I think I just got outta rhythm. We got started doing renovations in the house back in August last year, and I tried to work in a couple brews, but found myself leaving it in the fermenter far too long because most of the kitchen (where the missus helps me bottle) was in a shambles or torn completely apart, especially leading up to Christmas. To keep me going, the missus just bought me some pretty good stuff from the local Wally World, Publix, and Aldi. Most of it was local labels from B'ham and Huntsville, but a few from other nearby states as well. It let me taste a lotta different stuff and now it's getting hard to find different labels I haven't tried. The up side of that is that it's let me try some things I would ordinarily turn my nose up at, and maybe a few I'd like to duplicate just to see if I can.
Another thing that's probably got me slowed down is that I want some new hardware to get my brewing out of the stone ages and up my game a little. However, storage of the new hardware is a bit of a problem at the moment because keeping it out in my shed tends to get it covered in saw dust and dirt between all the woodworking, moving the tractor in and out, and sweeping all the mud off the floor from the tractor. I haven't been able to teach it to wipe its feet before coming inside, and sometimes the mud clods are 3-4 pounds in size when they fall off the tires. I have a plan to build a brewhouse using a little portable shed that used to house all my outdoor gear before I built the shed. BUT, between the renovations pushing all the way through January, planning (and financing) a trip Downunder by way of New Zealand, I haven't wanted to spend the money on the brew shack nor the new toys like an additional kettle, some metal to make a rack, a RIMS tube, another pump, a third temperature controller. The wish list is long, so I spend a lot of time 'window shopping' on Amazon and making lists I hope the kids will get for me. Then I remember they expect me to get things for them.
I'll get back in it, and MAYBE bite the bullet on the Brew Shack build this year. Being retired makes ya think a little harder about spending money, but I know buying it in stores is a LOT more expensive unless I get the old commercial near-beer. I have my standards now.
Another thing that's probably got me slowed down is that I want some new hardware to get my brewing out of the stone ages and up my game a little. However, storage of the new hardware is a bit of a problem at the moment because keeping it out in my shed tends to get it covered in saw dust and dirt between all the woodworking, moving the tractor in and out, and sweeping all the mud off the floor from the tractor. I haven't been able to teach it to wipe its feet before coming inside, and sometimes the mud clods are 3-4 pounds in size when they fall off the tires. I have a plan to build a brewhouse using a little portable shed that used to house all my outdoor gear before I built the shed. BUT, between the renovations pushing all the way through January, planning (and financing) a trip Downunder by way of New Zealand, I haven't wanted to spend the money on the brew shack nor the new toys like an additional kettle, some metal to make a rack, a RIMS tube, another pump, a third temperature controller. The wish list is long, so I spend a lot of time 'window shopping' on Amazon and making lists I hope the kids will get for me. Then I remember they expect me to get things for them.
I'll get back in it, and MAYBE bite the bullet on the Brew Shack build this year. Being retired makes ya think a little harder about spending money, but I know buying it in stores is a LOT more expensive unless I get the old commercial near-beer. I have my standards now.
