http://bill.welliver.org//space/start/2006-04-08/1With the arrival of spring, my thoughts have begun to turn to brewing. Last year was kind of dry; I was rather busy and didn't get around to brewing at all, though I did make a batch of wine: a nice Mösel Valley Reisling that's shaping up nicely. My goal is to get out of the gate early this year; March didn't happen, but I'm intent on getting something going this month. My first batch will be something called Klangfreudenfestbier, from <a href="More Beer" class="wiki_link_external" >http://www.morebeer.com</a>; which is a Vienna style lager, and I'm looking forward to trying it. I'd also like to make some Kölsch again this summer, and maybe a wheat beer (can you tell I'm heavily influenced by German styles?)<p/> While on the subject, I got a tremendous craving the other day for Kôlsch&#8230; about the only true specimens you can get on this side of the Atlantic are Reissdorf and Gaffel. I much prefer the latter, with its slight bitterness and a hint of honey. They don't hold a candle to my absolute favorite: <a href="Päffgen" class="wiki_link_external" >http://www.paeffgen-koelsch.de/</a>. You can't get it here, and that's a shame, but it's much better consumed at their tap in Cologne's Altstadt. It's much like the beer halls of Munich, but on a smaller, less commercial scale. The food is traditional German fare, and it's quite tasty. I had a wild boar medallion with a red wine gravy and poached pears and cabbage. Very deep flavors and quite satisfying. The beer is the real reason to go there: golden, fruity and a good bit more bitter than most other Kôlsches. Served in traditional slender The atmosphere is just wonderful; like a trip back in time, and it's a great place to jot down some notes or write some postcards.<p/> Anyhow, enough dreaming and time to actually get brewing!Fins 0.9.7http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssbrewing