but also bring the biggest smile.
I have the same moments remembering my Dad, funny things he said or did...that I really didn't know have become such a part of who I am. I wasn't aware how many of the crazy little sayings he used, I use in my everyday conversations.

This is how we honor and remember them.
....and every now and then, I raise and Old Milwaukee in his honor.....even great men drink shit beer
 
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Todd's Last Stand!
It came out great at 7.5%
Dark and a little nice roast character.
Creamy and smooth.
A touch of sweetness, so there must have been some low crystal malt in the grains.
Most likely a pale ale grain bill.
Thanks Todd :)
Cheers
 
Not a bad send off for a homebrewer to brew one of their recipies let along a batch that was yet to be made. I recon you've done Todd proud and recon he would've done the same for you if circumstances presented it that Way! CHEERS
 

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