My first brew is done… and I thought I’d share a few shots from when I bottled the brew, right around Christmas. I’m a little behind in a few posts that I wanted to share, so I thought this storm is a good time to update the blog since we’re blessed to still have power!
I started my brew on Thanksgiving Day, back in oh, 2010. And I let it go a good 6 weeks to really make sure that it would be a good batch for my first effort. So right around the first of the year, I decided it was time to give it a shot. I had all the stuff I needed…. my trusty eBay purchased bottlecapper and 200 caps…. my new clean amber tall boy bottles and of course, my wort. Beloved beer of my closet. Ready to see the light of day!
First step… sanitizing the bottles! You have this little pouch of sanitizing crystals that you mix with some nice hot water and dip, fill, swish and dry the bottles. I was paranoid, so I washed the bottles in super super hot water FIRST, then did the sanitizing crystal bath and let them dry. Very careful not to breathe on them or to touch the rim or any part of the bottle near the caps. I also sanitized the caps after a good hot water dip. I have read that it is the wild yeasts from the air and your own person that can mess up a batch of decent homebrew. I didn’t want to take a chance!
I really need to invest in a good bottle funnel, for adding the sugar for fermentation. I ended up with a nice paper one that I made, but I think it would be better with a good plastic or glass one. Glass would be perfect! Something to add to my brewmaster list of goodies wanted!
Actually, it’s amazing how little equipment you really need to get started with this. Something to hold the wort in, bottles, bottle capper, caps, and a beer kit (with the malt and all in it) All total, my first batch of beer cost about $50. ($30 for the kit, $14 for the capper and caps and $8 for the bottles) Second time around all I need to do is buy the refill kit malt kit, which is only $14-$18 depending on the style of beer kit you get. I bottled 22 bottles this time around, and for a good premium beer at less than $1 a bottle? Not to bad. I am not a big drinker, in fact 22 bottles would probably keep me all year!!! But if I have some guests to help me, I could see brewing two or three batches a year and being quite the happy brewer!
After you added a wee bit of sugar to each bottle, according to the recipe, it was time to fill up the bottles. The sugar is what feeds the yeast in the wort to carbonate the sealed bottle. My recipe called for 1/2 teaspoon. Every one is a little different and the bottles add into the formula as well. Too little sugar and you get a flat beer, too much and it’s like soda pop beer! I was happy to report that my ale was just right, sudsy at first but then a nice calm respectable fizz after opening.
I read online somewhere to add a bit of beer, to the sugar, and give it a good swirl before filling up the bottle. You shouldn’t shake it or disturb it after you bottle, but if you don’t give that sugar a change to mix up good, you can be left with a sediment on the bottle bottom when you’re done. I am happy to report that about half of my bottles are perfect and half are a little grainy at the bottom. Guess I was half good at the swirly process. I didn’t want to over do it, and all, first time brewing is a little touch and go when you’re just winging it with a little book.
The bottle capper recommended a friend to hold the bottle while you push down the two arms to seal the bottle. But I’m hear to tell you, that you can do it with just one person. It was a little uneasy at first, I wasn’t sure how hard to push down and was sort of afraid to break the bottle or something. But after a couple tries, it was easy to see that you would really have to work hard to break a normal bottle. It was actually kind of fun and I got to thinking, it would be fun to bottle our own soda pop as well, from our Soda Stream machine! We might do that as gifts, it would be fun!
My First Bottle of Moby Ale!!!
I still need to cold finish the beer, a good week or two in the frig and then of course, I want to design a sweet label for my home brewery… still not sure about a name or all that, but we’re working on a few.
In the end I bottled 22 bottles of a nice pal Indian Ale. I’d really like to try a good amber bock next… and I think that will be my goal. I’m going to invite the boys over for a taste testing party…. of course with some bluegrass on tap as well! Gotta get past this cold and the blizzard, but soon, real soon!
I poped one in the frig and let it cold finish in the frig for a few days, just curious how it would taste and come out. And it was VERY TOLERABLE! Haha… I wouldn’t say it was the best beer or ale I’ve ever tasted, but it was smooth enough going down and got better by every swallow. It had a nice pale yellow color, good carbonation, a wee bit of bitter dregs at the bottom and didn’t kill me. A success for sure!!!! Can’t wait for them to mellow a bit more for a good week or two in the frig!!! Party!!!!
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