Too tired for big brew day

[FedoraDave]

I've had a punishing work schedule lately, and I know I'm going to need this weekend to be as quiet as possible. But I've got a batch to bottle on Saturday, and I really do want to brew on Sunday. My pipeline needs it, and I need my dose of therapy and the "me" time.

All the same, I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen brewing. So I'll be going with extract and steeping grains to keep it short and easy. I just don't know exactly which direction I want to take. I could make a very nice, inoffensive beer with just some light or amber DME, some regular ol' specialty grains, like chocolate and 60L, and some noble hops, and it would be a darn nice beer.

Or I could feature the hops a little more, get some Centennial and Citra, and make a pale ale.

I'm nearly too worn out right now to even think too much about this. I may wait until I get to the LHBS on Saturday and pick up something on the fly. Or I may get the ingredients to do both styles, since I'm brewing a 2.5 gallon batch next weekend, too, and would want to get the ingredients for it at the same time.

[Rebel_B]

I'm nearly too worn out right now to even think too much about this.

Welcome to my world Dave... Busy times!

[ScrewyBrewer]

I've been there too, we all have. For me once I get started and past the tired part I end up enjoying the day after all. The best thing for me to focus on is the beer that'll be ready to drink.

[philm00x]

I've got a ton of Citra leaf if you need some. About 2.5 lbs left from a 3 lb bag.

[FedoraDave]

I'm still not sure what I want to make this weekend, or the next weekend, either.

I'm kind of leaning toward a pale ale. Just get some light DME, some 40L, and some Cascade, see what other hops I've got remaining in the freezer (there's quite a variety, actually), and just leave it at that.

Then maybe for next Sunday, I'll get some Amber DME, some chocolate, some 60L, and maybe some Hallertau and just make a plain ol' amber ale.

It'll be beer, and it'll tide me over, but I'm just too tired to make a big deal out of it.

Of course, the following Sunday, I'll be due to make an AG five gallon batch, but I think I'm going to go with Crown Top Pale Ale for that one.

[FedoraDave]

Okay, I'm back from the LHBS, and I decided on the following, both of which are for 2.5 gallon batches:

PALE ALE
3 pounds of Light DME
1/2 pound of 40L
2 ounces of Cascade
1 packet of S-05



AMBER ALE
3 pounds of Amber DME
1/4 pound of chocolate malt
1/4 pound of 60L
2 ounces of Hallertau
1 packet of S-05


Not an aggressive hop schedule, just some at 60, 20, and 7. And the rest for a dry hop.

Nothing fancy or real creative, but I want to brew, and I don't want to have to work enough to do more than a steep and a boil. Even BIAB is more than I want to deal with right now.

I'm making the Pale Ale tomorrow, and since I've felt as if I've been in a hurry all week, I'm calling it Rushin' Pale Ale. The amber, I haven't decided what to call yet, but I've got a week before I need to decide.

I also bought some more components for my eventual kegging system. Just some gas hose and a couple of connectors, but it's all necessary items. The big-ticket items will be purchased with the Customer Loyalty discount, but I've got another eight purchases before I get another one of those.

[T8rSalad]

Dave: You could call it ScrAmberlin' Amber Ale since you been scrambling this past week or four!!! Just my penny's worth of homebrew advice...

[John Sand]

I just read this thread, and share your conclusions. With the brutal winter over and nice weather here, I've been working on the yard and the boats. I have about 12lbs of 2-row left, and I've been looking for a rainy day to brew. When my wife isn't home. Maybe Thursday, but if not, I'll brew a small extract batch. Likely similar to yours: LME, crystal, hops.
Half a batch of something is better than 5 gallons of nothing!

[FedoraDave]

Dave: You could call it ScrAmberlin' Amber Ale since you been scrambling this past week or four!!! Just my penny's worth of homebrew advice...

I like this. I think I'll call it Scrambled Amber, since I find the multiple upper case letters confusing, especially in a word that's not really a word. But it's a great name! Thanks T8r!