Beer Bottling

Randy, Kris, and company made a beer at Gallagher's a couple of weeks ago. Daniel and I happened to have time today to go bottling with them. The beer was amazing - Kris' friend Ken and his father, Ted, decided to make a hefeweizen, but they added orange peel and coriander - an herb & a spice (technically speaking) that are traditionally used in Belgian witbiers (or "white beers") instead of hops as a finishing flavor/ agent. The whole thing was rather tasty, and an attractive dark blonde color.

As usual, we set up the bottles, washed them in the machine, then I poured the beer and Daniel capped it as it came out. It turns out he has the strongest "capping arm" around. :) We poured five growlers (jugs that average 64 oz each), and then there were 5 cases of 22 oz bottles. I took two growlers and called it good. Ken and Ted took two cases each, Jeanelle took a growler and a case, and Kris and Randy took two growlers. I suspect Kris and Randy would have liked more beer, but it's not like we're not going to drink this all together (for the most part) anyway. :) Eh, I didn't do too badly - $14 for two growlers isn't bad. We also implored Ted to store the bottles we didn't end up using - nobody else has any room!

Afterwards, we walked to the Edmonds farmer's market, then walked back to a local Mexican restaurant and had lunch there. I managed to find a tostada that only had a corn tortilla on the bottom, so I ignored that and ate the rest (though I did have a bunch of corn tortilla chips...sigh).

Daniel and I came home after that and grabbed our stuff in order to make the 3 PM ferry. We've been putzing around Bremerton all day - well, mostly him. I had a headache on our way home, so I slept most of the ferry ride to Bremerton, and then let him take my car to fill up on a sale that was happening at Fred Meyer. Then he was awesome and made one of his Designed Dinners with a broccoli and carrot stir-fry side. :)

Sunday I got home early (Daniel had duty), and then I hit up the farmer's market, followed by the Bellevue mall, and Trader Joe's, then pilates & a wine bar for dinner, where I was very proud that I kept the total under $10. :)

Have some pictures! :)

Here's Ted, showing his beer off:


Here is the (over?)zealous bottle-brigade. Jeanelle was really getting into it and doing a Bottle Dance of the Northern Pacific Paralegal Bird :)

Here is Ken. I love these pictures where he looks totally serious, because he is really anything but:

Here's my "hot pouring picture". :) hehe. At least I kinda look skinny in it. ;-)

And...here is one I got of Daniel capping beers... "Smokin' weed, cappin' beers, cappin' beers beers beers..." (anyone who recognizes that slightly messed up quote gets a high-five.)