Ryan and I totally made this.

 

Wheaton's Own California Pale Ale. Hosted by imgur.com

It's our beer! Click to embiggen at imgur

Today, at long last, the beer Ryan and I made together was ready to drink. We got on the phone and opened our first bottles together …. and it totally tastes like beer! It's sort of a slightly-hoppier version of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, which is pretty much exactly what we were going for. I'll write all about this tomorrow, because right now, I'm going to go enjoy the beer that my son and I made, together, and try damn hard not to miss him.

83 thoughts on “Ryan and I totally made this.”

  3. We just loaded the car up with all MY son’s stuff for his return to college. It never seems to get any easier, but it’s the memories like these that keep us going. So glad that you had the opportunity to do this together, and you have a tangible reminder of the wonderful experience.

  4. You have just participated in an ancient and sacred tradition, brewer. What you’re drinking is not just beer. It is the stuff of a thousand cultures, a common thread through human history, one of the happy signs that we, as a species, can transmute the world around us into other things—into potions with the power to change the way we think and feel, into a shared experience across more than generations but continents and empires. Also, it is beer.

  6. Good luck with the not missing him part. Mine’s been gone 2 1/2 years. Kills me. Next time she visits, we’ll be able to enjoy a drink together, in public, legally. 😉 You’ll never let go, and that’s ok. We expect tears at the wedding.
    Also, beer looks awesome.
    Now I have to go leave a hug on my daughter’s Facebook page.

  8. Awwww – I just sent my younger daughter off to kindergarten, and it was very hard. Can’t imagine sending them both off into the wide world on their own. Hang in there!
    And the dice were a nice stylistic touch. 😀

  9. I absolutely HATE beer, but I loved hearing about your ‘adventure in brewing’ with your son. I loved how he ‘hacked’ your twitter, I love how he ‘hacked’ your mic at w00tstock, I loved how you made me get misty when you talked about him leaving to go back to school…I love the fact that I can still think of you as a little kid on ST:TNG, and be honestly happy that you ‘made it’….you didn’t fall prey to the bad stuff in Hollyweird. I’m so happy you guys have this. Also happy that you have not posted that either of you is on the way to the ER for stomach pumping 🙂
    Please do write more about it…did you use a kit? just figure it out yourselves? What? This might help me out for Christmas gift ideas for my husband and our son! 🙂

  11. I think we are all going to miss Ryan. Few things have made me guffaw harder during the work day than a “Ryan is Awesome” tweet followed by your reaction. Love them.
    I think we need a “Ryan is Awesome” T-shirt!

  13. See? That wasn’t so hard to make. And you have a lifetime of great memories too. Plus, you have beer! So, what are you naming it?

  19. What about trading? Not that I particularly want to acquire any of your too-high-in-sentimental-value-to-part-with-anyway beer, but you must be able to barter for it, right? I wonder what defines “selling?”

  20. That you consider Ryan your son, rather than using the term “step-son”, it really, really touching. My stepfather is the only father I have left. But unfortunately, he has told me to my face he doesn’t consider me to be his daughter. It makes me sad.

  22. Awesome. I just bottled a honey maibock and moved a hefe to the fridge for conditioning two days ago. Very much looking forward to starting my 1 gallon kits from Brooklyn Brew Shop soon.

  23. Good looking head on your…beer…thirsty now. What is the after taste like? Sweet? I know you said “hoppy”, but is that that last taste your left with? How’s the bite? Or is it mellow?

  25. Congrats and well done! It’s always nice when your brew turns out not only drinkable, but also close to what you were intending to make. Doesn’t always happen… But very gratifying when it does!

  28. Please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please PLEEEEEEEEASE name this beer “CRITICAL HIT.” (As long as it’s sufficiently hoppy to bear that name.) That is all.
    [PAUSE]
    No wait, that’s not all. Can someone draw up a corresponding label for this brew?

  30. Wow, so cool! What a great memory you guys will have….now all you need is to design a beer mug to go along with your memories of the future mug you made sometime back 🙂

  33. Okay, Wil – here’s what we need to do: First, you hold a beer naming contest. (Critical Hit sounds fine to me, technogamy, but the choice belongs to Ryan and Wil. Wil: you need many more ideas from which you may select.) Once named, you have a label design contest. Winners need receive nothing other than bragging rights. Make up any other rules you see fit (such as: “Any label design that includes an image of any personage wearing a clown sweater will be immediately disqualified”).

  35. It is 8:30 in the morning and now I want a beer. I also have a houseful of Leinenkugel thanks to a big sale. This is NOT GOOD.
    *makes note to read beer-related posts at a less burgeoning-alcoholic drinking hour* 😛

  36. Looks great, Wil! *sigh* My last batch sat too long in the secondary fermenter (we were on vacation in Europe…ok excuse, I guess) and by the time I kegged it some “ester-y” flavours had gotten in. Oh Well. I’m just calling it a “Belgian Style” and will probably use it for cooking and making BBQ sauce. “That’s not a bug, it’s a feature!”

  37. Congrats!! There’s nothing like cracking open your first brew!
    Some friends and I started brewing this year as well – we’ve been brewing double batches quarterly, and we’ve made Maple Porter twice (it was that good!), a Scottish Ale, and an Irish Red.
    Our third batch is fermenting away in primary and will be moving it into secondary this weekend – a Pumpkin Ale and my personal favorite, Oktoberfest! I can’t wait until September!!
    Anyhoo, it’s a great bonding activity – I’ve been trying to get my dad into it as well, and I think he’s almost on board! 🙂
    I also highly recommend using your spent grain:
    http://brooklynbrewshop.com/themash/category/spentgrainchef/
    We made the chocolate peanut butter bars (good, but VERY rich), the cobbler (I really liked it, but my wife hated the texture), and the burgers (which were the best veggie burgers I’ve ever had, honestly!)
    Cheers!

  38. Word on this.
    My mom has always joked that my dad married her just to be able to hang out with my brother more. I was in my 20s before I even knew he was technically my step-brother!
    There’s a great picture of him at 6 years old looking so forlorn as they drive away for their honeymoon – he thought he would get to go too! 🙂
    And your step-dad sounds like a d-bag. 🙁

  40. A very nice, very mellow malt character dominates all the way through. The aftertaste is a little bitter on the back and sides of the tongue, but it's very subtle, and I'm hoping it mellows out with age.

  44. OH! OH! OH! Care to share your Pumpkin Ale recipe? I'm doing a stout today, but I plan on doing a Pumpkin as soon as I get home from D*C.
    And I *love* the spent grain recipes from Brooklyn Brew Shop. I think it's awesome that they do that.

  48. Hops will definitely mellow with age. Another great thing about homebrewing is that you get to experience the whole curve of the beer’s age as it matures. The same beer can be quite different over time.

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