Opened one!

Opened a bottle of the Sleep Over Ale. It has been in the bottle for a week. Still very green. A bit sweet up front, with a bitter aftertaste. Not much carbonation yet, but it is pretty clear. Tastes better towards the bottom than it did at the top...

Happy Birthday Lexie

Lexie finally did it. She turned 4 years old! She was very excited, and had a great day. Presents before breakfast; cupcakes at school; Pei Wei for dinner. She loved her phone call from Grandma Mary and Grandpa Martin too :) (She has been carrying around the card you sent for days now).

Beer Journal Update

Boddington's is still bubbling away slowly now. Took a sample, and it was at 1.020. Still very sweet - should be around 1.013 final gravity. But, it's just had six days, and was a late starter, so I'm not worried yet. Colour is definitely golden - very different now to the wort.

Sleep Over Ale is 6 days in bottle. Holding the clear bottle up to the light, and it looks like it has cleared out. Looks a deep red colour. I put a bottle in the fridge today, and will taste it tomorrow... I expect it to be green (i.e. not ready), but I just want to try it!!!

Boddys

Friday night was brew day number 2!

Glen came over again and we bottled the Sleep Over Ale, and started on a batch of something that is supposed to end up like a Boddington's Draught. Recipe here in case y'all want to know. Used some speciality grain which needed steeping and 6 lb of a Maris Otter malted barely extract. The MO is supposed to be good for English style ales. Pitched a tube of liquid ale yeast which took 36 hours to get started. I was starting to get worried they weren't going to grow...

Original gravity on this one was 1041, which was a touch lower than I had hoped for, but certainly still in range. Seems very dark right now - hopefully it will end up a nice golden colour. Got high hopes for this one! Also can't wait to taste the one we just bottled. Don't know if I'll be able to wait 3 weeks!