So, there's another blog about homebrewing...

Do you like quotes? I like quotes. Here's one about a favorite subject of mine. Perhaps you've heard it.

"God made beer because he loves us and wants us to be happy."

Let's be honest. Pretty much everyone on the planet agrees that beer is good. Okay. I'm generalizing, but it's kind of true. Speaking of kind of true, Benjamin Franklin never actually said that. It's true, Mr. Franklin is often attributed with it, but the actual statement was a bit longer, and it happened to be about wine:

"Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards; there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy."

So, why on earth am I misquoting Benjamin Franklin? I do so because Ben's quote was something I believed to be true through much of my adult life. To be sure, I always liked the idea of a founding father of my nation advocating something so wonderful as beer. I even wore it on a t-shirt. Imagine my dismay when I learned I was misquoting for all these years. Thank you, internet.  

No matter. I think Ben would still approve. I mean, water enters the roots of wheat as easily as it enter the roots of the vine. And wheat being a key ingredient of most beers, I think a minor edit to the quote is not unreasonable. And beer certainly makes me happy. 

We also have the simple joy of the experience itself. The muffled splash as you decant the frothy, malted goodness into a glass. The floral aroma of hops, malt, and (maybe even a little) citrus. The thirsty dripping of condensation on the glass, and the initial thrill as the beer reaches your lips. The sharpness of the initial taste on the tongue and the wholeness of its parts splashing into your mouth as you take that first draught.

Then comes the rush of satisfaction as you sit back, swallow, and exclaim the compulsory, "Kaaaahh." 

Why wouldn't Ben (and God I suppose) want us to be happy and enjoy a pint now and then?

So why try homebrewing? 

Good questions. I'll start with the first one.

Why Brew? As of this writing, I'm 47, and I've probably been enjoying beer since I was about three years old. This means that it took me 44 years since my first taste of beer to decide to make my own. Some might say that is about 21 years too late; some might claim longer. 

Wait. Did he say Three?

Yup. That is my earliest memory experiencing beer. I say "experiencing" because I was not actually drinking beer at 3 years old. 

The memory, itself, is rather vivid (which proves I was not actually drinking, if you think about it). You see, my father would sometimes let me dip my finger into his Bitburger Pils for a taste. I was born in Bitburg, Germany, the small town in the German Rhineland where that beer is brewed and after which it is named. Bitburger has a special place in my memory and in my heart. 

My next memory is no less significant and comes at age 12. My grandfather on my mother's side brewed his own beer. To me at the time, brewing beer was just something my grandfather did. It was just part of what made my grandpa Grandpa. 

I never helped my grandfather, to my regret. I think I was busy being 12 at the time. However, those memories of visiting my grandparents each summer are among my favorite as a boy. Part of those memories include my grandfather enjoying one of his beers. I say his beer because I always thought of it that way. It was quite literally his beer. 

My grandfather was a hard-working man, and nothing seemed to slow him down. He always just did what he had to do, be it repair something around the house or simply make his own beer. I remember him sitting, sipping his beer quietly. I don't know what he was thinking about, but I imagine he was feeling content. Something about that scene resonated with 12-year-old me. I didn't recognize what it was at the time, but I've come to understand what was stirring inside me was my perception of the satisfaction my grandfather must have felt enjoying something he, himself, crafted. 

Here's the secret. He would sometimes sneak a small juice glass half full of his beer for me to drink. I don't remember liking it very much, but I sipped it anyway. Something about that moment is frozen in time in my mind, and the memory is just as vivid as the memory of the beer I just finished five minutes ago. We two men, sitting at my grandfather's kitchen table, drinking his beer, watching the squirrels through the kitchen window. 

Now, both of those men didn't give a young kid beer out of malice or ignorance. I think they did it because they understood the constant truth of what Benjamin Franklin never said. There is a simple satisfaction in it. And if you crafted one yourself, all the more reason to be happy. There are times to work. There are times to rest. There are times to sit back, enjoy a beer, and reflect on the goodness of life.

And why blog about it?

Why add yet one more blog to the internet? Isn't enough enough? 

I'm a professional writer, so I'm naturally inclined to write about my experiences. My vocation is of a more technical nature, and part of that nature obligates me to journal my experiences, log data, and reflect on my journey. But that doesn't explain why I'm gracing the world with even more words about brewing beer.

Part of this experiment intends to document and discuss recipes, reflect on the general process, log each brew day, ingredients used, gravity readings, bottling notes, etc. It all sounds rather dry (and I'm sure that will appeal to some), but don't be afraid! Many of these articles will include information on techniques, equipment, reviews, and so forth. I hope those to be a bit more compelling.

True, it took me 47 years to start brewing my own beer, but it also took me 47 years to become the writer that I am. Blogging and brewing both seem to match my nature. I hope you find something within these pages to encourage, entertain, or inspire. 

And as my grandfather always told me:

"If it's worth doing, it's worth blogging about." 

I'm paraphrasing.