time out to visit family

Having had a few heavy weeks at work with long days I took a week off to relax. A trip to Lincoln was on the cards, Saturday morning off we went, took a long slow drive and had a really nice weekend till Tuesday morning, had lots of time with both our families including Monday lunch out with Yoke, Dad, Christine, Yokes mum, Chris and Avril. Most enjoyable, could get used to that retirement lark.

Decided to go home the long way round to ‘see the elephants’ we have always liked Stratford Upon Avon, so spent the afternoon there looking at the shops and while we did not see elephants there were swans, geese, ducks, coots and moorhens aplenty on the river. We did find the Butterfly house that we once visited 30 years ago – but it was a bit late to go in, we shall however return for a day and pay it a visit. 

Stopped on the way back to try and capture the Ross on Wye photo I have been after for a long time – its all about the light and the timing, still not right but closer to what I am looking for

Back home it was time to empty the small room and start to decorate and turn it back into a studio workshop for Yoke.

While I may not appear in the photo painting away I did do some painting, honest - but someone had to take the picture.

 

The forest fruit cider kit has been on for a week and half and is still going, instructions (ha! ) says about 4 days – but then I did add some lingonberry juice concentrate to it and that is quite a bit more sugar so I guess it will be a bit higher than the 5% abv that the kit says it will be then. Should be ready for Christmas.

The Autumn Sundown Saison is very drinkable – not your average beer to say the least, spicy with a fruity hops and orange under flavour melding into a refreshing ligh ale. Definitely one to make again. The Orc Dark Ale is a bit lively and needs 24hrs in the fridge to not go mad when you pour it. However it is tasty – quite sweet and malty. Given the 170g of Styrian and Fuggles hops that went into it there is no clear bitterness to it but the size of the hop bill ensures it is not oversweet and should smooth out to a good balance. This is a Christmas beer so we shall see how it matures by around mid December

Next brew will probably be a repeat of the Baroque IPA I made earlier this year as that was really nice and I only have 2 bottles left. 

In the meantime I must get back to the torch and make some beads, need to clear the garage out a bit and re-organise so I can do some lampwork without having to move things all the time.