In a couple hours from now I’m hoping to have my second batch of homebrew successfully kegged and then I will start the carbonation and cooling process. I just popped open the fermenter and took a specific gravity reading of 1.018. This isn’t much lower than the first batch (1.020), but the difference this time is that I started at a higher starting gravity of 1.050 (vs 1.045). This should equal out to a nice beer at 4.3% alcohol by volume.

Earlier today I made some modifications to the lines in the kegerator using this quick disconnect set, so that I can now easily switch from the lines needed for the Cornelius keg for homebrewing to the other lines and tap needed for a standard keg of beer, the Sanke keg. I also took apart my Cornerlius keg for cleaning and sanitizing. In a little bit I am going to put it all back together, finish the sanitizing and pressurization checks, and then I will move the beer from the fermenter to the keg. I’m hoping that by the end of the weekend I’ll be able to pour my first glass of Big Willie Pale Ale.

True, I’ve had my share of 3-ways and even 4-ways in my life, but never a 5-way. This weekend, I plan to change that. Get your minds out of the gutters, I’m talking about what I’m going to eat at Skyline. I was always a 3-way kind of guy growing up, and over the past few years have expanded into the 4-way. And now I think I owe it to myself to try one of their 5-way’s with both onions and beans. The last time I was in Cincinnati I didn’t make it into a chili parlor once, and I’m determined to not let that happen again on this trip. Here’s to this experiment being as delicious as I’m imaging it will be.

With mixed results from my first homebrew, I’ve decided to move on and start on my second batch. My parents sent a kit for Big Ben Pale Ale for my birthday a couple of months ago. I cracked open this box and finally got around to brewing it a couple of Saturdays ago. I followed pretty much the same system as I used the first time in the brew process. Once again I was happy to find some bubbling in the airlock the day after brewing, so at least the fermentation started alright. I hope it does a little better this time around, and I’m thinking it should since the fermenter is at a slightly higher temperature than the first time.

I’m hoping the fermentation will be finished this coming weekend, and then this time I will transferring it all into a Cornelius keg (also a birthday gift) instead of bottling it all. This is supposed to be much easier than bottling, and I should be able to carbonate the beer really quickly with some forced CO2. I still have to make some modifications to my lines in the kegorator, but eventually that’s exactly where this brew is going. I can’t wait to have my own beer ready and waiting on tap at all times. I just hope I enjoy this batch a little more than the last, which I’ve started using in some of my cooking. I used a bottle of the beer in place of water in a recent batch of turkey chili. I think this really added to the flavor of the food, and I’m happy I’ve found a use for it!

Earlier in the week I printed off some coupons for a free meal of the new Kentucky Grilled Chicken. After a couple of intense racquetball matches last night, Kim and I stopped by the local KFC and tried to redeem the coupons. We were quickly told that the coupons were no longer being accepted due to overwhelming demand. It turns out that at some point Oprah put a copy of the coupon up for download on her site, which I’m pretty sure was against the original terms of the coupon. So instead of not accepting coupons with this particular barcode on it, they’ve stopped taking the coupon altogether. They are now giving out forms to mail in with your original coupon, and then they will send you a new voucher at a later date. Way to ruin it for everyone, Oprah!

On the way home from work yesterday, I stopped at my neighborhood Chipotle (333 E Alameda Ave) as I often do when Kim is out of town. I read an article earlier in day about a new menu that was being tested in the Denver area. As the Westword said, WTF?!!? A new menu at Chipotle? I had to see this for myself and figured this location would be one of the test restaurants since it was also on the list for the brown rice trails awhile back. Upon entering the restaurant, I was glad to know my regular order as I found the new menu to be a complete change from before.

The first things listed are some featured items, one of which is a “classic burrito” but it specifies exactly what salsa, meat, and toppings go into it, making it hard to understand all of the combinations possible. Another featured item is the Pozole, which includes the new soup they are selling. You read that correctly, they now offer a soup. Fortunately some familiarity can be found on the second menu board, where it lists burritos, tacos, etc. Then there is the “Low Roller Menu” which offers selections such as soup and a taco, a single taco, and side salad. Finally there is a kids menu, featuring items which were always available anyway (quesadillas) you just had to ask.

I know it always takes some time to get used to change, but as they say, “if it isn’t broke don’t fix it.” I’m curious to see how this trial goes. I just don’t get why there is now soup, but I guess I should try it first. Unfortunately, I found it impossible to stray away from my normal order (chicken burrito), which is what part of the change is aimed toward. Maybe I can convince someone else to order it so I can give it just a taste while I enjoy my always delicious burrito.

