In my belief, there's nothing much more rewarding than the feeling of
accomplishment. Whether it be finishing a marathon, having part in
saving a life, learning how to build a bathroom, or popping the top
off of a beer which was brewed by YOU!

Home brewing has come a long way in the last 30 years. Most don't
know, but it was illegal up until the Carter administration in the
70's. Now, the provision basically lets us brew until our hearts
content, or, we run out of money. A household with only one adult,
by law, can brew up to 100 cases of beer... If you're fortunate
enough to have two grown-ups, then you can go crazy and produce 200
cases! Now, I don't know about you folks, I like to drink beer, but
I wouldn't be able to barter 100 cases of beer, let alone consume :)

Though stinky, messy, and a bit time consuming depending on what your
style of brew is, there's nothing greater than reaping your reward
at the end of a long four to six week stint of patience. You've seen
evidence of fermentation via the bubbling aerator, when you went to
bottle, it smelled like beer, now, after two weeks of carbonation,
it's time to take the true test. Shove those blank, dark bottles
into the fridge for a couple of hours, wait until the kids have gone
to bed, have a couple buddies over, and take that cap off. The
quick "ffffttttt" sound, and the show of bubbles rushing to the top
when you hold the bottle up to the light let's you know that maybe
this is going to be worth it after all. Tip that glass slightly
sideways and slowly pour. Ahhh yes, the color, texture, and head
appear to be just right.

Then, allow a passionate clink of the glasses in a celebration of
cheers, sniff it, take a small sip, lavish the flavor...BINGO, you
did it! You've created your own home brewed beer and now can't wait
until your next five gallon batch!

Look for a new home brew coming into Jerm's Joint in the next 4-6
weeks!