BATCH #2

SHAMMY ADAMS

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GRAINS STEEPED UNTIL 170�F

CASCADE HOPS ADDED AT THE START OF THE BOIL

HALLERTAUER HOPS AT 7 MINUTES

IRISH MOSS AT 15 MINUTES

TOOK ~25 MINUTES TO COOL WORT TO 77�

TOTAL 5� GALLONS WORT AND TRUB

05 APRIL 2004

            This is my very own recipe that was put together from various inputs, rolling a few dice and consulting several Wica.

      BREW

            Definitely smells good.  Pitched yeast around 45 minutes, definitely too early, started to go to town on the one cup of wort it was in.  Used three bags of ice in the sink of water and cooled the wort very quick.  Used the funnel and screen, clogged three or four times, very messy.  If I get an infection, it will be from that.  Next time I will not worry about that in the primary.  Finished cooking and started cleaning at 2200.

06 APRIL 2004

            Roiling and bubbling, hissing and spitting.  It is a most furious fermentation.  I can clearly see the � inch layer of floating yeast, and can see the clumps rising and falling in circular motions, even through the opaque plastic.

            62 �blurps� per minute at 1100, 40 at 1600, and only 10 at 1800.  I guess this batch was a quick one, too.  I will rack it over to the carboy tomorrow.  COOL!

07 APRIL 2004

      TRANSFER TO SECONDARY FERMENTOR

            Well, it is very orange in color, and definitely smells (reeks) of the homebrew I remember my father making as a kid.  I am a little scared!  Also, I think my airlock works, but the cover is not so good.  The secondary hole just doesn�t hold a seal, so the air escapes there and I can�t gauge the action!  I guess I will just stuff a rubber bung in it with the airlock.  At 2200 one airlock bubble every 3 and a half minutes.

            Also, I tried to filter it through the funnel and screen.  It filtered out exactly nothing, even when I saw chunks.  They hit the screen and dissolved.  I think that may have allowed the beer to become too aerated as it splashed into the carboy.  Using the tube alone I can minimize the trub with the angle of the bucket and the valve.  I can pour the beer in against the side of the carboy so it just runs down the side and doesn�t foam or splash.

            This batch also left more floating yeast at the end of the primary.  Hmmm.

11 APRIL 2004

            Looks clear and bubble free.  Any haziness is gone.  I will bottle tomorrow.

12 APRIL 2004

      BOTTLE

            Bottled at 1800.  Not very noteworthy, 52 bottles, tastes OK.

15 APRIL 2004

            Well, I decided to try one at day three.  It is thick and hazy, but amber in color.  Carbonated well enough, but not too much head yet.  Given the texture of the beer I expect more once it has aged.  It is a little bland, actually, with an aftertaste of hops.  Curiously void of flavor.  I guess it is palatable; I would neither complain about it nor rave about it.  Hopefully this improves with time!

17 APRIL 2004

            Still pretty green.  I am not even going to open another until next weekend.  That is OK though, as I need to build up my empty bottle collection a little bit.

19 APRIL 2004

            Well, maybe I will try one tonight after the next batch is in the bucket�  Uh, still the same� Smoother, and more vapid�

26 APRIL 2004

            No change, I will now proceed to the drinking phase.  I may as well drink up, because I am not going to be serving this one to guests!

05 MAY 2004

            After a little debate with myself, I will let people try this one.  My first tastes of it were OK, but now it is getting better.  This is definitely one of those that go better with time, and, if I were patient, would probably be good in a few weeks.  I will save a few bottles for a while.

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