Chapter 50

Old Ale Wheat Ale

Brewer’s Reputation: 676.

Dream Cutter Stone Shard Quest: 13,300/15,000 shards.

Thick logs burned with tall flames in the fire pit. Since we were between meals, the fire was for leisure. Because the wood was so dry, the fire was smokeless. Flames ripped the air when the wind strengthened. The canopy shook. Early autumnal leaves fell free from on high. The trees swayed so much that I considered whether the wind preceded a storm.

We had food, shelter; and Abigail was armed with innumerable Shelter attribute recipes. But in whose shelter would we seek comfort? Hers? Mine?

On a double billy goat recipe, I used my level 1999 Alchemical Control skill and my level 582 Imbue Memory skill.

The fire crackled as it rushed. The logs collapsed in a slow dance. The wind hushed through tree leaves. A pair of goldfinches flew so fast, that for a moment it looked like they each dragged yellow ribbons. A gray catbird trilled in the height of a pine. Crisp yellow-green leaves fell into the thicket of flowers. Midday heat cooled when gray clouds swooped over the forest. The smell of caramelized grapes and fresh date paste conjured autumnal pastimes. Ethereal ingredients evoked memories that belonged to some earlier time, some earlier place, some earlier state of mind. I couldn’t place the nostalgia. …A simple lonesome walk along an unfrequented park trail…

[End Memory]

The double billy goat lager smelled like I’d just torn open a fresh white fig. The foam was Creamed Shaved Ice and it held notes of orange peel, coriander, and wild, young ginger. The beer was dark, like wet wood, and it tasted like chocolate and sugar-liquor cake.

Was it the flavors of cake that made me want to celebrate such a fantastic beer by continuing to brew throughout the next few hours, armed with mana beer?

Beer after beer, I pushed my Force Carbonation skill as far as I could. Several beers exploded from Brewer’s Bubble. Rivulets of beer dripped from the roof of my cabin, down tree trunks, and hid as dew on the petals of Abigail’s flowers. I was thoroughly drenched. Foam melted into the earth and sprinkled with protest upon the fire. Forced Carbonation reached level 1852.

I brewed the coldest beers that I could with Brewer’s Chill. Although I had been able to bring its level to 1995, it didn’t come without cost. I lost almost all the beer to overusing that skill. I dropped ice globe after ice globe until I was able to produce one of my coldest beers so far. It was arctic. Ice crystals had begun to form around the silver boot that I tried the beer in. I was only 4 levels away from maxing out Brewer’s Chill.

Flash Ferment was also getting closer to the silver rank max of 1999. I brought it up to 1961. After a break and a few sips of Mana beer, I put all my energy into using Flash Ferment to the best of my ability. I had to be careful with time and temperature, and I again lost a few beers in the process to undesirable flavors. The failed brews brought me back to my first few days of brewing beer in my cabin. I couldn’t help but smile at having progressed so far in such a short time. I couldn’t believe that humans and monsters and besties were enjoying my beers.

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Throughout the Ages reached level 1951. Not only did the color of the beers darken when I used Throughout the Ages, but the flavors completely changed. Fruity notes transformed like they’d undergone baking. Floral notes nearly dissipated. The fresh resinous flavors of hops became more earthy. Malts became sweeter, smoother. Beers which were better enjoyed fresh ended up bland. Hardier, darker beers ended up mature—as though the flavors could be worn like a shoe and broken in with a good walk.

And since I was drenched, I went with the Erupting Streams Foam Cascade sub skill. Foam Cascade leveled to 1708; Erupting Streams leveled to 142.

What a rush it was to see some skills hit the 1900s!

It was early evening by the time I decided to brew my last beer of the day. I was almost too exhausted, but I wanted to give another proper try to brewing a Golden Chapter beer.

After a brief break of water, onion soup, a chat with Abigail, and some meditation, I began. I spent nearly a full hour meditating on what recipe to brew: an olde wheat ale. I wanted to mix the dark strong ale style with a usually fresh beer. I took a deep breath; then used my skills.

[Brewer’s Harvest Level 1829.]

[Fire and Roast Level 1873.]

[Brewer’s Bubble Level 1999.]

[Mash Master Level 1973.]

[Hop Wallop Level 1999.]

[Brewer’s Chill Level 1995.]

[Kiss of Yeast Level 1987.]

[Flash Ferment Level 1961.]

[Foam Cascade Level 1733.]

[Sleeping Fox Familiar sub skill Level 185.]

I aged the beer for just shy of a decade’s time.

[Throughout the Ages Level 1951.]

Abigail appeared from a trail in the woods. She dumped firewood from her inventory in the piles beside the fire pit. She withdrew her hands into her cardigan sleeves and joined by on the large logs.

“How’d it go?” she said.

“No notification, but let’s see.”

“Mugs? Your silver boots? Something more appropriate?”

“It’s an olde wheat ale.”

“You aged a wheat ale. Interesting. Brewery Leap’n Leak does that. Quite a difficult feat for an attempt at a golden chapter.”

“It’s a mix of wanting to have fun and trying to push my skills.”

“...How about a lidded tankard? I only have one. I’m still searching for a matching one.”

The lidded tankard was nearly the size of my head. The metal was heavily tarnished. Chips of yellow semi precious stones were arranged in patterns that resemble wheat sheafs. The sheafs circled the tankard at the top, the middle, and the base. Abigail rinsed it out and thumbed the lid open. I poured the beer in. Fluffs of white foam stirred. A fox made of foam leaped out of the lid that swung open with a clang. It leapt over the fire, and the heat carried it up the forest canopy. The fox’s form maintained true long enough for it to scuttle across a high branch. Firelight clung to the underside of the canopy. I lost sight of the fox in the shadows.

“It’s your beer. You should enjoy it first,” said Abigail.

I thumbed the lid open and sipped.

[Hawkin’s Olde Wheat Ale.]

[Silver rank. 38/100 Grand Honorable.]

[Aged for nearly a decade, this beer marries the freshness of a classic wheat ale with the mature developed flavors of an old ale. The banana esters, classic to the wheat ale, have almost vanished. Instead, a lingering bouquet of baked currants remains. The foam is legendary! This oddity is currently Brewery Hawkin’s best beer to date.]

[Special Attribute: None.]

All that effort had only earned me 1 level up the Grand Honorable quality ladder. …And it was not a Golden Chapter beer.