Paul's Corner

(reposted from Mercs Own):

Paul has sent me some beautiful new labels for his Father's Favorite Ale. Yes, that's his dad, Gus Mercurio, you see in these photos. Click the small images below for a better look. Which is your favorite?

I'm brewing today! I am experimenting with my Summer Ale. Instead of making the one batch with the liquid yeast I am going to make my normal recipe but split the batch into two and trial two different yeasts. I have a couple of reasons for doing so - cost factor of liquid yeasts when brewing commercially, willingness of contract brewery to use liquid yeast, safety from infected growth etc but at the end of the day it is more about fun and trying new things than anything else. It's even more fun when they are ready to taste and I invite friends over to sample the three, four or five different beers or just to see the sparkle in my wife’s eye when she tastes one and loves it!

I am doing a photo shoot on Monday for the label for my Fathers Favourite Ale which I hope to bring out in March, lots to organise if that is going to happen but that is the goal. My Dad is doing the photo shoot for me as I am going to have him sitting at a table with a glass of Amber Ale and maybe a bowl of nuts. It is going to be in black and white and all you will see is the beer in the foreground and a man sitting at the table with one hand out stretched for the beer the other gesturing animatedly. You wont see the face and the hands will be aged (Dad is 77) but you will realise that the beer is My Fathers Favourite and it could be any ones Father sitting there drinking it.

I like the idea and hope that it translates as I see it. I will find out by the end of the week I guess.

So brewing is like life. You get out there and make it happen. You play with the recipe, you share it around, you inspire and are inspired, you create and hopefully you accomplish but most of all you have fun.

I still don’t know what the future holds but at least I am moving forward, making a difference in my life and those of my family and some friends. There is a semblance of purpose mixed with a healthy (mostly) lack of control. Like the beer - I don’t know how it is going to turn out but with a bit of know how and a bit of luck I reckon it will be fine and in a couple of weeks I will be sharing it with family and friends over a meal and some laughter!

Yep I like brewing.