Slowly but surely time keeps moving along. Seven weeks in Chicago seemed like a long time. To be honest, the first 4-5 weeks did seem to drag on. Now, here I am, packing up my suitcase, trying to get the next five weeks of my life back into that one red suitcase. I have a little extra room now thankfully. I mailed quite a bit back home and blew out a pair of shoes. Gina also took some stuff back home for me that I didn't end up using. It's amazing how little you actually need (provided you have an on site washer and dryer.Tomorrow night at 10pm Chicago time, the class and I will get on a Lufthansa jet to fly off to somewhere that I have never been. It would be one thing if I were there for a vacation, but somehow I have to find my way the Doemen's Academy on Monday with no time to wander around lost. Thank goodness for wifi at the hotel where I am staying. Hotel is kind of a loose term apparently. It's more of a hostel (www.euro-youth-hotel.com) with some private rooms. It was one of the least expensive options, and, at this point, that's what I am going for!
The best part of going to Germany is that I get to see the wife again. It's been awhile. The last time I saw her was about a month ago. I miss her quite a lot actually. We have a couple trips planned in the region as well. Bamberg, Fussen, and the Rhine River Valley are the main destinations that we plan to hit while she is there. I know that I am there for school, but why waste the weekends thinking about school when we could be out exploring a country that we never get back to see again?
I realize, for better or worse, that I have not written a whole lot about actual brewing school. Honestly, I probably would have bored most of you to sleep. There is only so much enzymatic activity, secondary yeast flavor compounds, and bottling line descriptions a reader can take before they want to take out their own eyes with a fork. That being said, I am going to actually talk about school.
I won't bore you all with the in depth details as most of them would not apply to even the most excited homebrewer. There were definitely some ups and downs. Most of this had to do with instruction more than subject matter however. Of course, how exciting can class be when you are talking about pipe welds and condensation recovery systems? I can answer that. It isn't, but it actually is all really important. No, the ups and downs were due to the instructors. We had some absolutely fantastic instructors. John Mallett, Bell's Brewery's production manager, taught two separate courses. Some instructors just have a way of getting people to learn. He was one of them. No matter what he taught, dull or interesting, he was able to relate it to us as students. The parts that John taught us are the parts that I know the most about now. Additionally, we had Dr. Graeme Walker, basically a professor of yeast. Since the yeast science and yeast handling was probably the most important part of school, it was good to have such a fantastic instructor. He had a sence of humor about the entire process. It was great in that it helped keep us engaged.
I am not really sure what my point was there. I have just been thinking about everything that we have been through in these past seven weeks. Was this money, effort and time really worth it? I would have to say, the good instruction really made it worthwhile. Between that and my previous training at GoodLife, I think that I could step into a brewery and not be completely lost. I would say that it was worth it so far.
That being said, the best is yet to come. The time in Munich starts tomorrow. This is supposed to be the best part of the school. The rumor is that it is a lot more hands on. We are supposed to actually get to brew, work in the lab, and learn to bottle. However, I am nervous. I was just getting used to Chicago. Getting around was not the chore that it once was. I could navigate the train system, find my way around downtown, and even walk to just about anywhere (I walked about 27 miles this week!) Well, I will have all of three weeks to get the hang of finding bars in Munich and wandering home. At least I know that I am staying near the main station. I have something to aim for late at night!
Anyway, beginning tomorrow evening (3/24) I will be turning my phone off. I really don't need to incur several hundred dollars in random charges while I am there. So, if anyone needs to get a hold of me, TOUGH! Kidding of course. You can always get me on Facebook or e-mail.
Wish me luck! I will continue to update the blog as best I can. Until next time...Prost!!!
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