Adding of the hops

Fermentation finally stopped on Friday evening. I added .05 oz of Cascade hops today at 10 am. They stay in the primary fermenter till we bottle, folks. The beer had a nice golden brown color, possibly some krausen was still on top, not very thick, but enough so that another day or two before adding the hops wouldn't have hurt.
Anyway, let's try to set a date around 2 weeks out for bottling. Let me know what works

Fermentation - Days 1 and 2

Day 1 - no bubbles, fermenter temp was 60 degrees. Turned on room heater
Day 2 - Frequent, slow bubbles, temp was 66 degrees

The Blotarian ephiphany

So since the last time I've posted, the brew crew decided to either *hit or get off the pot when it comes to beer brewing. We brewed a *few* good beers, and a couple REALLY terrible ones. The final straw was when we realized the entire time we thought we'd been cleaning and sterilizing all with one product, it was really only a cleaner. We lost an entire batch of beer (that was a low point). So we decided to learn more about our "craft" and joined a local beer brewing club, The Bloatarian's.

We're starting out all over again, taking classes and brewed the chocolate porter a second time to see if we could do it right this time. We also decided to go back to our roots, and brew the only beer that people asked for seconds, an American India Pale Ale on the same day we bottled the porter.
Pics follow

First, notice the attention to Instructions and to Star San





Second, we had to purchase a few new toys - a bottle sanitizer and a bottle tree





Next, Bottle and Brew

Imperial Stout - bubbling away

This is a view from this morning, but it's still looking the same. Fermenter temp is 76 degrees, very active bubbles...VERY good fermentation this time, gentlemen...

Beer Bottling Summer 2010

A few pics and a short video of us bottling the American IPA we just finished brewing, hope you all enjoy


BTW; I couldn't wait to sample, so I uncapped one this afternoon, It's GREAT! Hoppy enough for Jerry, but very drinkable.

Adding the Hops

It's Sunday, fermentation has completed and it's time to add the hops


First, remove the lid on the primary fermentation bucket




Next, need to QC the hops - man, what a great smell :-)




Finally, replace the lid and waive the secret ingredient over the bucket



Next, continue aging for another 5-7 days before bottling

Is it Ale yet??

Readings for the week:
June 7, 6:45 am - bubbles every 3 seconds, temp 71 degrees
June 7, 8 pm - Large bubbles, every 3 seconds, temp 70 degrees
June 8, 8 am - bubbles every 3 seconds, temp 70 degrees, PM Same
June 9, 8:45 am Large slow bubbles every 3 seconds, temp 70 degrees
June 9, 7:50 pm slow bubbles, lifting aerator every 4 seconds, faint smell of hops (Jerry?)
June 10, 9:15 am same as above, but bubbling has slowed to 5 seconds, temp still 70 degrees
June 10, 7:15 pm, bubbling has slowed to 7 seconds, weaker
June 11, 7:30 am bubbling has slowed to 10+ seconds, lifting aerator, temp 70 degrees

Suggest we meet and pull a sample to test current SG??? Let me know your availability tonight, Sat/Sun