Split Springhead Brewday
Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 6:22 pm
I decided to do my first single hop beer today and had planned on an all Northdown beer as my Northdown Wonder went down a treat. (why didnt I put a bid in for the 5kg pack of Northdown that Mctoon sold 
)
Springhead bitter sounded like a good place to start so at 7am I switched the boiler into action and retired to the house to try and get rid of the red wine haze in my head from entertaining the night before. I'd sky +'d world superbikes for later.
Popped back out to get the mash on once the water had got to temperature and then set about a bit of gardening for 90 minutes. Popped back in to drain off the wort and set about two sparges whilst 'power watching' WSB. I also kegged 5 gals of Sarah Hughes. Once I'd collected the wort I poured it back into the boiler, left it with the lid on ready for boiling and got back to more gardening. Bacon butty break was in order mid-gardening to build up a bit of energy.
After chucking roughly 2 tons of compost onto the borders I decided that was enough gardening and switched the wort on to boil. Its currently boiling away and will be cooled in an hour or so.
I would normally brew from one stage to the next without a break. By splitting in two I seem to have got a load done and will still have the beer in the fermenting bucket tonight. The big bonus is that I also got to watch the superbikes and SWMBO is pleased that I got so much done in the garden.
I've now discovered that AG brewing dosent have to take up the day, nor does it have to be the single focus of the day. I can see this being my preferred way of brewing in the future.
)Springhead bitter sounded like a good place to start so at 7am I switched the boiler into action and retired to the house to try and get rid of the red wine haze in my head from entertaining the night before. I'd sky +'d world superbikes for later.
Popped back out to get the mash on once the water had got to temperature and then set about a bit of gardening for 90 minutes. Popped back in to drain off the wort and set about two sparges whilst 'power watching' WSB. I also kegged 5 gals of Sarah Hughes. Once I'd collected the wort I poured it back into the boiler, left it with the lid on ready for boiling and got back to more gardening. Bacon butty break was in order mid-gardening to build up a bit of energy.
After chucking roughly 2 tons of compost onto the borders I decided that was enough gardening and switched the wort on to boil. Its currently boiling away and will be cooled in an hour or so.
I would normally brew from one stage to the next without a break. By splitting in two I seem to have got a load done and will still have the beer in the fermenting bucket tonight. The big bonus is that I also got to watch the superbikes and SWMBO is pleased that I got so much done in the garden.
I've now discovered that AG brewing dosent have to take up the day, nor does it have to be the single focus of the day. I can see this being my preferred way of brewing in the future.