If you are what you eat, then I would definitely be turning into a pizza after the last few days. Friday night, Kim and I decided to check out a place we had often seen but never tried, Pasquini’s South Broadway location. Upon being immediately seated at the only open table in the restaurant, we were given some fresh bread sticks that hit the spot right away. We both ordered a calzone, and when they arrived were shocked at how large they were. Neither of us could finish more than half of it. And for under $10, they are a serious deal for two meals worth of food. I just ate my leftovers for lunch today.

Then on Sunday, on our trip back home from the mountains, we stopped in Idaho Springs to grab some pizza from Beau Jo’s. We had eaten at anther location in the past, but never at this famed original location. Not that we hadn’t tried before, it’s just that the restaurant gets packed full of people coming back after a day on the slopes. Fortunately, this time we got in after only a 15 minute wait. At Beau Jo’s they server pizza by the pound, which actually makes sense if you think about it, instead of saying how many slices there are. Knowing full well we wouldn’t eat it all, we both ordered one pound pizzas. Kim went with the Pacific Plantation and I chose the Old Settler. Both were excellent and they too provided another meal for each of us.

Finally, today I placed an order at Domino’s to pickup a free medium one topping pizza later today. I posted a link earlier on my twitter page, but it appears that the deal is dead and some orders are even being canceled. I haven’t been notified of cancellation yet, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for more pizza tonight!

For my birthday dinner, I chose to finally try Marco’s Coal-Fired Pizzeria. After reading numerous reviews for this restaurant, I knew I had to try it for myself. So we made a reservation last night, and were pleased to be sat very near to the two large ovens so we could watch all that was happening in the kitchen. Taking a suggestion from our server, we tried the coal fired chicken wings, even though neither of us particularly care to eat chicken from the bone. These are definitely like no other wings I’ve had before, and I was quite surprised by the great taste of the lemon and rosemary marinade. We also split a house salad, which was nothing special, and the Abruzzo pizza. The pizza was another suggestion from the server, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The combination of four cheeses, light basil, and olive oil was superb. We will definitely be back, and I’d like to try one of the New York pies next time.

Denver has a new ice cream shop, Sweet Action Ice Cream, which just opened not even two weeks ago. Kim and I took a walk up Broadway on this past sunny Sunday afternoon, and stopped along the way to sample some local and delicious flavors. Kim had a scoop of the cinnamon hazelnut, and after stealing a bite I was really impressed. I looked through all of the flavors, but couldn’t keep my eyes off of the ice cream filled cookie sandwiches in the freezer cabinet. I ended up selecting a peanut butter cookie filled with sweet cream. Taking the advice of the cashier, I let it sit out for a few minutes, which allowed it to be much easier to eat. Once it was edible, it was gone in a matter of minutes. Great stuff!

So, here’s a long overdue update to my homebrewing project. After bottling all of the beer, I let them sit for over two weeks (closer to three if I remember correctly) and then I put a few of them into the refrigerator. Once chilled, I cracked a couple of them open and immediately had mixed feelings. First, one of the bottles appeared to carbonate much more than the other. So they poured very different from each other and even tasted a bit different. And i will admit that neither of them tasted very good. Though it does appear to be an amber ale it tastes more like a wheat or light bock. So far I think I’ve gone through less than half a dozen bottles, so there is still plenty left. I’m now debating just dumping most of it and trying again, as I would definitely give this one a below average grade. Here’s hoping for better luck next time.

Kim stayed home from work today, as they had a new phone/internet system installed in her office. That combined with the gorgeous weather outside (it’s seriously 75 out and we have the windows open) forced us outside during our lunch break. She decided to go for a nice run, and while I considered doing the same, I ended up on the bike figuring I shouldn’t push it too hard with my newly reusable ankle.

After a good workout, we headed back home, but decided we should stop for some lunch along the way. A new little restaurant opened up a few weeks ago just a couple blocks from home. We had yet to visit Vert Kitchen and thought it was about time we do so. I had already glanced at the menu when it first opened, so I knew I was going to have the curry chicken salad sandwich. Kim decided to go with the house roasted turkey sandwich. Both came served with a small side of their awesome mashed potato salad. We decided to split the two sandwiches, and I was equally impressed with them both. Either one would be highly recommended.

As far as the restaurant goes, when we arrived there were plenty of open tables. While we enjoyed our meal, the restaurant became filled to capacity. True, it only seats about a dozen people at a time, but it has only been open for a short period of time. I had no idea the demand for a restaurant was so high in the neighborhood. But I guess I should have known it would turn out to be so popular as it’s the only place to grab something to eat this side of Wash Park. We will definitely be back soon, I just hope there will be a seat for me the next time I do.