Xploding Xmas Beer 4

The head disappeared


It is a bit of a short measure but there is a reasonable quantity to drink.

After all the fuss, is it worth it?

There are some interesting flavours & a pretty bitter finish but it's neither fantastic nor off, either of which would have probably been a more appropriate result.

Why not post how you get on?

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Xploding Xmas Beer 3

I tried to get a screwdriver under the seal to vent the extra pressure but with no success.

I took the beer outside for safety.

I flipped the top and looked away.

The beer fizzed out & over my fingers but no Big Bang.


I quickly got it in a jug. OK it's all head but I only lost a few drops on the lawn.

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Xploding Xmas Beer 2

It's in the sink looking menacing


It's at this point that I realise that priming is a term for adding a little sugar to bring beer into condition AND an extra charge to make the bomb explode.

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Xploding Xmas Beer

After John Dzelme redecorated his kitchen & JD managed to serve Chris while she was upstairs, I decided to take precautions before I opened my first bottle.


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BAD Christmas 2

While JD is partying on his own in the Swan & Rushes.


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BAD Christmas

A pint in the Kings Head.


There are 6 BAD boys & girls here.

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Cider Update

The cider has been maturing quietly by itself.


I racked it at the weekend & boosted its ABV.

It was not as sharp as last year but will benefit from more time.

We drank it at Easter last year (Good Friday, 6 April 2012) so there is plenty of time for it to mature.

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Symposium 4

Veloceraptor is joining in

Symposium 3

Beef & Guinness pie or mushroom & Guinness pie. I'm very impressed.


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Symposium 2

It tastes like Guinness but without being overly cold.


It's more like the bottled version.

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Symposium

The Guinness recipe beer is as much a pain to pour as the real thing.


I hope it's worth the wait.

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Guinness worry

Last night we were sitting eating our dinner when we heard a ear-piercing scream from the conservatory.  On investigating it turned out to be air gushing out of the top of the barrel.

This morning I drew a little off to see if the seal had gone but safe to say it's fine!

Nottingham 11

That Nøgne Imperial Stout is so nice it deserves its own post


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Nottingham 10

What better way to reach double figures than Brewdog.


Nogne Imperial Stout for me at 9%.

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Nottingham 9

It's getting on. I'm on JD & coke but only because there's no single malts.

We have arrived at the Major Oak


Some of us are still going, some slowing down.

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Nottingham 8

The Malt Cross


An intriguing venue. A former music hall.

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Nottingham 7

Time to warm up in The Bell




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Nottingham 6

The Dragon


Adnams by the sea?

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Nottingham 5

Settling in at the Organ Grinder


Blue Monkey beers on tap.

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Nottingham 4

Next is the caves of the Hand & Heart.


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Nottingham 3

Next stop The Salutation for Plum Stout.


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Plan B

Nottingham 2

Plan B


We've been barred even before we got in.

Time to review the maps & the apps to plan our route from our comfy seats in The Royal Children.

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Nottingham

Plan A - Get in the Nottingham beer festival, drink lots of beer, eat lots of food, have a really good time with my BAD mates.

Plan B - Fail to get in the Nottingham beer festival so have a pub crawl instead, drink lots of beer, eat lots of food, have a really good time with my BAD mates.

It's what is known as a win/win situation.

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Guinness

It's a bit lively!

Brew Day 6

Phil pitches the yeast & that's it (except for the cleaning).


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Brew Day 5

Our third Heath-Robinson solution to be able to crash cool seems to be working.


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Brew Day 4

Phil is working hard


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Brew Day 3

Black Gold!


Let the sparging begin.

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Brew day 1

Barley weighed out

Brew day 2

A team effort including child labour

GCR BF 5

One last half


It's a generous measure but I'm not complaining.

Met some guys from Michigan on the train back. Nice people.

I hope you can join me next year.

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GCR BF 4

Last year we had a saxamaphone band playing 633 Squadron.

This year it's a ukelele band playing Da Do Ron Ron.


I don't know what they put in the beer but I appear to be in some bizarre, surreal netherworld.

Again.

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GCR BF 3

First of the day


We made our own payment cards last year. I'll see if I can do one again this year.

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GCR BF2

We've arrived in Loughborough.


Sadly the festival isn't open yet so I'll have to look at some trains.

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GCR Beer Festival

No one would come with me so I roped Matt in.

We're up bright & early to get the first train.


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We have BAD cider

The cider is now fermenting & therefore earns its right to be called cider rather than apple juice.


I realised that I forgot to check the OG so who knows what strength it will be when it's finished.

Drinking it could be even riskier than last year.

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Apple Pressing

It was a lovely day for it.

Apples were chopped


Apples were scratted & pressed


Some worked harder than others


And all done for a hot dog & some apple & blackberry crumble.

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Symposium

We've made it through the early symposium & a number of us have made it to the BTR gig


The beer was very good (as was the pasta bake) and I'm in the mood to party.

Some interesting decisions made. More later.

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The Famous Dzelme Barbecue

The Prof caught unexpectedly in the light of my flash enjoying yet another pint.


A number of BAD boys & girls are here.

The 3 beers brewed by the head brewer are all excellent as usual.

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Location:Staythorpe Rd,Leicester,United Kingdom

Racking The Beer

Time to rack the beer.


The ABV is a rather scary 5.6%.

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The Day After Brewing Day

We have fermentation.


And the head is bigger than that now.

Isn't nature wonderful?

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Brewing Day 3

All done.


Yeast pitched & we now just have to wait.

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Brewing Day

We are coping without the head brewer - so far at least.


A relaxing lunch while we wait for the hoppy goodness to infuse into the wort during boiling.

Some people may think that brewing sounds like hard work.

But it's not much like hard work.

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Brew day

Chris checking the temperature of the water and malt.

Someone was tired on the way home!

Aww...

The Sheffield Tap reprise

The band do an encore at the Sheffield Tap before catching the train home.


Still magnificent to the last.

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Fat Cat

Time to make room for one more in the Fat Cat.


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