Bottling and The Pursuit of Happiness

Just woke up and tested the Whirlpool Wheat

Welcome back to Off The Hinge Brewing!  Bottling tends to be a burden for most home brewers.  It is a tedious non glamorous duty.  There are several reasons why it is hard to enjoy bottling, but why not focus on the positive notes.  In my thoughts, to really get the most out of the experience one must engage all the scenes. 

Bottling the barley wine 

When you pull the lid off of the fermentor there is a warmth and aroma that lifts up into your face.  I am convinced that the Whirlpool wheat is the best smelling beer I have ever made, It was akin to a warm Hawaiian breeze.  I think all of the aroma techniques that were used to craft this session beer worked out.  The Ye Old Jabberwocky had a wonderful scent too, with hints of raisin and sugar. 

Ye Old Jabberwocky

The different hues and clarity in the beer can be gratifying.  For example, the clear dark copper/amber of the Ye Old Jabberwocky and the cloudy the light straw gold of the Whirlpool Wheat are ascetically pleasing.  The barley wine especially.  The reason the wheat beer is  hazy is due to the high level of protein in wheat that will not settle out.

Once you have sniffed the beer, gave it a good look over and took a gravity reading, it is time to taste the beer.  This is my favorite part, although the beer is warm and sweet it is still satisfying.  This will give you a good idea of how the final product will turn out.  When you taste the beer you are not just tasting you are also feeling the beer.  How smooth it is and if it is light or heavy.  Let us compare the two beers that we bottled yesterday.  The wheat beer was crisp with a medium to light body, whereas the barley wine was smooth and full bodied.

What about sound?  There are many sounds during bottling, the whistle of the bottle filler, the clinking of the bottles, the capping of the bottles, and the, "oh shit I overfilled this bottle."  The later happens when I am doing this by myself.  Luckily, I had help yesterday from Tracey and Steve.

Overall, bottling is a laborious and robotic job, yet if you immerse yourself into the process it can be a great experience.  The part that I dislike the most is waiting another 2 to 3 weeks for bottle conditioning.  All good things take time.  Can't wait to share the tasting notes with you and if your lucky you might get to try it!  Remember to drink good beer responsibly and be merry.  

Finishing the Whirlpool

P.S.  Today is Slurp and Burp!  I will update you all on the event. Cheers!