Home Brewing (Vol.2)

2. The first batch turned out well.
As of two weeks ago, my first attempt at brewing is finally complete.  I apologize for being so late with this post.

Overall, the IPA tastes pretty good.  Much better than I ever imagined.  To be quite honest, I thought I would have to lower my expectation due to the equipment used.  This isn't a million dollar brewery.  Just a some ingredients boiled together and thrown into a large glass jug with some yeast.  But I tell you what...you can make some great beer that way.  Great hoppy taste.  Smooth.  My only complaint is the lower amount of alcohol. IPAs should have a higher alcohol content, but I goofed during the boil. Don't worry though.  That mistake will not happen again.

One of the fascinating things of this process is the carbonation in the bottles.  Basically, you add 3/4 cup of sugar to your beer, mix it and then bottle it.  Seven days after bottling, there was some bubbles in my beer and was pretty happy.  I wasn't expecting much because, like above, I lowered my expectations.  However,  now (almost 2 weeks since bottling) the carbonation is fantastic.  You pour the IPA into a glass and you actually get a foamy head (easy).

3.  Thinking of a name for your beer is just as much fun as brewing it.
While my beer was fermenting, we took our annual family vacation to South Dakota.  In paying homage to one of my favorite past times in the Dakotas, I have named my beer "Aiming Fluid Ale."  What is this past time you speak of, Martin?  Gopher hunting.  Well, its more like gopher shooting.  "Hunting" implies effort to track, find and precisely kill your prey.  "Shooting" implies aiming your gun and shooting.  We do the latter.  And sometimes....your aiming is off.  You just can't hit those pesky varmits.  That is where my Aiming Fluid Ale comes in.  When you are eradicating vermin...you will always need some aiming fluid for precise shooting!

4.  Batch Number Two is almost halfway done.
Tonight, my second batch of brew was moved into the second fermenter.  It will need to sit another 10 day until bottling.  I am really looking forward to this one.  I found a clone recipe for a beer that kicks @ss.  You are probably wondering, "well, why don't you just buy it if its a clone recipe?"  That is the thing....Texans cannot enjoy this wonderful beer.  Only the state of Washington can.  During my travels with my last job, I visited Seattle several times.  It also helped to have a college buddy that lived up there, too.  He introduced me to Mac and Jack's African Amber.  This beer is only sold in keg form in the state of Washington.  Nowhere else.  This beer is amazing.  I may even say that it is my favorite beer of all time.  It probably helps that I can't drink it ever......and in my mind it becomes more and more perfect and awesome.  Hopefully, this recipe will be spot on and transport me back to the northwest (and hopefully tastes like a Mac and Jack's)  But what if I can't remember what it tastes like?......