AYBABTU

Roses are #FF0000
Violets are #0000FF
All my base
are belong to you!

I decided to brew an IPA.  With some $$$ from a friend and some side work I did, I decided to brew a big hoppy IPA.  I checked out dozens of award winning beer recipies, and in the end decided to formulate my own.

7lbs light malt extract syrup
2lbs 2 row
1/2lb crystal malt 120l
1/2lb crystal malt 60l
1/2lb aromatic malt
1/2lb white wheat malt
2 oz Chinook hops (60 min)
1/2 oz Centennial (60 min)
1/4 oz Centennial (30 min)
1/4 oz Cascade (30 min)
1/4 oz Centennial (2 min)
1/4 oz Cascade (2 min)
2 tsp gypsum
1/4 tsp Irish moss

So I took my grains with 4 quarts of water for my protien rest at 130 degrees.

IPA- Grains during protien rest

After 30 minutes at 130 degrees, I added 1 quart of boiling water to get it up to 150 degrees.  For some reason,

Several months ago, I heard about the site www.petitionproject.org, where a growing list of scientists have banded together to protest the current man made global warming scare.  To date, 31,478 scientists have signed this, with 9029 of the signers holding PhD degrees.

However, facts are a dangerous thing to bring before politicians, since that might threaten their kick backs from alarmist groups.  Congressman Ron Paul brought this to the House floor on the 4th, to oppose the current cap and trade regulation being proposed in congress.  Follow this link to read his speech in it’s entirety, or follow along here:

Statement on Global Warming Petition Signed by 31,478 Scientists
By Ron Paul
Published 06/15/09

Before the US House of Representatives, June 4, 2009

Madam Speaker, before voting on the “cap-and-trade” legislation, my colleagues should consider the views expressed in the following petition that has been signed by 31,478 American scientists:

“We urge the United States government to reject the global warming agreement that was written in Kyoto, Japan in December, 1997, and any other similar proposals. The proposed limits on greenhouse gases would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind.

There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth’s atmosphere and disruption of the Earth’s climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth.”

Circulated through the mail by a distinguished group of American physical scientists and supported by a definitive review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature, this may be the strongest and most widely supported statement on this subject that has been made by the scientific community. A state-by-state listing of the signers, which include 9,029 men and women with PhD degrees, a listing of their academic specialties, and a peer-reviewed summary of the science on this subject are available at www.petitionproject.org.

The peer-reviewed summary, “Environmental Effects of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide” by A. B. Robinson, N. E. Robinson, and W. Soon includes 132 references to the scientific literature and was circulated with the petition.

Signers of this petition include 3,803 with specific training in atmospheric, earth, and environmental sciences. All 31,478 of the signers have the necessary training in physics, chemistry, and mathematics to understand and evaluate the scientific data relevant to the human-caused global warming hypothesis and to the effects of human activities upon environmental quality.

In a letter circulated with this petition, Frederick Seitz — past President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, President Emeritus of Rockefeller University, and recipient of honorary doctorate degrees from 32 universities throughout the world — wrote:

“The United States is very close to adopting an international agreement that would ration the use of energy and of technologies that depend upon coal, oil, and natural gas and some other organic compounds.

“This treaty is, in our opinion, based upon flawed ideas. Research data on climate change do not show that human use of hydrocarbons is harmful. To the contrary, there is good evidence that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide is environmentally helpful.

“The proposed agreement we have very negative effects upon the technology of nations throughout the world; especially those that are currently attempting to lift from poverty and provide opportunities to the over 4 billion people in technologically underdeveloped countries.

“It is especially important for America to hear from its citizens who have the training necessary to evaluate the relevant data and offer sound advice.

“We urge you to sign and return the enclosed petition card. If you would like more cards for use by your colleagues, these will be sent.”

Madam Speaker, at a time when our nation is faced with a severe shortage of domestically produced energy and a serious economic contraction; we should be reducing the taxation and regulation that plagues our energy-producing industries.

Yet, we will soon be considering so-called “cap and trade” legislation that would increase the taxation and regulation of our energy industries. “Cap-and-trade” will do at least as much, if not more, damage to the economy as the treaty referred by Professor Seitz! This legislation is being supported by the claims of “global warming” and “climate change” advocates — claims that, as demonstrated by the 31,478 signatures to Professor Seitz’ petition, many American scientists believe is disproved by extensive experimental and observational work.

