Damn too bad it's still early 'cause I could really go for one now.

I didn't think twice about cracking a beer when I woke up. Sometimes I wish I did, but damn do I enjoy it.

I've helped family members make wine and it was just meh for me

I like that it's easy and right now I'm fermenting a couple expired juices that were going to be tossed so it's nice not to waste. My results haven't been awe inspiring, generally I produce something that tastes like an inexpensive dry white wine, but that's still booze I didn't have to pay for. And I've had a few successes that were rather tasty.

The downside, of course, was it just made me even more of an insufferable beer snob.

My wife is trying to make me into a beer snob. She often insists I get craft beers when I'd be satisfied with cheap gas station beer. I guess at 40yrs old she thinks it's time I stop drinking 40s.

I agree there's a lot of crappy craft beer. I generally avoid IPAs, brewers who go nuts with hops, and most citrus ones just because there's so many bad examples of those out there.

My favorite beer is one called Devil's Backbone, it's an 8% unfiltered Belgium Tripel made by a local company called Real Ale. They have some good stuff, the company. Other locals Karbachi and No Name Brewing Co. are good too (been to that one).

I have to confess I've never heard of lactofermented hot sauces, it sounds intriguing. Especially since I'm also a hot sauce snob

They're nice, gives the sauce a more complex flavor. The lactic acid produced, when done right, will get the sauce to a shelf stable pH, adds tang without vinegar, and it's not difficult. It's also a probiotic and you know it's a live culture because you made it. All you have to do is keep your peppers and whatever else you're adding (carrots, onions, garlic, etc.) submerged in a brine. I use a 4% pickling salt solution but some people do less. Table salt, even iodized salt, works too but it can make the brine cloudy and it's not as visually appealing.

Takes about 2 weeks min to finish, although you can age it for months or even years, and you'll see it start bubbling in as little as 24hrs. When done, I blend the fruit with a little brine for consistency and a tiny amount of xanthan gum to keep it from seperating.