What I did for beer today

The last couple of days have been pretty good "beer days" for me. Yesterday I kegged an Imperial IPA (my first original recipe and first keg), purchased grains and hops for my next brew - a robust porter - and started a yeast starter on my homemade stir plate. Today I fertilized my hop plants, racked a two week old blond (my first AG and BIAB) to a secondary to free up my primary for the porter (need more ale pails), and installed a ball valve on an old cooler I am converting to a mash tun. I also bought the parts to make a CPVC manifold. I really liked doing the BIAB but my brew kettle is a converted Golden Gate keg and the opening is only about 10" - kind of tough getting a bunch of hot, wet grain in a voile bag out of the kettle after the mash. The next couple of days look to be pretty good "beer days" as well - build the manifold, brew a porter, and purchase another corney keg.

Busy days for you! Congrats on all the accomplishments!

Took some gravity readings last night, going to try and bottle before this weekend.

I'm following the fermentation of the barleywine I brewed on Sunday VERY closely. At 12%, it's much higher than anything else I have ever brewed and I'm standing by with a pound of corn sugar for each carboy if it stalls. Should be taking a reading tonight to see where I am.

Wish me luck... I'm skeered!!

Brought a box of beer to work to ship to a stinking Predators fan. At least I have the satisfaction of knowing the preds only made it to the second round...

Tonight I attend a pre-opening tasting event put on by Crankers Brewery in Big Rapids. Mug Club members Only, so suck it you guys!

Working out when I can start hanging string for my hops plants who are starting to look pretty desperate for it!

Last night I cleaned up the rest of my mess from Saturday's brew day. I also transferred a Wheat IPA to secondary to dry hop. With that I harvested 3 pints of 1056 from primary.

Then I drank a homebrew.

Moving to Oregon. Brewed my final batch in Idaho over the weekend (on Saturday), and moved all my "front end" (mash tun, kettle, wort chiller) equipment to a family member's garage on Sunday.

Once my ***** Creek clone and my Honey Bee Summer Ale are keggable, they too will be brought to the "west side". Hopefully I can nail down a place to live asap so I can keep the pipeline flowing with a fresh brew in a new living space

Stared at my hops, swore they grew a little bit while I watched

Transferred Southeast Asian Wit to keg.

Will probably end up bottling the rest of my Sahti from the keg to make room in the keezer.

Visited a homebrew store I had ordered from online but never been to and picked up a bunch of specialty grains and some yeast. I also ordered the disconnects I needed and the stainless hose barbs I need since they didn't have either in store. I also cleaned up one of my ale pails since I only have one better bottle and one carboy and I need three batches to get done this weekend.

Racked my first attempt at scottland's DFH 90 Minute clone to a keg. Can't wait to try it in a few days (ok... maybe a week).

Sniffed at the bubbles coming out of my Flying Dog IPA clone from the fermenter...went to work, came home with dinner, sat it down, and then went to check my beer again before eating. Call me crazy but nothing smells better than a fermenting IPA

Went to my first homebrew club meeting. Had my Oberon clone critiqued. Good feedback. Not bad for only my second brew!

Made a manifold for my cooler mash tun and drank a few home brews.

Checked my two recently planted rhizomes for signs of life.



It's alllliiiivvve!

Drank homebrew.
Checked on my three fermenting batches.
Called various welders on pricing for modifying my banjo cooker (raising the burner closer to the top).
Debated on when to brew my next batch(s), Thinking of next wednesday

I watched the bubbles in my apple pear cinnamon cider.

Tore apart my Barley Crusher and cleaned it
Milled grain for this weekend's Vienna
Dumped a half keg of 3 year old barleywine to make room for a Green Flash IPA clone

Louie said:

Dumped a half keg of 3 year old barleywine to make room for a Green Flash IPA clone

Click to expand...

Louie said:

Dumped a half keg of 3 year old barleywine to make room for a Green Flash IPA clone

Click to expand...

I do not support this type of behavior.

Drove 40 miles round trip over my lunch hour to score 2 bottles of Pliney and get them securely nestled in my fridge at home. Going to enjoy them while brewing a DFH 60 Minute clone tonight!

Introduced my coworkers to corked beers.

Brewed a batch of cream ale for mom. And drank about 6 beers in the process

Continued to clean equipment. I've been lazy, yet I want everything clean sooner rather than the night before I brew again.

Just received my basic brewing kit from Midwest Supply (thanks Groupon). Delabeled Some bottles and triple checking that I have acquired everything that I will need to brew my first batch Saturday. I Cant wait to get addicted to this hobby.

davekippen said:

Went to my first homebrew club meeting. Had my Oberon clone critiqued. Good feedback. Not bad for only my second brew!

Click to expand...

I'm originally from Michigan but living in Hawaii now and can't get Oberon. I would love to have this recipe. I'm new to brewing too. Brewing my first batch Saturday. Thanks in advance

I came home from a week on the road, and checked my sweet new brew before I said hi, and kissed my sweet loving nice great awesome fantastic girl!! She was mad! are u happy beer? Damn it I have two girl friends! But one Is not a girl its a beer

I emptied my bladder to make room for more beer!

got the stuff to brew my milk chocolate stout. Just got to bottle my last batch to make room for it now

I understand the concern, but it just wasn't that good of a barleywine...

Kegged my first batch of BM's Centennial Blond this morning and am slowly cleaning the equipment I didn't finish cleaning yesterday after brewing a batch of porter. I also have to clean the carboy that held the blond. I better wait another hour until noon and then beer will make it all better on this beautiful day in Portland.

This weekend, I'm upgrading a kegerator that I bought recently. I got in a new triple tap tower yesterday, and today I received my new regulator, five way co2 manifold, and ball lock connectors. I'll actually have a total of 5 taps on this kegerator, as it will have two towers on it. I also have an additional 3 tap kegerator, so I'll have a total of 8 taps at end state.

Bought 60 oz of those really hard to locate hops today, quite set for awhile!

Cleaned up the yeast slurry that had shot out of my growler of starter and leaked onto my counter. I hope there is still enough to have a decent pitch. I also cleaned some bottles, received my 2nd keg in the mail, and I put watered my hops. Now I am drinking my saison and relaxing!

Bought a dozen 16 oz bottles for .20c each. Then into supermarket (which has a great selection) and bought some beers I haven't tried yet. Now sitting in front of a open fire drinking a double chocolate stout

Drank some Grolsch so I can re-use the bottles. The beer wasn't that good, but the bottles rock!

Fixed my lager fridge saved my brew.

Ran by the bottle shop. Picked up two favs, and two I hadn't had before.

Bottled up my California Common and got my jars ready to wash the yeast tomorrow.

ordered 6 lbs of hops from hopsdirect. will be here middle next week. got a brew weekend coming up next week to refill empty fermenters