Busy, productive brew day

[FedoraDave]

I didn't have anything to bottle this weekend, but I really needed to brew something. I've worked 12 of the last 14 days, and had to wade through snow up to my knees just to earn a dollar. I've often said that brewing is my therapy, but never has it been more pertinent and poignant than right now, today. I just needed to stay busy being selfish and making beer for me. For ME!

Ahem...

So I brewed a sort of experimental 2.5 gallon batch. Extract with steeping grains and I decided to use both Centennial and Warrior hops to create an IPA. I've never used Warrior, but I sniffed it at the LHBS, and I think it's going to complement the Centennial very well. Because of the hops, I've decided to name this brew "100 Years War". It was nice to breathe in the aroma of those hops as they boiled away.

I also took a gravity reading on the Copperbottom Lager I brewed recently. Just about 1/4 of the way to FG, so I brought it out of the lager fridge and upstairs to the ManCave, where I set it on the beer fridge and covered it with a plastic garbage bag to keep light out. Gotta get that D-rest in.

I also racked a fiver of FedoraDave's American Ale to a secondary for the final week before bottling. And I got the yeast washing going. This particular yeast is now going on its fifth generation, and is still going strong! What a beast! I use it for at least 3 of my original recipes, so I'm brewing them fairly regularly, and saving money with each batch.

Whew!

Tired, but happy. I needed this brew day in the worst way.

[Brewbirds]

Good on ya' Dave. I like to say a busy Brewhuas is always better than a slow Brewhaus.

I'm on my third batch in five days trying to get the pipeline restored.

There just isn't anything better than brew day.

[FedoraDave]

I've had the devil's own time trying to get my pipeline healthy, but I just can't seem to get it together. I don't recall having this much of a problem last year. But I feel as though I'm hitting my stride now.

[Rayyankee]

Great to hear you had a day to do something for you. We all need that sometimes. hope your beer comes out great.

[Gymrat]

Hop sniffer
Where does it end Dave? Where does it end?

[Kealia]

Congrats on the therapeutic day, Lord knows we all need them sometimes.

[FedoraDave]

Hop sniffer
Where does it end Dave? Where does it end?

Hey, man, I can quit any time I want. Seriously, man, it's not an issue, so back off, ahright?

[FedoraDave]

My OG was about 0.006 lower than expected, but then I realized my volume was off. Higher than 2.5 gallons. I'm not absolutely on target when it comes to my boil-off rate for 2.5 gallon extract batches.

No worries, though. I think this is going to be a good one.