Hard Cider - Day 1

We decided to try our hand at some hard apple cider. I got 5 gals of Zeigler's Autumn Harvert Apple Cider from Sam's. I used 2 packets of dry champagne yeast so I am haoping to see some good action. I took the specific gravity and it was 1.040.

Imperial Stout - Day 49

I bottled the Imperial Stout today. Amy helped so it went pretty smoothly. I primed with brown sugar and I am very excited to see how it turned out. The final specific gravity is 1.028.

Imperial Stout - Day 21

I pulled a sample today and the specific gravity is now 1.036 so it is still moving even if it is slowly. :-)

Imperial Stout - Day 14

I pulled a sample of the Imperial Stout today and I got a specific gravity of 1.041. Using an online calculator that give me a 6.05% alcohol by volume. I am going to call DeFalcos today to see when I should bottle and if I need to add priming sugar.

Imperial Stout into Secondary - Day 5

I racked my imperial stout into secondary this morning. I am trying a new rig for keeping the fermentation at desired temperatures that my friend Brian recommended. My friend Steve made the awesome lid. All went well as the pictures show it even began to bubble again right away. The beer is at a specific gravity of 1.048 or so and it is already tasting pretty darn good. :-) I am looking forward to bottling this one and getting to share it. Thanks a ton Brian and Steve!

Imperial Stout - Day 2

This morning I checked the progress and it was bubbling merrily so all looks well. About 4 hours after sealing it the bubbler was showing signs of pressure but no serious activity.

When I got home at 9:30pm or so I found that the action was so much that some of the beer had bubbled up into the air lock. I sanitized a new one and put it on. When I pulled the old one I had so much pressure it you could hear the air coming out. As soon as I stuck in the new air lock it began to bubble merrily again. Nice.

Imperial Stout - Brewing Day

Today I brewed an Imperial Stout using a partial grain method.

1. I activated the 1318 London III Wyeast liquid yeast packet
2. Heated 2 gallons of water to 158 F and steeped the grains for 30 minutes.
3. While grains were steeping I heated a third gallon to 160 F in a second pot
4. At thirty minutes I rinsed the grains in a strainer over the big pot with the 160 F water from the second pot
5. I brought the 3 gallons to a boil
6. I added the Northern Brewer Hops at 5 minutes
7. I added the Chinook Hops at 45 minutes
8. At 1 hour of boiling I turned off the pot and allowed to cool for 15 minutes on stove
9. I used a water bath in the sink for ~30 minutes changing the water three times and in the last one using ice
10.. When wort was at 87 F I began to pour back and forth between the sterilized plastic carboy and the pot adding two more gallons of water and the Bru Vigor
11. I took a small sample and measured the initial specific gravity at 1.088
12. I pitched the now bulging yeast, sealed the carboy, and placed it on the floor