Fall of 2009 - I'm hiking out at Boyscout camp scouting for a good campsite to tent with my troop. At an old abandoned homestead site I see a vine growing up a tree that looks kind of familiar. The following week I'm on a farmcall and the farmer has the same vine growing up the side of her house and gives me a couple bottles of her homebrew.
December 2011- I have a hop bine growing up the side of my house and a couple ziplocks of hops in my freezer. I give my wife a pamphlet from a homebrew shop that is about 2 hours away (since then a great LHBS has opened up about 45 minutes away) telling her that this is really what I want for Christmas. And so the obsession begins. I'm pretty sure SWMBO has regretted that Christmas gift.......
December 2011- I have a hop bine growing up the side of my house and a couple ziplocks of hops in my freezer. I give my wife a pamphlet from a homebrew shop that is about 2 hours away (since then a great LHBS has opened up about 45 minutes away) telling her that this is really what I want for Christmas. And so the obsession begins. I'm pretty sure SWMBO has regretted that Christmas gift.......