Ok, there's not much Alaska in the beer experiment, except that we both strongly identify with AK. And miss it. However, it's a kitschy title and I like it. So there.
Though I feel that this should be Klark's blog, I don't know that he'll actually write about it, so I'm writing for him. For now. Our neighbor here is a great guy and he and Klark get along really well... and they've bonded over... you guessed it, Beer (with a capital B). When we first met, Matt was in several local bands, but his latest hobby is home-brewing. The other night, he was telling us about a great microbrewery and home brew store in east Colorado Springs. I want to go to check out the beers, but Klark is just as interested in the home brewing aspect.
Last night marked the very first of, what I'm sure will be many, home brew experiments. I came home to a house smelling wonderfully of brewing and steeping hops and oats (though I didn't know what exactly brewing hops or oats smelled like before). I was instantly hungry! Boiling away on the stove in a new 4 gallon pot were the makings of an Irish Red (told you it wasn't very "Alaskan"). The guys at the home brew store had set Klark up with a whole kit with everything he needed to make beer (we need to start collecting glass bottles, any of you COS-area peeps that are saving them) including a bottle capper, all the ingredients for a recipe, and a great how-to book.
Now the bottle is sitting in our mudroom, contentedly bubbling away until Klark transfers everything to the other bottle and does his next magic step in a week. I'm not mentioning what that step is, not because I'm trying to keep Klark's trade secrets (not that he has any just yet), but rather because I have no clue what that step might be.
In a month, we'll get to sample the beer of his labor, and I'll happily take a picture and post it! I can't wait!!!