Two new brews into the carboy on Sunday. Well, one brew and one straight ahead apple cider + yeast dealie. It’s my first time doing hard cider, so I really have no idea what to expect. I had initially wanted to make a hard ponche, since this’ll be ready right around Xmas and all and it would actually involve some work and creativity, but Jacky specifically requested a simple fruit cider. And since she’s coming back after a 3 month research trip, I figured I’d indulge her. Just this once.
Also brewed up BaconBeer mkII. This one is just simply bacon. And more bacon. None of that fruit crap that got in the way with the first batch. To start: I took Bill’s advice and soaked the bacon (2 lbs this time) in the brew water for a few hours. This gave the water a simultaneously pleasant and disconcerting smell. Then I removed and dried the bacon. Once it was ready, I fried it up, making sure to collect everything that came out of the pan. I then added the bacon grease to the water and began the boil. Then went the grain bag, into which I put not only grain but also cooked bacon. This then soaked in the hot water for approximately 30 minutes. At the end of the brew, the wort had an aroma of cereal grain and bacon, which, let’s face it, is a pretty awesome combination. The carboy is currently extremely active, again with the characteristic fatty layer up top. I hopeful for this one.
Today I submitted my petitions to fully satisfy all coursework requirements. This means, assuming they’re accepted, that I’m all ready to qualify in January. Speaking of which, time to get back to writing. FOREVER.
