[euge]

I brewed a batch of Hefeweizen a couple days ago... But hadn't brewed since my mother passed last October whereupon I brewed a bbl in her honor. Half was a Pale ale that turned out phenomenal and the other was a CAP. Unfortunately, the CAP turned out terrible (in my opinion). I was reminded with every glass- kinda broke my spirit I guess.

Anyway, even Dave sent me some Belma hops to brew with. I didn't. No gumption. And over half a year's time slipped away...

But I'm off my lazy ass and back in the saddle again! Tired of paying for expensive yet average beer I need to fill my two chest freezers with fermenters. So it is a Pale ale on Sunday! I'm gonna fill some kegs up and get ahead of the curve. I really enjoyed brewing that Hefe- brought me back to the early 90's when I brewed my first.

Anyone else with similar experiences? How did you deal with them?

[roffenburger]

I haven't really gone an extended amount of time without brewing--maybe 3-4 months at the most. It seems that when I take any break at all and start brewing again, I get the fever and go crazy for a couple weeks. I run out of room to put stuff. I sometimes can't get rid of stuff fast enough to brew as often as I would like.

[Herminator]

Welcome back!

[ynotbrusum]

Sorry to hear about your loss.  When my Mom died I went into a funk, too.  I had not homebrewed at the time, but I definitely didn't feel really energetic.  When I was showed homebrewing, it was like a duck to water...I've loved it.  Even so, I will get to where my equipment for storage is pretty well booked up and then take as much as a month off to tend to things around the house.  Then making a starter puts me right back at it.  With all the folks at the NHC, I am expecting to see a lot of interesting topics posted in early July, so that should be a motivator for me...best of luck with e pale ale - I am almost done boiling an American dark wheat, so I will have an airlock to watch later tonight!

[hubie]

In Nov of 2011 I was gearing up to make my first lager, which was going to be for my Dad because he really liked German beers.  I finally had my fermentation fridge up and running and I went out and picked up a vial of WL830.  My Dad died in February 2012 and I never did make that lager.  I've done a number of ales since, but never made the lager.  Still have the yeast in my fridge.  I am finally going to make the lager in the next month or two, though I'll probably get a new vial instead of trying to grow up what is still alive in that vial. 

It is interesting how one deals with that kind of thing.

[HoosierBrew]

I went back to college for a career change and was finishing up my degree in medical imaging around 3 1/2 years ago when my Dad died.  He and I were pretty close, and actually he was the one who got me into homebrewing. He got me my first starter equipment set and beer kit as a birthday present in '92, and loved my beers (except for the hoppiest ones, anyway. He wasn't a hoppy beer fan). So it was a pretty tough thing to get back into for awhile.  After a few months I broke down and made a starter of 1056, and all the joy of brewing came right back with a vengeance. So hang in there. It gets better.

[AmandaK]

When my dad passed, I didn't brew for a little over three months. It wasn't by choice, but by circumstance. (He had advanced cancer so we all spent 1.5 months at home for his last weeks.)

During that time, my fiance and I cancelled our engagement party of which we had brewed 25 gallons of beer for... so I wasn't out of beer by any means, but it felt good to get back into it after being out of town and after drinking our faces off to get through the party-stash that was never used for a party. It's nice to have the ferm chambers full again - my dad would want it that way.

Glad you're getting back into it, euge.

[beersk]

I dread the day either of my parents die. Sorry for your loss, man. Welcome back to brewing! We can brew beer the way we like it, that's why I love it!

[chumley]

I moved into a new home in April 2012.  The fact that it is only 10 blocks from my previous home did not reduce the new house, new plumbing, stuff packed away in boxes, etc,, etc, issues.

My wife really helped me get back into the swing of things.  When she asked why I hadn't been brewing, I'd mutter something about not being able to find this or that.  She looked at me exasperated, and said, "just go buy new stuff!"  And that's what I did.  And my kegerator is slowly but surely getting stocked again.

[euge]

SWMBO!

I brewed again last night. Took my sweet time and the yeast got pitched before bedtime. One oz of the 12.1 AA Belma hops @30 for 36 bu's. If that doesn't reveal their character I don't know what will! Thanks be to Dave for the hops.

Last year's experiences changed me. No doubt about it.

[dglucasii]

Sorry for your loss...recently lost a grand parent...never easy stuff.

I moved to NYC in '07 and didn't have space for my equipment.  Add one baby and a financial down turn and you have time off from brewing.  We moved back south (little more space) and i started back with a few extract brews.  Once we got a house(little more space) I had a place to put the equipment...been back in the all grain saddle. 

[euge]

Well I bottled the Hefe instead of racking to a keg yesterday evening. That makes it 11 days for primary and I'll start sampling the bottles after 48 hours. The taste test at bottling time showed me my beer was on target and just waiting for the appropriate carbonation.

Figure that once the beer reaches its peak- probably another week or two in the bottle they'll get refrigerated to slow the conditioning process down.

Should I have kegged? Maybe but I have a closet full of bottles to get rid of. I won't be washing any of this glass guys; they'll be going into the trash or recycle-bin.

Feels good. I'm going to the LHBS to get some grain.

[weithman5]

sorry for your loss euge. 

[hernando]

For my first post on this forum; welcome back to brewing! Curious to see how your Belma ale turns out.

[euge]

Why, thank-you hernando and don. I really never left but sorta lurked on the AHA forum commenting here and there. As far as my Mom goes last year was a doozey with all that happened to her and my Dad. We're all stronger and closer as a family for the experience. But I have a hell of an anecdote to tell!