We finally got around to bottling our Christmas brews last night, and I have one thing to say about the experience: THANK GOD FOR KEGS!
Bottling was something of a trip back in time, and a strong reminder about why we switched to kegs to begin with. Number one (and most importantly) you don’t have to wait 3 extra weeks to enjoy your beer. Number 2, you use MUCH smaller amounts of toxic chemicals. Number 3, kegging generates SO much less mess.
Overall however, the bottling procedure went more smoothly than we’d expected. And in the end, not only were we able to cover all our gift-recipients, we had quite a few bottles left over (and maybe even a couple for Mr. Booman). Huzzah!
On the other hand, all this bottling has left me kind of at a loss for an extended entry. It’s the first paycheck of the month, which means time to pay the bills. I won’t be buying more brewing supplies for another two weeks.
I’ve never made a lager, a gruit, or any variety of mead. With the mercury dropping, I’m leaning toward trying my hand at a lager, which needs to ferment at significantly lower temperature than ale.
What’re you experimenting with this weekend?
you’d figure with the crappy weather, everybody’d be in today…
oh well. maybe I should have discussed the fartastic after-effects of forced carbonation.
I agree with you with you about the labor-intensive nature of the bottling process. We actually did it without a dishwasher to help in the sterilizing process when we first started brewing – aack, what a chore that was. Even with larger sized bottles.
Many years ago, the ex-husband and I made a raspberry honey mead and kegged it (along with a lager and an ale) for our wedding. It went over really well. Maybe a little too well for some folks. 🙂
Out of curiosity, what’s it cost to brew a batch of beer these days?
We use tap water, so that part is negligible, and I also try to buy the malt in bulk ($70/ 38 pounds). But for the occasional brewer?
$25.00: 6.6 pounds malt
$10.00: 4 oz hops (reflects higher prices)
$5.00 adjunct grains
$10 yeast (but that can be used 4 times)
So it boils down (no pun intended) to about $50 for two cases. It’s really only cost-effective if you buy bulk malt and reuse the yeast.
other than the malt extract, you’re paying a lot for your supplies. I haven’t seen hops above $2/oz yet, and White Labs yeast is usually 6.95. I’ve become fond of the US-05 dry ale yeast, which is under $2 per packet.
brewing all-grain is cheaper, base malts are <$1/lb if you buy in bulk, but you pay some of this back with more equipment and more time spent.
yeah, I want to get into all-grain. next summer…
up until this month my hops prices were like the ones you name. but my supplier is almost out and can’t get more. no one can.
i usually use wyeast, and I’ve always found the price a bit steep. That’s why i reuse so many times.
there is no bigger PITA in brewing than washing bottles.
But in defense of bottling: I have 9 different homebrews in my closet (7 drinking and 2 conditioning). It would sure be hard to have that much variety with kegs, I’d need two fridges, all those kegs and taps and plumbing.
bottles are also convenient for taking your beer to parties and football games, although today I’m wishing I’d consumed less homebrew and more water yesterday. But water is not appropriate for celebrating a Big Game victory.
My next brew will be a clone of Firestone’s Double Barrel Ale. Out of respect for copyright I won’t post this recipe; it’s from a book called Beer Captured. This isn’t an experiment, I brewed this once before and liked it.
I’ll post a couple recipes soon in between swearing at the Raiders.
i gotta say, i love my extra fridge. And yeah, i made the investment in two kegs two (although it’s rare that I have two kegs going at once).
We avoided the whole cleaning part by purchasing new bottles at the brew supply store. Yeah, a little extra money, but worth it.
I think we may try a lager, considering the weather’s going to stay cold for awhile. I’m not a huge fan of the lager style (a little dry for me), but I figure what the hell…
It is fucking COLD today. I haven’t left my house all day.
ok, I’ve been promising recipes, here’s one:
BeerSmith Recipe Printout – http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: 84 – Cascade APA
TYPE: All Grain
Recipe Specifications
————————–
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 6.92 gal
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 8.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 41.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 75 Minutes
Ingredients:
————
Amount Item
9 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt – 35L (35.0 SRM)
8.0 oz Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM)
0.75 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (60 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [7.00 %] (10 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [7.00 %] (0 min)
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min)
1 Pkgs SafBrew American Ale (DCL Yeast #US-05)
Mash 1 hour at 154.0 F
For extract brewers, replace the pale malt with 6 lbs light dry extract or 6.6 lbs light liquid extract and steep the crystal and biscuit.
As we’ve already discussed, the hops specified here may not be available. Use whatever high-alpha hop you have for bittering. My LHBS is recommending Ahtanum as a good sub for Cascade.
omg I think i just died and went to heaven reading that!