I'm not most people.

John Palmer says (though I paraphrase), "Most people, once they try all-grain brewing, say they can't believe it's so easy." Riiiiiiiiight.

Of course, most people don't have a giant earthquake in the middle of their first-ever fly sparge. Ok, so that didn't really have any impact on the process, it just sounded dramatic.

It took me seven hours, start to finish. For someone with ADD, that's a very long time to keep paying attention. But I did it, and amazingly, somehow I managed to achieve my target gravity of 1.050 the first time. I'm not sure my efficiency was really where it ought to be, mostly because I have no idea how much wort I had. Yeah, I know, that's really dumb. But I was using the beautiful new pot my buddy gave me, and unlike my other pot, it is unmarked. I think I only boiled 5 gallons, and lost 2 to boil-off so I had to top my pot off with water after all. But I honestly have no idea.

I used the yeast nutrient he gave me, and a brand new aquarium burbler to oxygenate... And had the slowest yeast start I've had in two years with the lowest volume of krausen I've ever had. Coulda been the yeast, obviously, but still a little disheartening. I'm concerned I'll have to re-pitch to get a full attenuation.

My first attempt with the grain mill the night before was hilarious. It's a Ferminator Grain Gobbler that uses a power drill to run it.... I got it set up (I thought)in a workable manner, started grinding, and grain pretty much was flying everywhere. Only about half of it was even cracked after this first go-round. I cleaned up the rat buffet from my garage, and thought about it overnight, coming up with a much more sturdy set-up. This time, I had both the drill and the rollers in a better position and achieved full grinding. Pulverizing in some instances. But now I know what to do with this item.

I will be truly surprised if this beer turns out at all. But hey, it was a learning experience. And there was some stuff that went really well - no stuck sparge, for example, and the aforementioned OG target. Hopefully this rotgut will evolve for the next batch into something more drinkable.

-Cheers!


In the glass: Nuffin'. I'm at work. Shhhhhh.
In the fridge: Alaskan Amber I don't want, and maybe one bottle of Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous
In the primary: the maiden all-grain pale ale. Working title: Brackish Pond.
In the secondary: My amber - it needs a name.
In the kegerator: The Arrogant Bastard, depleting steadily. Racer 17 the IPA clone, carbonating. It taps tomorrow!

More beer. No, really, a lot more beer.

Well, it seems that last blog post started something... Because I've been on fire with beer stuff ever since. Many developments, including...

The amber. I backed off my assertion I was making an alt-style and went instead with something that is supposed to be closer to Anderson Valley Boont Amber. I drank half a six-pack of Alaskan Amber and was forced to admit I just plain don't like it. At least I like Boont Amber, even if I don't usually choose it when I'm out. I did it sort of off the cuff, with hops I had on hand and a fairly simple grain bill. My last extract brew? Perhaps... Anyway, it's got another week of secondary before it's going in the keg and the kegerator for conditioning.

More importantly, I received a critical text last Tuesday night - yes, my friend was bringing over the all-grain gear. Huzzah! I spent today washing everything up, getting it ready... Cleanliness is next to godliness, I think we can all agree... Anyway... I bought all the grain I need... I'm ready to jump in next weekend. Gotta figure out how to operate the grain mill, the sparge arm, the plate chiller.

Oy, don't be intimidated... Don't be intimidated...

Cheers!

In the glass: Stone Arrogant Bastard. Like me!
In the fridge: Eel River Organic IPA / Alaskan Amber I don't want
In the fermenter: The amber
In the kegerator: Did I mention it's a keg of Arrogant Bastard? Oh yeah. And the Racer 5 clone is conditioning.

Racer5ish... And ready for the next one.

Long months later, an update. This will be... A beer update. Hoorah.

I've got a nice Racer 5 clone finishing its ferment in the closet over there. Based upon a recipe I found online and then promptly recopied incorrectly, it has, nonetheless, been delivering a host of pleasant aromas each time we open the door. Turns out that So CA in the winter has a perfect ambient temp average of 68 degrees so my ale needs nothing but darkness to shine. Darkness, and proper sanitation, and I'm feeling pretty good about the latter now that I've switched to Star San.

