after some stressing out and tweaking of my christmas beers, i'm happy to announce that they were both a smashing success. the two biggest reasons for my recent concern with them was mainly having to get used to my new keg system. additionally, for my future brews, i'll now leave them a few days longer at fermenting temperatures to let the yeast mature them more.
though there were teething problems and stressing about getting them ready, they were both enjoyed (quite thoroughly) by many friends at out christmas eve bash. i had a few friends go back for 2nds, 3rds, 4ths...and probably 28ths by the end of the night! the kegerator was a big hit too which was great. everyone had fun pouring their own beers.
the initial problem with my christmas blonde (and my previous princess blonde 2.0) was that i'd put them into the keg WAY too quickly after fermentation, and the yeast didn't have a chance to mature the beer. this resulted in a sweetness which made them unpleasant. i ended up taking the keg out of the kegerator, and leaving it sit at room temperatures for about four days which cleared it right up. i'm ecstatic to know that that was my problem and it has an easy fix for my future beers.
the initial problem with the wheat beer, and other beers in my kegerator for that matter, was just the carbonation level (it was too flat). i just pumped up the carbonation level from 13psi to 20psi and it was spot on. i have to make sure i keep the c02 slightly higher now than before and am very excited to know that that is also an easily-fixable problem for future beers in my kegerator.
all the fiddling around and messing about stressed me out a little because i wanted to make sure my beers were ready for my friends (and i would hate to make a beer that is undrinkable). a good mate rob reinforced to me that it is my hobby which i should enjoy first and foremost, and when i'm enjoying it that is the main thing. from there, i'll find people who enjoy the beers i make and like, which really is just a bonus. this is definitely true. i should not go hunting; trying to make beers for other people which would then stress me out if they didn't like them. because of this, i've decided that i'd like to go back to my beginnings, and make the good old fletcher pale ale. the latter is the very first proper beer made all by myself back in surry hills on the trusty stove top.
i've tweaked the recipe ever so slightly with the addition of the columbus hop which replaces the amarillo hop, but apart from that, it'll be the same beer. i remember drinking it for the first time and thinking...HOLY SHIT! I MADE THIS. re-making this beer is just a nod to that excitement and i'm really pumped to get into it over the next week or so.
thank you everyone for reading my blog and giving me your comments and likes over the past year. sexyfuntime brewing is going from strength to strength and i'm excited to be brewing more in the coming year. i'd like to wish all my followers and readers a joyous holiday period, and an even brighter and shinier new year filled with lots of love and great beers.
sexyfuntime,
fletcher.
though there were teething problems and stressing about getting them ready, they were both enjoyed (quite thoroughly) by many friends at out christmas eve bash. i had a few friends go back for 2nds, 3rds, 4ths...and probably 28ths by the end of the night! the kegerator was a big hit too which was great. everyone had fun pouring their own beers.
the initial problem with my christmas blonde (and my previous princess blonde 2.0) was that i'd put them into the keg WAY too quickly after fermentation, and the yeast didn't have a chance to mature the beer. this resulted in a sweetness which made them unpleasant. i ended up taking the keg out of the kegerator, and leaving it sit at room temperatures for about four days which cleared it right up. i'm ecstatic to know that that was my problem and it has an easy fix for my future beers.
the initial problem with the wheat beer, and other beers in my kegerator for that matter, was just the carbonation level (it was too flat). i just pumped up the carbonation level from 13psi to 20psi and it was spot on. i have to make sure i keep the c02 slightly higher now than before and am very excited to know that that is also an easily-fixable problem for future beers in my kegerator.
all the fiddling around and messing about stressed me out a little because i wanted to make sure my beers were ready for my friends (and i would hate to make a beer that is undrinkable). a good mate rob reinforced to me that it is my hobby which i should enjoy first and foremost, and when i'm enjoying it that is the main thing. from there, i'll find people who enjoy the beers i make and like, which really is just a bonus. this is definitely true. i should not go hunting; trying to make beers for other people which would then stress me out if they didn't like them. because of this, i've decided that i'd like to go back to my beginnings, and make the good old fletcher pale ale. the latter is the very first proper beer made all by myself back in surry hills on the trusty stove top.
i've tweaked the recipe ever so slightly with the addition of the columbus hop which replaces the amarillo hop, but apart from that, it'll be the same beer. i remember drinking it for the first time and thinking...HOLY SHIT! I MADE THIS. re-making this beer is just a nod to that excitement and i'm really pumped to get into it over the next week or so.
thank you everyone for reading my blog and giving me your comments and likes over the past year. sexyfuntime brewing is going from strength to strength and i'm excited to be brewing more in the coming year. i'd like to wish all my followers and readers a joyous holiday period, and an even brighter and shinier new year filled with lots of love and great beers.
sexyfuntime,
fletcher.