Amazon First Read:  Started on 7/1/24.  I really liked this book.  The characters are memorable.  There are a lot of acronyms in the book that get a little muddy sometimes.  Overall really liked it.  Finished on 7/18/24.  18 Days.

Garret and his cohorts are on the chase of a serial killer who dumps his victims from north to south.  Florida to Minnesota.  What they find is way bigger than just one man.

Serrano, a Mexican police office, has joined Mann’s team.  She’s a badass looking to avenge her mothers killer.  Does she get her vengance?  Read the book to find out.

NOPE, Not a mead, but kind of is.
6/19/24 (Day 1)
1 Gallon recipe for the keg

2.12 lbs CDW Bavarian Wheat Extract
.75 oz Citra hops (60 min boil)
.80 oz Calypso hops (30 min boil)
.50 oz Tettnang hops (5 min boil)
8 oz Trader Joes Honey
1 gallon spring water
1 package SafAle S-04 yeast
S.G. = 1.060 (potential 7.9 ABV)

The total boil time was 60 minutes.  Added the hops during the schedule.  It boiled over once.  Directions for yeast say just sprinkle so no hydrating before pitching. I bought more tube to use as a blow off.  It needed it.  It started very strong and is still going after 2 days.

6/24/24 (Day 5)
S.G. = 1.010

7/5/24 (Day 17)
F.G. – 1.010
1 Tblspn Eurithrotol, 1 Tblspn Lactose powder
Went into keg today.  35 psi of pressure till Drew gets home then we will drink it all.  She’s hoppy for sure.  6.6% ABV.

5/2/25 (Day 1)
1 Gallon Spring Water
32 oz Knudsen Black Cherry juice
32 oz Knudsen Tart Cherry juice
12 oz frozen raspberries
24 oz Frozen Sweet Cherries
2 Black Tea bags
1 oz Mexican Hibiscus
1 oz TeaJitsu Cherry Tea
2 lbs honey (I forget what I used)
Mangrove Jacks Mead yeast

Brewed the black tea, hibiscus and cherry tea in coffee pot with 6 cups of water.  Then I poured it back in and ran it through again so it’s double brewed tea.  I was strong.
Thawed the fruit and added to mesh bag for easy removal.  NOT DOWN THE DRAIN!!!!
Mixed the ingredients in bucket and pitched dry yeast.
Somehow I failed to get a starting gravity reading.  I think it was 1.080 so it won’t be super strong.

5/10/24 (Day 8)
S.G. = 1.002.  It’s thin but very tasty.  Not hot at all.  This one isn’t going to last long at all.

5/24/24 (Day 23)
Racked off berries and yeast to 2 gallon carboy.
1/2 tsp metabisulphite
1/2 tsp sorbate
It’s stable!!!

6/19/24 (Day 49)
Racked into single gallon carboys.  I got just a little over 1 1/2 gallons.  Added 6oz (weight) of honey to back sweeten to 1.018.  It’s perfect!!  I mean really really good.  I added 1 campden tablet per gallon.  Gonna let that set for a week then bottle this bad boy!!!  This will be about a 10.6% ABV.

7/5/24
Bottled this beast today and already can’t wait to start drinking it.

4/14/24 (Day 1)
2 Gallon recipe
1 lb Trader Joe’s Mesquite honey
3 lb Glenn’s Honey
2 gallons spring water
Lalvin QA23 yeast
1 tsp Fermaid-O
.5 – .8 oz Zatarains Root Beer extract

Mixed the ingredients to start a traditional mead.  I reconstituted the yeast with a small amount of water and honey.  Will let this ferment and add the root beer extract in secondary.
S.G. = 1.062 (about 8% ABV)

4/15/24 (Day 2)
1 tsp Fermaid-O

5/1/24 (Day 18)
I did a lot of other mead stuff but didn’t touch this today.

5/10/24 (Day27)
Still pretty gassy.  S.G. = .996 so it’s done.
1/2 tsp Metabisulphite
1 tsp Potassium Sorbate
1 tsp Tannin
Stabilized and racked today.
Still waiting to add the root beer flavoring and back sweeten.  Gonna give it a week.

5/24/24 (Day 41)
Racked into single gallon carboy.  Back sweetened and added root beer extract.  Almost 2 full gallons.  It may need more sweetening.

6/19/24 (Day 67)
Bottling Day!!!!  I added 2 tsp lactose powder, stirred and tasted.  It’s good.  8.7% ABV so not super high! I got 9 bottles.  Labels printed and attached.

I started this book on 5/17/2024.  I’ve read another book by John this year already.  It was good with lots of twists so I hope I enjoy this on too.

I finished on 6/3/2024.  18 Days.

This was a very good book.  Are you “matched” with the right one?  What if the right one was another male, dying or a serial killer?  This book shows what could happen if we were DNA matched with the right partner.

