Beer School

Aaron and I are homebrewing! We got introduced to it through Karrie & James who provided us with an ultracheap kit via Craigslist. We bought our first kit an Autumn Amber Ale from Midwest Supplies soon after returning from summer vacation and alas it sat on top of the fridge for far too long. I cannot tell you how many weekends passed where we had loose plans to get started that never came to fruition. Part of it was waiting for things we needed. Dad hooked us up with a propane burner and big aluminum pot (via Thomas Magee) and Karrie & James sent us the Homebrewing DVD from the supply company. This DVD is hysterical - the dude pretty much made it himself in his own kitchen. Very practical, pretty simple, totally amusing. 

getting things set up

We finally got started two weekends ago. I am not sure why exactly we finally got started, but YAY for starting! The first step to making a good homebrew is to crack one open and start drinking. We still have a few from K&J so we cracked two open and got started. Getting started included washing a very dirty bucket and the other supplies and putting the propane burner together. The propane burner had never been used (even though it doubles as a turkey deep frier) and Aaron had to step in and use his man muscles to help because the pieces weren't threaded correctly because of the paint coating.

Eventually things came together and brewing got started on the porch. First you heat the water to 155 and steep the grains. I'll be completely honest, I cannot recount every step to homebrewing... 1 because I just don't have it in my brain to remember the steps in a recipe and must recheck the recipe one hundred million times... and 2 Aaron has taken to it and has put himself in charge. I just help when he lets me. Honestly he does not need me until it's time to bottle and that's not for at least another week. Anyway, I help when I can.

The grains get steeped in a raggedy sock looking thing that is resuseable. You can see it in the picture. Basically you heat it, steep the grains, add the malt extract which is thick like molasses and tastes gross, then boil it with the hops steeping in the sock and then maybe add some more flavor aroma hops at the end.

Then you have to cool it from boiling to 80*. We have a wort chiller which is a copper tube system that uses hose water to transfer heat and cool the wort (wort is the beer mix before it is beer). I personally do not like this part because it is a huge waste of water so I am trying to figure out how to do something about this.

Another disaster with round one was that the wort chiller would not hook up to our sink and did we have a garden hose? I thought we did so I went digging in the ivy in the side yard, found it, dug it out, and rescued it. Water ran through it despite the kinks, but the end was squashed. I quickly texted the landlords to see if we could use their hose. This may seem like an odd-I-need-it-now-request, but our landlords live right behind us, I knew they were home, and they homebrew too! We were able to use their hose, but even better, they had a clamp-on end that basically fixed the problem.

After cooling it, it goes into a fermentation bucket and the yeast is added. Then you get to watch it make CO2 by watching the bubbles in the airlock. Then you wait. And wait.

After one week it gets transferred into a clear plastic carboy and put in the basement. It's not bubbling anymore so I think it's just aging. In one week we get to bottle the Autumn Amber Ale (AAA) and then it has to age some more. I think maybe by Thanksgiving we can start drinking. Of course we can drink it earlier than that, but it won't be as good. From reading reviews, pretty much the more you wait, the better off you are. Unfortunately... a whole lot of hurry up and wait!
So... we realized we needed caps, a bottle filler, more cleaner, and maybe another kit. It is difficult for us to actually pick a kit (at least I think it is) because Aaron and I like very different beers. When we go to our favorite pub I get a Brown Stout and Aaron gets a Natty Light. Not very similar. Aaron also drinks more beer more often than me, so we decided to get the Budweiser clone kit... and then I saw the holiday brews were prominently featured for brewing in time for the holidays and I wanted the Happy Holiday Brew (Henceforth called Holiday Magic).

Brew #2 small boilover

Aaron agreed and I called the nice people at Midwest. I love these people! I call them tell them I needed a bottle filler - a simple one and they tell me about them and make a recommendation. I have yet to start my online account because they pick up on the first or second ring and know what they are talking about if you have a question! The first time I called I asked the guy like a million questions. Anyway I placed the order and it was here on Saturday after we returned from our 10 mile hike so the plan for Sunday became Brew #2 Holiday Magic!

adding malt extract and stirring

Aaron took it over. He says brewing is a 1 and 1/4 person job. He doesn't really need my help. This one went more smoothly even though we had another small boil-over. But this one is much more active.

When I got home today I noticed that there was beer on top of the bucket lid and the airlock was full of beer. I texted James a photo and he told me it was not an issue, just needed to clean the airlock or possibly rig a blow off tube. Once Aaron got home, rigging began. We used my embossing gun to heat the plastic tube to make it expand and fit. Then the tube had a kink so I rigged it with the bucket handle and a fork! I rule! Aaron ran the tube into a 2 liter of water and now while watching the Lions beat the Bears we can hear it go BLUH BLUH BLUH happily fermenting away.

So this weekend we are going to bottle the AAA, transfer the Holiday Magic, and who knows... maybe brew the Bud. Sometime, forever from now, we'll get to drink it!