Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Living in Oakland and Brewing in Sonora


New Space Update

So, Kelly and I have moved in to our new place in Oakland. We are counting our lucky stars to have been able to land in such a great apt in a great neighborhood in what looks to be great City, and we are thrilled to be out of the ‘burbs. Rural>Urban>>>>>>>>>>Suburban. One day we will make back to the woods, but for this chapter in our lives we are quite pleased to be so close to good friends, epic riding, and super-rad beer.

But…. I had to move the brewing operation up to my dad’s in Sonora.

Although it was a hard pill to swallow at first, I think moving the operation off-site will actually be a good change. First of all, the water in Sonora is amazing- basically the same profile as the RO water I was buying in Los Altos- which means most beer styles are ready to go right out of the tap with a minor adjustment only a dash of Gypsum or Baking soda away. Second, there is a spare fridge in the shop that we have outfitted with a thermostat so now I will be able to dial in fermentation temps to within a degree/ make lagers/ cold-crash for clarity. Third, the fact that it is a two hour drive away from home means that I’m going to be brewing around once a month (enough time between batches to bottle the previous while I brew the next) which will help with planning and recipe formulation- I expect to average two batches per brew day, and will be very careful to have all my ducks in a row before heading out. The only factor that makes me a bit nervous is that I won’t be around to “babysit” the beers while they ferment, but I have confidence that my pops can properly execute things like temp adjustment and dry hoping.

Also very positive: Kel and I now have a standing date to make it back home to visit my Folks once a month.

1 comment:

  1. Dad should be able to cold smoke now with all of his gear, you guys should cold smoke some steaks for a couple hours before searing them on the Q. So tasty.

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