Life on the Brew Front

Life on the brew front has been exciting.  Things are changing, equipment is being upgraded, and now toys are being added. 

So, lets start with the addition of a vintage 1939 General Electric Kerorator to the brew house.  This was a true rags to riches story for the refrigerator.  I'm sure in it's hayday of the 40's and 50's this piece of history hummed along in someones well-to-do kitchen of the time.  Never creating an issue, until it was no longer the lastest and greatest so it was sold.  The GE has probably changed hand 10-20 times in the past 72 years, until it looked like this.

Just in terrible, cosmetic shape, but no worse for the ware in the mechanics of the machine.  Also, a testimonial for true craftsmanship, still working fine 72 years later.  Despite a frayed electrical cabel (the cloth cover was looking ratty) still running like a brand new one.  So, my wife and I went to work, countless hours with an angle grinder, digging through what we could tell was 3 different coats of paint.  With some work, love, and a few curse words.  She is now the work of art that resides in the brewery!  The second tap will be added this weekend.

GO BIG BLUE!!!!!

Now that the "Beer Dispensing System" is almost complete, lets move to the actual brewing side.  Steps have been made to finally convert to an all grain system.  Without utilizing a MLT (mash lauter tun), I am going to utilize the BIAB (Brew In a Bag Method).  It is a relatively new brewing procedure were your mash is actually done inside the brew kettle, with the grains in a grain bag, inside a steel basket to support weight.  This allows for all-grain brewing without any more then a pot big enough to hold your full biol volume, and your extra sparge water, and a burner.   I have the pot under control a converted 15.5 gallon keg, and a brand new Blichmann Engineering Burner.

Blichmann products are supposed to be top of the line.  This thing is supposed to make 10 gallons of water boil in 13-30 minutes (I currently wait an hour for 7 gallons to boil), and be remarkably fuel efficient.  It will get it's inaugural run this weekend, with a summer time style of wheat beer an "American Hefeweizen".

So as I move into a new phase of my brewing, now I can better perfect recipes of my own Ales by controlling the amount of grains in the mash.  I also should be able to perfect fermentation temperatures with my small chamber.

We getting serious around here, come by and check us out some time!

Cheers!