Hobbies: What and why?

[Victor_Notts-17]

So, when I closed my guitar shop, it soon dawned on me that I needed a new hobby. I wanted something that wasn't too strenuous or brain numbing that would excite me and also serve a purpose. Realizing that my wife and I spent around £50 a week on booze/wine, I plumped for home brewing.

After doing a bit of research, I went and bought a load of kit (used but in good nick) finishing off with new equipment I couldn't scrimp on. The thing with brewing is everything must be clinically clean and sanitised.

Anyway, 2 months in, I have just started my 6th brew. After using standard kits for the first 5, I modified one today to suit my needs.

It's a brilliant hobby that I love. We also get to benefit from some great brews. The one I started yesterday is a standard Cooper's English Bitter that normally brews to 4% ABV. I added extra light malt extract (500g) and 500g of organic coconut sugar along with the regular beer enhancer (750g dextrose). I will also add some Fuggles hops during the fermentation stage. The hops will add some bitterness and subtle notes and wqith the modifications should end up around 6% ABV making it a Strong (or Best) Bitter...

Top pic: Irish stout finishing at 5.2% ABV and bottom pic: my adapted Bitter started yesterday

[BlancdeBlanc]

That’s really interesting, making beer is a kind of magic. If you ever do an imperial stout, let me know and I will buy some. One of my hobbies is sampling as many 9%+ as I can from whatever source. The Baltic nations do some great ones.

[CUSSIE01]

That’s really interesting, making beer is a kind of magic. If you ever do an imperial stout, let me know and I will buy some. One of my hobbies is sampling as many 9%+ as I can from whatever source. The Baltic nations do some great ones.

9% Too strong for me, 5%ish is enough for me the days.
Quit work recently & decided to take up painting, a mate asked me to do one of Frank Zappa & it went from there.

[Finnatic]

9% Too strong for me, 5%ish is enough for me the days.
Quit work recently & decided to take up painting, a mate asked me to do one of Frank Zappa & it went from there.

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Impressive work

[The Subhuman]

f**king impressive ... love the FZ.

[1964white]

Impressive work, Cussie.

[Chilli D]

I'd love to be good at drawing or painting but I literally don't have an artistic bone in my body.

[Orange Box]

The Jagger and Amy ones in particular are fantastic. I dabble myself, not in your style, I’m more into impressionistic realism, but I would be proud to put my name to anything like those. Keep it up and post more when you can.

My own pastime right now is creative writing. I’m loving it. Being old is great.

[billysboots]

I’m very impressed (and jealous) of the beer and paintings, would love both in my house.

[GreennWhite]

Excellent work Cussie, very impressed Another genius emerges from these wee shores

[airedale]

Be careful Victor ,i used to home brew and ended up a bit heavy. I used to work as a maintenance engineer for a famous biscuit company and made great beer from out of date malt extract . If you can get a king keg it removes a lot of faff with bottles ,it has a float and a top of barrel tap so keeps the sediment out of your glass.

[DDB220]

I took up SCUBA diving for a while, but gave it up after I hit rock bottom.

I’ll get my coat.

[DDB220]

9% Too strong for me, 5%ish is enough for me the days.
Quit work recently & decided to take up painting, a mate asked me to do one of Frank Zappa & it went from there.

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Are you selling any of your work. If so send me a PM. I love the Jagger - the Stones were my first love in music.

[AcrossThePondAsh]

9% Too strong for me, 5%ish is enough for me the days.
Quit work recently & decided to take up painting, a mate asked me to do one of Frank Zappa & it went from there.

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Damn, Cussie. Quite impressive.

[airedale]

Impressive artwork that cussie .

[CUSSIE01]

I took up SCUBA diving for a while, but gave it up after I hit rock bottom.

I’ll get my coat.

[CUSSIE01]

Are you selling any of your work. If so send me a PM. I love the Jagger - the Stones were my first love in music.

Hadn’t ever thought of selling anything, just a way to chill out.

[CUSSIE01]

f**king impressive ... love the FZ.

My mate was always a big Frank fan so that was the 1st one I done.

[CUSSIE01]

I'd love to be good at drawing or painting but I literally don't have an artistic bone in my body.

I don’t either Chilli, most of my stuff is just copied from digital art. The only things I have are time, patience & a steady hand.

[The Subhuman]

My mate was always a big Frank fan so that was the 1st one I done.

So am I, have around 60 albums