HOME BREWING - PART TWO

-1- CLEANING
Ten days after the first part of home brewing, part two begins. The first order of business is to find some used bottles to wash and dry.


-2- SANITIZING
Step two consists of sanitizing the bottles to ensure good conditioning that is free of "outside" agents, namely undesirable bacteria or debris.


-3- TASTING
Step three consists of tasting the fermented beer to check its flavor. It is supposed to be yeasty and flat. Sweet indicates not enough fermentation, which means back into the dark and warm. Skunky, tart, or acidic indicates "foreign" agents, which means termination. This batch seems fine.


-4- PRIMING
Priming sugar is added to each bottle to help continue fermentation. Too little sugar means too little carbonation and flat beer. Too much sugar means too much carbonation and exploding bottles. I hope for good beer in intact bottles.


-5- FILLING
Step five consists of filling the bottles with beer from the fermentation keg.


-6- CAPPING
Step six consists of putting Black Beauty to work. This capper was purchased at Beer Essentials in Lakewood. Thanks, Ivan!


-7- ADMIRING
This step really just consists of admiring a newly capped bottle. It is not really a step at all, just a time to enjoy the product of one's labor.


-8- CELLARING
Bottles are placed into six packs for the journey down into the beer cellar. They are then transferred into a cardboard case box. They will spend seven days minimum in a state known as bottle conditioning. Hopefully, there will be no exploding bottles, and a fine Pale Ale emerges.


-9- REWARDING
Troy's Work Table rewards itself with a pint of Samuel Adams Cream Stout for a job well done, while Saint Nicholas watches.