Beer Week

Beer Week

The week before last was beer week in The City and I actually just missed it (in case you were wondering, February is still strong beer month. There is still time!)  However, lucky for me, my brother likes to brew up beers of many colors. So I went to visit him last week and together with my broski, we bottled some brewski.

I have never bottled beer before so to me, it was fascinating and fun. Another fun fact is that the beer we were bottling was my favorite kind, Stout. So let's begin shall we? But first, a warning.



Maybe you can't read it. Maybe I had too much beer before taking that picture. But it says: "Drinking may cause memory loss, or worse, memory loss".

Also, the broski schooled me on the rules for bottling. {#1 Rule} When bottling, one must have a beer. One does not drink the beer one is bottling. However, one cannot bottle without a beer in one's hand. {#2 Rule} There is no number two rule.


Before getting started, we went to the beer store. I don't think that is what the actual name of it is, but to me, it is The Beer Store. They had hops, barley, bottles and much, much more. I could have looked around in there for a long time. But broski was in a hurry, so we got our bottles and caps and got out.

Three of many different types of bottles.
Barley and stuff. Isn't it fun!? It's like Whole Foods for beer lovers.
Then we went home, poured ourselves a beer and got started. To bottle, first you move the beer from the keg to a handy 5 gallon bucket. Or two. Before the beer transfer begins, you have to add a little bit of sugar water to the bottom of the bucket in order to get the carbonation process going. Notice the broski hiding behind the bottles? He's shy. Also, note the plastic cup of beer next to the buckets? See? I told you it was a rule.


Bottles at the ready, you siphon the beer into them one by one. I did this, and I managed to get a lot of beer on the floor in the process. After I filled up the bottles, broski put the caps on. To put the caps on, you get to use a cap thingy. That is the actual name of the device: the cap thingy. Go ahead, ask a brewer if you don't believe me.


After being capped with the cap thingy, the bottles were done! We labeled them and now they are ready for drinking.

This growler is mine!
Have you ever made your own beer or bottled beer? What is your favorite kind of beer? Have you ever seen or used the cap thingy before?
Sierra Nevada!!

Sierra Nevada!!

This post is brought to you by my home town brew, Sierra Nevada. The reason for this is...I am home! In the Sierra Nevadas! (<------- PS if you have never been to the Sierras, click this link and look to see how beautiful they are. And then come and visit. You can stay with my Mom.) 

As you are reading this, I am probably stuffing my face and hanging out with friends. So, kick back, grab a beer and join me for Kim's Grab a Beer and Look What I Did Last Week series. 

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On Sunday Morning, I got up for a 6 am run.


Man was I glad I did, becuase THIS is a way better temperature for a run. 
(insert obligatory weekly picture of a car thermometer here)


It took this many hair dohickeys to keep my hair out of my face. 


But I ended up having a great run!


See those spikes? They are my water stops. 4 water stops, 4 spikes.

I tried to eat healthy.
This day I did good.

The last farmer's market tomato. Sad.

This day I did not. This was the day of the rodeo and...as much as I would like to blame the funnel cake, you can probably see that I had a few beers. And a glass of wine.  Just those alone were almost as much as the food calories I had that day. Eeek. AND I did not go running. Also, pay no attention to my strange meals. I was trying to clean out the fridge before going home.


Some coworkers and I went to the Current River to go tubing. On the way there we stopped at a gas station/mini mart/fishing tackle store/CASINO? Yes. Casino.


I got the nicest card from my friend which totally made my day. Also she drew this, which I think kind of looks like a butt. Yes, I am twelve. 


The time capsule item got finished (more on that later!) and wrapped and made it to California. 


I went to the rodeo. You can hear more about that HERE


I would like to be THAT photographer!
There was also a concert. 


This guy told me to "talk to the hand".
Step off, dude. 
I ain't playin'.


How was your week? Did you have a good one?