It's a dog eat dog world....

That's actually kind of a scary idiom when you think about it. Anyway, in our house there are two adults (my wife and I), our daughter Sophia, and our dog; we’ll call her Zoie in an effort to protect the innocent. So, from my daughter’s point of view, of the inhabitants of our house, including her herself, the humans “should” solidly outweigh the animals. Yet, remarkably, I’m noticing more and more that Zoie seems to be resident mentor and role model of our toddler.
First it was the chewing, which I assumed was normal for teething babies (although, I’m not really sure how biting with what few teeth you have into a wood coffee table can make your teeth feel any better) and had started customarily with simple teething toys, but soon moved onto books, the dogs chew toys, and periodicals. She is now the proud owner of several books that look like, you guessed it, a puppy had the greatest day of its life chewing on.
Once she became bored of the dog’s chew toys and the taste of cardboard, she started to notice that the dog had ownership of a second classification of toys. Round toys. Soon Sophia began hunting down rubber balls, hockey balls, dryer balls and every other ball imaginable (that belonged to the dog), despite having ridiculous amounts of her own toxic plastic toys from China. On several occasions, she would even take a rubber ball right from Zoie and put it directly into her own mouth. Yum!
So far, nothing out of the ordinary, right? I mean, someone might try and make a correlation between my child’s behavior and the dog, but most would certainly discount it as normal toddler actions. Well, further evidence of my daughter’s canine copying, she now finds herself a comfortable spot to lay down in the dog’s bed when I close her in the bedroom with me. She used to enjoy the “human” bed, but now feels perfectly content curling up in a hair filled, Styrofoam filled, plaid floor fixture. And on most nights we’ll put her in her pjs, give her a bottle, and then let her play for a few minutes before putting her to bed. Typically, during that time she’ll seek out her boo boo bear and if it’s downstairs, carry it around for a bit before we put her down. Otherwise, boo boo bear is already in the crib where she greets it, immediately hugs it and proceeds to tuck it under herself to keep it warm though the night, dare I say like a dog to her newborn puppies? Or dare I say exactly like Zoie does with her boo boo blanket when she knows we are going out???? Scooping it up, whining a bit, and then laying on top of it as we leave the room and lock the front door. Hmmm...two sweetpeas in a pod. At one point, Sophia was even taking the dog’s blanket as her own, much to the chagrin of Zoie who was forced to relocate when she saw Sophia coming, lest she become another climbing toy or the recipient of a full weight body slam.
Again, chewing on dog toys and laying down on dog beds is probably something that most babies from households with dogs will attempt at some point in time (I hope), but I would argue that one of my daughter’s newest “talents” is probably something even a little more unique. Maybe I’m giving my daughter’s observational skills a little too much credit, but she has now proceeded to enter a full squat, tail up position when doing #2. Maybe #1 too, I dunno, but definitely #2, just like “you know who”. Now, I know I’ve never squatted like that for #1 or #2 (not that I’d be willing to admit to anyone anyway) and I’m sure my wife hasn’t either (at least in front of the baby) since she locks herself away for a good 20 minutes when it comes time. So where exactly is she picking this up (no pun intended)? I don't believe I have to look any further than her canine companion. , And if my hunch is correct, should we make an effort to potty train Zoie? Is this the answer to quick and painless potty training of Sophia? Doggie see, doggie doo? Or as an alternate path, do I continue encouraging this behavior, hopeful that she’ll start going #1 and 2 in the backyard (at least until she’s out of diapers, sparing me the expense) and barking at the Jehovah Witnesses that are so bothersome on weekends? What’s next eating off her plate without the use of her hands? Wait a minute…next? Uggh, ok, I’ll just call it all “quirky” for now, but I’m going to keep a watchful eye.

And The Winner is......

