B Minus Show

(the stream to the free podcast is below)

In this episode, I talk about the Beastie Boys and taste a beer for the first time with you, the Ex Novo Double IPA. Oh, I also give a little input on Jim Kwik who is a super memorization guy.

Subscribe for $0.00 (free) on youtube, the apple podcasts app, facebook, google play, and/or stitcher.

Check out my band The Mean Muggers on facebook and reverbnation.

Enjoy the show!

THE PODCAST IS BELOW!!

What up! Today In this episode I talk about my tasting experience with Hop Valley’s Citrus Mistress IPA. It’s 6.5% abv. You will have to listen to hear what I have to say about it. I just found out they were bought out by Miller Beer Co and it actually didn’t surprise me…

I also discuss the band MUSE; why I like them and why the hell I am talking about them on this podcast blog.

They have been around for a while and hit multiple genres. I also like some of the other crazy stuff they do with a lot of crazy stuff. Of course I also talk about my band the Mean Muggers.

Finally, I talk about Wim Hof. That’s short for the ICE MAN or a nutso dutch dude that does stuff beyond normal human capabilities and why you can be like him and benefit from his way of life.

I hope you enjoy the new format – an all in one package so to speak. I also added sound effects for your ear hole, to my dismay (it takes more time to add stuff like that on my behalf.) Regardless, kick back, grab a beverage and hear me out.

Check out the B Minus Show website, it is a podcast and blog all about: self help, brewing beer, making and playing music, etc.

Check out my band The Mean Muggers on facebook and reverbnation.

Well, I finally got off my ass and decided to implement a new podcast strategy. I was having a convo with my bro who is also a podcaster and he inspired me to try out something different on my show.

I decided to take his advice and give this new format a try. I broke off my old intros and made “mini intros” for the topics “Beer, Bass Guitar (musicianship) and Bettering yourself.”

I will see if I like how this turns out. I plan on talking about all of the above for 5-15 minutes each episode, all divided out by the mini intros.

If all goes well with this new format, I plan on doing a few fun consistent things such as beer of the week/month where I taste and talk about a given beer or beer style. I also think I will choose a band of the week/month as well as life lesson of the week month.

All of this shit sounds beautiful in theory, but the planning and preparing of it is another story. This shit takes time, so I will see if I am moved to actually put more effort into this.

If not, I will likely go back to the old way of doing things; half of the stuff will be well prepped out and the other half will be winged.

Enjoy the show, thanks for your support fools!

Check out the B Minus Show website, it is a podcast and blog all about: self help, brewing beer, making and playing music, etc.

Check out my band The Mean Muggers on facebook and reverbnation.

Also subscribe or follow for $0.00 (free) on youtube or apple podcasts, facebook,google play,stitcher,and/or twitter

More on growth mindsets

Just when things seem to be figured out, life starts throwing new challenges; moments for growth.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/bminusshow/more_on_growth_mindsets.mp3

I think this is a good thing, because it lets you know where you are in life, at any give moment.

These moments can propel us to accomplish new things or simply make us complacent; inhibiting natures will to allow us to grow.

We all have our self coping and self redirecting mechanisms that guide us to where we really want to grow or stay stale. I sincerely hope that we utilize these guidance systems for the better of not only ourselves, but for the greater good of humanity.

Stale water attracts shit like algae, mosquito larva and nastiness.

Moving water churns the earth, softens surfaces and breeds life.

I choose to be like moving water. I am constantly assessing where I am in life, not only with what I present in my blog, but also to more personal things such as family, friendships and stuff like that.

Yes, there are times I have become stagnant in certain areas of my life. My hope is that I will realize where the stagnation has occurred and to stir up activity with goal setting or consciousness in those areas of life.

This article will point out some basic pillars I like to keep close in order to embrace movement and growth.

I will list out a few points that I check on the regular to ensure I am on the right path.

Point 1: Health

Health is an ambiguous term that is handed to us from what media wants us to contemplate, or from what we believe it is from all sorts of venues.

Some anchors that I reflect upon are my body weight, how I feel and where I want to be.

I know I have a median standpoint on what is a good weight for my body. For example, I like the way I feel when I weigh around 190 pounds. However, I have been lifting heavy weights recently and have bulked up significantly. I just entered into the “bro” level of mass (haha).

Therefore, I am okay with weighing 200-210 pounds based on this new information of where I am in life. If I was doing cardio primarily, I would expect this anchor weight to hover closer to under 200 pounds.

