The Audacity of Hops

Brewing season is finally in full swing. Little C's Lavender is a big hit. My beautiful bride-t0-be has a beer-t0-be and the best man's brew is boisterously bubbling away. What next? Oh just a little thing called the hop harvest.
Today marked the start of what will be a bountiful hop harvest.

I'm not sure what face I'm making but those are fresh Chinook hops from the Stuart Family Farms. Who needs law school when you have a garden of Eden in your back yard? He even has bees!

Moving along, I finally got some hops in my yard. I hope to get enough for at least a batch or two. I've never actually used the type of hops that I grew but what's the fun of experimenting without surprises? My Horizon hops are high in alpha acids which ensure that they will be nice and bitter, just the way I like 'em.
Next year they should grow back even bigger. That's what she said?

It's quite remarkable how enjoyable it is to stand outside on a mildly humid August day picking hops. We've had so much heat that much of my crop is dried up. Stu's hops have flourished and we had plenty to pick. Just two guys and their dogs, hop resin on their hands, creaky ladders under their legs and no other care in the world. Well, except for the inevitable conversation. I will only say this, you can't change what you wrote about shareholders or out of state divorces. Let's just hope we had, as my mother always said, "minimal competence." Those of you who did not suffer through the hellish summer, you are smarter than I ever hope to be. For those that did, godspeed.

At least we have our hops.

We also have another beer brewing. As I mentioned, everyone seems to love the lavender beer. Especially the ladies (and Andrew). He paid me what I think was the highest compliment. He said this was the first beer he could see himself drinking at a bar. I'll take it for what it is and say thank you Andrew. I hope your new dog stops biting you.
For those of you who tried the lavender, you don't need any tasting notes. For those who haven't, well, it's a light colored, light tasting, lavender beer. There is more bitterness than I imagined and it doesn't come from the hops! Next year I will brew it again with Stu's honey.

I want to show you a side by side of how weird fermenting beer can be. First we have the Frankenstupp. So named for the best man and it's eclectic ingredients. Spicy Belgian Ardennes yeast, dark German and British malt, some wheat malt, big bitter American Warrior hops and finished with German Spalt and Styrian Golding hops. It is truly a creature not to be reckoned with.

To your left is the Frankenstupp frantically bubbling away. To the right is the Blond Hopshell right after I pitched the yeast. I've never had a beer layer like that. You may think it's silly but I find it fascinating. All that goodness to your right is now naturally carbonating in bottles pictured in the background to your left. Don't worry, it's not going to come out looking like that in your bottles. In fact, the beer is quite light in color, hence its name. It is the strongest beer I have made. I'll try it in a month or so but should take some time to mellow out. The Frankenstupp though, should be ready when else but Halloween. *Cue the evil laughter*

And that's it.

Please leave any and all ideas for new beers in the comment section. Don't be shy, no one will laugh at you. Hell I made a lavender beer.

On a side note, Kristin, I will make your naughty nurse. I was hoping my cherry tree would yield greater rewards. If you can forgive me and wait until next year I would be forever grateful. Or I could make it with preserves. Let me know when you get back from Aussie land.
Cheers!