Recently in Beer Category

After bottling the IPA I started a batch of ordinary bitter from a house recipe at the Winemaker's Shop. I thought I would make something a bit lighter for the coming heat.

The IPA went into bottles today. The final SG was 1.011. Tastes great, good full hop flavor, true to the variety. Can't wait.

My cousin Michael came over yesterday afternoon to help me break in my new Turkey Fryer beer brewing rig. On the agenda was an IPA I have named "Old Red Cat". Having done this in the past in a two gallon stock pot on a burner in the kitchen I have to say that there is nothing like working outside over a 7 gallon kettle with a propane burner. Anyone who has ever experienced a boil-over while brewing in their home knows what a stress reliever working outdoors on concrete is, and Monica can't complain about the smell.

Fermentation is a go! Its been rapidly fermenting for a couple days now and should be slowed enough to rack by the end of the week. I expect to rack again by the end of the first week of November, and if everything goes as planned I should bottle by the end of November and crack open the fruit juice of my labor by the middle of December.

After 10 days in the primary I have yet to see any sign of fermentation. This is scary. I sterilized a turkey baster and took a small sample of the cider out to test it for spoilage and was pleased to find out that it was just fine but I don't know how much longer that is going to hold. I found an old package of champaign yeast in my brew supplies and in a fit of desperation threw it into the primary as well. We will see.

Posted by ayres at 06:57 PM

I am a big fan of fresh apple cider but an even bigger fan of hard cider. When Monica headed south this past Saturday to the Hocking Hills for her last trip to Deep Woods (the site of her student research project) she picked up 5 gallons of cider from the Laurelville Fruit Company. They produce far and away the finest apple cider I have ever tasted and I have set out to see how well it ferments. I know a number of people who are likely to come knocking on my door two weeks after I bottle, so Ill keep updating the progress as it evolves.