Specific Gravity readings...

Specific Gravity in very simple terms is the measure of sugar in a liquid. When beer is fermented, the yeast convert the sugar into alcohol and CO2. Since all beers are different there is no real number for the Final Gravity of the beer. It's only 1.000 if it's water. There is always a bit of unfermentable sugars in the brew. So the trick is you can't bottle until it's done. If it can be any number in the range of 1.005-1.015, you might ask how do you know when it's done. If you bottle before fermentation is complete it can lead to exploding bottles (which means loss of beer which is alcohol abuse).  The trick? Check your beer several times and if it remains the same gravity, it's pretty much done. You have to check it over the course of a week to be sure.  My Churchill Quencher reads 1.025 and the Darker beer which I've renamed Hob's Lick Tan Ale is reading 1.019.

Dry Hopping the Churchill

I added one ounce of Nugget hops when I racked the Churchill from the primary to the secondary fermenter.  It seems to be doing well.

Churchill going well

The lighter American ale I brewed Sunday seems to be well underway.  All looks great in brewland.

It doesn't look like I'll have beer ready for the 4th of July, but it won't be long afterwards.

Churchill Quencher

Since my awesome long-time friends, the Churchills came on brewday to
visit me, I'm calling this batch Churchill Quencher.

Ingredients:
6 # dry extra light malt extract
1 oz. U.S. Fuggles hops
1/4 tsp. Irish Moss
1 pkg. Safale-5 American Ale Yeast.

This batch was meant to be a mild summer thirst quencher.  I made some
modifications to the usual general recipe for this style which is what I always do.  The U.S. Fuggles hops are usually used to give a woody or flora aroma to your beer rather than for bittering.  I wanted mild, so I used the low IBU (International Bittering Units) hop to give the beer less of a bitter bite thinking this might appeal more to my wife (who usually likes mixed drinks or fruity wine coolers).  Usually for
this style the body would also be fairly light, but I used 6 pounds of DME (Dry Malt Extract) instead of 3 or 4 so it may prove to be a bit more full bodied than a standard light American ale.  I used dry ale yeast because the Liquor Barn I stopped at did not have liquid yeast
like I am used to getting.  I will note that for future.  I added the hops for the full boil.  I did note that I scorched the malt a little. I'm hoping it doesn't affect the flavor much.  I read a comment online which said a good practice is to get the water up to boiling and add your extract after you turn off the heat, then once it's dissolved,
you can bring it back to a boil.  I'll try this technique next time.

I have some pellet hops I'm going to drop in when I rack to secondary perhaps this weekend (this is known as dry-hopping).  I must comment again how much I love my wort chiller.  It's a great help for cooling the wort down quickly.  This batch is now resting quietly next to the
Post Brown Sludge (PBS for short).  I did not note any ~20 hour vigor from the yeast in the Churchill, but I shall peek in on it after work.

Rack to secondary

I racked my dark ale to a secondary fermentor. It looks clear and tasty.

A lighter batch

This batch brewed this morning went about like the previous one two weeks ago. This one had extra light dry malt extract as a base with U.S. Fuggles hops for bittering. Fuggles are usually used for aroma and they are not super strong for bittering. I am going for a light American ale.

I have some other pellet hops I'm going to use later when I rack it to the secondary to give the beer a mild woody and fruity aroma. This time I used safale dry ale yeast.

Fermenting vigorously

Looks like all is well so far. I'll wait until Sunday to check it and see if its ready for the secondary fermenter.

We have liftoff!

Everything is good with the ale. Fermentation is starting as of last evening and looks good.

Yeast dead?

At 8am I observed all the liquid yeast culture looking very dormant at the bottom of the carboy. In a panic, added the dry lager yeast that came with the kit. At around 10am, still no activity. Shook the carboy a little to give some aeration.

Post Brown Sludge Ale

Beer Name: Post Brown Sludge Ale
Attempted Style: Medium American Ale


Ingredients:
1 c. corn sugar
1 lb. Unhopped Extra Dark Dry Malt
3.3 lb can Munton's Hopped American Style Light Lager Extract
0.5 oz. Citra AA 13.9 Whole hops 30 minutes
0.5 oz. Citra AA 13.9 Whole hops 15 minutes
2 tsp. Irish Moss 15 minutes
1 vial Whitelabs East Coast Ale Yeast WLP008
1 packet Muntons dry lager yeast

Notes: I purchased four used glass carboys at an estate sale.  The previous owner had been making wine, but each bottle contained brown sludge that looked fairly hazardous (as well as all his fermentation locks were dry...). I cleaned out all four of them and I used one for primary fermentation.

6/8/14:
Heated 3.5 gal water to boiling.  Added Malt Extracts and corn sugar.  Boil for 60 minutes adding Citra for 30 minutes of boil time and 15 minutes of boil time.  Added Irish Moss for last 15 minutes of boil.  Strained out hops, cooled wort with chiller.  Added cooled wort to 1 gal. tap water in glass carboy. Finished filling to within 6 inches of top with cold tap water.  Added yeast straight from refrigerator to wort without bringing to room temp.
OG: 1.050.