Nut brown ale (First Beer Atempt)

Start 8/14/10

This is my first extract brew attempt. It is a recipe from Northern Brewer and was pretty easy to brew.  Here is a link to the kit online (  http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/nut-brown-ale-extract-kit-2.html ). It took about 2-3 hours to brew.  I used the dry Danstar Nottingham Ale Yeast and am fermenting in a hot garage in a tub of water that I switch out ice bottles in twice a day.

The fermentation started off pretty quick (the next morning) and I am monitioring the water tempature with an aquarium thermometer.  It is around 69-75.

The OG should be 1.044, but I got a reading of 1.050. This could have been due to not shaking the wort before the reading and first time using a hydrometer.

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Recipe: ( http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/beerkits/NutBrown.pdf )

SPECIALTY GRAIN

0.25 lbs Simpson’s Chocolate

0.25 lbs Dingemans Special B

0.25 lbs Dingemans Biscuit

0.25 lbs Briess Special Roast

FERMENTABLES

6 lbs Gold malt syrup

HOPS & FLAVORINGS

1 oz Fuggle (60 min)

Recipe Kit unpacked

Setup in Garage for acceptable tempature

In about a week I will update when I rack to a secondary......

8/17/10

Fermentation seems to be slowing down compared to how it was the day after..  Seeing bubbles every 20 seconds or so...  Have not seen the water tempature rise above 70..

8/22/10

I racked my ale into a better bottle.  The FG was at 1.014, which should give me an approximate alcohol percentage for (1.050 - 1.014) X 131 = 4.716 %

8/27/10

I bottled the beer with 2/3 cup (little more) that came with my kit....  The kit actually gave me a 5 oz package.  I made my own bottling bucket, which worked out great.. I used a spigot from Austin Brew supply and a white Home Depot bucket.  I wish I had a 1" hole saw, I used a 1 1/4" inch and it was a tad bit too big but It worked without leaking and since the sole purpose is for bottling I don't really care.  The batch was pretty much exactly 48 bottles.  I rinsed each bottle in Star San and filled with a bottle filler to the top, 12 bottles at a time then capped.  I plan to let them sit for 2 weeks and then taste one to see...