Brewery Tour & Wine Making Class

I've been taking classes....oh yes, I have!

Last Saturday, it was to Minhas Micro Brewery that I went to learn a bit about Beer. And I am enlightened! Beer = Barley + Water + Hop + Yeast. Beer is the world's most widely consumed and is likely the oldest alcoholic beverage. It is the third most popular drink overall after water and tea.

Now I know the difference in taste between an Ale and a Lager! Ales tend to be fruity while lagers are clean-tasting and frequently described as "crisp." To a Brewer, the main difference between an Ale and a Lager would be in the type of yeast used during fermentation. The "top-fermenting" yeast would be for ales while the "bottom-fermenting" yeast would be for lagers.

The owner Moni Minhas, father of Manjit & Ravinder Minhas who runs the Brewery came up for a little chat and narrated a bit about how he came to Canada with 4 Dollars in his pocket all the way from New Delhi in India. What a story! Well, he's made it!!

The Growler that I got home - Sunshine Lager

I bought more Beer .....White Wolf, Lazymutt and got a sample of the original Cream Soda!

This evening I was off to learn how to make wine at home! It was an introductory class teaching us all about choosing our first wine kit to bottling and everything in between. It seems not so difficult and knowing that my current Boss too makes wine at home I think I too can do it. I would just need some space to set up my wine making kit....the Primary Fermenter and the secondary Carboy.

Don who took the class today and shared the tricks he learnt over the years.

The lessons have been exciting! And now I'm looking forward to making my own wine!

I pumped gas!!

Last evening, for the first time in my life I pumped gas! And I'm feeling super thrilled! 

Until I came to Canada I only had Gas Attendants pumping gas for me but that was how it was in all the countries that I had lived so far.

Ever since I got my car last October, I've had friends/work colleagues coming along and helping me in getting gas. They did the work while I looked. Few months back after getting detailed instructions from a work colleague as to what I should do as soon as I slide into a Gas Pump I was all ready to do it by myself. However it so happened that the Gas Station I went to on my way back home had a Full Service that I was not aware of. This meant someone doing it for me! Since then I had been going to this particular Gas Station.

However yesterday I was at another Gas Station. Was feeling a bit apprehensive if I would get it right. I got out of my car. Tried to open the Gas Tank lid but it just wouldn't open! Ultimately had to ask for help to the Truck guy pumping gas just beside my car. Made me look so incompetent?! Then I lifted the Gas Pump Nozzle....selected the type of gas I wanted....put the nozzle in the tank and squeezed the trigger and felt the gasoline flowing into the gas tank! Yay!! I pumped gas!!! Finally! Whew!!!