Flat Tire II

It came in at 1.010 on the hydrometer, or 2.5 degrees Plato if you prefer. That's about my usual with liquid malt extract batches. I primed the two half-corny kegs (2-1/2 gallons) each with 100 grams of dried malt sugar that had been boiled in 12 oz. of water. The beer looked and smelled clean despite the large amount of globular yeasty flotsam. It gave off some pretty potent banana esters early in the ferment, but that seems to have dissipated. Isoamyl acetate** is the offending chemical, I believe, which I suspect is due to higher temperatures. I try to keep my ales below 70ºF but this one spent the first week right there before the cooling weather brought the closet down to 66ºF. I left a few quarts in the bottom of the carboy because they were too sludgy for my delicate palate. One should brew with fresh ingredients, just as one should cook and eat. Alas, I was stuck with some stuff that had been in the fridge a little too long, but I think I made the best of it. I'm expecting a nice golden ale out of it. I replaced my flat tube on my Stumpjumper with an older patched spare that has been holding up just fine to the rigors of my favorite single-track. I expect the beer will come through just as well.

**3-methyl-1-butyl ethanoate

a.d. IV Id. Nov.

Flat Tire

My Stumpjumper had a flat tire and I worked on that this afternoon. I brewed a batch as well. I had some extract and some hops and a pack of Safale and so I whipped up a brew. I had some old uncracked 60ºL crystal malt and I wanted to get a little bit of something from that without setting up the mill. I used a mortar and pestle instead, thoroughly unsatisfactory, but I managed to process about a half pound which I steeped in the liquor while the kettle heated. It produced some sweet, floral malt aromas and a bit of color. Good enough. I had an ounce of 9.9% α-acid whole Northern Brewer hops so I did half of it for an hour and half again for half an hour. It has been a long time between batches so I kept it simple. Everything needed a good cleaning and some freshening up, but it was a perfect autumn afternoon and it felt good to be outside and get the brewery going again. Flat Tire will be the perfect thirst quencher as well. Electrolyte replacement is an important part of my fitness regime. I make sure to replace all of them, many times over, especially after rides.

a.d. XVII Kal. Nov.