Quo Vadis Habana (and Beer?)

I know, I know, my posts have been less frequent as of late, but I am about to provide proof that I have been working on other passions. To record one of my other hobbies, homebrewing, I chose to start using a Quo Vadis Habana that was generously given away by Note Booker, Esq.

This is the 2nd generation, U.S. version, which consists of 85gsm paper and dimensions of 6.25 in x 9.25 in. What's more, this paper is ivory, rather than the white paper used in the original version. 

I think it's great to see the writing of the original owner. In the back pages are the writing samples from Note Booker. Here is what he said about it.

This is a very hoppy India Pale Ale. 

So, I mentioned beer. For the last 6 weeks, I have been brewing some delicious homebrew. Well, the first one was tasty, but I am still waiting for the other two to be finished in the fermenting and conditioning phases. 

Brewing is a very finicky process, though fermentation, as a whole, is not. Yeast + sugar = carbon dioxide and alcohol. Even squirrels can experience the fruits of fermentation when pumpkins are left on the porch.

                

To make sure timing, ingredients, and process are being followed, it is important to take notes, which I have done in the Quo Vadis Habana. 

Here are my notes from making a porter which was then infused with coffee. The end result was dry, roasty, and somewhat cocoa-powdery, with a heavy nose of medium-roast Sumatran coffee. Though delicious, I have some components I would like to change, and the record-keeping will allow me to see exactly what I did to get my initial result.

Regardless of whether or not I used a felt tip, fountain, liquid ink, gel, or ballpoint pen, each performed beautifully on this paper. One concern might be drying time, so be careful with larger diameter gel pens (1.0 mm Pilot G-2, Medium+ nibs on fountain pens, or some liquid ink pens). Outside of that, I have zero complaints about this notebook. 

Any additional notes and research will be filed away in the sizable pocket located in the back of the notebook.

I don't make my own bottles (which would be awesome); these are from other producers.

It's also important to keep track of notes when you are in possession of so many gallons of beer. Each batch is approximately 5 gallons. Waahoo! Never mind the vacuum seen in this photo - chores are way more boring than pints and pens.

 If you're not a fan of beer, try branching out and sampling some fine ales. My passion for beer is similar to that of any artisan-based passion in the sense that craft prevails over mass production. Maybe not in cost, but in quality and experience. 

Do let me know if you have any questions about beers (or pens). I love to share, but I may not send out some of my brews.   :)