In the early 90's I brewed, and brewed. Put a lot of peaches in the batches - tried a few other fruits as well, but things like apples made it too acidic for my tastes. I don't remember how high I took the ABV up, but certainly pushing 15% = those were my goals then.
My favorite imported beer was Samichlaus Classic Bier, an ABV of 14%, and as tasteful as heaven as far as beer drinking goes. And powerful kick. So I modeled my beer making after that - just loved the taste.
My Daddy was a bootlegger = moonshine. Used to carry cases to and from his stash sites, dropped a case once - suffered consequences of that. But never carried anymore cases for him. My stepfather was an alcoholic. He died in a car crash, driving drunk.
I had one six pack of my latest brew remaining, and while I was at work my stepfather came up to where I lived in Ohio. A hot July day, and when I walked in the door from work I went straight for my fridge for a bottle, and they were all gone
I walked out to my deck, and my stepfather was propped up in the corner of my deck, with a stream of drool all the way down to the deck flooring. I can understand him drinking it all because it tasted so good!
Then I took a job in Detroit, made another batch and all the bottles started exploding - I'd failed in the sanitary needs. That was '94 and I haven't made a batch since.
There's no further excuse for getting back into brewing except laziness, and it is work intensive.
But it tasted so good!
