This week may have seemed dull to some, and perhaps it was. To others, though? CBW Expat Matt had a bit of fun when his workplace, the University of Texas, was home to a gunman. Did I say ‘fun’? I don’t think that’s the right word. Thankfully, the man only hurt himself. And Matt got to see all manners of police vehicles and apparatuses.

Breaking news from the CBW Facebook page: the Essex Street Pub’s Pubtoberfest is Saturday! Oktoberfests from Flying Bison, Great Lakes, Saranac & Harpoon.

This + SO VERY COLD

The fall is upon us, and that means it’s brewing fever for us at CBW. Once we get our licenses and equipment we’ll be able to brew at 13/15 Lafayette whenever we want, but we’re still homebrewing and that means sitting outside for 4-8 hours per batch. September and October? That can be rather pleasant. December and January? I’ve done it. It’s not fun.

I’ll be taking a week off from my day job this month and kicking out the jams, and by jams I mean pale ales. Five days, five batches of beer. Or more, if I feel frisky! At least three will be pale ales, test batches for CBW that will stand alongside Rudy’s weekly (!) offering and let us decide what we like and what we don’t.

My fourth batch? Well, all pale ale and no play makes Dan a dull boy. I plan on getting into the fall spirit with the traditional, far overdone style of pumpkin ale. Include pumpkin in the mash, and then go nuts and find the biggest one I can find and actually ferment inside of it. Then try to find the most suitable occasion and, if the stars align, shove a shank through yet another pumpkin and attach an honest to goodness tap handle to it. Overkill? Yes, but hopefully it’s the fun kind of overkill and not the sort that ends up in a giant pile of wasted money. I’ll keep everyone informed.

Until next week, faithful readers.