This being said, I should really focus on my body fat percentage and general well being.

Ideally for my height, weighing 200-210 pounds, I should be swoll. I feel pretty swoll, so I think I am on the right path.

The main point of this point is that I have a game plan on how I want to look and feel. I look pretty buff (sorry, not trying to be douchey) and feel pretty strong.

My general indicator of growth is I am getting more defined with my muscular structure and strength. My diet is better than worse, but there is room to improve in that portion of my health. My lungs are in decent shape as I can jog a couple of miles with not much struggle.

With weights being on my priority list, I have learned to implement more supplements and strive to eat higher protein. I will also have to incorporate more cardio exercises eventually.

My point here is that I have anchors (my weight) based on my own health factors (lifting more weight) that I rely on. I am looking to improve upon this over time. I make goals such as 1) lift 5-6 days a week, 2) body fat percentage of 15% of less, 3) ability to jog 2 miles under 18 minutes to determine where I am as an anchor point.

I then assess where I am and if I still want to be there on a daily or weekly basis. I check in with myself on paper and mentally.

Point 2: Money

Some of us tend to think that the more money we have, the better person we are. This is true in some circles of thought, but I have found that wealth is just a part of the equation.

Without a sound financial plan, my anchor point or foundation crumbles. Therefore,

Here is a little B Minus report. I have a new intro and am re introducing sound effects into some of my podcasts (I apologize for any overkill on certain sounds in advance).

Check out the B Minus Show website, it is a podcast and blog all about: self help, brewing beer, making and playing music, etc.

Also subscribe or follow for $0.00 (free) on youtube, or  The Apple Podcast App.

Check out my band The Mean Muggers on facebook and reverbnation.

Also find me on facebook, google play, INSTAGRAM, stitcher,and/or twitter

This episode covers my progress (or lack thereof haha) on brewing stuff, music stuff and self improvement shenanigans.

Check out the B Minus Show website, it is a podcast and blog all about: self help, brewing beer, making and playing music, etc.

Also subscribe or follow for $0.00 (free) on youtube or itunes, facebook, google play,stitcher,and/or twitter

Check out my band The Mean Muggers on facebook and reverbnation.

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Organizing brewing stuff (article and podcast below)

http://traffic.libsyn.com/bminusshow/Organizing_your_brewing_stuff.mp3

Also, check out the full B Minus Show website, it is a podcast and blog all about: self help, brewing beer, making and playing music, etc.

Also subscribe or follow for $0.00 (free) on youtube or itunes, facebook, google play,stitcher, and/or twitter

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gtag('js', new Date());

gtag('config', 'UA-116691928-1');

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})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-TDWZF8Z');I recently introduced a sour program into my brewing rotation. To those who don’t know, this means I have the gumption to add more real estate to my already space consuming hobby.

Fellow brewers can relate to the weight of adding a new program to the brew set up. Basically, I decided to add a separate fermentation vesicle, liquid transporting equipment, as well as a dedicated amount of 22 ounce bombers to satisfy this personal demand.

Sour beers (from infectious, brewery ruining bacteria) can run a brewery by tainting the outcome of every future beer that is made if not treated with respect.

I also didn’t mention the concept of blending my sour beers, meaning I could add even more carboys or barrels dedicated JUST to the creation of sour beers (done the right way).

My point being, I have a lot of stuff for brewing.

Albeit, sour brewing requires a totally new segment of my brewery to manifest.

Organization is a good friend of any brewer. As my brewing intensity increases over time, I have to keep track of what my inventory is, what gear I have and most importantly in the above example, what gear to keep away from my streamlined bread and butter.

I will let you know my organization methods in this article. These methods actually apply to other areas in my life, but for simplicity sake, I will just write about my brewing stuff.

1. Going through your stuff

Beginning brewers may not have the same dilemma as someone who has been making beer for a few years. The reason is, we brewers tend to acquire more stuff over the years.

Just like a tool box, you may find yourself with multiple items such as hammers and screwdrivers. I find myself with many items that I may or may not need on any given day (on a side note, I actually own a few hammers and screwdrivers, and I have one of each dedicated for brewing stuff).

When I acquire any new beer stuff (including ingredients, gear or anything), which occurs in waves, I find myself setting time aside to do a new inventory check.

What that means is I will go through most of my stuff,

Why Being a Musician is Dope

The supplemental podcast is right here:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/bminusshow/why_being_a_musician_is_dope.mp3

As you may or may not know, I have been into playing and making music for quite a while.

