Fresh Beer is the Best Beer

I couldn't resist any longer. I put some of my beer in the fridge. A few hours later the taste... a shining success! Tastes just like a great Pale Ale, and one half liter put me on my ass! A tiny bit of a strange aftertaste, but hardly noticeable and plus I popped the top early, it still has more aging to do!

I started right away on my second batch. This time I borrowed a receipe from BeerRate.com, called Evolution Ale. Supposed to resemble a Belgian Tripel. It's still just an extract recipe, no mashing yet.

Here's the ingredient list:
7.5 lbs wheat dry malt extract
8 oz 10L crystal
4 oz caravienne
1.5 lb light honey (added to secondary)
2 oz Hallertauer (60 min) (3 oz for partial boils)
1 oz Tettnager (5 min)
.5 oz coriander
.5 oz bitter orange peel
.5 oz cardamom seeds
Wyeast Liquid Belgian wheat yeast

This time I added the specialty grains right to the water, and used a strainer to remove the grains after 30 minutes of steeping. Also, since I have two carboys now, I chose to do the first stage fermentation in a carboy, using a funnel and strainer to sparge the wort as I added it to the carboy. I attached a hose to the top of the carboy instead of an airlock and will let the foam and residue blow out.

1.042 (1.040 + .002 correction) ~5.25

Went out and bought funnel with strainer, overflow hose, spare airlock, cooking thermometer for my next [undecided] batch, and 12-22oz. bottles, an automatic siphon, and a bottle filler, for my current batch. These suckers are bottled! I forgot to get a hydrometer reading, and I only had 4 gallons left of the 5 gallons just before bottling. The 1 gallon must have gone missing during the siphoning.

Still fermenting very slowly. I think it will be ready to bottle in another day or two. I have 340 ounces in bottles, I think I need 450 or so! Cleaning labels off bottles is a chore. My Uncle gave me a spare carboy!! I think next time I will try first stage fermenting with it and an overflow hose.

Strange Brew Success!

Specific Gravity 1.019 (1.018 + .001 correction)
Potential Alcohol % ~1.0
Current Alcohol Content 5.2%

Amazing! Still no bubbles, but the hydrometer shows fermentation! When did it happen? Oh well! Siphoned to carboy. I see a big bubble in the airlock! yay! With all the messing around I did with this brew, including adding baking yeast, this is going to be one strange brew!

Here is the carboy, filled with Warbler Pale Ale! A few more days and this will be ready to bottle!

Still no sign of fermentation. I'm going crazy, bought some brewing yeast and sprinkled it on top like the shop owner suggested.

Added BAKING YEAST because I could not detect fermentation and I had no brewing yeast, shop was closed!! Shook it around, kept poking my nose under the lid. Not wise. Still no bubbles from the airlock! Suspecting air leak.

Strange Brew

Specific Gravity 1.048 (1.046 + .002 correction)
Potential Alcohol % ~6.2

I have decided to publish my brew log. I am a first time beer brewer, long time beer lover.

I boiled at very high temperature for a long time, and was unsure that I rehydrated the yeast properly. No bubbles from the airlock!

Here is the "Ale Pale" where the brew will ferment.