Coat Closet Full of Fermenters
Just a quick note to record my recipe for California Pale Ale that is right now waiting to be bottled in my coat closet.
10 pounds Rahr Malt
1 pound Caravienne Malt
2.75 gallons mash water (Safeway Refreshe Spring Water)
1 teaspoon 52 pH Stabilizer
4.75 gallons sparge water (Safeway Refreshe Spring Water)
Perle Hops (pellet) 7 Alpha Acid Units
2 ounces Cascade Finish Hops
White Labs California Ale Yeast
Mashed for one hour at about 153 degrees F. I used the same eight gallon brew pot for the mash, the lautering, and the boil. I almost forgot to put the finishing hops in after flame out. I had already started the chiller, remembered I needed to throw in the finishing hops and threw them in. I’ve done this before; I had to boil a saucepan of water, turn off the burner and throw in my hops, then add it to the main brew pot. I’m not always that meticulous about the recipe, but I’ve always figured out a recovery plan when things like this happen.
The beer sat in the primary fermenter for two weeks before being transferred to secondary. I washed a batch of bottles a week ago, but haven’t bottled yet. Now my reward for laziness is the opportunity to wash the same bottles again. I’m looking forward to it though.
Only problem is, my work in progress is starting to stack up. I’ve got my re-do of last years very successful Perky Pear Blonde Ale in the primary, and my friends at Beer and Wine Makers of America are going to send out the alert for the once-a-year fresh hops any day now. I’m feeling the pressure to get the California Pale Ale in the bottles so I can put the Perky Pear in the secondary, so I can put the new brew with fresh hops in the primary fermenter. I guess its time to suck it up and get back to work.
Man Seeks Beer 
Leave a comment