Another Successful Run

At least so far. Its been fermenting pretty good for about 3 days. This was the first time I adjusted the recipe with some honey, used a bucket, and a different sanitizer. I've also got it fermenting on the floor next to an outside wall. Hopefully that keeps it a lil cooler than the other place I fermented.

One thing that bugs me is that I've read 2 books and countless instructions and they all say wait to pitch till 68-76 and put it in a cool dark place. What the hell does "cool" mean. My first two batches were in a place that the fermentation got up to 78 to 79 and may be the cause of some flavors that I think are off.

It seems like a simple concept to tell people to adjust the temperature, so why is it not in any beginning books or on the recipes?

Anyway, I had another great day brewing and was able to show a friend the process. If your curious about it check out my blog.


Homebrewing - The Fourth Experiment

I plan to leave this one in the fermenter for prolly 3 weeks as per suggestions on these forums. I'm curious!

Thanks guys.

I have read thousands of threads and reply's about recipes, grains, yeasts, temperatures,pitching,wort, og, fg,hydrometer's, refractors, thermometers, and hundreds of other scenarios with the making of something to drink called "Beer"

What I would like to know is how in the hell did the Trappists Monks and the Huns make beer with nothing more than a clay pot, some grains and cool place to ferment. This thing called brewing is been traced back thousands of years before Christ I am all for good sanitation but some of these steps seem to be just a little overboard.

Have you ever read a recipe with measurements like 6.8 lbs of this grain 3.7 of another 7/8 oz of hops 11 gr of yeast and on and on and on. The Monks probably used the same wooden spoon for measuring everything including stiring. And how did they know what the temperature was, they have some lines or Roman Numerals on their finger?

I am just a small batch brewer so maybe it is different than making ten gallons but when I want to put in a pound of steeping grains I just eyeball it. Haven't thrown out a batch yet. Same with yeast, put the whole package in and quit worrying about the bubbles coming out the lid. A lot of people started with cheap beer kits with just a screw on lid and couldn't see any bubbles. Waited two weeks and bottled it. When the Hordes from the North made a Larger how did they know to lower the temperature 5 Degree's a day to get to 51 Degree's ferment for two weeks and then bring it back up 5 degree's a day for a rest and then down to 34 Degree's for 6 weeks? I think we make this hobby just a little complicated.

True but the complication makes us feel smart and in control!

Agreed.

I've been reading a bit and seeing videos of craft brewers taking it back to open fermenters and non-hospitalized sterilized rooms to brew in. Especially those crazy Belgians.

So you make a good point. "Relax, have a homebrew."