Spring bursts forth- Part 1: Brewing

Suddenly everything is green.
A week of rain and a week of sun and then more rain or a bit of snow.

Springtime in the Catskill Mountains.

At Equinox the earth was still partially frozen but mostly brown,
though the sun was already strong and bright.

 That weekend we honored the season first with our first Grove Beer Brew workshop

followed the next day by Grove Ritual.

Weekend of Reverence.

Bubbling & bubbling.

 A few people signed up but in the end it was just us three, the original grovemates.

With the kid home from school and sleeping, it was like old times. 

And good in the end to go thru it once ourselves and see what it really is.

I didn't take notes, but I took lots of pictures.

I remember "mash" and "sparge" and the "break in the boil".

I love the science and also the sanitizer.

sanitize!

  

 vortex 

sparging the mash

 

 

 

 worlds and omens in the boil

 

 

outside to cool

waiting

ready

pouring

yeast added

ferment

We let our batch get too cold at first and everything slowed,

but we moved them to a warmer room and it began again.

To be bottled at Beltaine.

Welcome the season of Springing up!

September has such an autumn feel

Leaves are starting, losing first their deep green and some already brilliant with red or orange. What a strange summer.

The garden hardly except for the flowers and tall grasses and slugs.

Some food to process if only there was the time.

Cool sunny days, finally our first whole week with no rain. The few tomatoes begin to ripen.

The equinox fast approaches. Soon it will be the last mowing and the time of piling leaves.

Autumn Equinox Celebration: Sunday September 20 Noontime

in Esopus at Elizabeth's house.

We honor the harvest, the balance, the coming season of short days, and the brewing process of life.

We will be offering a Cyser brewing workshop as part of our Equinox Ritual Celebration. Cyser is a bit like mead but made with (local) apple cider and the fermentation only takes 6 months as opposed to 2-3 years. Any of you who have been to rituals have probably tasted Elizabeth's delicious and potent brews; she has offered to share this magic with us. Depending on how many people sign up, you will get either get a full or a half gallon at the Spring Equinox (yes Spring will come again and that Cyser will, like ourselves, be ready to go because of the long winter ferment.) There will be a $10 charge for the workshop to cover materials (all local!), and the workshop will start around 2:30pm.

You can come to the ritual and stay for the workshop or come to either. Please RSVP to susan@urtharts.com .