Not my Bolshevik Porter...but that's ok, I scored a runner up placing in my first ever homebrew contest and in NYC of all places. $200 worth of homebrewing supplies is also nothing to sneeze at, SCORE! The winning beer was a Saison that will be brewed by Kelso Brewing; I can't wait to try that beer since it is one of my favorite summer styles. Additionally, in the event that the winner would not be able to fulfill his duties..hehe..hmmm...I would certainly be happy to step in and serve the remainder of his term with honor...and of course brew my beer at Kelso and have it served all over NYC..lol.
I've always loved porters and stouts, long before my friends thought it really cool to drink dark beer, in fact, I remember drinking Heineken Dark at my Sophomore Cottillon and was a big fan of Michelob Dark in high school. I know these are just dark lagers, but these beers laid the groundwork for my future love of everything dark, including porters and stouts. I also can't write a blog about porters and stouts without including Guinness. I was never a huge fan of Guinness and today don't believe it is a good representation of an Irish Stout, not the American bottled version I've tried anyway, and definitely not the "draught" bottles. Gross! Favorites to date are the Taddy Porters, Oatmeal Stouts and Imperial Stouts by Sam Smith, the Smoked Porter by Stone, the Russian Imperial Stout by Otter Creek, Gonzo Porter by Flying Dog as well as the Engligh Porter by St Petes. Since history tells us the differentiation between porters and stouts is muddled and with me being a big fan of maltly beers over the high hopped varieties so popular today, my goal was to brew an older style higher gravity (robust) porter, not unlike the one by Smuttynose, but with a bit more malty goodness(think old world robust porter or baltic porter) and mouthfeel (think chewy sammy smith oatmeal stout).This recipe is a unique robusty porter, maybe a cross between a Baltic porter and an "old world" European robust porter where the hops are much more subtle than American styles in this catagory. I strive to tweak my recipes to make really good beer, even if I might "stray" a bit from true style guidelines. My target OG was 1.065 at 75% efficiency, and I came in a bit higher. This will create more of a warming on the finish. I also fermented at slightly higher temps because of the summer heat, this may also contribute to some estery alcohol notes, but they generally condition out in the bottle over time. This beer, as are all my beers, is bottle conditioned, not force carbonated.
Anyway, here is the not so winning recipe:
Grain Bill
11 lb 2 row Brewers malt
1 lb crisp choc malt
1 lb caramel 40l
4 oz black patent malt (SMS)
1 oz roasted barley (will add a touch of coffee flavor-think otter creek imperial)
8 oz flaked barley (body)
Adjuncts
8oz maltodextrin 20 minutes (chewy gooey, think sam smith oatmeal stout)
Hops
1 oz northern brewer .5 oz cascade 60 minutes
Yeast
Wyeast European Ale #1338 pitch 2 packets

4.25 gallon strike, mash 60 min 150-154
I came in a bit high, which I believe will lessen the maltiness of the beer.It's difficult brewing in really hot weather, I make notes and will adjust next summer.
This was a fly sparge, so I heated 5 gallons of water to 185 degrees.
I sparged out over 1 hour, I shoot for a gallon every 12 minutes, which can be painfully slow and may increase tannins if you don't hit your sparge temps accurately.
Cool wort to 75 or as low as you can, aerate 2 full  minutes with oxygen.
Pitch 2 paks European ale yeast- wyeast liquid at 70 degrees
This is a super slow yeast, your krausen may remain for 3-4 weeks. I gave the carboy a little shake at 4 weeks in an effort to drop some of the yeast out. Then cool to 58for a week to drop more, you will still have enough to carb and this style is not highly carbed anyway. Allow beer to come back to room temp (70 or below) and bottle.

Allow 2+ weeks for carbonation. This beer gets better with age, so don't drink too many at two weeks! I actually have TWO bottles remaining from this batch sitting in the fridge downstairs at 68 degrees (I have two carboys with ales fermenting in there, hence the temps).

Sammy Adams Octoberfest

I picked this beer up for free off the shelf of the refrigerated at the beach house.

Before I begin, I want to let everyone know that the word is spelled Octoberfest and not Oktoberfest which always seemed weird to me as an American, but I really thought that's the German way to spell it for the longest time.

Sam Adams Octoberfest is a 5.3% ABV Märzen, which is actually a lager that gets its name from the month the brewing process began.  Back in the day before refrigeration, this beer was started in March, which was the last month that beer could be stored (lagered), before ambient temps rose too high to lager beer.  It was left to lager over the spring and summer, and then was ready to go around this time of year, Autumn- Oktoberfest!

So, the märzen has become a traditional favorite for this time of year – and that’s a good thing!  Its one of my favorite styles of lager because it typically has a more malty flavor, and nice sweetness, so I expect to be thoroughly dissappointed by an American version haha.

Overall, Sammy does ok in comparison to the other Oktoberfest beers I’ve tried over the last few years.  Its a beautiful clear amber color – perfect for fall, and it creates a nice, slightly amberish head that compliments the beer nicely.


Aroma is typical I think for the style.  Malt and a biscuty sweetness come forth and there is a little bit of hop that comes through as well.

The taste is also typical of the style.  Malts dominate, but don’t overpower. There’s a sweetness that’s reminiscent of toffee and the hops do well to balance it out by providing a little bitterness and bite toward the finish.

Overall, not bad.  Perhaps the Sam Adams Octoberfest is not the excellent  Ayinger Oktoberfest (the best of the style I’ve ever tried), but its certainly good enough for me to drink for free.  Rathskeller Rating: ok but not great.

