Batch number 4 is in the bag (or, I should say, in the fermenter). Everything went a lot smoother, based on the knowledge I gained in Chestertown this past weekend. Brian’s friend Kevin invited us over while he was interviewed for a newspaper article on homebrewing, and while we watched I picked up on a bunch of tips and tricks that helped me avoid a bunch of the gotchas that made my last batch a little suspicious. One of the things I picked up on was only using one bag of ice to cool the wort and then filling the rest with water. And, don’t cover the wort as it’s brewing. I also learned that it’s not really as important when the extract goes in, but all the timing should be based on the hops. I’m also going to need a new hydrometer; this is the second one I’ve broken in three batches. I’m also going to look for a long plastic stirring spoon and a large strainer to make transferring wort cleaner.

Update: I killed my yeast. Turns out the thermometer I have is bad; I checked it vs. a kitchen thermometer we’ve got in the drawer and it’s at least 30° off, so when I added the yeast the wort was still somewhere around 110° or so, which is too hot for the live yeast to live in. We took a trip to Maryland Homebrew and I got a second envelope of ale yeast to add this afternoon; hopefully I can salvage it. Rats!

Update Update: The yeast is partying like it’s Thursday evening down there. Lots of foam, the valve is dancing, and I’m happy.