Beer Update

[robby]

I've been getting thousands of requests for a beer update, so I'll share my progress with you.

I siphoned off the clear beer from my carboy of cherry beer. The carboy was fermenting, wrapped, and inside the refrigerator for 16 days, and voila' it's now a clear pale amber orange color. The fermentation was very efficient, even at 40 degrees F, the sugar has fermented into alcohol, and the beer is quite dry. I poured off the last quart or so that wouldn't siphon (the cherry pits were getting stuck in the siphon hose), and am drinking it now.

I can taste the hops and a subtle malt flavor, and also a sour flavor from the cherries. It's unusual and interesting. There seems to be a tannin taste, like tea. I think I'll bottle it on Saturday.

Comments

cherry beer, awesome...

[pookiedrawers.livejournal.com]

the Sam Adams Cherry Wheat tastes sweet like the berry.. I take it yours is different. How do you fit the carboy in your fridge?? Isn't it too cold in there or do you have a special fridge? I can't brew till it cools down here which won't be till Sept/Oct. I still don't know what I'm doing and have only made 2 batches.

Re: cherry beer, awesome...

[robby.livejournal.com]

My cherry beer is very dry. It's going to be good, though, and I've been told it will age gracefully, like wine. I bought a medium sized fridge (about 4.5 cu ft) just for brewing lager, and measured it to ensure that a 5 gallon carboy will fit. When the beer begins to brew I wrap the entire carboy with my insulated ski pants to retain the heat generated by fermentation, but when the primary fermemtaion is over, I take the insulation off and let it lager at about 40 degrees for a month or so.