I embraced my start of making my first rap song back in the mid 90’s and crossed over to rock production in the late 2000’s.I didn’t really perform much into my rock days, which brought me into my late 20’s.

Albeit, I did do a few garage rap shows in a few random garages along with a number of freestyle sessions and rap battles during that era.

Anyways, I think I have put in a good amount of time to give a gauge on what exactly makes me continue to create and perform music, along with some cool side benefits as to why I do it.

Here is a podcast and an article about why I think being a musician is a great thing for myself and perhaps others.

Inner fulfillment

I know, this sounds obvious or even corny to some. I make and perform music because of the intrinsic benefits. I actually feel pretty damn good when my band or myself creates a piece of decent music.

The feeling of coming to the table with an idea, then turning it into something gives that great tingly sensation.

Perhaps it is a hit of dopamine or adrenaline. Regardless, it’s one of the things in life that has consistently made me feel this way.

For example, a lot of times I get bass licks or bass lines stuck in my head.

Sometimes they come from a spinoff of another bass line, and sometimes I fiddle around with my instrument and come up with some killer shit.

When I bring that idea as a central or starting piece to a composition and keep adding layers and vocals to it, it gets me stoked.

Inner purpose

Back to my soap box in the intro about my nostalgic music history, I continue to make music because I knew I loved music.

Yes, I love music soo much that I actually make it (same with beer).

I first just liked listening to music, then had the opportunity to play and learn some good recording equipment from my friends dad’s garage.

His dad actually made records back in the day and had since had a 4 track, mixer, mics and all the instruments we needed.

They were generous enough to let a few teenagers mess around with the gear and a dream emerged from that experience. What I felt deeply from those days was a sense of purpose with my music.

Albeit, my music ideas do not always convey the exact message I am trying to communicate.

However, I find that some pieces of art or music I have made were perfect at the time, but then a lack of popularity or sound quality slowly chipped away at the perfection that I once conceived about that song slowly dwindled away over time.

So I guess I am on a mission to make the perfect record that sustains for me over the years…or for the people, which usually equates to hella money.

Chicks

Well, I have heard that chicks love guys in bands. I can tell you that it was not the reason I joined / formed a rock band or made rap / hip hop music. I can also say the statement is about 50% true.

The successful musicians get the chicks. Some low-level musicians pull the girls. In my experience, girls tend to like and appreciate the fact I have a productive hobby and creative outlet.

So don’t join a band for getting girls, although it will likely help you out a little bit in this area of your life.

It does make you look cooler for the most part, especially if you and your crew are even just semi-talented and in some sort of cohesion.

I think if you are an attractive person, music can help you become more attractive (assuming you have at least a normal way to make a decent living in addition to your music hobby).

Why being a musician sucks

http://traffic.libsyn.com/bminusshow/why_being_a_musician_sucks.mp3

Many people tend to think pretty positively about people in bands. For example, many coworkers of mine found out I played music and they all thought it was cool and wanted to come to my shows, and many actually have.

There are definitely cool things about being a musician, but this post isn’t about the awesome parts of musicianship.

This is my view of why it sucks to be a musician. If you have ever wondered about the downsides of musicianship, I can give you my two cents summed up in a few bullet points in this article.

Analyzing live performances

When I watch musicians, I am often found over analyzing many facets of the band. For example, I evaluate their appearance, style, scale progressions, sound (too loud or too quiet?), chord progressions, performance, energy, and etc.

I do this mostly because I am conscious of my own stage appearance.

It took me months to dial my own style in and acclimate as a band with cohesion. Hell, we are still tweaking things in live shows whether it in intentional or not.

If a band captures my attention unexpectedly, I can give major personal credit for the band. There are not really too many musicians that inspire me though, but if I get into a paralysis analysis mode with a band, chances are the band doesn’t meet my own expectations.

Analyzing the shit out of songs

Similar to my first point, it is often hard for me to just enjoy much music nowadays. So much of it is predictable and a good portion of music is trying to hard to have a hook. There’s nothing wrong with making a hit, but damn, our society is soo brainwashed into the same sounding stuff.

My band and I even gave in to writing music based on a pop structure most of the time.

Anywho, I often find myself picking apart songs, breaking them down, clowning on them in one way or another. The funny part about it is nobody would know if I didn’t tell them my thoughts.

