While my return to homebrewing and blogging began on Dec 20, two days after my PhD thesis defense, I still haven't posted anything since earlier in January when I announced my return to homebrewing and blogging. My first post-defense brew was bottled on Jan 12, and as it's a new recipe of a high gravity style with a complex flavor palate, I have yet to give it a try because I want to allow it plenty of time to mellow and meld so my first taste won't give a bad impression. That said, I do owe you, my readers, a post detailing its brewing, especially since I'll be brewing two batches in the next two weekends and I want to get this off my plate.
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| "I got a rash, man. I got a rash..." |
I had the idea for my most recent batch, an imperial milk stout with coffee, from
The Big Lebowski (TBL), the Coen Brothers' 1998 cult hit and my all-time favorite movie. I first saw this movie when hallmates of mine in my first year of college invited me into their room on Wednesday night in January 2001, handed me a cheap beer, sat me down, and pressed play on their DVD player. I was subjected to 2+ hours of a rambling shaggy dog detective story that melded elements of bowling noir, Raymond Chandler, LA-ness, and all the rest, and loved the heck out of it. I loved it. I loved it. I loved it. Only the relationship with my wife has been as rapidly strong and long-lasting. I made a costume of one of the main characters for Halloween 2003 and have worn it every time I've seen it on the big screen since, even when meeting Jeff "The Dude" Bridges after a Q&A following a showing of the film at UCSB. I try to bring it into conversation, have sat people down with a white russian in hand and turned them onto one of the greatest films of the later 20th century, and even worked it into a short answer midterm in a college course on human sexuality ("a natural, zesty enterprise"). It's my favorite movie.
