Who are you?

What is happening in the world of brewing? Competitions, festivals, seminars, tastings and club events. Personal experiences and victories.

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fitz
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 442
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:36 am

Who are you?

Post by fitz »

What is everyone's background.
I see some of you work in or run brewhouses some are in some sort of science field. Who is who and how did you start to brew.
I'll go first:
I work in the realty field for Government. I always have loved science and food/drink so it was natural to want to try brewing. I also love gadgets, so I was hooked before I started.
I wanted to try but never did until My wife bought me my first equipment for Father's Day one year. The rest is history. I've bought equipment, made equipment, now designing the bar. In adding onto the house, I have become a shareholder in the old kitchen which will serve as the brewery and Laundry. Also, a 24X20 Room in the basement will be the bar with pool table of course.
bredmakr
Double IPA
Double IPA
Posts: 175
Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2001 10:34 am
Location: South Bend, IN, US

rocks and h2o are my gig

Post by bredmakr »

I'm a hydrogeologist. Being a geologist includes a default setting within my genetic code that requires consumption of good beer. As my love for beer grew my interest in making beer also grew. Four years ago my wife bought me my first kit as a Christmas present. She had no idea what she started. I now have a 15 gallon HERM system and a kegarator in my garage. My dream now is to own and operate a brewpub when I grow up.
jayhawk
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 472
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2001 12:05 am
Location: Vancouver, BC, CA

Studying the way

Post by jayhawk »

I've been brewing since Oct 2001. Just have a small (all grain) two bucket and two carboy system so I can brew two batches per session. Started out because I was sick of paying way to much for mediocre beer, and I was also curious about how people make beer. I had always heard stories of old timers brewing their own stuff, so I wanted to learn the craft. Right now I am a student pursuing natural resource management/economics with hopes that, upon graduating, I will innovate in the field of sustainable forestry. Right now though, I have to dream in the basement of my parents house (thats where the "brewery" is).
Chris
Gravity Thrills
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Strong Ale
Posts: 285
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2001 10:12 pm

vitae...

Post by Gravity Thrills »

I'm trained as a research marine ecologist - that's what I did my doctoral work in. But, my primary gigs at the oceanographic institution where I work are developing marine science educational software, university-level teaching, and exploring novel ways of marrying new world technology with old world education and outreach. I get out on ocean-going research cruises once in a while, but mostly in an educational/outreach capacity, so I unfortunately do less research and field work these days than I would like.

I started brewing back in 1987 while I was a dorm-dwelling college student. Me and some friends brewed extract kits on hotplates and in hotpots (no kitchen!), and came up with some pretty flawed beers. But it was ours, and we drank it and liked it.

I got more active as a homebrewer around 1992, a couple of years after moving to Florida from Illinois. My girlfriend and eventual wife was/is an appreciator if good beer and homebrewing was something for us to do together on weekends. My gradual migration to all-grain coincided with her retirement from brewing and the arrival of kids. She says my brew days are too long and I say her priorities have gotten seriously screwed up somewhere. I'll let you reasoned, sensible folks decide who's right...

Cheers,
Jim
Gravity Thrills
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 285
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2001 10:12 pm

geoligists and drink

Post by Gravity Thrills »

I can attest to the drinking proclivities of geologists - especially the marine geologists I have met. Is it the drinking that makes you content to stare at rocks all day, or the staring at rocks all day that makes you want to drink :-)
Gravity Thrills
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 285
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2001 10:12 pm

Lorax Jr.

Post by Gravity Thrills »

!@#$ right - someone needs to speak for the trees. One of my original college brewing buddies was a forestry major, and he worked for a number of years for the National Parks Service in Colorado. He eventually got tired of the exploitative aspect of even the most sustainable forestry and got out of the field. But I think he made a mistake and should have stuck with it. Good Luck.
fitz
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 442
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:36 am

Hey, 1987

Post by fitz »

In 1987 was the first alcohol I made too. First it was wine, made with bread yeast. Boy was that awful. Then came the cornsyrup fermented with Champayne yeast That was probably the closest anyone had come to moonshine without having a still. Then I refined my talents to something that was drinkable. Partly because I found out it wasn't illegal, and that I could find info. to read on the subject. One of my teachers pointed me in the right direction, and I made an occasional batch of wine. I was and am a beer drinker, and when the wife got me the beer equipment I knew I was in. Some batches weren't perfect, but I could drink my mistakes. I've come a long way since then. The all grain equipment is getting a little dusty because of hectic schedule, but I still extract and partial mash to keep the supply going. A friend of mine is trying to swing a stainless 50-55 gallon tank for me. I think this could be the start of a wonderful Home Mini-Micro Brewery.
My wife thinks I'm insane, she's probably right, but I'd never admit it to her. After all, she is the one who created the monster.
Cheers,
Fitz
bredmakr
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Double IPA
Posts: 175
Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2001 10:34 am
Location: South Bend, IN, US

neither...its all perspective

Post by bredmakr »

