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Paradiso e Inferno

Well, after a one year hiatus, I decided to get back on the homebrewing saddle. I wanted a quick and simple recipe mostly for time convienence, but also something that would be ready to drink for a hot summer day. I chose this no nonsense Honey Wheat recipe.

OG for the recipe says 1.040, mine ended up being something like 1.062! Primary fermentation was normal. FG read at 1.010, not too far off the mark. No secondary fermentation, primed with 3/4 cup corn sugar.

About 10 days into bottling, took a sneek peak at how it was doing. Chilled one in the fridge for a bit, popped the top and bang! WAY too much head. Over carbonation to say the least. It was a nice pillowy white head, but it was clearly taking up half the glass. I also noticed the outside of the bottle was slightly sticky, and smelled of homebrew even before I opened it.

Went back to the basement, checked the box. One of the bottles had already shattered and soaked the cardboard box. How did I miss that?

For safety’s sake, purged and dumped the rest of the batch. Several bottles are even more explosive then the one I sampled. No idea how this happened. I checked BeerTools recipe calculator, the recipe was written correctly. Maybe it was the summer heat? I don’t know. I’m disappointed of course. Hate to dump beer down the sink. Looks like it’s back to the drawing board.

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Delamarva Brewing Craft

Here’s an email I received from Doug Griffith of Delmarva Brewing Craft in Millsboro.

From:Delmarva Brewing [delmarvabrewing@direcway.com]
Subject: Millsboro Home Brew Shop

Hi Scott,

I am Doug Griffith and with my wife Patti, we operate Delmarva Brewing Craft in Millsboro.

I am sorry to hear that HDYB is closing in September. I know I get some of my customers because they like to have someone to talk with in person about their latest brew or need some advise about their next and talking with someone over the phone just isn’t the same. I am sure your local homebrew shop will be missed by many in your club.

If there is any way I may help you with supplies for you and the First State Brewers club just let me know. I have a brochure of most of my supplies for both beer and wine making that I would be glad to mail some copies for you and the club.
My primary day of business is Saturdays from 9 to 5 but other hours are available by appointment. I have a toll free number for ordering which is 877-556-9433. I do mailorder and have found that most deliveries within the state are received in two days, many the next day after shipping. Although most of my customers are below Dover, I believe all packages go to Wilmington before being forwarded to their final destination, so the same delivery times would apply.

Again, if there is anyway I can help you with supplies, do no hesitate to call or email.

Doug Griffith
Delamarva Brewing Craft
877-556-9433

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Greetings from Ralf Liese from Marburg, Germany

first let me say I regretted much that we had no chance to have a little more intense conversation than just hello and goodbye (more or less). I was so curious to get to know all of you, since Harald had told so much about his homebrewing friends. But time was much to short and we had to laugh a lot that evening, so there was no chance to find out half as much as I wanted to . . . Maybe we get a better chance next time.

Could you please do me two little favours? First I would like to ask you to forward my thanks to everybody for this wonderful evening at iron hill, I rarely had so much fun after a strenous flight. Special greetings to Dave, Jerry, Scott and his family!

And second: I found your homepage (First State Homebrewers) and spent a lot of time with fossicking here and there and everywhere. Then I wanted to show to my lab-colleague, to whom we met that evening, but browsing all galleries, I could `nt find a picture of you . . .

Best regards from sunny Marburg (with almost same temperature, but fortunately just half humidity in the air)

Ralf