Beer!

Is it possible to write the word without an exclamation point? I didn't think so. Though a more accurate title for this post would be "Beer Brewing!" but then the exclamation point wouldn't work and without it would you read further?

Why indeed? For the exciting pictures to follow!

A quick note - I homebrewed beer a few years back but gradually gave it up. Something I was doing wasn't right and I'd run out of the supplies that came with the kit so I set it aside. A month or so back, I'd come across how homebrewing was on the rise due to hard economic times. Well, I don't think it's any cheaper than just going out to Wal-Mart and picking up a six-pack of your favorite brew but I think it's a whole lot more fun. No, really. Like baking your own bread. That's fun, too, right? Right?

Somewhere along the line I must've tossed out my old kit because I couldn't find it anywhere so I had to put together a new one. That's okay. I wanted to do it right this time.

So, first up, the boiling of the water:

Bucket sanitization:

I'll spare you the mixing and then the two week fermentation process. Fast forward to bottling day. The bottles. And caps:

Bottled and ready for carbonation:

Fast forward another two weeks. The finished product:



Does it look cloudy to you? It looks cloudy to me. Part of that is condensation on the glass and another part of that is, well, it's cloudy. But that's okay! Tastes good - it's a pale ale so plenty of hops - and it's smooth with no after-taste so it looks like it turned out just fine.

Ready for the next batch. Working on an Octoberfest style in anticipation of cooler weather. Full report in another 4 weeks or so.