Christmas brought me a HUGE surprise!  From my Children.

I have two adult children.  They are 26 (favorite daughter) and 24 (favorite son).  They are both smart and good looking.  We (MFH and I) have been telling them this since they were little.  I do not think they believe us as of yet but they have grown to be terrific people.

Each year for Christmas they put a great deal of thought into our gifts.  This year I was worried.

Each time I had one of them on the phone and we would be discussing Christmas, they would giggle.  Adult children, giggling, is a bit disconcerting.  I was worried.  I was curious!  I did not know what to think.  They were like cats purring they were so pleased with themselves.  Now that I have opened my gift, I know why.

The kids went together and purchased a Beer Making Kit for me.  They know I love beer.  At the conclusion of each day, my treat for behaving on my “diet” is to enjoy a nice beer.  It is a terrific way to wrap up a successful day.

Over the years I have become a BS (Beer Snob).  I am fussy as to what beers I do and do not like.

I do not like lite beer.  Lite beer is for sissies!  There should not be such a thing as “diet” beer.  No.  That is evil!  I like beer that is leaded~that has some substance to it!  Mmmmm!!!

My favorites?  Let me see…Shipyard Blue Fin Stout,  Of course ANYTHING Guinness, Rouge Chocolate Stout, an Oatmeal Stout.  I am not so sure about a vanilla stout~a little too sweet.  I do like Shiner Black Lager!  That is tasty!  You are getting the idea.  A dark, heavy beer.  Yes!

The kit my children got me, bless their hearts is for an IPA Lite beer.  Hmmm…I followed the instructions to the letter.  Today was testing day.

Now, somehow, I got a hold of a bottle of Miller lite. (Ewww.)  Do not ask.  Let us just suffice it to say, I did not pay for it.  I did not steal it either!  It is just too long a story to recant here.

I opened my first bottle of my first batch of beer.  I poured it into a glass.  It definitely was pale.  It smelled lite. It tasted lite.  It was a little flat.

I opened the Miller lite.  I poured it into a glass.  It definitely was pale.  It really smelled lite.  It really tasted lite.  It, too, was a little flat.

I guess I got it spot on!  Success!!!

So, now I know how to make a Miller Lite!  Goody!

My daughter lives in Colorado.  They have a microbrewery in her town.  We visited that brewery last time we visited.  They make an awesome Stout!  She has talked to the brewmaster.  He sold her the ingredients, recipe and directions to make that stout! I really, really like it!  I am currently waiting for all those goodies to arrive in the mail.

Cannot wait to try that one in my new beer making kit!!!