An Introduction.

I've decided to begin keeping track of things that I spend my time on, markedly those that require yeast and/or bacterial cultures.  Within the past couple years, I have grown increasingly interested in fermentation-- this interest has mostly manifested itself in the forms of bread making and brewing, but I continue to be casually interested in things like kimchi and fermented coffees (which I have yet to try).  Beer was my gateway-- I began nerding out on the details of beer, which led me to crawl down the romantic rabbit hole of mixed-fermentation, where yeast and bacteria are the stars of the show.  I then got into baking bread, where I became excited to use a sourdough culture.  I thoroughly enjoy learning the processes that govern how things come to be-- it is immanently rewarding being able to produce something with your knowledge and abilities.  Empowerment!

As I've learned through work and school, it's always a good idea to ensure that everything you do is well-documented.  In my workplace, most of us keep a logbook where we write down details and measurements that may be useful later on.  Brewers keep brewing logs, and bakers record recipes and procedures.  This blog will be my attempt at amalgamating these processes, with yeast and bacterial cultures being the unifying theme.  It will help me to recollect what I've done, what has worked, what hasn't, and what I might want to do next.  Additionally, I hope it can serve as an aid to anyone who may be interested in learning from what I've recorded here.

I will likely do a series of posts that will be retroactive, documenting my first all-grain batch of beer, and all subsequent batches.  I've done a small number of extract and partial-mash batches in the past, but for all intents and purposes, 2017 will mark the beginning of my home-brewing "career."

Feel free to comment on or ask questions about anything I've posted, here-- I'll be happy to listen or respond to any inquiries.