new kit for the christmas recipe....CHILL

For those of you who know me, and understand that planning ahead is not one of my strong suits. HA, thinking about Christmas? in August? Dude, come on, there's plenty of time.....





But I'm also a "routine" guy, and the last few years I have brewed a batch for gifts for Christmas. It's always gone over great, and as Leah and I are increasing our knowledge, and our kit, for brewing at home, this last weekend we started our first 5 gallon batch of Holiday Ale from Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supply. When I mentioned it to the guys at our local pub, Chama River Brewing Tap room, they commented that it was a little late for starting a christmas beer whcih got me worried. They also commented about a wort chiller, which I had seen, but had never been advised about seriously, and figured that adding cold water would be sufficient; if I needed any more cooling, I would give the pot a water bath in the sink. So I trudged on.





So, after receiving the recipe kit, getting the 8 gallon stock pot, the 6 gallon bucket and some tubing and sanitizer and nylon stockings we were ready to make a huge mess in the kitchen.


The brewing went off without a hitch. I had planned well, sanitized everything I needed to use, and during the simmering I kept a watchful eye on my wort and temperature, more to enjoy that wonderful aroma of softly boiling malts than to make sure I didn't have a boil over. At the end of the boil I added the hops and the spices and got ready to do my water bath.





Now I did make sure my stock pot fit in the sink...and it did, just barely. But what I hadn't realized was how much it needed to chill. I had never brought 3 gallons of boiling water down to 80 degrees F. The first water bath was..... short. The 2nd water bath....short. The fourth was a little longer, and an hour later was cool enough to drop some ice packs in the water along the side of the pot. 12:30am (hour 3.5) - the 7th water bath; thermometer reading 97 degrees. OH EMM GEE I AM SOOO GETTING A WORT CHILLER!!!





About 1:30 I added the remaining cold water, transfered to my primary, and pitched the yeast. Sealed it up, checked my hydrometer reading (I.S.G. = 1.063 @ 80 degrees), put in my drain hose and went to bed.



Now that I've had a few days to suppress my anxiety about it all and relax, and reading Papazian's book has helped, I am excited for the day of transfer to the secondary.

Lessons learned: wort chiller, wort chiller, wort chiller!