| Having spent a couple of hours with a friend the | | | | syphoning the golden liquid into newly washed and |
| other day in our local bar I was staggered at how | | | | sterilized bottles. After leaving the bottles for the |
| much the evening had cost. It was the price of a | | | | specified time, not easy when your taste buds |
| small mortgage! All so we could have a couple of | | | | are tormenting you, I invited my friend over for |
| drinks in a bar that had no atmosphere and very | | | | the first ever tasting. |
| few people. The smoking ban really has reduced | | | | I opened the first bottle and holding it at an angle |
| the amount of customers visiting bars these days. | | | | to the glass I slowly and lovingly poured out the |
| And the cost certainly doesn't help! | | | | liquid. One glass for me and one for my friend. |
| So this got me thinking. Why not try brewing my | | | | Cheers, we both said and sipped our first |
| own beer? Many years back I had tried my hand | | | | mouthful. |
| at wine making with some success, well I enjoyed | | | | I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it certainly |
| it anyway. | | | | didn't meet my expectations. It tasted kind of |
| So off I went and bought myself a beer making | | | | odd, and had a strange smell to it. One mouthful |
| kit, the bottles, plastic barrel, bucket and pipes, | | | | was all I wanted. Trouble was I had gallon of the |
| the whole works, and set about making my first | | | | evil smelling liquid. |
| batch of home brew beer following precisely the | | | | That was when I realized there is a knack to |
| kits instructions. | | | | brewing beer. There is a process to be followed |
| Each night I would eagerly come home from | | | | and tricks to be learnt that the home brew |
| work and make a bee line for my mini brewery | | | | instructions simply don't tell you. |
| just so I could witness the changes in the | | | | Home brewing is a fantastic hobby that everyone |
| fermentation since I had last looked and smell the | | | | can get involved with, and a very cheap way of |
| heady aromour. | | | | quenching your thirst. |
| Then one weekend came the big day. Bottling up | | | | It's much easier than you would think to make a |
| time! | | | | good home brew once you know all the tricks |
| With my wife safely settled in our local shopping | | | | and secrets. |
| centre I spent the whole afternoon happily | | | | |