Homemade Beer: America’s Test Kitchen IPA

5 Comments

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  bigmark

  January 18, 2012 at 7:11 pm

  Love it! I used to brew a lot, but it’s been 5-8 years after an unfortunate glass carboy, slicing open my finger incident.

  One quick point–I think you need to revise bottling timing instructions:
  You don’t mention about how to know when it’s time to rack off into bottles. Usually you would look for cessation of action in the airlock or a target final gravity reading. Otherwise, you’re just guessing and you may wind up with bottle bombs if, for example, your secondary area temp is low and/or the yeast activity is slow. This is especially important as you aren’t suggesting adding priming sugar for carbonation–the beer could wind up being overcarbonated or flat (if they wait too long).
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  Judy Blomquist

  January 19, 2012 at 3:36 pm

  Thanks bigmark – this is a great little detail not to be overlooked! As you’ll see in next week’s post, I usually take my final gravity reading when racking to secondary, and then I’ll check it again before bottling. I haven’t busted any bottles yet (knock on wood), but you are right – fermentation continues as long as the yeast has food and a habitable environment, so the most accurate time to take a final gravity reading is just before bottling. Don’t worry, I always prime before bottling – be sure to check out Week 3 for that!

  P.S. I only use PET (plastic) carboys now, precisely to avoid cutting myself to ribbons. I am clumsy; glass is heavy; floors get wet. It’s a dangerous combo.
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  mrmambo

  January 19, 2012 at 3:57 pm

  Thanks, Judy, and sorry for duplicate post on master page. Yeah, I was using a 5-gallon glass carboy when I pitched the yeast to make a hefeweizen; it slipped out of my hands, hit the floor, and glass and beer went everywhere. I somehow sliced my hand (imagine that!) and my wife made me go to the hospital for stitches instead of keeping the dog from licking up the mess. I also had the exploding bottle syndrome when I first started, making cider; it hadn’t finished fermenting out (I was trying to keep it sweet), was primed, got overcarbonated, and I had 2 cases of bottle bombs exploding in my apartment at 5am. It sounded like gunfire, but none of my neighbors complained, thankfully!
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  Judy Blomquist

  January 19, 2012 at 5:11 pm

  mrmambo: It’s a dangerous job, but somebody’s gotta do it. Just as long as it didn’t turn you off from homebrewing altogether. I hope you get back into it!
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  Scott

  February 3, 2012 at 1:39 pm

  I noticed when you discussed taking a sample using a ladle or baster. Re-emphasis that those need to be sanitized. I found using a spay bottle with cheap cheap vodka makes an excellent spot sanitizer. These are the little steps that most beginners over look.

  Also, making an IPA without a yeast starter will result in under attenuated beer. These instructions would work best with a lower alcohol beer, such as a brown or English pale ale.