I can only speak for myself, but I can stare at rocks all day everyday without drinking and I can drink all day without staring at rocks (as long as I'm in a seated position, can't guarantee if standing). I think it is a geologists sense of scale in time and space that allows us to enjoy life to the fullest every moment of every day. You see a geologist thinks in terms of geologic time. Compared to the age of the earth and its ever changing surface, the time we live upon it as humans is insignificant. Live now, play hard, and go out grinnin'!
canman
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2002 9:40 pm

airplanes baby!!

Post by canman »

I am an Aviation Technician for the Fine CDN Airforce. I am presently employed on large recon aircraft and have just recently returned from 6 months in the middle East. HOT !!! and No Beer!!
I started brewing after my first used whiskey barrel . Rolling that barrel around every day to extraxct the last little bit of nectar was tiresome and the results produced an horrible hangover. Obviously was hooked and promply went out to get some gear. Close to 20 years later I have just finished building my 3 tier and now am being sent away for another 2 months with no time to try it out. It will still be there when I get back. As well as the 5 full cornies in my cellar
fitz
Strong Ale
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Posts: 442
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:36 am

Amen

Post by fitz »

Amen Brother, and I'm not a geologist.
My living and playing has changed a little in the past few years, with kids and all, but the living to the fullest is still there. Suck every ounce out of life.
dohertyd
Light Lager
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Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2002 2:04 pm

Who, me?

Post by dohertyd »

I work in the telecommunications field; network operations. I started brewing about two years ago, and still only do extracts, because I'm lazy.

I'd wanted to brew ever since I read a Dave Barry column which contained something about spraying wort all over the kitchen and having his son go to pre-school smelling like a fraternity carpet.

My beer is better than most of what I can buy in the store. And it's fun to pour people a glass, and have them ask what brand it is!
fitz
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 442
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:36 am

4 year old

Post by fitz »

I have a 4 year old son, that is my brewing partner. He asks questions, I tell answers. He told his preschool teacher how to brew beer. After laughing hysterically(especially abouit his accuracy in detail), I explained to her that he likes science, brewing beer is science, and no, even though he is my brewing partner, he doesn't help me with a supply of fresh bottles. It might sound lame, but that 4 year old is the coolest person I know, and I know many people.
jayhawk
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 472
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2001 12:05 am
Location: Vancouver, BC, CA

Kids aren't lame

Post by jayhawk »

I have had the pleasure of brewing with my nieces and nephew. They are a curious bunch, and it is cool to do something that is a little bit off beat and teach them things they probably wouldn't find out about.
Freon12
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Strong Ale
Posts: 404
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2001 8:27 pm
Location: WHITELAND, IN, US

Cool job

Post by Freon12 »

I am a refrigeration expert(or thermodynamic engineer) as they say. I retired last year and now work part time at Dow Agrosciences doing what ever, mostly growth chambers and lab piping(nitrogen, oxygen, DI water, stainless,etc).

I bet we could grow a mean Barley, but they won't listen.

I am a fairly new brewer of about 4 years, but there are some pro's that correct my driving from time to time. After the first drinkable extract, I was hooked, and have over done it somewhat according to the wife.

I have an 11yr old and keep the beer away and in the garage(not in the house). It's a mental thing to shield him until he's 21 or 41......

Formula: Freon12+gravitythrills=Sushi(cold fish) get it? yuk yuk yuk.(cold rocks..flying fish...flying rock....)

Steve
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Push Eject
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Location: Lancaster, CA, US
Contact:

Mix Movies & TV Shows

Post by Push Eject »

I'm a sound mixer for Technicolor (along with Sven, in fact).

Recent credits include "Six Feet Under", "Steven Spielberg Presents: Taken" and "Star Trek: Enterprise" - you can also catch a short I mixed on Cinemax and HBO this month called "Taking the Wheel" and an indy movie called "Love Liza".

Wrote an article for BeerTools this month (any one see it?!).

Both my dear wife and I work at the Southern California Renaissance Faire teaching Archery and drinking professionally.

Brewing for 3 years.

Charlie "Ollie" Essers
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