I haven't had much time this weekend, aiming to spend more time outdoors, but I managed to get couple of things done with some excitement about tomorrow. The Black Ale BIAB has moved to the fridge to get the carbonation settled after 2 weeks of priming. Tomorrow I'm planning to try the first one with the rest waiting for next weekend - this is something I'm looking forward … [Read more...]
My first BIAB and a first how to BIAB
My first BIAB and a first how to BIAB Last weekend I made my first attempt at BIAB, and I wanted to explain a bit about the process, how I made the conversion from extract and my take on it. First, a little about BIAB - it stands for Brew (or Beer) In A Bag. The method is as literal as it comes - the mashing is done in a bag that is soaked in a pot and than being taken out, … [Read more...]
Bottling day and a good Black Ale vs a less good one standoff
Our house is now officially at full storage capacity for beers. The fridge has a quarter of it full of beers all the time, and after bottling the Cranberry ale last week and bottling the higher gravity Black Ale (more below) this week, all the storage space is in full and the need for an extra fridge becomes vital - I hope to find one by next week, and then some more beer … [Read more...]
Bottling, hopping and the lack of space
This weekend was just some of the less exciting sides of beer making - I've added dry hops (Goldings, 4.6%) to the Black Ale split batch from last week, 15g to each fermenter. The beers have been through some fermentation, with the lower gravity one seemed to have finished the fermentation (1012) and the higher gravity one still going (1019), we will see how it will be at the … [Read more...]
Cleanliness is next to godliness – how to avoid losing beer to contamination
The importance of cleanliness and sterilisation when it comes to brewing can not be ignored. Doesn't matter what you are trying to brew, ferment of preserve, the presence of bacteria (that isn't your beloved chosen yeast) will destroy any of your efforts. I would venture a guess and say that contamination is the biggest reason for failed home brews and the number one reason … [Read more...]