10.29.2011

Jennifer Egan - A Visit From the Goon Squad

A female D. Coupland?  Perhaps, I mean who would write a chapter using power point?  Nice book, bit convoluted as the characters are thrown around a lot in different time and space.  One of those books that probably would get more out of it if you have the time to read it twice.

Found this nice website of discussion points.  Website quotes Egan when she indicated that the book  "wanted to structure the book like a record album, with an "A" side and a "B" side."  Later on the website discusses how the book is about redemption and how everyone has an "A" side followed by a pause and then the "B" side.  That is kind of cool and when I think about the book you definitely see it in the characters.  

Gee what is my A and B side?  Good thoughtful book.

10.24.2011

Murakami's New Book

Just a couple of links...can't wait....

NY Times Magazine

NY Times Book Review


10.20.2011

Linda Buckley-Archer - The Time Travelers

Some kid's books work for me and others are just kid's books.  This one caught my eye frankly because I love James Jean art and he does the covers for this trilogy.  So call me shallow but I only read this because of the cover art.

Don't get me wrong the story was good and interesting and all but the kid in me didn't go oooohhhh.

Just another time traveling set up.  

10.14.2011

Colorado Symphony - Show II

Second show of the season.  Three pieces:  Bernstein - Overture to Candide, Glass - Violin Concerto No. 2, "The American Four Seasons", and Beethoven - Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92.  Desire to see "The American Four Seasons" and special guest violinist,  Robert McDuffie, played this piece.  Did not realize Glass actually wrote the piece for McDuffie.  Fascinating to see someone play a piece created for him.  Nice piece although didn't think it had a whole lot in common with the real "Four Seasons".  OK show.

10.12.2011

Erin Mortensen - The Night Circus

There is an email in the book and I just can't leave an email without saying something.. So this is what I said, "I loved the night out at the circus....when will you return? I wrote a little poem:

Mystery big top
It is not all black and white
Magic or dreaming?"

This is the response...

Thank you for your interest in Le Cirque des RĂªves! If you are inquiring as to the itinerary of the circus, we apologize, but it is against our policy to disclose information about current or upcoming locations. Other inquiries will be responded to in as timely a manner as possible. Cheers, Erin Erin Morgenstern assistant to Mr. Clarke erin@nightcircus.com

Darn I was hoping to get tickets ;)  And frankly the circus would have been better than the book.  I thought the book was beautifully descriptive and imaginative but in the end there were too many unanswered plot points, mysteries, and in the end I really didn't care about the two main magicians in the story.  The love story didn't grab me and when the book was over I was least concern about the characters and more sad not to have more circus room reveals.  My favorite would be the room of jars...

OK read but nothing special...

Haiku Wednesday

Line of Poetry

Drinker distinction?
"Wine is bottled poetry"
Beer's box score haiku

10.08.2011

Haiku Beer #2

Haiku #2 was a recipe from my local beer store in which I desired to make an amber ale.  Called DYB Bronco Amber Extract (5.3% ABV, not verified) it was made with the following ingredients:

1) 0.05 lbs Belgian Caramel
2) 0.05 lbs Golden Naked Oats
3) 0.06 lbs Crystal 150L
4) 1.45 lbs Briess Golden Light Liquid (Malt Extract)
5) 0.1 oz Warrior (16%AA)
6) 0.1 oz Willamette Type 90 (4.8%AA)
7) White Labs WLP001 California Ale (Liquid)

Used StarSan sanitizer which is a lot more friendly than the C-Brite.  

The Mash
Heated 2.5 quarts (10 cups) of water (refrigerator water which is carbon filtered) to 154-160 deg F.  Add grain and mixed.  Cooked for 60 minutes at 144-152 deg F and stirred fairly frequently (not a lot of grain on this recipe).  Once heated, heat can be removed and then added again around 30 - 40 minutes.  After the mash, I then added the liquid malt.  Straight sugar!  Wow that is an easy way to add sugar.

The Sparge
Heated additional 4 quarts of water (refrigerator water) to boiling then transferred to gallon fermentation jug.  Set up the strainer over the second pot and added the hot grain mash.  Then poured the heated water from the jug over the grains and into the second pot.  Once done recirculated the wort back through the grain once more into the original pot.

The Boil
Heated the wort until it began to boil at approximately 210 deg F.  This was done with just the middle heat on the inside burner on my stove.  Boil lasted 60 minutes with 0.1 oz of Warrior Hops at the start of the boil then added 0.1 oz of the Willamette Hops with 15 minutes to go then the final 0.1 oz of Willamette with 1 minute to go.  

The Fermentation
Placed the brew pot into the sink with ice allowing the temperature to decrease to 70 deg F.  Allowed the mix to settle this time although not a lot of sediment on this one as the grain was pretty light.  When pouring into the fermentor it should be strained into a larger pot then transferred to the fermentor has it is tough to filter and pour through the funnel.  After the fermentor is full, the yeast was added and throughly mixed to aerate the liquid.  Note:  Liquid yeast is designed for 5 gallon batches.  It is suppose to warm to room temperature before adding and then to correctly mix I shook which was a disaster!  Foamed up and was impossible to tell how much yeast was added.  I estimated maybe I added twice as much?  

The yeast began fermentation and a fairly inconsistent burp began as compared to my first batch.  Excessive bubbling later in the fermentation and filled into the tubing.  Primary fermentation lasted for about 36 hours.  Transferred beer to the basement and put in the airlock which was a bit too early has additional CO2 filled the airlock.  Wonder if the added yeast was cause of this?  Allowed to sit for 2 weeks.

The Bottling
Used bottling sugar this time and dissolved this in 1/4 cup of water, I siphoned the beer into a pot and then bottled into 7 x 500 mL bottles.  Smelled and looks good.  Allowed to sit for another 2 weeks.

The Tasting
Opened and tried on 11/16/11. Some slight carbonation probably needed an extra week (?).  See photo.  After additional week carbonation was a bit more.   Good basic flavor.  First bottled tasted like a amber.  With each additional opening the amber shifted into a more fruity flavor?

Your basic red ale
It's tasty full well balanced
Will brew more of this