What's Brewing?

[Johnsfolly]

3 hours ago, ness said:

It was interesting to us, and you probably know this, but every bar we went to in Ireland had Southern Comfort in a prominent place on the shelf. And, we went to at least one bar a day. Not to sit around to drink but to eat. Because that's where you eat in little Irish towns. 

I did find it interesting as to how much folks in Ireland identify with the pub that they most frequent. We would get asked a lot which pub we went to regularly. I don't go to a lot of local bars here, but maybe it's the same.

[ness]

Cracked open the first of my latest batch, made back in August. This one was carbonated, the others were still. All of them have been pretty dry. I’m very pleased with this one. It’s very good now, but it will only improve with age. The missus says I need to start some more. That’s probably the best compliment I could get. 

[ness]

Opened one of the ciders from my last batch. Carbonated and bottled in October. This is aging nicely! I wish I’d made more than a gallon. Nice, dry and crisp with a little carbonation bite. 

I need to start some more. 

[ness]

Opened another of #11 today. This  was bottled 10/2024. Very nice but I think it has plateaued. I've learned to let it age a minimum of 6 months. 

Started another three gallons a few days ago. That'll be gifted next Christmas. 



Also started another batch of Limoncello for this Christmas. This is really easy; the hardest part is scrubbing the wax off the lemons. 12 lemons zested, 750 ml Everclear. I always feel like I need to explain why I'm buying Everclear to whoever is checking me out😀

That'll soak for three weeks and will come out a bright yellow. Squeeze it all out and dilute with a simple syrup to about 33% ABV. Our version is not too sweet. 

Word on the street is there's some brewing going on over in Ballwin @ColdWaterFshr

[Flysmallie]

22 minutes ago, ness said:

I always feel like I need to explain why I'm buying Everclear to whoever is checking me out😀

😆

Just tell them you are in a death metal band and like to have it on stage with you. Please video their response. 

[ness]

3 hours ago, Flysmallie said:

😆

Just tell them you are in a death metal band and like to have it on stage with you. Please video their response. 

I don't think they'd believe me😀

[ColdWaterFshr]

Been traveling the past few days.  Primary fermentation has settled way down, but still going (day 6).  I’m so out of practice with brewing that I think messed up by not using enough water in my boil.  All DME, not full grain.   So forgive me.  But I’m about a gallon light which will make this beer bigger towards the imperial side.  We’ll see.  Was too lazy to do hydrometer readings.  Never could read that thing very well anyway. 

So I got home and decided to rack to secondary and add my 3 lbs of fresh raspberry that I had crushed wit a potato masher and colander and then threw a couple campden tablets into a vented ziplock and stored in the fridge.  Have them in mesh bags in secondary and waiting to see if secondary gets a second wind with fresh sugars added.  I don’t like the head space in my secondary, but the o2 should scrub out quick enough as it’s still bubbling.  Stay tuned.

 

[ness]

Finished up the Limoncello this weekend. The zest gives up everything it has and is kinda stiff, with an almost crispy texture at this point. It's interesting that you get all 750 ml back after soaking the zest for a few weeks. I run it though a coffee filter and it's perfectly clear. But, once you add the simple syrup it goes cloudy. Not sure what the science is behind that. 

Popped a small sample into the freezer for a while to get it ice cold. Pretty tasty!

Pretty easy recipe and doesn't take any special equipment to do. Scrubbing and zesting the lemons is the hard part.