So that little Prez Day project has me stoked to do some more. For the first time ever, I've decided to go ahead and brew a style that is not my favorite. I want to see if it's just other folks versions I don't like, or if there's something inherent in it that doesn't fly with me. And, my old boss really likes this style so I'll bottle it up for him if I don't like it. What, you're asking, what is this style so reviled? Amber ale. Alt-style. Alaskan Amber for a commercial example.

But, the real question is, why the sudden resurgence of brewing, when I had kinda taken a break for awhile? Two reasons. One, I think I gotta stop buying bottled beer. I mean, mine tastes just as good most of the time. Mine's cheaper. And when it's on draft I can have smaller amounts and enjoy it just as much. Two, a colleague has told me he's entrusting his all-grain gear to my care.

This is an amazing development. All-grain brewing is a significant investment of both time and money - the gear can be expensive and the process is more labor intensive. To be able to learn the process without shelling out for my own gear is a terrific opportunity. And, supposedly, he's got the full set - a grain mill, an aquarium pump aerator, a plate chiller.... Not sure he's giving me that part, but what the heck is he going to do with it? Use it as a desk bauble? He even has a fermenting fridge - and I sold mine when I left Tucson because I didn't think
I had room for it. Well, I do need something for the summer temps. And I cleaned the garage up aaaaalllll niiiiiiiceeeee.... We'll see if I'll be allowed to keep the fridge too.

Cheers!

In the glass: the dreaded Alaskan Amber. Gotta learn the style before I brew it.
In the fridge: Eel River Organic IPA
In the fermenter: My new Racer 5 clone.
In the kegerator: Nada. Yep, I suck.

Where's Heather?

Hey y'all -

Thanks for dropping in on the Dogdish Steering blog. Some of you are likely visiting because you're following me on Twitter and checked my profile. Sweet! What you've probably figured out, though, is that I don't have the attention span to update more than one thing at once so I've been more focused on Twitter and haven't updated here in awhile. Sorry 'bout that.

I foresee a time when I will get back to authoring thoughts longer than 140 characters, though, so do keep visiting. You never know what sort of info you might find here. In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/semperfifi

Possibly the best user-generated brand love I've ever seen.

Heard about this on Twitter courtesy of @davidhenderson RT @db:

The competition.

Don't want to do it my way? You can do it this way instead!

Ahhaaaaahahahaha!!!

Jewel Quest Addiction

IF you have an addiction to Jewel Quest, you need to try this one: Jewel Quest Mysteries: Curse of the Emerald Tear. If you want to do so at a discount, consider buying through this link:

Get 40% Off All Download Games at iWin.com! Simply enter coupon code OCT0840 at check out. Click here! Offer ends 11.01.08.

Tina Fey - Outta the Park

If you haven't seen it, here's the opening sketch for SNL's first episode this season featuring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton.

File under, "Damn, why didn't I think of this?"

Crazy squirrel Gary Vaynerchuk and his brother AJ have spawned a new t-shirt search engine: PleaseDress.Me. Pretty much a great idea... They still need some work on the product offering and making sure that it meets their target demographc - this is easily fixed with some licensing agreements with some other companies that have their finger on the pulse. Right now, when I search for something like "cat" I get, like, crazy cat lady shirts full of sleeping fluffy kittens and american flags.

Looks like they are trying to do the sales part themselves rather than an affiliate relationship (purchase on manufacturer's site)... They need to hook up with Torso Pants, Threadless, ThinkGeek, Archie MacPhee....

You can find their search box widget on the right side toward the bottom. Everyone needs a widget, right?

I'm a practice player. I'm not very good at that.

Back to ultimate for a change. Geez, I've been remiss. Too much work crap showing up on the blog and not enough actual crap.

Anyway, as my 12 readers know, I was one of the captains for Mucho Gusto last year, and this year I decided to retire from competitive ultimate and focus on other activities... Like not depleting my bank account with plane tickets, not sprinting when it's 107 degrees, not kvetching about things I can't control.

So, new for 2008, is Practice Heather. PH is slow, uncoordinated, and can't do a stupid weave drill right to save her life... But PH also can't seem to stop coaching and telling people what to do. PH senses a knowledge gap (or at least a teaching communication gap), and can't stand to not fill it.