Old Ale AKA Holiday Cheer

Ooops, next time remember the blow off tube!

Old English Strong Ale AKA Holiday Cheer
Batch sparge #3!
9.5 lbs English Maris otter
.5 lbs simpsons dark chocolate
.25 lbs simpsons medium crystal
. 25 lbs fawcett pale choc malt

Hops/ adjuncts
1 lb corn sugar 60 min
1 oz east kent goldings 60 min
1 oz east kent goldings 20 min
1 oz styrian goldings flame out
 
Wyeast neo Brit from mild bottled tonight instead of London esb # 1968

Mash in 3.5 gallons strike 162 degrees 
60-70 minutes depending on temps, looks like 151.9 at first, drooped to 150.8- mash in 9:15pm, mash for 70 minutes
Mash out 9:25pm, with 1.5 gallons 195 degree water, vorlouf, emply 1st runnings into kettle .
Add 3.5 gallons 185 degree water, vorlouf, empty into kettle 
Stuck sparge uggh 1st ever
Boil 11:05
Hops & corn sugar 11:08
Hops#2 11:45
last hops 12:10 at flame out
Chill to low as possible, pitch onto cold yeast- a first
OG came in at 1.053、back to fly sparging, this was horrible effficiency. I will stick to batch sparging for lower gravity beers.
Decanted yeast cake by pouring some into mason jars and some into sink. Pitched onto yeastcake at 12:50am
Resting comfortably with the Maple Ale

Homemade Ricotta with a Twist

You can easily adjust this recipe for as little or as much as you want. I gallon of milk will yield about a pound of ricotta. the flask is sanitizing corn sugar for the mild beer i'm bottling later tonight.

1 gallon milk
2.5 oz 5% acidity vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

bring milk to 190 degree, stirring frequently so as to not scald the milk on the bottom of the pan
add vinegar and salt around 120 degrees


when temp reaches 190, remove from heat and set aside for 20 minutes

after 20 minutes, scoop curds out and drain in cheese cloth lined collander, cheese baskets or a musiln bag
let drain for about an hour, depending on how wet or dry you like it.




the twist?
well, you can add some lemon zest for flavor, or italian herbs, or honey, it's even really good with jam on toast or a bagel.
my twist?
I had all this extra whey (which i will feed to the dog btw, since we don't have any pigs in the neighborhood), so i decided to cut up some fresh lasagna noodles into strips and cook it in the whey and remaining curd.



just bring it back to a boil (careful of boil over, it will foam)

and boil your pasta!


creates amazing favor, i even added a few hot pepper flakes for a little kick


And serve!

Life begins at 60....

1.060 that is....
Maple Ale
This is my second attempt at a batch sparge, my first with a higher gravity beer
Grain bill:
9 lbs rahr 2 row pale
.75 lbs briess caramel 60l
.5 lbs briess caramel 80l
.25 lbs fawcett pale chocolate
.125 lbs UK black malt
Hops/ adjuncts:
.75 oz US Goldings 60 min
.75 oz Liberty 30 min
1 oz Willamette 15 minutes
16-24 oz organic grade b maple syrup, I'm just going to pour liberally until I decide to stop

Wyeast Northwest Ale is the yeast I chose and I made a starter yesterday to account for the higher gravity I'm expecting from the syrup.

Heat 3.5 gal strike water to 162
Mash in 7:29pm 150.9
Temp check 7:36 154 plastic, 151.9 digital 
Good temps, mash for 60 min
Heat 5.5 gal to 190
Add 2 gall to tun to raise temps to 168-170
Vorluf out slowly to set your grain bed 8:35- temp check only gave me 158, use closer to boiling next time, this is ok, I sometimes mash for 75 min anyway
Empty your first runnings into the kettle
Check your kettle level and add remaining hot water  up to 3 megal maybe less, Depending in kettle level. I left about 1/2 gallon in the cooler. 
Vorluf to set grain bed 8:42pm temp check 169.6, booyah! 
Drain 2nd runnings into kettle
One drawback I notice with batch sparing is a lot more grain pieces in kettle, even after vorluf. I attribute this to a slow drain when fly sparging versus opening the valve and draining as quick as possible with batch sparging I'll just skim the surface with a strainer in an effort to pick some of this out

