Today is my first true day off in two weeks, so I'm brewing! A kolsch like beer for the summer. If I get done early I might do a batch of Centennial ale as well. We'll see how time goes. I'd love to have time to take a disco nap before I see Star Trek tonight.
This thread will be a step by step of my brew day. I just realized I should have gotten the camera out early.
5:00 am. Alarm goes off. I says to my self, "Self, what kind of Y^(&*& sadist are you. It's your day off, go back to sleep." I hit snooze instead of off.
5:20. After hitting snooze again and laying there debating about it, I get out of bed and stumble downstairs.
Instead of coffee, I grab a homebrew, an American red ale, if you were wondering. Pretty good breakfast on the day off if you ask me. I pull the pork shoulder out of the fridge to warm up. Two days ago it got a vinegar soak, and a dry rub. Yesterday it got a mustard coat. Today it gets smoked.
I wonder out back, and fire up the smoker. It's a Brinkman R2D2 upright. The Big Green Egg is on my Christmas list every year, but nobody has bought it for me. I'm saving my pennies for it.
Back inside I start the wet mop. Water, brown sugar, honey, cayenne, salt, pepper, cumin and splash of homebrew go into the pot to reduce down.
5:40 The charcoal is nice and hot so the pork and the chunks of soaked wood go on the smoker. Also the liquid goes into the smoker pan. An another splash of homebrew to make it better.
5:45 I head to the basement to check on the batch I brewed Friday. (Sacc's ale from this post. I used S-05 btw.) While I'm down in the basement, I decide to clean up the beer area, and get ready for the kolsch. I figure I might need a temp controller to chill the fermenter. The batch that's down there is sitting at 62* now, before the day warms up. I want to keep the kolsh about 60*. Do I build SOFC, or just an extra ice chiller box with a spare aquarium pump and some tubing? I'd need to buy more styro board, so it looks like the pump idea will be the one.
6:10. It sounds like my roommates are bringing a heard of elephants through the house. I decide to go up and see what's going on.
Two steps up the stairs I hear the squawk of a Motorola and know what's up. I open the basement door to 4 firefighters going toward the backyard.
"Hey Guys. It's a smoker." I follow them outside and open the top to show them the pork. The lead guy gets on the radio and says "Chief, It's just a pork shoulder on a smoker." I think I saw him lick his lips. I look and see there's firefighters in every yard. Our yard and the neighbors' are all separated by fences. So everyone on the block had firefighters tromp through their houses at 6am! I'll have to apologize later. Looks like I'll have to bottle some homebrew for everyone on the block. Except the asshat who called 911. Look to see the source of the smoke first.
6:20. The fire guys leave and I realize I didn't get the camera out yet.
Now it's time to go check the pork, cleanup the kitchen a bit and go back to bed for a few hours.
More later, including pics.
B
This thread will be a step by step of my brew day. I just realized I should have gotten the camera out early.
5:00 am. Alarm goes off. I says to my self, "Self, what kind of Y^(&*& sadist are you. It's your day off, go back to sleep." I hit snooze instead of off.
5:20. After hitting snooze again and laying there debating about it, I get out of bed and stumble downstairs.
Instead of coffee, I grab a homebrew, an American red ale, if you were wondering. Pretty good breakfast on the day off if you ask me. I pull the pork shoulder out of the fridge to warm up. Two days ago it got a vinegar soak, and a dry rub. Yesterday it got a mustard coat. Today it gets smoked.
I wonder out back, and fire up the smoker. It's a Brinkman R2D2 upright. The Big Green Egg is on my Christmas list every year, but nobody has bought it for me. I'm saving my pennies for it.
Back inside I start the wet mop. Water, brown sugar, honey, cayenne, salt, pepper, cumin and splash of homebrew go into the pot to reduce down.
5:40 The charcoal is nice and hot so the pork and the chunks of soaked wood go on the smoker. Also the liquid goes into the smoker pan. An another splash of homebrew to make it better.
5:45 I head to the basement to check on the batch I brewed Friday. (Sacc's ale from this post. I used S-05 btw.) While I'm down in the basement, I decide to clean up the beer area, and get ready for the kolsch. I figure I might need a temp controller to chill the fermenter. The batch that's down there is sitting at 62* now, before the day warms up. I want to keep the kolsh about 60*. Do I build SOFC, or just an extra ice chiller box with a spare aquarium pump and some tubing? I'd need to buy more styro board, so it looks like the pump idea will be the one.
6:10. It sounds like my roommates are bringing a heard of elephants through the house. I decide to go up and see what's going on.
Two steps up the stairs I hear the squawk of a Motorola and know what's up. I open the basement door to 4 firefighters going toward the backyard.
"Hey Guys. It's a smoker." I follow them outside and open the top to show them the pork. The lead guy gets on the radio and says "Chief, It's just a pork shoulder on a smoker." I think I saw him lick his lips. I look and see there's firefighters in every yard. Our yard and the neighbors' are all separated by fences. So everyone on the block had firefighters tromp through their houses at 6am! I'll have to apologize later. Looks like I'll have to bottle some homebrew for everyone on the block. Except the asshat who called 911. Look to see the source of the smoke first.
6:20. The fire guys leave and I realize I didn't get the camera out yet.
Now it's time to go check the pork, cleanup the kitchen a bit and go back to bed for a few hours.
More later, including pics.
B