Thursday, September 22, 2011

What's Brewing at Our House

My husband and LJ's husband, Marcus, recently decided to get into beer brewing. They've researched and watched videos and ordered kits and watched yeast rise. Meanwhile, LJ and I mock them mercilessly because we are amazing wives like that.

Monday night, once the yeast packet had risen, it was time to make beer. It would have been preferable for this event to take place on a Friday or Saturday night when I am more prone to keep my eyes open past 9:30 p.m. But the yeast wasn't ready. And the yeast is very important. So we waited on the yeast. And because of the yeast we were up past 11 p.m.

For their first brew, Ty and Marcus picked Oktoberfest. I guess brewing a seasonal beer is how boys get excited about fall. I buy cardigans and tights and boots. Potato, patato.

I'm going to give this info to you in girl terms because I don't really know what all goes into the beer making  or the tools of the trade. There is this giant tea bag that you steep. Then you mix it with some hops and this gel-like stuff that resembles what vampires turn into when they meet the true death on "True Blood." You boil a little while, then cool, then pour into a canister and store in a cold, dark place (my guest bath), and in two months, you have beer.


There is lots of wearing oven mitts and strategizing and timing stuff.


And stirring while wearing oven mitts and drinking beer, which is ironic since you can drive down the street and get some of that in less than two months.


And wafting the aroma into your nostrils. It does not smell good, FYI.


A glimpse inside our pot of beer.


And transferring the big pot of beer to a sink full of ice to cool down the beer quickly. Ty says, "watch out!"


Adding ice to the sink to cool the beer.


Baxter says, "Move over boys, this is a man's job."


And after some more shaking and cooling and other stuff I didn't document because I was watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, we have five gallons of our unfermented concoction. I'll let you know in a couple of months how things tasted!

4 comments:

Ashley Netherton said...

I have so many questions this seems so interesting to me!! How much beer does this actually produce, do you put it in the fridge, do you drink it straight out of that big bottle ?? should I just ask Ty? I mean, who is the best source of info, Ty, or you, I know who to ask about what they thought of Taylor's meltdown or Lisa Vanderpumps white fur coat and hat...

Stephanie Jordan said...

Ok, so it makes five gallons. You have to filter it a few times and then we're transferring to mini kegs to cool and enjoy.

I sort of wish you had to pass that big bottle around and take a pull. If you want to know anything further, please ask Ty. You know me, I'm not the technical type.

P.S. - I think Bravo is going to try to make Lisa look really bad this season, but I'm not giving in. I will love you forever, Lisa.

Ashley Netherton said...

yeah someone has to be the bad guy..Clearly, Camille is nicer, since she was knocked off of her high horse.. Kyle is still my fave!
I just had an awesome blog idea.. can we have one day a week that's a Bravo Real houswives day ? I mean my ideas really flourish here...Where has menu Monday gone ?

Stephanie Jordan said...

I want to be Lisa's new live-in since she got rid of that guy. What was his name again?

And I'm so sorry about Menu Monday. I've got to do that again. We've just been out of town so much and my menu planning hasn't been happening until Monday, so I haven't been posting it.

I don't know if I can sustain housewives news once a week!!