New Old Ale

I don't know why this beer is called New Old Ale, but I like it because it makes no sense. Easiest way to describe it would be a high gravity brown ale. Newcastle with balls if you will.

The nut brown ale I made for Thanxmas got rave reviews so I am hoping this is right on par with that batch. I am also a big fan of brown ales in general so I have a feeling this might be my favorite batch to date.

Brew day was fairly uneventful, like any other brew day, EXCEPT that Pog dropped by unannounced just in time to add the Belgian Candi Sugars at the end of the boil. I am hoping Pog's magic touch will add that certain...'je ne sais pas'.

This was the first time I got to use those candi sugars. They are added at the end of the boil to give the yeast a little extra super food to boost the alcohol content of the final product. This batch is slated for a Memorial Day release. I would come out now and say there will be a summer kick off event at Squamywood, similar to years past, but we still have a foot of permafrost out back and late May might still feel like winter...but I suppose a snowball fight to kick off summer with some good beer is pretty Gnar too.

pics coming once fermentation kicks off...

brew day +48 hours

*UPDATE*: Bottled. Just in time for Memorial Day...hopefully. Its only two weeks away and usually I like to go with at least 3 for conditioning but this was hanging in secondary for a bit longer than it probably needed to so I think flavors have probably already mellowed and now I just need to get the right carbonation. Naro and I tried this batch a bit with the leftovers from bottling and it is STRONG. consider that your warning.

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Kona Kula 2-9

Bring on EFTA '08.

Building my new race bike up in March was probably a bad idea but I couldnt wait...I have an addiction. And now I have to wait probably many months before I can ride it on trails...at least around here. oh well, at least I can stare at it a bunch. I think this is the first bike I have ever had that actually looked like a race rig.

Only thing its missing is a black seatpost to get it looking perfect (gina agrees, so a purchase must be made), plus my current post is an old clunker and I can probably shave some more weight. Not that I care but I already shaved so much weight off I might as well keep goin. This rig is easily 2-3lbs lighter than my last bike and mentally it feels like 10lbs.

I think I am going to leave it un-cabled so I don't try something stupid and ride it in 3 feet of snow and mud for now and maybe try and take it south to ride down in MA once trails down there are ready.

The red is added for pure SPEED