Bring to boil- hot break9:09pm
Add your goldings once boil settles to rolling 
Add your liberty 30 minutes into the boil
Add your Willamette 45 minutes into the boil, also add the wort chiller to the kettle
Add yeast nutrients at 10 minutes
Oops, boil over, stupid mistake that is a bitch to clean up, think carmelized sugar all over your equipment. You also lose precious beer! 
Add maple syrup as close to flame out as possble to sanitize, without risking burning 10:10pm
Chill wort to 80 degrees 10:30 pm
75 degrees, 10:31pm, I love brewing in fall, super fast cooling 
Whirlpool and Let settle 1/2 hour
Take a hydrometer reading
My OG without the syrup addition should be 1.052 with syrup, who knows, since I'm not actually sure how much syrup I dumped in, but it's coming in at 1.060 Glad I made a starter
Aerated and pitched yeast at 11:50 pm

I've never quite understood the fascination with the baby’s “first word”. I mean, I understand it’s sort of a milestone, but we all know they will eventually talk, and talk they will, so why the rush and why the does the medical profession have to make it so “quantitative”? She “should “ be babbling by 6 months, she “should” be saying 3 words by one year, she “should” be forming complete sentences before 18 months. SHUT UPPPP! Not you sweetie, talk all you want, because god knows, if you can’t keep up with the baby Jonses, there is something wrong with you and we are going to have to introduce you to Mrs. “Speech Intervention” based on some Pediatricians timeline of when you should be talking back to me. Now, after waiting patiently for her to utter her first “real” word, I realize how silly it is for everyone to be so concerned about A. what that first word is, and B. the exact point on the timeline of her super short life that she actually said it. Sophia has been communicating well since she was a baby. At 10 months she started signing consistently and our communication improved, thanks to Aunt Roberta I think, or maybe it was some deaf child she met down the beach. Regardless, at 13 months, she was signing regularly and had begun to use some “pseudo” words consistently , but nothing of any substance. And by “pseudo” I mean, dada and eventually mama; yes dada was first and I have the video to prove it, but I digress because it really isn’t important in the grand scheme of things (except to mama). I also realized that I'm not sure when exactly she started pseudo talking, it definitely wasn't a sudden thing, she just started making sounds and “we”(some of us), hopeful that she would yet again fall into that absolute timeline, started interpreting mumbo jumbo into actual words. My wife would say, did you hear that? She said “…” and I would say “yes, I heard it”, when in reality, I was thinking “WTF, she was babbling that crap at 6 months, don’t put words in her mouth, no pun intended”. Look, in all honesty, it has been a gradual process, with lots of starts and stops along the way. That said, I’m going to update a list of Sophia’s “pseudo words" - some that she uses often, others that she has only blurted out a couple of times. I say pseudo, because they don’t really count per Marion Webster.

Mama (mostly combined with the sign for "more" when she wants something, but used other times as well)
Dada (used like "mama" but when talking directly to dada) hehe :0)
uh oh (her favorite for a bit, taught by mom mom)
pop pop (mom mom swear she says it, I’ve yet to hear it, sorry dad)

Animal noises (many of these have been around longer than most of the words):
woof woof (sounds more life "fff, fff" - she loves the "f" sound!) Let’s hope that unlike my neighbor Annie, she doesn’t eventually love the f-bomb.
mmmmmoo (cow) ok, I am embellishing a bit with the “o” at the end, it’s basically mmmmm. I’m not sure whether she is trying to say moo or she loves her milk so much she sees a cow and goes mmmmmmmm.
baaa (sheep)

Words she has said once or twice (like an UFO sighting):
Pop pop (from mom mom)
Ni ni (night night)
Buh bi (bye bye)
Doggie (From lala)
Huh? (as in ehhh?more like grunting ehhh"? and nails on a chalkboard)

Besides these few, practically indistinguishable words (to me anyway), she talks in her own language constantly. Our house and car is now filled with chatter, and I can honestly say I’m not looking forward to the day when I have to provide answers to the questions she will eventually form from all of this finger pointing followed by huh? (ehhh?-see above words). She definitely has lots to say and it is so fun to hear some of it, but I’ll be damned if I can understand one pseudo word of it. Although, I’ll admit I am getting quite proficient at hearing certain words that she is trying to communicate that are quite distinguishable from the babble, yet completely indistinguishable to anyone other than a father trying so hard to meet a pediatricians goals! 3 words by 1 year dammit or your child will ride the short bus!
That all changed tonight. You see, regardless of what baby books you read, what your doctor’s timeline outlines, what your friends and family tell you your child “should” be doing/saying at some ‘exact” point in the measured monthly age of 6, 12, 15, 18, 20, 24 months, or how hard I worked to have her first “real” distinguishable word be “beer”, Sophia clearly uttered her first word this evening. Not only did she say it clearly and with intention, she repeated it for me when I asked a second time what she wanted, and repeated it again when I brought my wife into the room to "officially" verify. Her first word?

IPAD. I kid you not.