Happy New Beer

Or is that year? I vote for both: new year and new beer.

Somewhere between my birthday and Christmas the incredible duo, Mrs. Nod and Grandma Nod, got together and gifted my inner geek with some nifty Beer Gear.

I was searching for something other than the plain beer tap handles my kegerator came with, when I chanced upon these magnificent stained glass windows with the symbols of the Four Evangelists from St. Ignatius Parish, San Francisco: Matthew (Winged Man), Mark (Winged Lion), Luke (Winged Ox), and John (Eagle).  h/t CatholicResources.org

Right then, I knew these would combine two great things I love: beer and Catholicism. Plus, it's a winged lion and and eagle -- how cool is that!?

Through the talented hands of Jerry's Wood Works, these became two very swanky hand-made beer taps in African Mahogany and Tiger Maple with painstaking pyrography, chrome tips, and Celtic knots on the handles.  Ain't they grand?

Also in my stocking was a Blichmann Floor Burner so I can make all-grain beer. This thing puts out 72,000 BTU/hr with clean low-flame combustion (won't blacken the bottom of your kettle) which can boil 5 gallons of water in about 24 minutes -- that's some serious heat!

So we took our new burner for a spin and made an all-grain IPA beer called Kama Citra. Northern Brewer describes it as:

"Pouring a tantalizing golden-amber, the seductive hop aroma gently gives way to a sturdy, yet flexible malt backbone with a delicate touch of silky caramel that supports the highly suggestive combination of juicy tropical and citrus hop flavor that follows, leading to a satisfying finish."

It's currently happily fermenting away in my basement giving off the most delicious tropical fruit aromas. Six more weeks to liquid bliss!

So let's start off 2015 by raising a glass: here's to you!