I keg now! I finally got up the stones to actually use the kegs I have...cleaned three out with PBW, rinsed the heck out of them, filled the first one with sanitizer and let it sit for 15 minutes (or so), and then pushed the sanitizer to the next keg with CO2, effectively purging the keg at the same time! Great idea, Dale...works like a champ! Filled keg #1 with Heavyweight Barleywine and keg #2 with American Stout (yet to be named).
Put 20PSI on the Barleywine and it will sit for a while (I'll keep an eye on the pressure), and the American Stout is on 10PSI while sitting in the fridge...it is carbonating (hopefully) and will be drinkable in the next day or two!
So, that was Saturday...Sunday wasn't nearly as exciting. I took the 4+ cases of unused bottles I had in the basement and de-labelled them all! Now, I have nothing but clean bottles at the ready in case I need to bottle anything.
Good weekend, overall...and I can't wait until I get to keg something else! The cider should be ready to go soon...
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Brewing Area
So, the area of the basement that is now known as the "Brew Room" is getting a little updating finally! I bought another set of shelves to put all my brewing gear on and I have a lot more stuff organized and straightened up. I am really happy with the progress down there and really can't wait until we decide to start taking the bathroom down there apart and start putting up walls! Granted, I will lose a little space because we are planning on increasing the bathroom's size a little and we will be putting up walls, so I can't spill out like I do now...but that is a small sacrifice! We will be finishing the basement probably in the next year - a little at a time.
I have set up my old dorm fridge, which will be for commercial beer storage and the current beer fridge will be converted to the kegerator. I will have three taps flowing soon...I am hoping by December! Since I don't have any real walls down there now (other than the bathroom), I don't have anything hung up yet. However, I have been thinking about putting up a couple of my signs or mirrors, though, just to give it a little more of that bar feel! I will hang them on the small wall outside of the bathroom and IN the bathroom (after a good cleaning and perhaps a quick coat of paint).
That's all I have for now...hoping to brew something in the next week or two, just need to think of what I want on tap!
I have set up my old dorm fridge, which will be for commercial beer storage and the current beer fridge will be converted to the kegerator. I will have three taps flowing soon...I am hoping by December! Since I don't have any real walls down there now (other than the bathroom), I don't have anything hung up yet. However, I have been thinking about putting up a couple of my signs or mirrors, though, just to give it a little more of that bar feel! I will hang them on the small wall outside of the bathroom and IN the bathroom (after a good cleaning and perhaps a quick coat of paint).
That's all I have for now...hoping to brew something in the next week or two, just need to think of what I want on tap!
Monday, November 1, 2010
More Experiments...
Was going through some of the stuff in my brew "room" yesterday and I got a couple ideas for MORE experiments! I'll run down the recipe for the "winner" for you...
Spiced Peach Cider -
1/2 Gallon Peach Cider
1/2 Gallon Indian Summer Cider
1 Tsp. Ground Ginger
3 Each Cloves (whole)
1 Each 5" Cinnamon Stick (Ceylon)
3/4 Pound Brown Sugar (Light)
12 Ounces Old Orchard Apple Juice Concentrate
White Labs WLP775 English Cider
Think I will be starting this one by Wednesday night. I am itching to have more things fermenting in the basement...it doesn't look enough like the lab of a mad scientist yet!
Haven't started this one yet, but I will be by the end of the month. I am currently working on getting my kegging setup going and also working on the beers, meads and cider I currently have fermenting! Don't worry...it'll be soon.
11/11/10 - Started this tonight...I was racking off meads, which are doing great, and decided it was time. We'll see how it goes once it goes!
Spiced Peach Cider -
1/2 Gallon Peach Cider
1/2 Gallon Indian Summer Cider
1 Tsp. Ground Ginger
3 Each Cloves (whole)
1 Each 5" Cinnamon Stick (Ceylon)
3/4 Pound Brown Sugar (Light)
12 Ounces Old Orchard Apple Juice Concentrate
White Labs WLP775 English Cider
Think I will be starting this one by Wednesday night. I am itching to have more things fermenting in the basement...it doesn't look enough like the lab of a mad scientist yet!
Haven't started this one yet, but I will be by the end of the month. I am currently working on getting my kegging setup going and also working on the beers, meads and cider I currently have fermenting! Don't worry...it'll be soon.
11/11/10 - Started this tonight...I was racking off meads, which are doing great, and decided it was time. We'll see how it goes once it goes!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tonight's Activities
I am going to finally bottle the Mandarin Methomel...it got quite shaken up during it's trip up the stairs this weekend, so it was delayed by a few days. It still isn't as pretty as it was before moving it, but it will finish clearing (again) in the bottles!!
Also, I am going to start batch #2 of the White Grape Pyment that won a 3rd place at last year's HHHC. I am going to use Sage Blossom Honey this time (no Cactus Blossom on hand), and will quite possibly add a little less than last time...in the area of 2.5 pounds versus 3. I want the grape character to shine through a little bit more.
And third, I am going to start yet another new experiment...the "Sublime Lemon-Lime Mead" will being it's journey this evening. Here's the recipes for each:
White Grape Pyment -
2.5 - 3 pounds Sage Blossom Honey (Northern Brewer)
1 gallon Wild Organics White Grape Juice (Shop 'n Save)
1/4 tsp. Fermaid-K
Lalvin D-47 yeast
Sublime Lemon-Lime Mead -
3(ish) pounds Orange Blossom Honey
1 (64 oz.) Minute Maid Limeade concentrate (Shop 'n Save)
1 (64 oz.) Minute Maid Lemonade concentrate (Shop 'n Save)
1/4 tsp. Fermaid-K
Red Star Montrachet yeast
Hopefully all goes well!
Update: as of 7:00a 10-28-10, they were both fermenting well! AND...
The Mandarin Methomel is not too bad! It has a slight flavor of the spices and is honey forward. Overall very subtle and drier than most of my others lately, finishing at a 1.008. This one may do some good in competition next year!
Also, I am going to start batch #2 of the White Grape Pyment that won a 3rd place at last year's HHHC. I am going to use Sage Blossom Honey this time (no Cactus Blossom on hand), and will quite possibly add a little less than last time...in the area of 2.5 pounds versus 3. I want the grape character to shine through a little bit more.
And third, I am going to start yet another new experiment...the "Sublime Lemon-Lime Mead" will being it's journey this evening. Here's the recipes for each:
White Grape Pyment -
2.5 - 3 pounds Sage Blossom Honey (Northern Brewer)
1 gallon Wild Organics White Grape Juice (Shop 'n Save)
1/4 tsp. Fermaid-K
Lalvin D-47 yeast
Sublime Lemon-Lime Mead -
3(ish) pounds Orange Blossom Honey
1 (64 oz.) Minute Maid Limeade concentrate (Shop 'n Save)
1 (64 oz.) Minute Maid Lemonade concentrate (Shop 'n Save)
1/4 tsp. Fermaid-K
Red Star Montrachet yeast
Hopefully all goes well!
Update: as of 7:00a 10-28-10, they were both fermenting well! AND...
The Mandarin Methomel is not too bad! It has a slight flavor of the spices and is honey forward. Overall very subtle and drier than most of my others lately, finishing at a 1.008. This one may do some good in competition next year!
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