Feels good to be back in the brewing saddle after a summer-long break. So busy was the Smitty clan with vacations and sports over the summer that I didn't get a chance to brew. First time in a long while that that much time has gone between batches.
But no more! Yesterday's brewing event was my all-grain conversion of the White House Honey Porter, and less than 24 hours after pitching yeast, we've got solid fermentation.
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| Crack those grains... |
Though I was heartbroken that my normal Chief Assistant Brewmaster Joel wasn't able to make it, I had wonderful assistance in Acting Chief Assistant Brewmaster Bob (yeah,
that Bob of this here site), and Assistant to the Acting Chief Assistant Brewmaster James, who is new to brewing altogether...but
not new to beer. The Lagunitas he brought over helped lubricate our collective bad-decision-making capabilities. We were further joined by Lead Technical Observer Brian and Jon the Entertainer.
We will allow Mrs. Smitty to comment herself on how the day went; everyone who came over brought at least one kid with them, so it was actually a giant, screaming Kid Party in which a handful of outnumbered adults drank and brewed beer and pretended not to hear anything.
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| Hops |
The White House Honey Porter will be ready for drinking on election night. Party at the Smitty House on November 6! Election results and beer!
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| The honey |
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| Pitching yeast |
Tonight I plan to do the White House Honey Ale. This one is a extract-plus-specialty-grain kit you can buy exclusively from Northern Brewer. I had planned to simultaneously brew the al-grain for the experienced guys and anyone who was curious, and the extract for a n00b who is actually interested in picking up the hobby. As it turned out, everyone wanted to watch the all-grain process. Who knew. So, I'll do the extract this evening. It'll seem fast and easy, and will be ready on Election Eve as well.
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| Beautiful fermentation! |
Special thanks to Mrs. Smitty, who fed my kid and made sure he was not killing the cat or anything.
ReplyDeleteAnd also to Smitty Jr and the wonder twins who welcomed little D to the clan.
Are we the only two who still read this blog?
ReplyDeleteCrickets....
ReplyDelete....maybe we need to post more than once a month. Or debate guns more.
No kidding.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try a test post tomorrow. I've done 3 beer posts in a row, and it's just you and I. Maybe tomorrow I'll do a post called "guns," ad that's it. See what we get.
Maybe abortion?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. Maybe a little Free Speech post with regard to churches and tax exemption too.
ReplyDelete[raises hand]
ReplyDeleteHah, still lurking, don't get to catch up on my news feeds as often anymore :-P
The beer sounds amazing, sounds like it was fun times!
Hey, I commented on the last post. I would have helped, too.
ReplyDeleteI emailed you, but it bounced back, steve. Do you have a new email and I forgot?
ReplyDeleteMostly the very outnumbered female in the house just let the boys (all10 of them)run around and make noise. They can clean up their own rooms now! But fun was had by all.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, we need more girls around for brew day, I know we have female-beer-drinking-buddies.
Mrs. S-
ReplyDeleteI can suppliy one female child and one female - non drinking - adult. The beer drinkers you will have to supply yourself.
Sorry. I have tried to get Mrs. Bob to like beer - ain't gonna happen.
Sorry, I actually saw this a couple days ago, but haven't gotten around to comment. I brewed the extract version of the porter two weeks ago as a part of my fall brewing frenzy (my wife requested this one when she heard about it). Yesterday we bottled (yes, we still use bottles) and it tasted really good. Looking forward to it after conditioning, but it really surprised me. (My other two beers, btw, are both from NB: bottled a Facepuncher IPA yesterday as well, and have a Winter Warmer in secondary. Not that anyone was asking.) :)
ReplyDeleteNot that anyone was asking.
ReplyDeleteNo need to ask. Just assume we actually DO want to know what people are brewing.