Post très numéro

OMG, I have made it to post tres numero!  I want to thank my sponsors, family, and of course, Ninkasi.

So I opened the second to last bottle of my 2nd batch that I brewed in July.  I learned that if you don't seat the bottle just right it will taste like a bottle of bee-hole.  Good thing was, I had a last bottle of Dead Cobra Bitter which lucky enough, seated just fine.  The batch was a good learning experience for a few reasons.  I was a little more prepared than I was for the first batch in that things moved a bit smoother.  I was able to learn a bit about his and the amounts needed for the beer you want.  I could have upped the malt for a little more balance but with a higher ABV (3.8%).  I also learned that people asked for seconds when they had it for the first time.  It was good to hear that and as much as I wanted to pick away what I didn't like about the beer, I actually enjoyed it and may have been its biggest fan.

I do however want to make it a better beer.  The second batch is sitting downstairs at the Cannon waiting to be served on the 7th of October.  It will be a different beer for a few reasons.  The mash temp was 8 degrees off and I got more water retention this time which I though might of had an effect on lowering the ABV but funny enough, the mash temps made it go the other was.  I am looking at a 5.2% and I have no idea what it will taste like.  I did taste it coming out of the fermenter but I can't go with that as the taste because it had all the yeast and sediment still suspended in the beer.  Hopefully, it cleared right and the taste I am looking for comes out in it.  It is big on Amarillo hops so my fingers are crossed.  Stay tuned for this one.

Later,

Tim