Sep 19 2006
Beer and Friends
This post may get me into trouble, but it was such a nice event today that I had to share it with friends and family.
Today was a full day, despite only working a half day. We went to Lacon to check out a dog we were thinking about adopting (we didn’t) and came home for supper. While supper was being finished I went out shopping, and was out early enough to make it by Harrington Press before it closed today at 5:30.
First some history. Last year (8/9/05) my wife wanted to get me a trip to Rhodell’s to make my own beer. While I love Rhodell’s and it sounded fun, it was expensive.
After a little research we found out that I could buy the equipment to brew my own ale and beer for about the same price. So that was what she was going to get me.
Long story short . . . it never happened. I did get a book about that time from TC, though, The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing
A few weeks ago I noticed a local place (Harrington) on Sheridan that sold supplies for beer and winemaking. They were never open, though, when I went by. Finally I called the number on the sign and found out their hours. M-F 3:30-5:30, Saturday 9-1.
So today I found myself in town before 5:30.
I stopped in.
It’s a small shop and the guy was knowledgeable. I wasn’t sure when I walked in, but just his demeanor and knowledge and my waiting for this for a while caused me to decide to leave with equipment and ingredients for one batch.
Tonight I invited some friends (Seth and Jon) to come over and help me start the first batch.
It took longer than I thought–three and a half hours from when they got here to when they left–but right now there is a big bucket of beer fermenting in my basement.
It was a nice evening, talking, stirring, waiting, stirring, talking, mixing, pouring. We had great conversation and I shared my first brewing experience with dear friends. I’m sure they’ll be back to help me drink it, too.
How cool! We have made our own wine and it is a neat hobby. You’ll have to post about how well it turns out.
You are certainly correct that this post will get you in trouble:
“and found out there hours.”
‘There’??? ‘There’? I was sure you knew better.
Someone needs to check there spelling more often.
whoa . . .I don’t usualy make that mistake. Oops. It’s now corrected.
Sounds like fun. The next step is to get me to like beer
oh, well.
have you ever had a homebrew?
There is nothing better than reading a home brew story. Beer, friends, beer, doesn’t get any better than that my friend.
James, Cool I found your web site.
I wanted to let you know and your readers why I closed the shop.
I started having some health problems in Florida when we were there in Jan..
I looked at my store and new that if anything happened to me it would leave my wife with a huge task to unload all the products. We had at closing almost $30,000 wholesale products. So with deep regret I shut it down.
Even though I am still having heart problems as I write I am on meds to control the problem. (its working so so!)
I have been meeting a few of my old customers on Sat. mornings at 8:00 am in the parking lot of the old store by appointment.
Thank you and all of the customers who helped make Harrington Press fun for me.
The website is still open (www.harringtonpress.com) though I am cutting back on products. Let me know if I can help any of you and your readers out.
Cheers,
Jim Harrington