Mad Mad brewing

Despite all the time I've been spending on my engine project (see below) I've managed to squeeze in some time for homebrewing. I currently have two brew projects, the first is a cider. It's the first cider I've done and it did not start well. The fermentation stuck so I made a starter with another vial of yeast and some yeast nutrient. This worked well, too well in fact, I popped the airlock off the carboy. Good fun though, but man did it stink.
Thanksgiving weekend provided some time for additionaly brewing. In my rush to order parts for the Subaru, I forgot to expedite them;they arrived the Monday after Thanksgiving. In any case, like I said time for brewing.
As the entire mid-west is no doubt aware, we got hit with a nice snow storm on the Wednesday preceding Thanksgiving. The weather wasn't the best for driving, but it passes for good lagering weather. Of course, I had to drive to the homebrew shop 12 miles away to get supplies. I've never done a lager and the lager yeast available at the brew shop was limited. There was one vial of Oktoberfest/Marzen yeast left. Oktoberfests tend to be my favorite. So, I bought the yeast despite the "good until" date being six months passed. "Just make a starter, $3.00", the box told me. Sure, starters are always a good idea.
I made the starter, nothing. I added more wort and some energizer: not much., but there was yeast on the bottom. You see as an ale brewer I'm used to seeing a quick fermentation, this isn't the case with lagers, they are slower. Slower, right. That does actually mean it will take longer. I don't know what sort of irrationality made me believe I would see something within a day. Well, long story-short, I brewed and pitched my starter, nothing for a couple of days. Then, yesterday, krausen, beautiful krausen.

Patience. homebrewing is teaching me what 28 years have not taught so well. Apathy, angst? Yes. Patience? Not so much. Here's to growing into middle-age. Ahh, The sound of settling.