My first all-grain homebrew day

[jeff]

You know I didn't, but I did taste the yeast culture before adding it. I didn't want nasty yeast screwing up all that work.

[Paradox]

Looks awesome so far Jeff. Man, I can tell Bob was right, don't even try doing this in the little palce I'm in right now. Once I get into a house around here (don't ask, hosuees are over a mill around here right now!) I definately want to try making my own brew. Keep us informed along the way! Oh and save some for the festival for me and Bob!

[jeff]

I'm pretty much making this to bring to the festival, assuming it doesn't turn out as rotgut My Irish stout just came of age and turned out pretty good, so I'll bring that as well.

[jeff]

Here you can see that fermentation is actively underway. The krausen is about 4 inches thick, but beginning to fall back into the wort. There is a lot of yeast activity going on, as you can watch them swimming around, kind of like a living lava lamp

[jeff]

After 6 days in primary fermentation there is little airlock activity. About 3 inches of trub and spent yeast line the bottom of the carboy. Before I siphon the beer to my secondary fermenter I take a hydrometer reading. The original gravity reading was 1.060, now it reads 1.018, meaning fermentation is almost complete, though I would like to lose another point or two before bottling. I tasted my hydrometer sample after measuring and I am impressed so far. Still a little bitter and sharp, but those flavors will mellow over the next two weeks prior to bottling.

[jeff]

After taking a few readings I siphoned my new beer out of the primary and into the secondary fermenter. This serves to get the beer off of the trub and dead yeasts, avoiding off flavors that could result from too much exposure. I will leave the beer in the secondary fermenter for about two weeks before I put it into bottles. This allows the beer to condition and mellow uniformly, as well as to allow more sediment to drop out, resulting in a clearer beer.

[pepcycle]

Jeff,
How are you going to bottle and condition? I've always done my secondary fermentation in the bottle, using a bottom settling yeast. Are you planning on Kegging this brew?
CO2 for carbonation?

[jeff]

Ed,

I'll secondary for about two weeks to allow the flavors to mellow and the beer to clear, then I'll rack to a bottling bucket, add 3/4 cup of fine corn sugar to revive the yeast still in suspension, and bottle. I follow the 1-2-3 method of: 1 week primary, 2 weeks secondary and 3 weeks bottle condition. Should be ready in plenty of time for the Festival. Are you still going to brew soon?

[pepcycle]

My schedule has prevented a boil. I'm off to Fl again this weekend and then off to Chicago. I need two weeks, or so, at home to tend the fermenting batch prior to bottling. I could still have a batch ready by September. I've got the makings of a Scotch Ale. Just need to pick up some liquid yeast. I'll give you a buzz and we can have a boil and barbecue party. Let's say July 29th or so.

[jeff]

I'll give you a buzz and we can have a boil and barbecue party.

I'm game, sounds like a hell of an idea BTW, where will you be in Florida this weekend? Leslie and I will be in Orlando with the mouse.