Brew Batch #5

And Irish Red Ale hit the bottles tonight!! Did them all in 12oz "Red Stripe" bottles with red caps. Got 48 of those with several mutts. I blue flip-top that Guantanamo Nate wanted me to try, naturally a clear one to watch how it settles, 2 12oz long-neck brown and a short-neck green. FG 1.002+0.002@ 75F to give it 4.2% alc. v/v. So all in all it has been a summer of 5 batches with 25 gallons (or Cong) of homebrew. I also suspended the Russian Imperial Stout until next June when I really have it down pat. This stuff has to condition for 6 months, I would hate to screw it up.

Almost Forgot...

On a completely different yet totally worth mentioning note, Star Wars III has been named Revenge of the Sith. Many will remember that the original ROTJ (Episode 6) was supposed to be named Revenge of the Jedi. But Lucas held on the violence. Was it all planned? The truth revealed it is. Anway don't forget to pick up your copy of the Original Trilogy due out sometime in Sept. So head on over to www.clockdown.com and download your egg-timer for Episode III.

Sweet Stickerage

Got my order in from www.stickorama.com and it is sweet. Going to put these bad boys on the Rubbermaid Endurance cooler, which by the way works very well. Took it to the beach, filled it up and slightly drianed it once only to top it off with new ice and it still had ice in it 5 days later while in my garage and it gets to above 110F in there during the day. Here are just a few I picked up: (to follow)

Brew Batch #5

IRA hit the lautertun tonight. Haven't done Irish Red Ale in a long time and managed to muck it up every way I knew how by trying to do too many things at once. Even had a boil over before I added the liquid malt extract. Regardless though the process was smooth and the ice bath has definitely proven itself as a worthy brewing technique. It dropped the wort from 185F to 91F in only 40 minutes. OG 1.032+0.002 @77F. This is a lower number than I expected but taste is what I am after.