Syrupy goodness

A week has gone by. It says on the instructions that you should add the ginger flavour sachet after the
bubbles have stopped. Bubbles seem to have stopped so time to unscrew the lid and tip in the ginger syrup stuff. Phew, smell that ginger ! Next break out the hydrometer again. Readings are 111, 37, 2.5%, 12°. (Not sure those are all quite right.) If readings are the same in two days then its time to bottle.

Extra Cold Brew

Hmmmmmm, so the heating pad isn't really living up to its name. The cold weather seems to have it beaten. The temperature on the thermometer is down at the lowest setting. There are still some bubbles going through the air lock. Hopefully it is still brewing...

Bare Ginger

With temperatures rising slightly after the storm I ventured out to the still very chilly garage. I gathered my gear together and washed it all out using the cleaning and sanitising products. Managed to avoid tipping the gear down the drain too, which was a good start. 

I tipped the malt mixture into the barrel and filled it up with water. I had heard that the ginger beer can be a bit temperamental and the flavour wasn't all that gingery. On that basis I decided to grate up a bit of fresh ginger from the fruit and vege market and then I tipped it into the mix. A bit of yeast on top, lid on and we would see how it goes.

First reading - 120, 50, 2.5%, 25° (I promise one day I will find out what that all means)

Emersons Weizenbock

After Wellington's worst storm in 30 years the weather was still pretty grim. Wind, rain, cold. All the stuff that makes winter, wintery. After the last Emersons I thought I would give them another go with the Weizenbock. A doublebock wheat beer. I have spent some time in Bavaria and they have some mean winters so, by rights, they should have good winter beer. 

It poured out very dark. That is what you want in a winter beer. The taste was very malty. It had that definite wheat beer taste. That rich sweet flavour you get from something like a Hoegarden but with some burnt flavours too. It might just be me but the beer could do with some hops to even out the wheat beer sweetness. One was fine but I just don't see myself settling in for a night drinking a few of those.

Ginger Ninja

I was out helping my parents shift 30 years of stuff out of their roof so a trip to the home brew shop down the road was a must do. I picked up another air lock. Apparently you shouldn't fill it up too much with water. I also decided to go for a slightly different brew. I picked up a Ginger Beer kit. That's right. Non alcoholic! I had a chat with my brother about it because he had made it before. He said it turned out awful and it might be a good idea to do some internet research before trying it out. Oh dear. Tips anyone?

Emersons Taiere Gorge

A trip to Moore Wilsons is always a good excuse to pick up a bottle of interesting beer. My wife suggested that as her family are originally from Taieri Mouth and we had previously taken the train up the Taieri Gorge that the Emersons Taieri Gorge was the obvious choice. 

Emersons have come up for a bit of criticism in recent times for selling up to Lion Brewery late last year. I

am not that precious so happy to keep drinking their brew.

The beer poured out with a nicely dark colour. Good start for a cold dark night. The flavour was actually quite complex. It started out biscuity and then you taste the spices (it is a spice ale after all). Then the whole thing gets rounded off with a smooth chocolately finish. Very satisfying. Good work Otago. They clearly know the right way to deal with cold weather.