I’m giving this book a 9/10

4/11/24 (Day 1)
1 gallon recipe
2.11 lbs honey.  I used several “leftover” honeys for this.
2 oz ginger.  cut into slices
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Black Tea teabag
1/2 tsp clove
Lalvin QA23 yeast
1 Gallon bottled water

I started by boiling the ginger, cinnamon and tea bag for 10 minutes in 1/2 of the water.  At the 10 minute mark I added the 1/2 tsp clove (ground) and boiled for 5 more minutes. While that was boiling I re-hydrated the yeast with some warm honey water that was 92 degrees.  Mixed all the honey and rest of cold water in the carboy and stirred vigorously.  I added the warm tea mixture to include the ginger and cinnamon sticks.  I pitched the yeast at 98 degrees.  Topped it with an airlock and now we let that ferment.

Starting gravity = 1.076 or about 10% ABV if it goes dry.

4/12/24 (Day 2)
1 tsp Fermaid-O for nutrient

4/14/24 (Day 4)
I had to remove the ginger.  It was to overpowering.  I can always add more in secondary.
1 tsp Fermaid-O
S.G. = 1.042

5/1/24 (Day 21)
I racked into clean carboy.  S.G. = 1.000.  I stabilized with Sorbate/Metabisulfite.  I added 1/4 tsp tannin.
It’s very gingery.  Not sure I’ll do much more to this than back sweeten.  ABV = 10%

5/14/24 (Day 34)
Bottled this beast today.  It’s nice.

Oh, Lucas…You old friend.  I started this book on 5/1/24.  Finished on 5/16/24.  15 days.  Not to shabby.
Great book.  Good story.  Characters really well written.  I could picture them ALL.
Carmel Sloan, a predominate lawyer ordered a hit on Allen Hale’s wife.  The hit man was a woman, Drinker.  They became friends and had to take out several more people to “cover their tracks”.  Lucas had all the evidence he needed against Carmel.  She cracked and committed suicide.  Drinker get away???  Read the book to find out.

9/10 and 15 days.

4/14/24 (Day 1)
1 Gallon recipe
2 1/2 2 liters of Dr. Pepper (Just filled to the gallon mark)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 packet Lalvin 71B yeast
S.G. = 1.042

Mixed all ingredients and let degas.  Pitched yeast dry.

4/15/24 (Day 2)
1 tsp Fermaid-O

5/1/24 (Day 18)
Racked into clean vessel.  S.G. =.996 so it’s done.  Stabilized with Sorbate / Metabisulphite.  1/4 tsp tannin.  Will need some back sweetening before bottling.  It’s thin but does taste like D.P.  6% ABV so not to bad.

5/14/24 (Day 30)
Bottling day!!!  Labels created and printed.  Back sweetened to 1.020 and bottled.
It’s thin and not very flavorful.  I almost dumped it but Kendra said no.  She’d drink it.

Started this book on 4/17/24.  Not sure if I’ve read anything by her yet.  Looks interesting.
So I finished this book today. 5/1/24.  15 Days.  I really enjoyed it.

Rosemary is a down and out on her luck woman.  She’s got a menial job.  Her sister Wendy is living with grandma.  Parents died.  Rosemary tries being a prostitute.  It didn’t work for her.  Then Leo Glass, the billionaire, makes her an offer she can’t refuse.  Be his girlfriend for 6,000 a month plus an apartment.  She brings Wendy to live with her and meets Sam, the next door neighbor.  She falls for Sam but is under contract with Leo.

Leo turns weird.  Rosemary kills Leo.  Trial.  Then what happens???  Read the book.

I give this book an 8/10.  I enjoyed the writing style.  Some chapters were really long.

2/2/24 (Day 1)

1 Gallon Batch
2.8 lbs Kroger Clover honey
25 oz Torani Classic Caramel Syrup
1 tsp Fermaid-O
1/4 tsp wine tannin
Lalvin QA23 yeast
1 gallon spring water from dollar tree
Mixed all ingredients together and pitched dry yeast.
S.G. = 1.110 or about 12% ABV if it goes dry

2/3/24 (Day 2)
1/2 tsp DAP

2/4/24 (Day 3)
1/2 tsp DAP

2/5/24 (Day 4)
1/2 tsp DAP

2/12/24 (Day 10)
S.G. = 1.024
Actually a nice flavor

2/23/24 (Day 22)
S.G. = .998 it’s done.  It’s hot and needs lots of time.

3/2/24 (Day 30) Stabilized
1/4 tsp Metabisulphite
1/2 tsp Potassium Sorbate
Racked into clean carboy to clear.  No tasting.
14.9% ABV

5/1/24 (Day 90)
Bottled and labeled today.  No additions.  It’s got an almost artificial flavor.  It’s still a little hot on the alcohol side.  Needs time.  It’s very clear.