Sediment and Fermentation

It's almost nine and I still haven't gotten a word written on the novel.

After beer, clean-up, and processing (emotional), I'm just now getting ready. And, oh yeah, I made a sweet potato hot pot-style instant ramen noodle soup.

The beer?

Hum.

Ask again.

Ah yes, well the beer. The beer, you see it . . . well, it . . . hmm.

Well, it looks like ale and tastes like ale, sorta. Kind of unfinished. Clean. I drank a glass of it just to make sure it wouldn't kill me.

It didn't taste strong. I didn't get a buzz. It didn't taste "off." It just didn't taste right.

And, of course, the recipe calls for bottle fermentation.

But here's the problem.

It bothered me enough that I went on some Internet homebrew forums, read a few faqs, and noticed that there were quite a few things I did that I probably shouldn't have done. I was going according to the instructions.

For example: the instructions claimed that you could either fill the carboy with six gallons and hose the run-off, or you could simply do with less beer and fill it to five. Since it was my first batch, I filled to five.

But, according to new information, this is a mistake as the extra space within the carboy can create oxidation.

There were other problems: nuances in preparing the yeast, roasting versus cracking the barley, taking a hydrometer reading after seven days . . . .

I will now nervously await the results. Two weeks!

*

As soon as I began to draw the tap and transfer beer to bottle, I remember Charlie's advice that wine was easier to make. I think I may very well change to wine next time, even though I'm not a wine drinker.

We'll see.

But I am going to crack open the pickled radishes. They should be ready. Not perfect. But ready.
And that, after brushing my teeth and steeling my will, I'll try to turn to the novel. That damn, lumbering beast in the distance. If only I could work on it as much as I think about working on it; the real task pushed with unrelenting force to the margins of the day.

Yep. We'll see.