Batch #2 - A fine Scotch Ale

OK so I wandered down to the homebrew store down the street and picked up another kit... this time it's a scotch ale. This should be intersting since the closesest thing I've ever had to a scotch ale is a irish ale.

And in a very uncharacteristic turn I am almost totally ignoring the instructions that came with said kit and doing the entire thing as I've been taught... it's either going to be a mess or it's going to be ok.

And I just realized that I'm supposed to let the water get to 180 before I put the grains in... Oh well

Can't drill the bottom...

OK so I planned on this post being all about how I got a freezer hooked up a thermo regulator, drilled a few holes and bam! Had a insta kegarator, well my plans got foiled in a few resepects.

I had planned on going through the compressor compartment... which was to tight for a drill bit and I couldn't gurantee that I wouldn't hit the compressor and not break something when I broke through. And on top of that how do you explain to lowes the 4 or 5 holes in a freezer when you bring it back?

Exactly....

So for the time being in true do it yourself fashion, I've duct taped the thermo lead to the inside of the freezer and put the CO2 tank and keg in there.


When I actually get around to doing holes I will take pictures...

Results of Batch #1 of Obispo Brewery...

Kegging is done and the beer has been under CO2 pressure for 4 days. While it still needs to be under pressure for another 7 days before it's really done the beer is finally at a point that it's either going to be good or it's not.


But before we get to that point I wanted to talk briefly about kegging. The soda keg for the beer is one of the better decisions I made for this entire process. Aside from not having to screw with 48 some odd bottles and caps I also don't have to screw with a secondary fermentation vessel or additional adjuncts to my beer. As you can see in my picture I'm currently keeping my whole keg setup in a fridge.... this is a less then ideal setup since I lose my fridge for storing food (kind of a issue for me) and the cold humidity is screwing with the regulator... That part is what is causing more pain and misery then anything else right now. So for the weekend I will keep the beer in the fridge but will be purchasing a small freezer and doing some work on it to make it more suitable for beer kegs. More on that once I actually do it.

Now for the part that you have been waiting for... Results of the first beer tasting.

IT'S GOOD!!

The biggest concerns were spoilage because I for got to clean something or something was not quite right.... I'm happy to say that I had no problems in that department and have good beer!

Overall the beer is defintly a ale, a touch hoppier then what I'm used to in Ales, but no where near the level of a traditional IPA. The alcohol content is also a bit on the heavy side as I had a single 16oz serving and was feeling a little to good. A empty stomach may also have had something to do with that. Overall I'm very pleased with the results of this first batch.

In the next series of entries I show I get my fridge back and begin prep for my next batch.

Until next time kiddies.