Salvaging the Hobby

[ericbw]

Citra is pretty amazing.

 

[ericbw]

And that looks nicely carbed!!

 

[TheCADJockey]

I think I'm pretty in love with citra. It definitely has little Sierra Nevada pale ale to it. I was surprised at the head and carb from only one week.

Looking forward to making something this weekend now that it's not brutally hot in my house.

 

[Hello]

I gave it an extra day in the fridge, just opened it after work. I think this makes day 10 in bottle.

View attachment 226907

It's amazing. Nothing I have made previously compares. Mildly bitter hop taste, killer citrus notes... Maybe a little edge on it ? Don't know how to describe it but very interested to see following week how it tastes.

I wish I had chilled more. Could not be happier.

I'm so very happy for you man!

 

[fuzzy2133]

Welcome back to the addiction!

 

[kh54s10]

Welcome back, I think that when you get a taste of that brew after a couple more weeks you will really be (re)hooked.

Now that you have fermentation temperature control, get another one going asap. They will disappear faster than you think.

I just had a gap in my brew schedule due to family visiting and fear I may run out of the 2 on tap right now before the next is ready. I got a chest freezer and brewed an Octoberfest 2 days ago and an experimental ale today. It is a pale ale with EXP 5256 for first wort hops and EXP 5256 and Citra at flameout.

 

[TheCADJockey]

I know I need to get one going ASAP. I've got everything to do a SMaSH with the hops from the garden and was considering grabbing the ingredients to try Apflewein for the first time just to get two things going. I'm just not sure what the deal is with Apflewein, people seem to rave about it but not sure if it's down my alley. But maybe the fiance will like it.

 

[fosaisu]

I know I need to get one going ASAP. I've got everything to do a SMaSH with the hops from the garden

A note re: home-grown hops. Just did my first brew with those using a buddy's back yard supply. We followed the often-given advice to use pellets for bittering and dry hopping, and use the home-grown only for aroma and flavor additions. We harvested maybe half an hour before throwing them into the brew. They add a tremendous amount of volume to the brew kettle so you need to be prepared for that (not a big deal, just expect to spend 20 mins scooping them out as the wort cools). Also -- and I'm sure this depends on how dry your hops are -- they absorb a tremendous amount of wort (we lost 2 gallons out of an 11 gallon batch to hop absorption). Neither of these is in any way a deal breaker, just something to be aware of as they add complications and places for potential worry to your brew day.

and was considering grabbing the ingredients to try Apflewein for the first time just to get two things going. I'm just not sure what the deal is with Apflewein, people seem to rave about it but not sure if it's down my alley. But maybe the fiance will like it.

I haven't tried EdWort's Apflewein but like most ciders it has the virtue of being super-quick and easy since there's no boil. Just toss the ingredients into the carboy, shake, add yeast and away it goes. The Apflewein will be relatively high ABV and very dry because of all the sugar and the champagne yeast (more like a wine than a pint of British cider). So you could also consider starting with a more traditional cider (good recipe in this thread, recipe calls for 6-months of bulk aging but I just kegged ~ 25 days after starting fermentation and find it quite pleasant already).

 

[TheCADJockey]

Excellent Fosaisu! The only kind of wine I like is dry so aflewein does sound like it might be my style. I have quite the boring taste in drinks. As far as the home grown hops go, being I was still in the process of my first beer since restarting I didn't get to use the hops fresh so they are frozen in vacuum sealed 3oz baggies. I had heard they can absorb a lot of wort so thought maybe throwing them in frozen wouldn't hurt. Also after doing that partial mash with the brew bag I bought, I don't know if i'll do it any other way. It was so easy to clean up/strain/sparge. I'm pumped.

Got the carboy cleaned and its filled with starsan before work so the hope is, after work I can dump it into my bucket, sanitize everything else and be ready to go! Still need a wort chiller though, just hemorrhaging money with wedding coming soon lol.