"Do not cease to drink beer,     to eat,       to intoxicate thyself,         to make love           and celebrate the good days!"             -- Instructions of the Ancient Egyptian Gods

I first became fascinated with brewing at age 10, when I kept a "pet yeast" in a preserving jar on my bedroom windowsill. This brewer's yeast culture made the best (non-alcoholic) ginger beer in the world, at least I thought so at the time. It needed feeding once a week, with a pinch of ground ginger root and a couple teaspoons of sugar, after which nourishment it would bubble away for a few days in a purposeful manner. Unfortunately, a few nocturnal "bottle-grenade" explosions in my clothes closet put a dampener on those early brewing activities. That yeast was soon replaced in my affections by a chemistry kit, with which I discovered how to make killer stink-bombs, to the delight of my school buddies. Nobody else was much amused! Eventually the brew-bug bit me again, and I began experimenting with simple kit beers made from cans of Coopers malt extract and (horrors!) cane sugar. Although easy to make and eminently drinkable, these brews didn't really have much in the way of flavor. Then I discovered the Bacchus Forum on CompuServe, a wonderful community of fellow brewers, with tremendous enthusiasm and expertise in the noble craft. Over many months, I diligently read every posting, absorbing and digesting all this wonderful new information... Being greatly encouraged, not to mention inspired, I began experimenting with various specialty grains, partial-mash brews, bittering and flavor hops, yeast cultivation, and the complex subtleties of water chemistry. A few batches ended up going down the drain, but eventually I learned what not to do. After many months of trial-and-error, I "graduated" to brewing all-grain from scratch, mashing and boiling up huge pots of wort in my tiny apartment kitchen. Some of these beers were fantastic, with rich and complex malt flavors, perfectly balanced by the zing of fresh hops and subtle yeast notes. I was thoroughly hooked! I also began making honey wine (mead), brewed with wild-flower honey and a French champagne yeast. After much experimentation, I've settled on a simple recipe, which creates a delicious dry sparkling wine, yet retains the complex floral character of the honey. These brews are made to celebrate special and auspicious occasions, e.g. birthdays and weddings, and are quite drinkable within a few months. After a year or two of bottle conditioning, this is a truly superb beverage! Nowadays, my favorite brews are pale ales, mainly "American" and IPA styles. These tend to be strong-flavored and highly hopped beers, wonderfully refreshing on a hot summer afternoon! My ambers, porters and stouts are more malty in character, better suited to chilly evenings in front of a blazing fire! I also enjoy brewing the "steam" or California Common style, especially after 3 years spent in San Francisco working just down the road from the Anchor Brewery (a must-do tour if you're visiting). Cheers!

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