Microbe Festus….

It was a hoot.  I put on a brewing demo, brewing an Oktöberfest using the triple decoction method to the delight of all.  Well, me, if nobody else.  I finished and got things pretty much cleaned up and ready to pack for the long journey home by 5:30… the soiree shut down at 6.  I had to hustle to get some of the beers that were left, many of the beers that I’d wanted to sample had blown their kegs long before I was ready.  I did try Star Hill’s Monticello ale, made from a Thomas Jefferson recipe; it was really nice. I’ll try that one, one day. 

Supper is about ready so I’ll post some pix later.  Didas!

Replacing Temperature Controller

Once I got a couple lagers through my new freezer the temperature controller went out as was foretold by The Prophecies.  So… I got a new one.  Dave W. built this one for me one night after I captured all of the components;  RANCO ETC-111000 DIGITAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL 120 – 240V; Electrical box, plug in thingy, and faceplate; 8’ heavy doody electrical cord; Piece of electrical conduit and fittings to attach the controller and box.  Oh, and a piece of 2x4:Dave cut a three pieces of wire to do the wiring within the controller thusly:

  …and cut a chunk of the 8’ cord out to connect them within the controller as shown above.

In the plug box, that piece and the plug end piece were attached to the plug in thingy thusly:

One side…

T’ other side…

As you can see in the first picture, Dave put a staple across the plug end wire to act as a strain relief and did likewise on the temperature probe on the other end.  Both boxes were fastened to the 2x4 with screws making replacement of the controller simple.

In place, I put the little nite lite thingy in the other plug in to show when the freezer is running.

Cheers!

CyberDave

ESB…

I put an arf case into the fridge the other morning and as we speak am sampling another one.  This one tastes flawed, similar to the first batch of Märzen that I dubbed “Private Stock” so I wouldn’t have to shame myself before my fellows… There must be a critter lurking in some of my brewing equipment.  Maybe one (or more) of the carboys… perhaps in the bottles their own selfs.  I suppose that we all have this happen, some people more regularly than others… but this is not the way that it is supposed to be.  I must pay more attention to sanitization.  I have already gotten some new hoses… better put some denture cleaner into the carboys.  And I really should get a newer brewing pot.  My canning pots are about beat all to hell.  Must get stainless steel…

And should probably invest in some powerful sanitizer and let the Clorox go for a while.  This should be easy to find and fix.  Should.

My calm has been harshed

My calm has been harshed…

   What is wrong with this country when it takes half of your income just to get insurance coverage?  It wasn't like that in the past.  I just don't know how people are supposed to survive.  You know, in the 19th century the official policy of the Government regarding the Indians was to make them totally dependent upon the US Government by killing off their way of life, the buffalo.  This Government policy nearly extinctified the buffalo, and the Indians were brought to a state from which they haven't really recovered.  They are indeed dependent upon the Government...and the same thing is happening to the rest of us.  Love it or hate it: We NEED O'bammaCare!  We can't survive without it, now. With the usury fees of the insurance companies that the Government has been oh, SO willing to turn a blind eye to have made that a necessity.  We are all Indians, now. Soon, we all will be living in Government trailers on Government property…

   I think back on both of my grannies: they lived for years off of what they had been able to sock away during their lifetimes and had some to leave their kiddies when they passed on.  My own dear ole mammy was able to pass on what was left from her inheritance... and it has taken all of our cut to stay alive just these past few years; surviving longer doesn't seem like it is going to be a reality.  I really don't know what to do.

Couldn’t wait. Had to try one of the new ESBs…

I put one of the latest ESBs into the fridge before I left for work yesterday and when I got  home I popped the top to see ‘whatup, humaan?’  Needs another week carbonating but the taste is good.  Bitter.  Mmmm…

Only three weeks until time to bottle my latest Oktöberfest; then, it’s wait again.  That’s the hardest part of brewing your own beer, the waiting.  The only thing that you can do to lessen the pain is to brew more often.  And I should.  But I don’t.  I spend my time working on my new project, grudgingly doing housework or lawn work, taking well deserved naps, etc.  But I should brew.   It isn’t like I drink a lot; Usually one maybe two beers a night if any at all, and I give a lot of the stuff away.  (I dropped a sixpack by The ‘C on Willie-D for El Jefè and the other minions of the State to enjoy, some of my previous Oktöberfest – flawed as it is, they may not really notice.)

I think that this year I’m only going to brew Oktöberfest and ESB.  The Year of Oktöberfest and ESB they will call it in the annals of CyberDave… not my PERSONAL anal, mind you… Wayne…

Meanwhile, I sit here, wondering.  What does the new day hold? Should I finish the wash that I started last night?  What’s that sound?

Bottled my third batch of 08.C: ESB, tonite.

I kept forgetting to do things.  Couldn’t find tools either; bottle cleaner, hydrometer…  Finally found them all.

Then as I was racking to the bottling bucket, I remembered that I didn’t make a priming slurry as is my custom when I bottle.  So I just added the sugar to the bucket as it was filling and gently stirred.  Got 49-12 oz. bottles with a 6.62 ABV. A little higher than style because I boiled off too much liquid.  Should have added another arf gallon… But what the heck. I like it around that volume.