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.

2 Gallon Recipe
2/2/24 (Day 1)

2.26 oz Great Value 100% pure pumpkin
64 oz Tazo Pumpkin Spice Latte tea mix
2 lbs Great Lakes Golden Clover Honey (I think it’s from Kroger)
1 lbs Honey (other honey from Missy I think)
Lalvin D47 yeast
Mixed all ingredients together and pitched yeast.  Using the new 2 gallon glass carboy that I bought from Amazon.
S.G. = 1.082 about 10% ABV if it goes dry

2/3/24 (Day 2)
1 tsp DAP
2/4/24 (Day 3)
1 tsp DAP
2/5/24 (Day 4)
1 tsp DAP
2/12/24 (Day 10)
S.G. = .998
Bentonite according to package instructions

2/25/24 (Day 24)
Racked off Pumpkin
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp Tannin
1/2 tsp Sorbate
1/2 Tsp Metabisulphite
It’s cloudy and gross looking.  It doesn’t taste like pumpkin.  It’s spicy.  Needs time to mellow.

4/11/24 (Day 70)
It’s still not clearing at all.  It looks like watery mud.  I may bottle it gross looking and see what it does in the bottle.

4/25/24
I racked into clean glass carboy.  1/2 cup water/bentonite added (per spec).  It’s not clearing at all.  I’m gonna give it another week, then bottle.

5/1/24 (Day 90)
It was NOT CLEAR at all!  I back sweetened with honey and bottled.  It tastes good, it’s just an ugly beast!
Labels printed and applied.
F.G. = 1.020 after back sweetening and that’s what it is in the bottle.

TikTok recommended book.  Started on 3/30/24.  I’m pretty sure I’ve read another one of her books.

OMG I could not wait to finish this book.  I didn’t like it at all.  She rambled in her head waaaaayyyyy to much for me.  Conversations were stupid, crime was unjustly punished and there was no “meat” to this book.  I kept waiting for a secret to drop or some pinnacle but there wasn’t any.  I finished on 4/16/24.  Way to many days on this rubbish.  18 days to finish.  This is a 2/10 for me.

2/2/24 (Day 1)
1 Gallon batch
2.8 lbs Kroger Clover honey
1.5 lbs crushed Worthers candies
1 tsp Fermaid-O
1/4 tsp wine tannin
Lalvin QA23 yeast
1 gallon spring water from dollar tree

Crushed the candies and added about 1/2 gallon of the spring water to a pan.  Added the crushed candies and made a “syrup” out of it.
Added honey to carboy and a little more of the water from the gallon.  Shook it vigorously for several minutes.  Added the candy syrup, Fermaid-O and tannin.  Mixture was still kind of warm.  Pitched dry yeast at 110 degrees.  It started fermenting very quickly.

O.G. = 1.130

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)
Still bubbling strong.  S.G. = 1.042
It’s got a weird flavor.

2/23/24 (22 Days)
S.G. = 1.014.  It’s hot.  Needs lots of time to sit and clear.

3/2/24 (30 Days)
S.G. = 1.014 (I think it’s done!!!)  Racked into clean carboy NOT STABILIZED!
15.6 % ABV

3/15/24 (Day 43 )
added 1 cup salted caramel tea (steeped for 5 minutes)
1 lb Sam’s Club honey for back sweetening

4/6/24 (Day 65)
Bottled this beast today.  It’s still got a bite to it.  Once the heat leaves the mouth, the Worthers taste comes through a bit.  Not my favorite but we will see how it tastes in 6 months and a year.  Not really happy with the yield.  The thin layer at the bottom was very cloudy and I really probably only had a little over half gallon to bottle.

2/16/24 (Day 1)
This is take 2 of the blueberry that was such a hit we almost drank it all quick.  Not many changes made to the recipe.  Here we go!

6 lbs Golden Lake Honey
6 lbs G.V. frozen blueberries (thawed and mashed)
1 1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
1/2 tsp acid blend
8 oz Ribena Black Currant Concentrate
Lalvin QA23 yeast (This is one of the changes for the recipe*)
S.G. = 1.104 (14.2% ABV if goes dry)

2/17/24 (Day 2)
1 Tblsp DAP

2/19/24 (Day 4)
1 Tblsp DAP

2/23/24 (Day 8)
S.G. = 1.020  It’s almost time to rack this.

3/2/24 (Day 16) Stabilized
S.G. = 1.000 IT”S DONE!!!!!!  STABILIZED
1 tsp Sorbate
1/4 tsp Metabisulphite
Racked into 2 gallon clear carboy.  The rest went into Frakenstein Bottle
14.5% ABV

3/29/24 (Day 43 )
Racked off oak chips.  It’s been more than 16 days and it’s really oaky.  I back sweetened to 1.024.  It’s not super sweet but it is super oaky.  I’ll let it set in the bucket for a week or two and then bottle.  I’m in no hurry with this.

4/6/24 (Day 51)

It went into bottles today.  I’m happy with the yield and I’m happy with the taste.  It is a bit more oakier than the last batch but it’s got a LOT of character.  Mouthfeel is good, blueberries shine through and it’s really not to sweet.

I’ve read a book by John before.  I’m starting this one on 3/11/24.
3/29/24 and I finished this book.  19 days.  Man this book had some twists and turns to it.  Mia falls pregnant just as her and her husband purchase a house.  The in-laws didn’t want them to have the house.  We find out later why.

40 suitcases filled with bones.  Dave & Debbie (the in-laws) are responsible.  Debbie is pure evil.

I’m giving this book a 8/10

2/16/24 (Day 1)
1 1/2 gallon recipe
1 Gallon G.V. Apple Juice
1/2 Gallon G.V. 100% Pure Pear
2 cinnamon sticks
1 lb of White Sugar
Lalvin 71B Yeast
Mixed in bucket, added yeast.  S.G. = 1.064 (8.4% ABV if goes dry)

2/17/24 (Day 2)
1/2 tsp DAP

2/19/24 (Day 3)
1/2 tsp DAP

2/23/24 (Day 7)
S.G. = 1.000 added 1 lb Blueberries.  It’s gonna be ready soon!

3/2/24 (Day 16)
Racked into keg (1 gallon) and stabilized.  Will open tomorrow to sweeten with apple juice.
1/2 gallon set to clear, stabilized and sweeten to bottle for Drew.

3/15/24
This, in the keg, is amazing.  Phenomenal flavor, the cinnamon is there but not over powering.  The blue berries are there but not over powering.  There’s still a weird “soapy” flavor in the keg.  I haven’t bottled the 1/2 gallon yet for Drew but I plan on doing that tonight.

3/29/24
Keg is gone.  It was good but still had a “soapy” flavor.  I’m hoping the beer I just keged isn’t soapy.  There’s still a half gallon in a glass carboy that needs bottled.