Coyote Ridge FarmsWelcome To Our Rural Blog

First, we want to apologize to our Facebook fans, as they not only read the blog entries, but also the tid-bits and minor updates on our FB page.

I’m quite excited about our latest project.  We are starting to make our own beer, here on the farm.  We have never [successfully] made our own beer before, and because of that I chose the simplest process I could find – a hopped extract from a can.  It came as an ingredient kit – extract, yeast and instructions.  When we lived in town, I made lots of wine, so having the correct fermenting equipment already on hand, really lessens the investment needed to get started making beer.

Last night, I began by reading through the instructions that came with the kit. :read:   In fact, I read them several times.  The extract is a VERY thick sticky syrup, so I put the open can into a pan of hot water, hoping the heat would make it easier to pour out of the can.  I also started 1 gal. of water heating on the back burner of the stove.  The boiling water will help dissolve the extract and added sugar.  The extract, boiling water and sugar gets added together in a sterilized, food-grade, primary, fermenting bucket. I first poured the extract into the primary fermentor, then rinsed the can out several times with the boiling water, before adding the hot water to the bucket.  After mixing the extract and water, I dissolved the sugar into the mixture/wort.  After which, I filled the bucket to the 6 gallon line with cold water.  The water temp. was approx. 70°F.  With a hydrometer, I measured the specific gravity.  It read 1042-1044 – perfect.  This should give me a beer with 5-6% alcohol content.   I then added the yeast by sprinkling it on top of the wort.

SIDE NOTE: The water I used is straight-up well water.  I did some reading on what type of water to use (or not use).  Some of the articles stated that most well water has a high mineral content, but also, some of the best beers in the world use high mineral water.  It seems it’s really a personal preference.  If it tastes good, use it.  I think that if I like making my own beer, I will probably make a filter for the tap.

After putting the fermentor full of wort on the counter, I realized I had a pot of sweet tea, for making my Kombucha, in the stainless steel pot that the girls use for milking goats.  I quick poured the tea into a 1 gallon fermenting jar, added the ½ cup on vinegar and the SCOBY.  Onto the fermenting shelf  it went.

beautiful beer foam created by yeast

This morning, when I walked into the kitchen, there was a wonderful yeasty aroma coming from the big white fermenting bucket on the counter.  I lifted the antique dish towel and this is what I saw.  Bread yeast smells good, this stuff smells better.  I really, REALLY hope this turns out.  :beertime:  I’m thinking maybe I shouldn’t be using my grandmother’s antique, flour-sack dish towel for my beer-making.  I don’t think the foam will ruin the towel.

Related posts:

1. 3 Gallons Of Kombucha Tea
2. Making Water Kefir
3. My Kombucha