Since I started homebrewing about six months ago, I’ve stuck to copying other people’s recipe’s for the most part. I take alot of them from Papazian. I tried to do a dry-hopped Pale Ale about two months ago which was the first recipe that I came up with myself. I jokingly called it the Preacher’s Pale Ale. Sadly, due to an oversight on my part, the recipe did not turn out that well.

Last night, Kara and I tried my second attempt at an original Jon Cooper recipe. It was awesome. I was shooting for something similar to the Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter if you’ve ever had the pleasure. It didn’t turn out exactly the same, but it is really great in its own right. I think that to get the intense sweetness of what I was shooting for I would have to tweak the recipe a bit, but it is awesome as is. I’m pretty thrilled that I can make up a recipe for something that tastes this good.

Oh yeah, there’s also a Wheat Beer in the closet.

Two weekends ago, my wife and I went thrift store shopping. We hit up about 8 thrift stores or goodwill’s in our metro area primarily looking for good books. I was not disappointed. I think we spent less than twenty dollars and I was able to get all of the following:

The Life You Save May Be Your Own, Paul Eddie
The Gospel in Parable, John R. Donahue, S.J.
Earth Community Earth Ethics, Larry L. Rasmussen
Night, Elie Wiesel
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
The Sign of Jonas, Thomas Merton
Mystics and Zen Masters, Thomas Merton
The Collected Poems, Sylvia Plath
Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing, Soren Kierkegaard
The Message of Ephesians, John R.W. Stott
Lake Wobegon Days, Garrison Keillor
Lord, Teach Us, William Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas
Black Religion and Black Radicalism, Gayraud S. Wilmore
Romero: A Life, James R. Brockman
The Praxis of Suffering, Rebecca S. Chopp

How many times in your life will you get a couple of Thomas Merton books for $.25 each?

God Bless the Thrift Stores. May their shelves be replenished and overlooked by others.

I’m finally giving Tom Wright’s Surprised by Hope a thorough read. Here’s the most savory tidbit I’ve run across in the first two chapters:

“Easter was when Hope in person surprised the whole world by coming forward from the future into the present.” (N. T. Wright, Surprised by Hope, 29)

I’m not a Bud man, but this is hilarious…

*Having trouble posting the video so here’s the link. It’s the second bit down. Check it out.*

Walter Brueggemann spoke at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan last Sunday. Mars Hill is Rob Bell’s community and they have been bringing in all kinds of big names while he is taking a break from preaching. Brueggemann’s talk is entitled “Isaiah and the Mission of the Church.” I’m going to put it on my mp3 player so I can check it out sometime over the next few days. Brueggemann’s voice is one we need to be hearing today.

Shalom Friends!

My wife and I go to a place called the Brickstore Pub every Sunday Night after our community gathers each week. We’ve only recently made it into a “spiritual discipline.” It is sacred time between my lover and I. (Referring to my wife, not the beer.

Homebrewer and enthusiast that I am for a good ale, I thought I would share some of what I’m drinking these days in case anyone wants to check it out.

Last week, Schneider Aventinus and Left Hand Milk Stout.

Schneider Aventintus. (Pictured to Left) Dark-ruby, almost black-colored and streaked with fine top-fermenting yeast, this beer has a compact and persistent head. This is a very intense wheat doppelbock with a complex spicy chocolate-like arome with a hint of banana and raisins. On the palate, you experience a soft touch and on the tongue it is very rich and complex, though fresh with a hint of caramel. It finishes in a rich soft and lightly bitter impression.

Read about the Left Hand Milk Stout at their site. It’s all flash and I don’t want to re-type it.

I cannot reccomend either of these enough. They are quickly becoming regulars for me at the Pub.

If anybody is going to be in the Atlanta area this weekend, there will be a two nite event that I’ll be attending in the city called, “Re:Connect” revolving around justice issues from a particularly “way of jesus” kind of perspective. It is Friday (18th) and Saturday (19th) from 7-9pm. Find details. The second nite will include Shane Claiborne & Chris Haw/ Jesus for President Thing. Come check it out if you’ll be around.

Here’s some catch up on what these guys are doing over at the Plow.

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Check out the next submission by Corey in the “Not Art. Gospel.” series over at The Plow. Pretty Cool Stuff. It’s based on Matthew 6.1-4.

Gundamentalism?