Wade's Homebrew: "No Yeller" Light Ale

Today was a GREAT brew day! I've finally got to the point where I don't get very nervous when brewing. I usually stress from the time I start getting the brew pot out until I put it away at the end of the day. What's different? I think I've brewed enough times that I have my process down and everything just falls into place. I usually yell at the kids and get very frustrated. Today was truly a trying day with four 8 year old girls running around the house and in the swimming pool. But, I pulled it off: no yelling or stressing out at all today! So, to celebrate I'll name this brew No Yeller Light Ale. Catchy, huh? ;-)

Always Make a Starter

A "starter" is a small batch of beer that allows yeast to propagate and get ready to go to work on the 5.5 gallons that they will be married to in the fermentor. A special thanks to Greg Muller for posting his version of how to make a starter and of course my Modesto Mashers buddies for answering my hundreds of questions about homebrewing and making starters. Here's the process that I've used a couple of times now:

Boil 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of light malt extract for 10 minutes. Make sure not to leave this even for a second or you'll have a boil over of hot-sticky crapola on your stove that will take about 3 days to scrub off. It doesn't make the wife very happy when you do this!

Cool the wort in an ice bath for about 10 minutes. This brought the temp down to 64 degrees.

Here's the yeast we're working with on this beer. White Labs "California Ale", WLP001. Make sure this is about the same temperature as the wort.

Pour the wort and the yeast into a steralized container. I use an empty Martinelli's Apple Cider jar.

Shake vigorously to airate the wort/yeast mixture. This is what it looks like after I shook it 300 times. What a workout!

Let the starter sit for 24 hours before pitching (putting) the whole mixture into the fermentor with the completed wort for your beer. If you want to pitch only the yeast slurry and not the nasty little starter beer then let it sit for 48 hours and "cold crash" the mixture in the fridge for 24 yours to drop the yeast out of suspension. Pour off the nasty beer and save the yeast slurry in the bottom.

Light Ale Brew Day

The recipe and the brew day timer making sure I don't forget any hop or other additions to the brew.

7.1 gallons of brewing yumminess!

Just for you Dano! This is my brew day view. Lovely, isn't it? ;-)

The only plants we have in our back yard!

Back to brewing! Here's the finished wort getting transferred into the carboy. Notice the Carboy Carrier around the glass. It makes it sooooooooooo easy to carry the carboy and keeps out the sunlight so the beer doesn't skunk. One of the best purchases I've made so far! I'm sure to get another next month.