Ehrmegerd! Ert’s Sprerngterm!

At least in theory. We’ve finally reached manageable temperatures outside, and I spent the weekend mostly out in it. Which is nice, because I’ve fostered a mild degree of Cabin Fever this winter. I needed to soak in the sunlight, and Nature obliged. To a point. It was still blustery and cold, wind slicing through my outer layers to ravage me like Nordic invaders rampaging across the fjords.

Sunday, at least, was mild, warm, sunny… perfect time for a brew day!

Nothing like a little liquid sunshine out of the mash tun!

I took advantage of the weather to hammer out a double-batch of an American Wheat recipe. I’ll be adding some fresh ginger and grated lime zest in secondary to create what I hope will be a nice summer-sipping beer for the Frederick Beer Week‘s anchor event, the Beerfest at Stillpoint Farm. My homebrew club sets up a tent, and we pour tasting samples of various homebrews for event goers. It’s a great time (when it’s not raining).

Brewing is good for my soul, especially when I’m given the opportunity to shake off the gray blanket of winter and breathe in a little pollen fresh air.

…and by “breathe in” I mean “drink heavily.”

That right there is my last brew… a marzen I made in early January. That was a bitter cold day… gray, snow still on the ground. It’s nice to revisit the fruits of labor months down the road. That said… I’m also getting into the spirit of Spring by setting up an expansion to our vegetable garden. We’re still waiting for the threat of frost to pass, but soon we’ll be building our soil with our compost (hey, that spent brewday grain has to go somewhere!), and set up our pollinator garden.

We added a quaint little fence, because our German Shepherd is kind of a dick.

So I wish all of you a warm and welcome Spring, great success in the projects you’re sowing, and a merciful hand when the tempestuous cascade of allergies storms inside your respective sinuses.