I lied! Long overdue updates!!

I didn't even know it!  Anyway, a lot has happened.  I recently finished a 15gal fermentor using a 1/2bbl keg and ran my first 15gal batch of brew.  I must say, it's exciting to have a "triple" batch of beer.  I would love to go even bigger, but for now 10-15gal of beer is all I am willing to screw up at a time!

Other Items

• New casters for the brewer, the original ones are failing and leaving the brewery "on tilt".
• 15gal of Cockhammer v3.0 fermented an conditioning for drinking.
• My second shot at O-Fest was much better,  very good actually.  It is on tap and drinking smooth!
• Christmas Beers are also conditioning.  I brewed a version of the Santa's Bootstrap, and separated the two batches into kegs (5gal each).  One will be a remake of the bootstrap called "Gingerbread Stout", the other is "Mint Chocolate Stout".  7%ABV.  I am using chocolate nips this year, man to they add chocolate to the flavor!  Same idea as last year, soaked beans and spices in vodka and will ad to "spice" the brew.
• I will be taking the BJCP exam in February, got to study!!

Here are the label proofs for this year's brews:

    

Another drought

Not weather-wise, just blog-wise.  Probably because there isn't much to tell you!  Let's see, I did finally rebrew the oktoberfest, it should be done fermenting shortly.  Harvested hops, got a whopping 1oz of cascade and 1/2oz of magnum.  I guess that's better than nothing!

My Mint Chocolate was a hit at the Summertime Brews Fest, so it will likely end up being my christmas beer this year.  Otherwise, the brewing has been slowed by an avalanche of weekend activities and a pesky little thing I call "the JOB".

Crap

That's what the RCBC's been pumping out these days, pure crap. Just tasted my steam beer, and it reeks of burnt rubber and tastes about the same. Suk...

Today we brew the Russian Imerial Stout that I hope will be good enough for the Summertime Brews Festival in August. We shall see, the last stout I did tasted great.

Still have to brew some mead and an octoberfest...getting behind thanks to these gutter-dumpers!

Man Down, O-Fest brewing completed with casualties.

Last weekend brewed my annual octoberfest (maerzen) beer that will be consumed in the fall. Everything was going great until we reached the wort chilling faze, and that's when the hops clogged up but of my pumps, one of which I was unable to clean out and needs to be

rebuilt/junked. I also found a small bit of grain had burnt to the bottom of the mashtun, hopefully the burntness won't make it into the final product, that would suck.

Back in the Saddle...

Well sorry for the delay, but it took longer than I thought to get into my car...

I'm back, for now. A lot has happened at the RCBC, but the most important thing is that I've started making good beer again! I had a few hickups transitioning to the pumped brewery, but the last four beers have been quite tasty. Thanks goodness, because I was starting to get really worried! Here's the current tally:

DRINKING
Transmission Fluid Red (Irish Red Ale)
Smokey Burnout Ale (Wee Heavy Scottish Ale)
Brake Fluid Lager (Octoberfest Lager)
Forty Weight Brown (English Northern Brown Ale)

FERMENTING
El Camino Equis (Vienna Lager [Dos Equis Clone])

NEXT UP
Blueberry Pie Ale
Cockhammer v2
Belgian Ale (abbey)
Hard Cider
Bock

That's how I roll

Found this pic from two years ago. We take October seriously...Treats for the kids. Sam Adams Octoberfest for the adults.