Back in the Saddle: Brewing Inspired Paso Ale

Back in the Saddle: My First Paso Robles Home Brew Day — Inspired Paso Ale

After more than seven years, I finally brewed my sixth batch of home brew — and it felt incredible to get back behind the kettle. Life got busy in the years leading up to retirement, but I made myself a promise: when the opportunity to brew again showed up, I’d take it. Today was that day.

A Brewing Hiatus Worth the Wait

My last batch was a stout that drifted into porter territory along the way. It turned out well — well enough that I shared bottles with friends across the pond in the UK, and the response was great all around. Still, seven years is a long time between brew days, and I wasn’t sure what to expect once I finally got back in the saddle.

This was also my first home brew day since relocating to Paso Robles, and despite a few on-the-fly fixes, it was hands-down the best brew day I’ve had yet.

Three Beer Series, One New Chapter

Over the years I’ve built a few different naming series for my home brews:

• The BART Series – three beers brewed while I worked at Bay Area Rapid Transit, each named after BART-related terms.
• The FPL Series – named for the Fantasy Premier League community of friends abroad who follow English football (soccer, if you’re American) and play fantasy alongside me.
• The Paso Robles Series – brand new, and the one I’m most excited about.

Introducing Inspired Paso Ale

The first beer in the Paso Robles series is an IPA with a double meaning. It’s an India Pale Ale by style, but the name is a play on the acronym itself: Inspired Paso Ale — inspired by my new home, our community, and the ongoing adventure of brewing great beer. I’m hoping this batch lives up to that name.

Brew Day Notes

It was a long day — brew day always is — which has me seriously considering upgrading my equipment to streamline the process for future batches. Right now, the Inspired Paso Ale is fermenting undisturbed in a 5-gallon bucket for the next 14 days.

For the full play-by-play, including the water chemistry, hop additions, and the issues I troubleshot mid-brew, check out Back in the Saddle: Brew Day for the Inspired Paso Ale here on Contributing Factor Brewing.