Homebrew Ted

So for those of you unfortunate enough not to have sampled some of Ted's yummy homebrew beers, you've missed out. He's become quite the homebrew hobbyist, having made his 21st batch last week. Some varieties include a Nut Brown Ale, Pumpkin Ale, Stockport Style Bitter, "Phat Tyre" Amber Ale, Laughing Heart IPA, Dusty Mud Irish Stout, Spruce Beer, Ted's Spit Stout (last week), and the 'house' beer, Palace Bitter. All are under the Fat Beagle Brewery 'label'. ;-) Almost every brew has been delicious, with just one or two not quite up to snuff (which I think is pretty awesome, considering). Ted could tell you much more about it, of course, since I'm just here to drink the beer and share the pictures.



Here's a pic from this summer -- note G.G.'s crocheted bedspread (which is usually on the guest bed!) helping something-or-other with a constant temperature. (I told you I'm ignorant of it all!) Ted has since streamlined his process, though I can't exactly explain how he's done that, except to say it involves something we got for him for Christmas called a "beer gun" as one system improvement.

The bottling and labeling parts can be a family affair.....




.... but not the drinking part -- REALLY!

Hello! Remember us??

Hi everyone, remember us?? So sorry it's been such a ridiculously long time since I've posted anything here on our blog. I've vowed to turn over a new leaf and post much more regularly, again. We've had a great fall and winter here in Afton, with WINTER being the operative word lately. It's cold, cold, cold (as in below zero, not counting windchills), but it's expected to get downright balmy, at least comparatively and for a short time, this weekend. Woohoo! No frozen nose hairs!

Anyway, here are a few pictures from December, and I promise more will be coming very soon.

Here's Max getting down and funky the day we put up our Christmas tree.

Ellie and Ben "helped" each other decorate the tree.

Ted and I had a great weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona, in early December. Michele stayed with the kids, and I went with Ted to a work conference. Well, actually, he worked some of the time and I played. Here we are halfway up Piestewa Peak, a lovely little mountain right there in town. Ted made it all the way to the peak, but I managed only about 4/5 the way up, thanks to forgetting my darned inhaler and developing some tendonitis partway up (having nothing to do with asthma and everything to do with my lack of coordination). I guess I'm not quite used to jaunting up and down craggy mountain trails, eh? ;-P