Summer Ale

Most of the ale recipes that I brew are from Greg Hughes's book on homebrewing. The Summer Ale recipe looked like a good one to try as a beginner. I was able to get the ingredients from Amazon.

Having had a dry run of the whole brewing process in January, this attempt in February was a lot easier. Watching the grains becoming a natural filter in the mash tun in this brew versus the mesh of the mash tun in the last brew was a relief. However I made one mistake and I thought it would be a big one. I forgot to add Protofloc to the boil. This helps clear the beer and give a nice finish.

I didn't panic particularly - the Internet said not to worry. What I ended up with was a slightly cloudy beer but it was enjoyable. Much of the barrel disappeared when friends came to dinner and the following weekend when friends came to brew the next batch.