New brew

I'm trying to make a new beer that is in the primary fermenter. It is a wheat-based beer that I will add blueberry juice to. Hopefully it will turn out good! Should be ready in about three weeks... we'll see!!

Brewing Day!

So the last time I brewed was about a year ago... My poor beer making tools have been lying unused since then! Oh the shame! So I had a chance to go down and buy my supplies from the local homebrew shop. Nice guy--pretty knowledgeable and he helped me get what I needed. This time around it will be an apricot wheat beer. I am really looking forward to how this will turn out! Although it won't be ready for the Paschal celebration, it should be done soon after. 7-10 days for the first fermentation and another 7-10 days in the secondary fermenter, then another 7-10 days to bottle condition it. Should be lovely!

This time, I also was able to invest a little in a wort (pronounced wert) chiller. I bought some copper tubing, a couple of fittings, some clear tubing, and a few hose clamps and voila! Homemade wort chiller! I made it for about half the cost they were wanting for them in the store!

Next, I boiled my grains for about 30 minutes, removed them, added 6 2/3# malt extract, brought it to a boil, added 1 2/3 oz hops for bittering, and boiled for about an hour.

Finally, I added the last bit of hops right at the end for a little aroma, and chilled it down with my new immersion chiller. I added cold water to help bring down the temp, enough to make a little over 5 gallons, then put it in the primary fermenter after pitching in the yeast.

In a week or so, on to the secondary fermenter for clarification! :) Cheers!

To Fish or Make Beer?

My new job will hopefully begin next week. In the meantime, since it is Spring break for the college kids, my job working with my wife is on hold since a college kid will be doing what I normally do. So, I have this week to do some fun stuff!

I decided that today I am going to make some homebrew! First time in over a year since I have had the time, money, and space to make it! While my original plan was to have it ready by Pascha, it is too late in the game to have it ready by that time (it usually takes about three weeks from boil to bottle for it to be drinkable). So, I think this time around, I want to make a wheat-style beer with either apricot or peach flavors. It will be very tasty, a full flavor in the mouth, yet light on the palate. Mmm! Can't wait! I will be documenting it later on today! Cheers!