Beer Fairies and ramblings

[dibby33]

I love when at the point of awaking I remember all of the work that I have done the day (night) before!
Yesterday I tidied up my bottles, bottled a batch of wheat beer and sterlised enough bottles for 35 liters of beer, started receipe for Beast III and came to the conclusion that I have to brew beers for next season!

Having sterilised bottles ready to go is a life saver if I run out when bottling - I can just grab them. Bit more effort as they have to be capped and then upcapped but worth it. Beast III is going to be a very strong stout - about 16%, should be ready to drink in about 18months if I make it soon! Might reduce the % a bit... WIll have about 400g of hops in it. WIll post the recipe soon, for a laugh!

Loving the beers that I have made so far - so much so that I might have to run a second barrel for a while to build up some stocks. Seasonal brewing should work, make the strong heavy beers in the summer and the lagers / IPAs in the winter. The theory is that I will not want to drink the new beers in the season that they have been made and will be allowed to mature! Also, there is that whole brewing temperature thingy...

Off to think about more brewing

 

[kevo]

Having sterilised bottles ready to go is a life saver if I run out when bottling - I can just grab them. Bit more effort as they have to be capped and then upcapped but worth it.

Here's a thought - clean your bottles - cover the mouth of the bottle with foil.

Then...have a bucket of sanitiser and sanitise just before/as you bottle.

I find that easier and less wasteful than capping, uncapping, filling and re-capping!!

 

[DU99]

swing top bottles can be your friend also,place the top on the bottle keeps out the nasties,and then all you have to do sanitise and seal..one less chore

 

[kevo]

And bottling is a chore - really.

 

[Bridges]

Maybe I'm a nutter but I find bottling oddly calming. Like basket weaving or something I suppose.

 

[kevo]

Maybe I'm a nutter but I find bottling oddly calming. Like basket weaving or something I suppose.

The actual, process, repetition etc of bottling is quite calming(until you run out of bottles/caps!!), but preparing to bottle is so frustratingly time consuming...

 

[dibby33]

Don't get me wrong here - I am not going to do this every time that I brew. The bottles are only there for emergencies in case I don't sterilise enough and run out before the end of the batch.