The joys of fatherhood far outweigh the drawbacks but, man; sometimes kids get in the way of the simplest errand!

Brewday was scheduled and I couldn’t miss it. Actually, in my house, it’s brew night. With an inquisitive four-year-old and a toddling one-year-old, brewing at night is not only a lot easier, it’s really my only option. Plus, because my wife works restaurant hours, finding time to brew can be challenging. I have to identify my brewing windows early and hope that nothing comes up.

So, having settled on a recipe for my hefeweizen (as I discussed in my last post) I was eager to get brewing. But, I didn’t have my ingredients yet, night was closing in and Princeton Home Brew was just plain closing, in about an hour. 

How did this happen? Didn’t I just wake up? Let’s recap the day: kids woke up way too early, wife left for the brunch shift. The rest of us stumbled downstairs to get their breakfast and my coffee. Then it was back to bed for a nap for the little one – dude sleeps as much as his dad wishes he could – which kept me homebound for a couple hours.  Next, lunch followed by a walk and some quality play time before yet another nap. Before I knew it, it was 4:30, I was planning dinner – and I still hadn’t made it to the store!

Times like these were made for sisters. I happen to have one who lives close by. She babysits. I pay her back in wine (alas, she’s not much of a beer drinker). I’m on the phone before you can say, “Dad, what’s for dinner?” A quick explanation of my situation, a wee bit of coaxing and she agrees to help me out. Sisters rule! 

As she enters, I exit. “Hi! Thanks. You know the deal. I won’t be long. Bye!”

And I’m on my way.

The store is a welcome contrast to home life. It is calm, hushed and, with Joe Bair at the helm happy to chat about beer or ready to steer you in the direction of a successful brew, is always a good place to visit. 

Having brewed this weizen more than a few times before, I quickly gather my ingredients: some Bavarian wheat extract, Carafa III, Hellertau hops and the Weinstephan Weizen yeast. Joe throws in some muslin bags and some extra tubing, reminding me, yet again, that I’ll need a blow off tube with this yeast (will I this time?). I grab a beer thief as well. I’ve never used one before and am curious to see how much easier it makes taking a hydrometer reading, particularly from the secondary. In the past I’ve filled the testing jar from the spigot of my primary and siphoned into it from the secondary.  That’s a tricky step I hope the beer thief will eliminate. 

I pay for my supplies, bid a reluctant farewell to Joe and am home in time for dinner.

Much later that night, kids in bed, I start to fill my pot as my brew night finally begins.