Tag: beer

Homebrewing and other updates


So, I have been a little busy recently.  Started dating someone new, there was some Doctor Who burlesque that was distracting me, and I am now home brewing.  So, this is a post to let you all know I’m not dead (Sorry, those of you wishing for that), and that things are going well.

I will eventually not do extract brewing, but this is a start.
I will eventually do non-extract brewing, but this is a start.

For those of you that don’t know me, I love beer.  I have assisted in the making of beer in the past, but I have not yet ventured into doing so myself.  I have decided to do so now, since I have a little free time (I’m in between work projects).

This morning, I spent some time doing some reading and then decided to create a yeast starter, since a lot of home brewing sites recommended that.  I have just finishing doing so, and it is stored (it needs between 18 and 24 hours) so that I can brew tomorrow.

As you can see to the right, I decided to brew up a batch of Russian Imperial Stout (here are some commercial examples), a personal favorite fall/winter beer.  Of course, after reading a bit more about brewing tips, it turns out this is a more complicated brew, and a few people said that someone with more experience should try this recipe.  Too late now.

Russian Imperial Stouts tend to be very dark (and tasty).
Russian Imperial Stouts tend to be very dark (and tasty).

So, I have all the ingredients laid out, I have the equipment out in order to be cleaned and sterilized in the morning, and in about a month I will have some beer! If you are local, and we like you enough, we may allow you to come over, have some (hopefully delicious) beer, and maybe we can talk you into going in the hot tub.

I don’t imagine too much arm-twisting will be necessary.

Also, I don’t know when we will be recording again.   Maybe this weekend.  Either way, we have not forgotten about PolyskeptiCast.  We have all been busy with various things, including the burlesque show, and will get on that soon.  In the mean time, check out the first three podcasts, if you haven’t already (or even if you have!) and send us some email with questions, comments, praise, berating criticism, etc.

 

 

So, we call it PolyBar, or something…


This is the bar at the PolySkeptic compound:

Let it suffice that this is among the nerdiest bars I have ever seen.  There is no real point to this post, I just wanted to share how awesome the area behind my desk is.  I mean, I only have to walk like 10 feet to get to the closest bar!

I live a charmed life.

Hilarious corkscrew and lighter shown for scale

But the question becomes what we should call this bar.  It is dominated by Star Trek paraphernalia, so we could call it Ten Forward, but I’m not very fond of that.  I considered Trek, but the fact is that there is also a huge Yoda Pez dispenser, which means that there is a mingling of Star Trek and Star Wars.  Our goal is to piss off as many nerds as we can, I suppose.

So, here are some of the ideas we have come up with:

  • Trek
  • PolyBar Galactica
  • Bar Noir
  • Polycule (which is a term we like generally for our little family, as well)
  • Nerdgasm
  • The Fenzorselli-McBrownigal Liquor Depot
  • The Real Classy Booze Shack (because the nicer the description of the bar, the worse it is, amirite?)
  • [insert clever bar name here]

In any case, I’m sure we will settle on something eventually.  In the meantime, here’s some more close-ups.

Yes, those are rubber duckies in a basket.

 

Notice, below, the huge Pauwel glass, designed for drinking lots of Kwak, apparently.  If you have not had it, Kwak is a quite delicious Belgian amber ale.  You should try some.

That, in the background, is a signed picture of Brent Spiner (Data) with Patrick Stewart (Jean Luc-Picard), wearing 20’s style garb.

So, we should totally throw more parties.  Also, you should all come.
Now, to make myself a drink or something….