That’s an IPA

That there is what you call an “I-P-A”, short for “India Pale Ale”.

It’s done (mostly) fermenting now and judging solely by the smell of it, that is definitely an IPA. And it smells great.

I really can’t wait to get into it, especially since the sun is coming out (today and tomorrow, at least).

Second Fermentation Starts

Tonight I transferred my first batch into the glass carboy for second fermentation. This part will take about three weeks. Three long weeks of seeing this beautiful beer every time I get dressed.

The picture captures the color fairly well. I’d say it’s a kind of dark rust color. It should clarify over the next few weeks and end up a little darker.

I tasted some again while testing the OG (1.020 by the way) and was a little surprised. Very flavorful and a little more citrus than I expected. Some of that might have been all the sediment that will settle.

Warm, Flat, Non-Alcoholic Beer

I just checked the OG on my beer and it was 1.022 at 72F. Which means that it’s about 1.026 at 60F.

I don’t know if that’s good or not, but it’s been 6 days so it’s probably about time to start the second fermentation.

I tasted it and didn’t immediately spit it out, so that’s a good sign. It tasted basically like warm, flat, non-alocholic beer, which is what I was hoping for.

Since Zach is here with me this weekend, I am not sure if we’ll get around to transferring this batch to the secondary fermenter (or “racking” the beer) tomorrow. Tuesday might be my next opportunity.

Like Watching Beer Ferment

So, this is supposed to be fermenting in a warm, calm, dark place, huh?

OK, closet it is. With a heater. That’s safe, right?

I checked on it this morning and there was no activity. Which makes me a little suspicious. I was expecting bubbles. It is, however, in a plastic Ale Pail, which means that the container can expand before air is forced through the bubbler.

I really hope that the yeast didn’t die from being unrefrigerated for so long. Seems unlikely, but plausible.

I really hope that I don’t have to drive all the freakin’ way back to the home brew store to get more of anything for a while. Now that I have the parts, I’ll be mail-ordering my ingredients, ’cause there are only two homebrew stores in the greater Chicago area and they’re both 45-60 minutes away.

Also, somehow, this got posted over the weekend. How fortuitous.

Update: It’s totally fermenting. Go, yeast, go!