|
|
|
|
|
|
December 2022
|
|
Happy holidays from HLH World Headquarters, where we're seeing temperatures of up to 80°F while the rest of the US is buckling under a historic winter storm. Don't worry—we'll pay for it when the winter mudslides come, with the summer fires hot on their heels.
|
On Christmas Eve as I write this, our world is falling into its year-end quiescence, with colleagues traveling and forward progress on work projects slowing to a comparative halt. Time to reflect, catch up on errands left undone, talk to family, spend time with hobbies.
|
We're finally able to unveil the memoir from our Germany trip: Mummelsee Sour Stout, which answers the question "What would Black Forest Cake taste like in a glass?" Sour stouts are few and far between; I'm pleased to have put a pin in this unfrequented locale, and I think the beer is pretty good too.
|
|
I'm even more jazzed by the label, which is really special. When I started working through the spec, I realized that it felt a bit like Tony Millionaire's Maakies comic strip. Suddenly, I desperately wanted to see Drinky Crow popping out of a cuckoo clock with a mug of beer. For a hot second I thought about asking a Fiverr artist to do an homage; then I thought better of it and decided to look up Millionaire himself. After a pleasant email conversation he agreed to the commission, and now I've made friends with a crow and a mermaid. A wonderful Christmas (Hanukkah?) present! Go to the link below to learn more.
|
|
|
It's been a bit slow on the brewing front lately, but we've got three projects that are going to quickly follow on one another's heels:
|
- Our oenobeer project was bottled this morning. News on that one could drop really quickly.
- Daughter Allison, on winter break from Occidental, wanted to apply her lab science skills on a joint project with me—we're brewing up something with strawberries and hazelnuts in honor of her upcoming 21st birthday. So much fun to work with her!
- One of the latest items ripped from the business news managed to rekindle some long-dormant rage within me. It felt like time to make a barleywine. This will take a little while so remain patient.
Now it's time to go back to that Black Forest cake I'm making for tonight's Christmas Eve celebration using the remainder of my sour cherries. You'll hear from us again in January. Until then, stay warm, curse the darkness, and remember to start writing 2023 on your checks!
|
|
- Your friend in brewing, Eric.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Black Forest cake in a glass.
Ingredients
|
- Grain bill: Maris Otter, Munich 10, Munich 20, Pale Chocolate Malt, Midnight Wheat Malt, Flaked Oats, Carafa III
- Hops: Nugget, Green Bullet
- Yeast: White Labs Oktoberfest/Märzen Lager Yeast WLP820
- Secret Ingredients: Lallemand Wildbrew Sour Pitch, Sour cherries, cacao nibs, Kirschwasser
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
