…and wants us to be happy…” I think that is a Dave Barry quote. I love any quote that can tie together my love for Jesus and justify how much I enjoy a cold beverage with feelings. Like the great philosopher Cal Naughton Jr. says in Talledaga Nights says, “I like to party, so I like my Jesus to party.” Water into wine, my friends.

On a serious note, to drink or not a choice that Christians may struggle with in our identity in Christ and somewhat conflicting messages within Scripture. This guy I really like, Jon Acuff, talks about it in a funny way here on his site, Stuff Christians Like, about how to find out if your Christian friends drink. And then there are some super angry sober people to be found if you google “Bible and drinking.” Ha. That sounds terrible. Alright I’m moving on.

my great grand dad. jk. maybe though.

My folks were moonshiners. Really. My great grandma told me. Her husband learned to drive when he was like 12 or something because they were racing the booze around in the backwoods of tennessee during Prohibition. So maybe it was my moonshinin’ roots that called me to the task of a home brew. Jenna and I toured a moonshine factory when we were in Tennessee and took some samples and bought t-shirts. Duh. That stuff tastes like hot motor oil smells. Warms and buzzes you up right quick though.

Well, no tuxedo shirts were necessary and I’m not exactly sure it was Jesus who spun my wheels to BevMo the other day, but I purchased a “Make Your Own Beer” kit, and I get to bottle it today! I took some pictures of the process.

So you get the kit, and it comes with everything you need. What the outside of the kit cleverly leaves off, is that it takes more than five minutes to make beer.

I guess that was probably my fault, thinking I could buy it, stir some stuff together, pour into a bottle and imbibe. Turns out this is a delicate process.

So I compensated by drinking some Bud Light left over from summer mistakes while I disinfected all my tools and boiled and stirred and poured and pouted that I would not experience immediate gratification of brewmaster. And thinking about how much better my beer was going to taste.

So now this keg sits in my closet, waiting for me to bottle it up. Tasting party in two weeks! I’ll keep you updated.

me parts
boiling the wort, which smells as bad as it spellscute!