Ok, ok, yeah it's been a while... I suck at blogging. I will do a post about ceramic work a little later... but right now I am really excited about a new project I am working on. Oh, and I turned 21 recently, and in the U S of A, that means that I can legally imbibe (drink :) ). So... that also means that I can legally try home brewing-- making my own beer. I'm definitely a newbie, but I have a feeling that I could be good at it (considering how bored I am after coming home from work due to the fact that I don't have a ceramic studio here). It will be something to keep me busy, and the best way to learn about things is to try them yourself. I feel like I can gain a greater appreciation and taste for good beer after brewing my own. I tend to be a "snob" about just about everything, or rather, an elitist, mostly about food. That's another reason why I think I could be good at it. Plus, my botanical and cooking background makes me suited for finding good fresh hops and sprouting the wheat in the perfect conditions. All in all, I am super excited to complete my first batch. Oddly enough, last night when I decided to start on it, I was lucky enough to already have 2 pounds of sprouted wheat in the pantry-- the perfect amount to make malt for 1 gallon of beer. I made my malt last night, powdered it this morning, and added some more toasted split wheat to the mixture for more flavor (and more starch). It is now "steeping" and in a couple of days I should be able to hop it... but since I don't have fresh hops yet I will have to resort to dried or use a different herb. I don't have the dried, but I have easy access if I want to get some :) I work at an herb store.