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| Waiting (patiently) for UPS |
UPS normally delivers to our house around 5 p.m., but on ingredient delivery day, they drag their feet and get here closer to 6. But the driver is always pleasant, so it's hard to get mad at him. Wish I could offer him a fresh homebrew.
Upon arrival, I have a routine:
- Open delivery box, careful not to elbow any curious onlookers.
- Review the contents against packing list. I have had missing ingredients before. Better to discover it now than on brew day! I look at the initials of the guy who assembled my gift and silently thank him.
- Inspect the liquid yeast package to make sure it's in decent shape. After all, it's the yeast that makes the beer, so we must handle the precious with tender loving care.
- Place yeast package in fridge, unless I'm brewing the next day.
- Open the pouch of specialty grains, and stick my nose in as far as humanly safe. The specialty grains give the beer much of its color and glorious aroma. Depending on the style of beer I'm brewing, the grains can be anywhere from bready and biscuity to chocolaty and coffee-like.
- Make everyone else in the house smell how good the grains are. I know they appreciate me being so considerate.
- Pinch out a single grain and throw it in my mouth. There may be 3-5 types of grains in there, so I must take several taste samples.
- Give the kids samples of the grain and explain why they taste so sweet (the grains, not the girls).
- Inspect the sealed hops pouches and wonder what they smell like. I won't open them until brew day, in order to preserver their spicy, floral and/or citrus aroma.
- Put everything else back in the box and set it aside.
- Wait 5 minutes, and open up the box and smell the specialty grains again. Close box. Repeat until wife gets exasperated.
