Fermentation Friday: Gather 'round and tell us a story.

Alright, first things first. Thanks to Chris at B.O.B’s Place Brews for waking me from my Fermentation Friday slumber or cryogenic freeze. Now, let's see what we can pull together for this Friday.

It never fails. People ask me questions like, "How are you?" or "Where's your wife?" and I start talking about beer and brewing. At one point it, became a serious problem. When your ten year old blurts out at a party, "Beer blah blah blah beer, blah blah blah beer...", you know you are obsessed with the subject. True story.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. So, what's stopping you? You have a beer friendly audience. Let's start digressing. So tell us. What is your favorite brewing story? Is there a story you can't tell anymore 'cause everybody's heard it too many times? We want to hear it!

What is your favorite brewing story?

Here are the rules...

• Write the story.
• On Friday (or anytime really) post it on your blog.
• If you don't have a blog, email it to me at beerbits2@gmail.com and I'll post it here if you so desire.
• leave a comment with a link to your story or email it to me
  
• I'll post an easy to read round up of all the blog posts on Friday & Saturday.
  

Cheers!

Yeast and home made beer...er...flatbread...

Hey if Earth Bread and Brewery found success with flatbread and brewing beer, why can't I. Perhaps on a smaller scale? The photo above reflects my activities of late. Check out this book for a killer 100% wholewheat flatbread recipe, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients. Just made five small pizzas for the family tonight.

• barbecue chicken, garlic and onions
• roasted pepper, onion and garlic
• hot peppers, chicken, sun dried tomato, garlic and onion
• parmesan chicken
• our old standby...cheese pizza

Will I use the entire bag of baking yeast before I brew my next batch of beer? Hmmm....

Making bread...

At this point you may think I've given up making beer. Think what you may.

While on my little hiatus I've decided to try my hand at making something else with yeast. My brother-in-law shared a book called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking a year ago. I read a bit of it and put it down. I probably had some beer to make. Anyway, a year later with nothing to do during our Snowpocalypes in combination with my convalescing after surgery I picked it up again. After browsing and skipping to the master recipe I decided to give it a shot. It's the least I could do while the rest of my family shoveled us out. Wouldn't they be proud?

The process consists of mixing up a bunch of wet dough ahead of time, storing it in the fridge, taking it out as you need it and baking it. So, I gave it a shot. Within a few hours I munched on my own "Artisan" bread. Not just any bread. Bread with chewy crust, a soft crumb and delicious yeasty flavors. You know, like the fancy stuff you buy at the store. Not the stuff in plastic, the real stuff.

Why am I telling you about this? Well, I'm excited for one thing. Two days later, and I've already made three loaves. I'm also thinking that you crazy brewers out there have what it takes to make this bread; a little patience, a propensity for process and the desire to create something and share it. Just think of it as making beer in solid form. And it's easier!

By the way I emailed my brother-in-law. I told him I'd return the book. I guess I'll have to buy my own copy now.