Just a quick update that I forgot to do earlier. Monday night Josh and I bottled the first batch. The process was actually quite fun, and I finally got to use my handy dandy bottle capper. The beers now need to just sit for 3 weeks. Josh informs me that the carbonation process has already begun, so I am finally starting to get a little more optimistic. Unfortunately, the gravity reading was a little high, this means the beer will have a little less alcohol, and will probably be a little sweeter as well. I think this is a combination of using a dry yeast, and the higher temperature in my apartment. We will probably open up a couple to try before we leave for Munich. If they turn out, I just might throw a little get together at my place to celebrate.

O’zapft is!

After securing all the final items, I was finally able to start the brew last night. Josh came over, and we watched the Braves destroy the Reds while we brewed. It was fun. The basic process was to sanitize all the tools, boil 2 gallons of water, malt extract, and hops, and cool it down and add yeast. Obviously, I am glossing over the details, but so far the brew looks good. Before adding the yeast, I took the gravity reading, and it is right were it should be. My recipe sheet said the O.G. should be anywhere from 1.048 to 1.052, and it was 1.050. I checked this morning, and it looks like the fermentation process has already begun. Every few seconds or so, the air lock will bubble up. Tomorrow night, I will move it into the secondary fermenter for the two-stage fermentation. This helps reinvigorate fermentation, and removes sediment from the beer.

For now, we wait…

After reading a couple of books on the subject, and deciding that I really did want to try it, I finally broke down and bought (almost) all the supplies to brew my own beer at home. The nice folks over at Wine Craft, on Roswell Rd. had a pretty nice equipment kit for a good price. Altogether, I got…

• Primary fermenter/bottling container
• Secondary fermenter glass carboy
• Siphon hose
• One-way air lock
• Hydrometer
• Bottling spicket and valve
• Bottle capper
• Bottle brush

I figured, as with any new adventure, it would be fun to blog it as I do it. While at Winecraft, I also picked up a kit of ingredients to make my first batch. Given the summer heat and the fact that it’s myfavorite type of beer, I felt like trying to brew a nice weizenbier. In the beer kit, I got a premeasured amount of wheat malt extract, bittering and finishing hops, yeast, priming sugar, and bottle caps. Now earlier I said I almost have all the things I need. I still need a 5 gallon brew pot, and man those things aren’t cheap. Winecraft had one for $60, and I may go back and get it. Most places don’t even have a pot that big. I bet I could find one in a shop on Diagon Alley. If I do get a pot, I would like to start the process on Saturday. Anyway, that’s it for part one, when I brew the wort and start the fermentation, I will do another post. Cheers!