I think these communications are generally well recieved - I focus them on fundamentals and core competencies rather than on strategy and execution of specific offensive and defensive sets the captains have installed. And I try to target the greener members of the crew and their individual "teachable moments." But I am concerned that I will piss off the veterans (more than I already have by retiring) and stick my foot in it by incorrectly correcting someone who actually doesn't need my peanut gallery commentary.

So as a practice player, the biggest thing I need to practice is shutting my mouth.

Ok, WNBA.... You've got the tiger by the tail...

... so what are you going to do about it???

After the big fracas last week between LA and Detroit, the WNBA has enjoyed an unprecedented level of attention from the media and the public. But even more importantly, the fans have become completely dialed in and engaged in the product, writing pages of vexed commentary, posting blog entries right and left (like this one!), and just generally tossing in the moss. So I ask again, what is the WNBA going to do about it? How can they harness all this terrific energy that the fight/flashpoint has generated and turn it into the marketing juggernaut that it should be??

When the incident first occurred, I turned to the girlfriend, and after a few "Are you freakin' kidding me"s, said, "This could be the greatest thing to ever happen for this league." Why? The poster child of women's hoops, Candace Parker, just showed us that she's a human being (and a young one at that), and reflected back to us all the emotions and the drama that sports represents. These ladies are passionate, and they work hard, and if they perceive disrespect, they let you know.

I don't have a problem with it. I have a problem if we think that just because these players are women that means they have some sort of super-human temper controller that makes them impervious to anger. Just 'cause they're ladies, doesn't mean they aren't players. Speaking from experience, it is nearly impossible not to react to physical contact that is perceived as extra-curricular to the game. I have been there many times - not in a fight - but I have reacted very angrily to hard fouls... I completely understand where both CP and Plenette were coming from.

Back to the original question, how is the WNBA going to keep all these newly engaged audience members from losing interest? For one, they have to break out of the party line. Members of the WNBA have to be able to speak on the subject. I haven't seen a single blog post out of anyone in the league responding to the event, which tells me Donna O. prohibited anyone from speaking about it. That is exactly the wrong idea. In my business, that would be considered bad customer service.

It's the new media age - let the customer (the fan) interact with the brand (the players, staff, etc.) about what the product (the league, the games, the teams) means to them, and how the fracas affected them. Let the brand speak to its own value and let the customer affirm it. I would bet the players share equally divergent viewpoints on whether the dust-up was good or bad for the league - let 'em share with us! The fans will feel like they participate in the development of the brand, and the brand will be stronger for it.

UPDATE: A columnist for the LA Times feels much the same way that I do...

Pandora and the iPhone... The perfect storm.

I am an enormous fan of Pandora. If you aren't familiar with it, it's a site that allows you to "build" a radio station by specifying songs or artists as the "seeds." Once you set the seeds, the Pandora database searches for matching characteristics of the songs/artists you seeded, and then populates the radio station with other music that matches. You can also rate the songs that Pandora plays on your radio station, and the system uses that information to further refine the accuracy of the database's selections to more closely match your taste. You can have lots of stations, depending on your mood, but just like a real radio you can't go backwards and replay, and you don't actually get to choose specific songs to play.

I have been introduced to some terrific artists that I'd never heard of through this service - music that I've gone ahead and bought just from hearing it on Pandora (and, of course, it's really easy to do this at their site - buttons are available that take you straight to iTunes, Amazon, etc.). Best of all, the whole thing is free, and the only ads are visual ones on the webpage, no audio ads like I used to get on the old Spinner (like 10 years ago now).

The only thing more amazing than Pandora is Pandora available somewhere other than your computer, and that day has come: Pandora is available as an application on the new 3G iPhone. I had seen the ads and thought what an amazing option this was; well, apparently everyone agrees as Pandora is the third most popular app download for the new iPhone so far. Details here courtesy of Adweek via my friend Mike at Heartbeat Digital.

Testing out some PopShops action

Marketeering content ahead. Ignore. Or buy some plus-sized clothing from Lane Bryant Catalog. It's up to you. Why the hell is this here? Answer: here.


