Back to brewing.

I was burned out on brewing this Spring.  I just didn’t want to.  I had no inspiration to come up with recipes, and the thought of all of the cleaning and waiting and watching filled me with potential frustration.  I could look weeks into the future and see no time when I was willing (let alone wanted to) ask my family to give me a six hour block of time to brew.  So I took a break.  Without guilt.

Now, I’ve been brewing for a long time now – 14 years this past January – so I’ve taken breaks before.  But, I’ve never really managed to do it guilt-free.  I always felt at least a little bad.  Ingredients sitting around, liquid yeast getting further and further from its production date – it was like a time bomb ticking!  Not this time.  I knew the brewing urge would come back.  I just needed to patient and enjoy the break my mind was telling me I needed.

I did brew one time with a friend (hi, Dave!).  For the past two years our church youth group has held a silent auction to help raise funds for their various mission trips.  Each year, I’ve donated two lots – a teach someone to homebrew day, and a wine tasting for 8 with food.  Last year’s winner of the homebrew day still hasn’t set up a time (I haven’t forgotten, Paul), but I had a really great time brewing with this year’s winner.  To take someone through the process provided great perspective for me.  It really got me excited about brewing again.

So, with the holiday weekend coming up, I finally have the time, and I’m feeling the inspiration.  My brew kettle will be fired up again.  Since I have an open spot in the kegerator right now, I’m going to go with something I can turn around pretty quickly – probably a nice, hoppy, sessionable APA.  I can’t wait!