A couple of months ago, we decided to purchase a brew kit and begin brewing our own beer. May sound crazy, but every couple has a hobby right? We bought the brewery in a box from Northern Brewer. They are amazing with homebrewing equipment, recipes, ideas, and tutorials. If you or anyone you know is at all interested in making beer, Northern Brewer is a great place to start. The box comes with everything you need for your first batch. We chose the brown ale recipe out of the three offered.
On brewing day, we unpacked and got started. It took several hours and reading and rereading directions, but we did it! We only caught the stove on fire once! As a foodie I will say that everything smelled so good. Our recipe had herbs and spices, malts, and hops. Each had a unique fragrance. This made me excited to get to the final product. The one thing I missed was the step-by-step tasting like when I cook. I don't think I would have enjoyed the samples!
After hours of steeping, boiling, stirring, and cooling step one was complete. It smelled so good! Next we had to pour the mixture into the first fermenter. Then we wait...for 2 weeks.
After 2 long weeks, we got to move the mix into a second fermenter. Then we wait some more...for 4 weeks. Next we take on the bottling process. Only one bottle toppled over and spilled. Everything else went pretty smoothly. The bottles then sit to carbonate for another 2 weeks. Exciting, right? Don't worry, we're almost there! After two weeks, the bottles could be refrigerator. As soon as they're cold, drinking commences! This five gallon batch filled about 50 bottles. We had a few friends over and tasted our First Batch brown ale. It was a success! We have our next recipe on the way and I can't wait to get started!
No comments:
Post a Comment