PopShops™ affiliate stores

The world is full of things I need.

This tune is pretty sweet. UPDATE: You can buy it here .

Guilty Pleasure.

I probably don't even need to introduce or explain this at all... But I think I've always been a solitary man...

I can't wait for my next hot August night.

Hangin' 'em up.

I did it. I pulled the plug on competitive ultimate in my life. Folks are responding in a variety of stunned ways... Mostly because we'd already had our team kickoff meeting and I'd helped lead that meeting as if nothing was going on.

Truthfully, though, even then I was weary of continuing... And as the weeks went on I realized that I didn't have the requisite drive to complete the season in the way I would expect of myself, and that my teammates would have expected of me.

I am ready to do some other things with my time and my money. And the fact that my back is a total mess is not helping. Also not helping is my girlfriend, who really would like to be the number one priority in my life and who would like to not have to guess when I might be available to hang out.

Long story short, it's time. I am disappointed that it's time, which is something I can't explain to folks very well. I don't know how to articulate this complicated state of mind. I wish that I was a super-stud who could push through every obstacle and whose physical limitations can be overcome with additional hard work. But I'm really not that person, not now, not at 37 years old after 15 years of roaming the pitch. I'm ready to accept the me who loves beer and tv, who has to watch her weight, who likes golf and hiking, and who is terrified of sustaining a serious injury. The me who plays ultimate for the people not the game.

Hopefully the people will understand that; the game doesn't care one way or the other.

BEYOND TIRED of sexist homophobic crap on RSD

And this time, the inflammatory posting is coming from a woman.

I guess a player for Wisconsin Bella Donna took exception to the dance-off that took place at Centex a couple weeks ago. Read her post and the endless lame responses here. I am ready to skewer the cocks-for-brains who keep posting about how women's ultimate is somehow rendered less legit because women undertake dancing as a way to have fun with their teams and their opponents. And especially those who post homophobic breakdowns of how anyone who supports women's ultimate, or who supports women's athletics in general must be at worst a faggot ('cause gawd, that would be the worst thing in the world to be), or a patronizing joiner who only cares because he/she knows someone on the team.

Sports are enjoyed by people not just because they display great feats of human skill and achievement but because they represent a common human need for competition, and they resonate among people with a common human spirit of struggle and the ability to overcome obstacles. If it's true that only 27% of Americans graduate from college, then there's no way all those people who root for Duke are alumni.... They love what the students at Duke show them about hard work, bad luck, the struggle to overcome adversity, and the feeling that on any given Sunday any team can win. Guess what? Those same struggles are present in Ultimate, and they are present in women's ultimate just as much as they are in men's ultimate. And there are people who like to watch it, follow it, appreciate it, and celebrate it just as they support men's Ultimate.

If it weren't true, then the people who are completely threatened by women's Ultimate wouldn't have to rage against it EVERY time it's brought up in a public forum. It would be irrelevant, too small to acknowledge, insignificant.

The thing that makes me the most sad though is when women who participate in women's ultimate are so brought down by some people's attitudes that they feel like some dancing on a Saturday night actually has the power to destroy the fragile fabric of legitimacy that women's ultimate has fought to achieve. And I'm sorry, but do you know what does 100 times the damage? Dropped discs. Stop turning it over, and you'll be legit. Dancing doesn't have shit to do with it.

Ulty Media Alert

I am very excited this week, as the one and only reputable source of news specific to women's ultimate is back in action: Inside College Ultimate. Obviously, it's college-focused, but it's a great site for keeping up with the happenings with the next generation of superstars. There's also a related blog, and on the blog they talk about all sorts of women's ultimate stuff. If you haven't seen it, check it out immediately.

The other new site of note is MSSUI.... It's only been live a few weeks and has already generated more content than any other site I can think of - three or four new (long!) articles a week. This site is player-oriented but fan-friendly, and has lots of stuff about both women and men. Kudos to them as well as IC Ultimate for diligently delivering news, and for totally disrupting my work day.

If I get fired it's your fault.

Up with made-up-words

Everyone knows I'm a Hilarist... However, there is still time to Obafluence my opinion.