For example, listening to a song on a bus where everybody is excited for the song. There is a good chance I am the guy rolling my eyes and have a few reasons why the song sucks.

I’m not trying to be a downer, it’s more about the stupidity of simplicity that I as a musician have a love and hate relationship with.

Dealing with people

Dealing with musicians has been a neutral to negative experience in my tenure as an active musician. The general stereotypes of musicians are they are flaky, assholes, rude, cocky, and etc.

I can attest to this, meaning I have worked with many of these stereotypical musicians. I have made sure not to be one of these and my band are very polite guys. I am grateful, we are the few and the exception.

Not to say all musicians fit this category. I would say around 50% of the musicians I have worked with are socially challenged (aka ass wipes).

The venues are usually pretty cool, they mutually respect those who give respect. I would say about 90% of the venues I have worked with have taken care of my band and I.

Then again, we are very punctual, articulate, prepared and professional. We don’t play too loud and usually bring a crowd.

Dealing with “talented rock stars” with no record deals and no following is, unfortunately, one crappy thing about being a musician. Luckily, we have found shows where we are the only performers and don’t have to deal with as many of these types.

It is time consuming

Albeit, I used to spend WAY more time on music then I do now. However, I have maintained my built talent and am much more efficient.

Although I am always open to improving, I feel that I did a good amount of time in the music game to earn self-respect.

Prepping for the brew day

http://traffic.libsyn.com/bminusshow/Prepping_for_brew_day.mp3

There is always room for improvement. As a seasoned homebrewer, I know there are things that I can improve upon. Once I think I know it all, that will be the beginning of a humbling experience.

Even the pros need to keep upping their game in some aspect of life whether it be growing a business, perfecting the golf swing or creating a new thing.

All of this being said, I just completed a 10-gallon batch of a Hazy IPA, which is now fermenting. I was very surprised how well I had the process down after not brewing for a couple of months.

On the flip side, I realized I could have prepared better. Regardless, I have made many things a habit that lead to this easy-ish / successful brew day.

In this article, I will lay out a few things that I do to prepare for a brew day. If you are new to brewing or thinking about brewing for the first time, this may be a little out of your league.

This article is moderately advanced and mostly for those with a few batches under their belt looking to improve from my experience.

Deciding on the style of beer to make

This is almost a no brainer, but believe it or not with the amount of ingredients I have, it is easy to assume I can make many styles of beer.

Before I decided on making another Hazy IPA (due to my excessive consumption of the last batch), I was torn between making a Kolsh/Lawnmower Ale, a Belgian wheat beer or another Hazy IPA.

If you are new to brewing, it may be a simple feat to decide what to make. Currently, I have 8 gallons of an aging Belgian Quad, 6 gallons of Peanut Butter stout, 4 gallons of a Kettle Sour IPA and remnants of a Belgian golden ale in my kegerator.

I haven’t made a wheat beer in a while, but also love my Hazy IPA’s (first world / homebrewer problems).

After half assed thinking, I decided to make a Hazy IPA, since I enjoy them the most. This leads me to my next point.

Using software

I use beer smith as my go to software. This allows me to input what ingredients I want in my beer, adjust the color and other things like determining what gravity to hit or how much yeast I need.

Prepping a yeast starter

You have to know what beer you want to make in order to choose your yeast…unless you are going to the experimental route. Using the wrong yeast for a beer style can result in a different beer style.

For example, using a standard clean yeast such as Safeale-05 for a Belgian Quad will not make a Belgian quad. It will lack certain characteristics of the beer flavor profile.

I cannot even make a good Hazy IPA with a Safeale-05…albeit I can use more white wheat male, oatmeal and lactose to manipulate this a bit.

My point is, unless you are experimenting, consider picking the right yeast for the beer style you are going for.

Then you can make a yeast starter for not only multiplying your yeast population, but also to increase the yeast health and for better fermentation results.

You will need to do this around two days before brew day (give or take a day) and only after you decide on what beer you want to make for the most part.

Getting your ingredients ready

You can crush your grains on brew day, but I like to get them crushed a day or more in advance. It also allows me to know if I have the right grains, adjuncts and additives to avoid quick trips to the brew store if I forgot something on brew day.

I almost have a mental rolling inventory of what I have and don’t have. Organizing my stuff frequently also helps me to keep a good eye on what I have.

I know I am running low on 2 row pale ale grain, but also have a shit load of miscellaneous ingredients that I will need to use soon. For example,