tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89841595318183661562024-02-20T02:39:18.004-08:00Literally BrewingSD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-70270832546726163922014-08-06T12:32:00.002-07:002014-08-06T12:32:57.865-07:00Small UpdateNot much has happened recently, minus a few short stories that have been published over at the Writer's Drawer, and in their anthology. Beyond that, I've just been doing the usual mundane stuff. Though me and my wife did visit and take part in the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's exile in Elba.SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-9160589405573760992013-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:002013-12-08T09:00:33.386-08:00New story publishedJust a heads up. One of my short stories "8th and Pine" will be appearing in a small anthology: http://www.amazon.com/Certain-Kind-Freedom-Stories-Writers/dp/1492890316SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-60333271212155500882012-12-02T09:26:00.002-08:002012-12-02T09:26:51.716-08:00Literary RejectionsDefinitely one of the friendlier literary rejections I have gotten. Always nice to get a personal rejection for your writing, as opposed to the first round form rejection>><br /><br /><br />Hello Stephen,<br /><br />Thank you for your submission of "Andante and Allegro" and "Black Pavement." <br /><br />Unfortunately we don't feel either are a good fit for XXXX XXXXX (edited out).<br /><br />You have a wonderful talent for creating beautiful scenes with your words, and even though we won't be publishing your work, I enjoyed reading it!<br /><br />Best of luck to you, and thank you again!<br /><br />SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com0Wangen bei Olten, Switzerland47.343 7.8701847.299962 7.791216 47.386038000000006 7.949144tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-54300016499779679852012-04-13T07:51:00.002-07:002012-04-13T07:51:57.571-07:00Getting settled inI am all here and stuff, getting settled in. Hope to begin brewing again relatively soon, but lets face it, I need a thing called a job to take care of my family. Priorities and all.SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-60998880784620861952012-03-09T13:52:00.001-08:002012-03-09T13:56:32.706-08:00Simple Mick's PilsnerJust a simple recipe you can get off www.beerrecipes.org, it's a pretty good starter for new folks, and produces a decent beer. Mostly posting this to be able to finish up a page of the blog (i.e. make it not empty). In other news, moving to Switzerland in less than three weeks.<br />
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<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="7" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="3"><h5>Ingredients:</h5><ul><li>3000g Light Malt Extract (liquid)</li>
<li>30g Saaz -60 mins</li>
<li>45g Saaz 20 mins</li>
<li>25g Saaz 2 mins</li>
<li>European Lager yeast 12-15 deg</li>
<li>19 litre recipe.</li>
</ul></td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2"><b>OG:</b> 1043 <b>FG:</b> 1014 <br />
<b>Primary Ferment:</b> 4 days <br />
<b>Secondary Ferment:</b> 7 days, ready 2 weeks after bottling </td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3"><h5>Procedure:</h5>Boil water, add extract, boil.<br />
Add 60 minute hops. When 20 mins remain add 20 minute hops. when 10 mins remain add irish moss. When 2 minutes remain add 2 minute hops. After 60 minutes switch off heat. Cool down and pitch yeast. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="7" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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</tbody></table>SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-58348180442430517892011-12-14T14:49:00.000-08:002011-12-14T14:49:34.579-08:00Beer AftermathJust got back from Switzerland, as I am moving there in half a year. Was a surprise visit, well semi-surprise. I decided at the last moment it wasn't probably the wisest thing to visit my Fiance, without giving her some heads up in case something happens. It is another country afterall. <br />
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The Sage Ale turned out well. Though it is still a sharp drink, almost akin to a cider. Not something I can drink consistently. Next beer I am going to brew will be for my old friend Beau, a typical American Pilsner. Will be my last beer before moving. <br />
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Oddly one of the good news about living in Switzerland will be that I can sell the beer without a license.SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-53966382110484909052011-09-29T13:43:00.000-07:002011-09-29T13:43:09.309-07:00BottlingBottled the beer yesterday, re-tested the wort, very tasty, quite sharp though. Will see how it progresses. Decided to put the priming sugar in a bottling bucket as opposed to doeling it out piecemeal.<br />
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Now in another six weeks we will have Sage Ale, will tell you how it comes out.SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-40067753353574100842011-09-16T15:32:00.000-07:002011-09-16T15:32:26.122-07:00So far so goodStarted secondary fermintation on the Sage Ale today, tasted the wort, very, very tasty! It's a sharp beer, that's for certain, but the changes I made I think helped tone that down significantly. Can't wait to see how it ends up after bottling.<br />
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Probably will keep it in there for 2 weeks. Kept it in primary for 3 weeks. A little long, but I prefer longer processing times.<br />
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In other news, nearly finished up the prologue of a new book "The Evercharm." Working title..SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-64719144268043007752011-08-30T19:03:00.000-07:002011-08-30T19:03:56.958-07:00Page UpdatesFixed a couple of issues with the page today, now folks should actually be able to leave comments (Foks right now = my fiance lo). Search bar actually works too now. Yay, progress. Think this site will end up being a good repository for my brewing in the end.SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-15522582137385322572011-08-26T17:16:00.000-07:002011-08-26T17:59:13.009-07:00Sage AleIt has been a half of a year or more since I have brewed anything, and about 3 months since my former roommate destroyed my brewing equipment (by leaving it on the stove, and accidently leaving the stove on) and nearly the apartment. Decided I would do something relatively simple, and start with a Sage ale from "Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers," by Stephen Harrod Buhner. Anyone named Stephen can't be too bad eh?<br />
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Very good book all in all, I definately recommend it. I brew beer, both because it is a craft I enjoy, and because of the connection one makes to the past. And this book is perfect for it. Beers throughout history have been a spiritual, sacred tool. A part of me likes to believe I am carrying on that tradition .<br />
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And then there is the added plus that these are supposed to be good for you.<br />
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I altered the recipe a bit, and this is what I went with:<br />
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4 Gallons of water<br />
3 3/4 ounces of fresh sage<br />
2 ounces of licorice root (dried, not the powder! The powder would make a soup)<br />
4 pounds of brown sugar (dark, light sugar gives nothing, it's like table sugar)<br />
4 Pounds of Light Dry Malt Extract<br />
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Now the weird part:<br />
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1 Packet of Fermentis Safbrew WB 06<br />
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Went with this, because others have noticed it has helped with the sharpness of certain similiar gruit ales.<br />
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Boiled the water, added two ounces of the sage with the licorice, continued for another 30.<br />
Added the brown sugar and the DME, boiled for another 30. Watch your wort, it will try to boil over at the ten minute mark. Just adjust the temperature down, stir, and bring it back up.<br />
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Then I let it cool, I think to about 70, before adding the rest of the sage. I am however a bit afraid that I may have pitched the yeast it in hot, will know in a few days. If so I will just re-pitch. <br />
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SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8984159531818366156.post-49497964940549143782011-08-25T14:40:00.000-07:002011-08-25T14:40:23.084-07:00Testing the watersFirst post, testing the layout. This will be a site dedicated to my attempts to brew various beers, my writing projects, and misc other ill advised designs.SD Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08200734014164780605noreply@blogger.com0