Of course! I enjoy talking beer with everyone that has a passion for it. I'm sure you'll be able to make your aspiration happen if you keep working at it - most of the brewers I know started as homebrewers too (myself included).

I haven't used cookies in beer before, but I have used cake (with no frosting) and I didn't have any issues with it. I think you can skip actual cookies, but a little biscuit malt might add a little more cookie flavor.

Yeah, one of the local brewers uses 1728 on a lot of his beers and he gets great clarity. He also has a really tasty coffee porter that I'm pretty sure he uses 1728 on as well.

Definitely stop by whenever you make it to Seattle - I'd be happy to give you a tour of the brewery! It's been a long while since I've used horny goat weed in a beer, but Peanut Butter Stout gets made pretty regularly - people ask about it a lot when it's not on tap.