Thursday, June 30, 2005
Winding down
Originally I was going to make this post about how I figure I'm probably done brewing for the summer - but that is most likely not true. I just posted my "stepping up" post, and it would be somewhat ridiculous to get all this great equipment and not use it - Right now the real reason I might stop brewing for a while is lack of keg space. After I keg the three beers I have in glass carboys (2 of which will happen this weekend), I will be down to 2 2.5 gallon kegs available, and they are really spoken for with this last batch of the OAVIP. Knowing me, I'll probably plead my case to my over-indulgent wife, and get permission to buy 4 more kegs.
Instead, I'll make the "winding down" aspect reference my OAVIP - who's secondary days are just ahead (this weekend, I expect). It had a really fast fermentation, mostly due to the Servomyces and whole yeast cake from the previous batch - couple those with the fact that WLP007 is a fast fermenter anyways - and it had finished in under 48 hours. I haven't checked gravity yet, but I'm sure its near finishing. So, this weekend I'll be steaming oak and slicing vanilla beans... and then the wait begins. Fortunately I've got 5 left to hold me over until October, which is the earliest this stuff should be drunk (I think). The extended aging time helps mellow the flavors, and in the case of this batch - will hopefully assuage effects of the 78 deg temperature it was at for a few hours (like 5 or 6) between the time I went to bed and the time I woke up and corrected the problem. It got really hot, really fast...
Next up, I forsee some 10 gallon batches - most likely my Amarillo Pale Ale and maybe a nice malty brown ale... keg space allowing.
Instead, I'll make the "winding down" aspect reference my OAVIP - who's secondary days are just ahead (this weekend, I expect). It had a really fast fermentation, mostly due to the Servomyces and whole yeast cake from the previous batch - couple those with the fact that WLP007 is a fast fermenter anyways - and it had finished in under 48 hours. I haven't checked gravity yet, but I'm sure its near finishing. So, this weekend I'll be steaming oak and slicing vanilla beans... and then the wait begins. Fortunately I've got 5 left to hold me over until October, which is the earliest this stuff should be drunk (I think). The extended aging time helps mellow the flavors, and in the case of this batch - will hopefully assuage effects of the 78 deg temperature it was at for a few hours (like 5 or 6) between the time I went to bed and the time I woke up and corrected the problem. It got really hot, really fast...
Next up, I forsee some 10 gallon batches - most likely my Amarillo Pale Ale and maybe a nice malty brown ale... keg space allowing.
