This one is the Sierra Madre pale ale, tweaked with agave, DME, corn sugar, and extra hops in the boil. This was also my first attempt at dry-hopping. I put 3/4 oz of cascade leaf hops in the secondary for 2 1/2 weeks. It was so good when I bottled it today, that I think it’ll turn out to be the best I’ve ever made! It’s gonna suck waiting for it to carbonate.
[quote=“Davisdog”]It’s gonna suck waiting for it to carbonate.[/quote]Assuming you have enough yeast in suspension and properly primed the beer, if you keep the bottles at 75-80F they’ll be carbed in a week or less.
I couldn’t stand waiting any longer. Yesterday I looked at the bottles and was pleased to see a nice sediment layer on the bottom, so I put one in the fridge. It was fricken awesome! Not quite to the carbonation level I’m looking for, but I’m really pleased with it. I know this brew will continue to improve for the next few weeks and I’m sure I’ll be making this one again.
How do you get your carbonating beers to that temp? For 7 months out of the year here in MN there is not a spot in my home above 68. Most spots that I have to store 2 cases of carbonating beers are more like 60, so I tend to leave them in the basement off the floor covered in blankets for 3 weeks.
I’m currently drinking the Sierra Madre myself. It was the first batch I made on my outdoor burner, so it was nice to finally make a beer with a rolling boil. It is very good, if not a bit bland. Good choice by the OP to dry-hop it.
Most of my house will only get to about 67 anywhere I can store beer. I just found a new spot: On a shelf above the clothes dryer in my laundry closet. From now on, I’ll be holding them there for a couple weeks, then moving them to a cooler spot.
I can just see you checking every nook and cranny of your house with thermometer in hand. The things we do for our beer!!! 
So jealous. For 7 months out of the year here in CA, there isn’t a spot in the house that gets below 78 without running the AC for hours.
Same problem here in Florida… I even have to ferment my ales in a chest freezer set to 68 because the entire house is hovering right around 78. It’s ridiculous hot here in the summer time.
[quote=“tmac”]How do you get your carbonating beers to that temp? For 7 months out of the year here in MN there is not a spot in my home above 68. Most spots that I have to store 2 cases of carbonating beers are more like 60, so I tend to leave them in the basement off the floor covered in blankets for 3 weeks.[/quote]As others have posted, I have to work to keep the temp down in the 70s most of the time here in Austin - we’ll probably hit close to 90F today.
But if I lived somewhere colder, I would put the carbing beer in a cooler along with a heating pad set on low.
[quote=“Shadetree”][quote=“tmac”]
But if I lived somewhere colder, I would put the carbing beer in a cooler along with a heating pad set on low.[/quote][/quote]
I do this, about 9 months out of the year!
(actually got up to 70 today, expected to go back down to 45 tonight)
I suppose the lesson learned in all of this temperature discussion is that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. We in the South complain about the heat, those in the North complain about the cold. We all probe our houses for coolest/warmest place to brew beer, and we get it done regardless. Cheers to we champions of conquering the elements to brew great beer!
:cheers:
[quote=“panduji68”]I suppose the lesson learned in all of this temperature discussion is that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. We in the South complain about the heat, those in the North complain about the cold. We all probe our houses for coolest/warmest place to brew beer, and we get it done regardless. Cheers to we champions of conquering the elements to brew great beer!
:cheers: [/quote]
Amen Brother!
