We've been brewing beer for a few years. Charlie Papazian is our favorite resource. Charlie, next time you are in Portland, look us up and come have a beer with us. 🙂
We made beer this weekend!! 🙂 In a few weeks we will be welcoming the season with Pumpkin Ale!
First step, I scrub and sanitize the kitchen, including the carboys and all tools we will be using.
Then the grains go into mesh baggies.
The grains smell SO good, and both Jason and I took an allergy pill before starting! 🙂
The grains going into our pumpkin ale were Maris Otter, Munich, Wheat and Biscuit Malts.
Steep at 150 - 155 degrees for one hour in about 8 quarts water. This is called the mash, where we are making "yeast food" (converting the complex starches to simple sugar).
While this is happening, I played with hops.
The hops we used are Hallertau. I just know they smell good. 😉 I divided them into two 'socks', one ounce each.
Once the grains have steeped for an hour, prepare the 'wort'. Remove the grain baggies, add some of the adjuncts (in today's recipe, the ingredients that went in immediately include one ounce hops, five pounds pumpkin, two pounds brown sugar, one pound of rice hulls and seven pounds malt extract).
Boil for 50 minutes. For the last 10 minutes, add the other ounce of hops (finishing hops). After 10 minutes, remove from heat, remove the 'socks' of hops and hulls, and add spices.
It then goes into the primary fermenter:
We added another 2.5 gallons of spring water also. Cool to 70 degrees (warmer will kill the yeast).
Once it reaches 70 degrees, add the yeast (this recipe we used Pac Man + ½ cup DME - dry malt extract). Secure "bubbler" to top and store an area that stays around 68 degrees.
Pac Man
Measure the liquid density with a hydrometer.
Our beer? 1.060.
Basil watching from a distance.
We will prime and bottle this batch in two weeks, ready to drink in three - on my birthday! We didn't even plan that part! 🙂
Our house smells so spicy and good right now. I wish this blog had smellevision. 🙂
Are you a beer drinker? What is your favorite?
Cheers! Have a great short week!
Kris | iheartwellness.com says
How fun! I was just reading a post from a friend who talked about Jam making....I don't think I am that calm in the kitchen to make items like these 😐 Is it really time consuming?
You are a beer making genius! It is going to be fabulous!
Awww look at little Basil......"common ma'...life me up so I can see whatcha makin'!"
xxoo
hbobier says
WHAT. You make your own sushi. You brew your own beer. Woman. Is there anything you can't do? And I love beer. Normally it's Mich Golden Light or Linney's Honey Weiss or Summit EPA. Or basically any beer...haha.
Erin @ A Girl & Her Mutt says
Awesome! I had no idea that you brewed your own beer. I love beer! The darker the better. 🙂
Jessica says
How cool! I LOVE Pumpkin Beer! It is one of my favorite things about fall!