an all-nighter of sorts

Yesterday, Dad and I headed over to Knoxville to get a couple things. Some stuff that was ordered through Woodcraft came in and I was in need of yet *another* hydrometer (why can't they make those things out of plastic?) and since we were already at the beer store, I lobbied for one more primary fermenter so that I could have two batches going at the same time.

Once back, I did a little computer stuff, and shortly thereafter, I watched my Vols get humiliated on the hardwood by the Kentucky Wildcats. Since it was a 9 PM tipoff, it was now nearly 11 PM. I had already committed myself to brewing since I now had an empty carboy and had purchased ice and had my yeast setting out at room temperature for hours now.

Sooo ... I finally got started brewing about 11:30. These new kits from Austin Homebrew Supply suggest steeping the grains for 45 minutes rather than the 20 that Brewer's Best kits did, so that just made the night that much longer. This kit was a clone recipe of Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat. It is a tasty wheat beer that Dad and I both like.

This would be my second full boil (basically boiling a 5 gallon batch instead of boiling half of that and adding the rest later -- brewpot size determines the volume boiled) and last time I did it, I didn't get a good hot break nor a good boil trying to do it all at once on the electric stove (damn, wish we had a gas range).

So this time I thought I would do something different. I brought my two gallons up to 155*F to steep the grain. Meanwhile, I used my other brewpot to bring 3 gallons up to boil. Once the grains were steeped, I removed from the heat, added the extract, stirred, and put back on the stove.

*Then* I added the 3 gallons of hot water instead of trying to make the stove bring 5 full gallons to boil at the same time. This worked out much better as I had a good hot break and a nice rolling boil throughout the remaining hour. The thermometer indicated so as well, as it was right at 95*C throughout the boil.

After the hour was up, it was time to set the wort in the ice bath. It is now 1:50 AM. I managed to bring my 5 gallons down to 80*F in about 10 minutes. I was quite pleased as I think that is the quickest I have gotten it down to pitching temperature -- and this was a full 5 gallon batch (well, 4 as I later found out as I must've lost a gallon to evaporation. note to self: next time start with 6 gallons of water).

I then transferred the brew into my new, cleaned and sanitized primary using a wort aerator that a buddy of mine clued me into. This helps get some oxygenation into the wort and it worked great, as it had a nice 1" thick "head" of foam by the time I was done transferring. I set aside enough for a gravity sample, pitched the yeast, and gave the carboy a good shake before setting it in the closet where it will stay for the next few weeks.

Then it was time to test the gravity and clean up. I got a reading of 1.060 (the kit recommended 1.051, but it had an option of adding an alcohol boost, which I did so that likely accounts for the difference). As usual, I took a taste of the wort only to find I did a poor job of racking, as I had a mouthful of hop sludge. Yuck! it maybe time for new hop bags.   ; )

By the time I got everything cleaned up, it was a bit after 3 AM. I was feeling it a bit from standing in one place for all that time so am sore, but am *wide* awake. I sat on the couch for a bit, hoping the eyes would start to feel as heavy as the rest of me did and finally went to bed about 4 AM expecting to read myself to sleep and that didn't happen until nearly 5 AM.

Zzzzzzzzzzzz ...