For my birthday yesterday, my wife helped me brew the blue moon extract kit I got from Austins. The WLP 400 liquid yeast was a little more that a week past its best by date, so I made a 1.5 liter starter on Saturday and the krausen on the starter was just starting to fall by the time we were ready to pitch. She had fun with it, maintaining the temp while steeping, adding the hops and spices,etc. She even saved the spent steeping grains and is going to make some bread with them. Also got to try out my new IC, using it in a sink full of cold water, we got it down to 80 F in about 10 minutes. She whipped up a cheese cloth strainer for the funnel to catch the hop and spice chunks. By the time we added the make up water we had it down to 68-70 and pitched the whole starter into the carboy at about 2:30. By 6:30 already had about 1/2" of krausen and this morning about 2".
A good brew day with my wife helping and enjoying it too, a couple of bottles of almond champagne, and a delicious german chocolate cake = a damn good birthday. :rockin:
A good brew day with my wife helping and enjoying it too, a couple of bottles of almond champagne, and a delicious german chocolate cake = a damn good birthday. :rockin:
