Spring!

[glasseye]

P1000041
Originally uploaded by Derian le Breton.

I don't know what sort of flower this is, but it is beautiful. Taken on the UW campus Friday afternoon.

Comments

[lubeck.livejournal.com]

It's not a brown flower is it? Do you want some pictures of that?


Say, you mentioned you make hard cider. How do you do it. I am getting the spare Cleftlands carboys and brewing suppllies (maybe I'll have around 50 gallon at once capacity) and I wanted to know how to make some because sometimes when I run the bar people moan that it's free and not of their liking. I want to have EVERYTHING on tap.

[pandorasbox.livejournal.com]

Dude good to see you!!!!!!!

[glasseye.livejournal.com]

Cider is easy. Just get some apple cider with no preservatives, heat it for 20 mins at 180 F to pasteurize it, let it cool and pitch in yeast. I've used champagne yeast for a dry cider, but if you want a sweet one an ale yeast should work fine.

The real trick is getting a cider without any preservatives. Any preservatives in the cider will inhibit the yeast. Farmer's markets tend to have apple cider around mid-summer, or you can find someone with an apple press and press your own (Ursula's parents have one).

[lubeck.livejournal.com]

OK, so I only use cider no water.... and I long must I age it?

[glasseye.livejournal.com]

Long enough for it to taste good. :D My last batch didn't really need any aging at all.

[pancakex.livejournal.com]

Pretty! Not sure what it is, though... :)

[gwacie.livejournal.com]

Dr. Dave has a cider press, just FYI

[lubeck.livejournal.com]

Does he press anything else, or just apples?

I'm not looking for big work on my first few batches. I just want to get some for the bar and eb done with it for while. I'll see if I like it and then go nuts, but thanks for the heads up. I'll talk to him if it starts to take off.

[gwacie.livejournal.com]

Actually, he did pear cider, I imagine he's done apples as well, but you probably should talk to him for more details.

And I think that D's flower is a magnolia.

[glasseye.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure; it was on a big bush that looked like a rhododendron. It might in fact be one. :D