Back in May, Roxanne and I entered a couple of our homebrews into a competition that was being held by the brewpub and the homebrew store in Corvallis. One of our entries won the competition (out of 39 entries total). On Sunday June 26, I got to go down to Block15 in Corvallis to help in the brewing of our competition-winning entry. It was really cool to see their brewing equipment and setup, and the brew with and learn from the brewmaster at Block15. The finished beer should make it on tap some time in late July. Unfortunately I didn't get many pictures from the brew day, but a few are below.
-Brandon
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| The Mash Tun. The grains (malted barley) are mixed with hot water to convert the starches in the grain into sugars. |
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| We then extract the sugary liquid (wort) from the Mash Tun into the Boil Kettle and bring the wort to a boil. |
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| Hops are added at different times during the boil to provide bitterness, flavor, and aroma. |
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| Spent grains. We scooped them out into buckets, then later a local farmer collects them to feed their cows. |
This year is Taiwan's centennial. 
Me next to one of the lions guarding the museum entrance.
Our group had lunch after the museum. Tali and Christina are two other American students visiting to do research this summer.
Inside the Shilin Night Market which offered many different cheap snacks.
Taipei 101 was the world's tallest building from 2004 to 2009 (when Dubai's Burj Khalifa was built). It is 508 m tall with 101 floors and designed to look like a stalk of bamboo. The building is able to withstand the frequent earthquakes and tropical storms that occur in Taiwan. 
This is the view from the indoor observatory on the 89th floor. The world's fastest elevator took me up in only 37 seconds. 
At the outdoor observatory on the 91st floor.
Pottery shop
Hsing (a student who helped with the orientation) and me.
A kiln in the museum
Our group sort of standing around in the street.