It is time that we look beyond those few who seek increased taxation and increased regulation and control of the American people. Our energy policies must be based upon scientific truth — not fictional movies or self-interested international agendas. They should be based upon the accomplishments of technological free enterprise that have provided our modern civilization, including our energy industries. That free enterprise must not be hindered by bogus claims about imaginary disasters.

Above all, we must never forget our contract with the American people — the Constitution that provides the sole source of legitimacy of our government. That Constitution requires that we preserve the basic human rights of our people — including the right to freely manufacture, use, and sell energy produced by any means they devise — including nuclear, hydrocarbon, solar, wind, or even bicycle generators.

While it is evident that the human right to produce and use energy does not extend to activities that actually endanger the climate of the Earth upon which we all depend, bogus claims about climate dangers should not be used as a justification to further limit the American people’s freedom.

In conclusion, I once again urge my colleagues to carefully consider the arguments made by the 31,478 American scientists who have signed this petition before voting on any legislation imposing new regulations or taxes on the American people in the name of halting climate change.

My weizenbeir was ready to drink last Friday.  Bottle fermentation was quick, thanks to the warm weather.  How did it turn out?

The first thing I noticed was the aroma.  The Saaz with the wheat and Hallertauer made a playful combination of smells, the distinct smell of a wheat with Hallertauers but the Saaz teased of something lighter, like a lager or pils.  My first sip the wonderful wheat came out, but lighter than expected due to the extra corn sugar.  The Hallertauers came out on the finish, making this a really unique but good, drinkable beer.

Anyone want to invest in some beer?  You pay for ingredients, I’ll do the labor, and we can split the proceeds 50/50.  What’dya say?

Witty Weizenbeir

Yesterday I bottled my weizenbeir.  Final gravity was 1.010, for a final alcohol by volume of 5.25%.  Taste wise, it was less wheaty than I normally like, but that was due to the extra corn sugar I put in lightening the flavor.  The hop presence was nice, you could really pick out the hallertauer’s- not too hoppy, but enough to keep you interested.  All in all it should be a nice, drinkable beer.  Nothing world class or knock your socks off, but a good, drinkable beer.  And I got 56 bottles out of it!  Yippie!!

Had a little bit of money left over from a job I did, so I decided to make some beer.  Not wanting to do an all-grain without my buddy Jared, I decided to do a Papazian recipe that was pretty dirt cheap, his Lovebite Weizenbeir.  The irony is my friend Jared, independent of me, did the same beer.  But, being the creative types we are, we both modified the original recipe.

The recipe calls for 6.6lbs of wheat extract, but I can get 7lbs of wheat at Steinbarts for cheaper, so I used 7lbs.  It also called for 3/4 oz of Hallertauer hops, but I used 1oz and 1oz of Saaz for aroma.  During the boil, instead of adding the entire 7lbs of liquid extract I added only 2/3 of it up front and the rest with 15 minutes left.  Hallertauer’s were in the whole boil and the Saaz were added with 2 minutes left.  Oh, also added a bit of corn sugar, just to up the alcohol.

Today I pitched my yeast, good old Safbrew WB-06, after taking my initial gravity reading, which was 1.050.  Should be a nice 4 to 4.5% alcohol by volume brew.  Nice and drinkable.  We’ll see how she turns out at bottling time.

Back in March I brewed my 25th batch of beer.  Did a remake of the famous Lucky Stout (famous among those who’ve tried it.)

Bottled it on 3/18/09, and have only a few bottles left.  My next brew is a German style Weizen, will follow up once I pitch the yeast.

The Examiner is having a poll to see what city is your favorite city for beer.  Given that I live in one of the largest beer producing cities per capita in the world, I naturally voted for Portland, OR.

But, let democracy be heard.  Click here and vote for your favorite beer city.

Recently, legislation has been proposed that would give Congress the ability to audit the Federal Reserve.  Strange as this may seem, the Federal Reserve currently controls the currency of the United States, and has no accountability and Congress has no legal authority to check on them.  H.R. 1207 would change that, and give Congress the power to audit them and hold them accountable.

Read more about it here.

I’m curious.  I have a plan for my next 3 beers already, but I would like to know what beers would you like to see come from my home brewery?

Next up is my Lucky Stout, then I’m going to do a lager, and then more of my famous Buckingham Bitter (famous among those who have tried it.)  After that, no doubt my investor has his ideas, and my wife will want more Cherries in the snow, once we’re able to get more free cherries.

But, what beer would you like to see?  Leave a comment down below and let me know.  Also, if you are willing to help finance me, I can brew you some beer.