Crazy Week

I really wanted to document every move while starting this journey, but like everything else, I haven't had the time to sit down and type out what is going on and where I want to head.

Feb 23rd--I brewed a batch of Black IPA con Cocoa. Black IPA's are quickly becoming my favorite style of beer(while not even on the BJCP list). It started off slowly while I had to brew inside because of a freak snow flurry in South Texas.
-I decided to go with an extract recipe and bought the ingredients from Austin Homebrew Supply. I like those guys over there. Very cool and very helpful. Here's what I used:

• 8 oz. De-Bittered Black Malt
• 8 oz. 2-Row Malt
• 8 oz. Crystal 90L Malt

These grains were steeped in 2.5 gallons of water at 155 degrees for 25 minutes. Next when I got the water up to boiling was:

• 8 lbs. Extra Pale Extract(Liquid)

These sugars provide the yeast food to eat and turn into alcohol. After getting the wort back up to boiling is when the fun begins...addition of hops and miscellaneous flavor:

• 1 oz. Galena pellets(60 min)
• 1 oz. Tettnang pellets(15 min)
• 1 oz. Ahtanum pellets(5 min)
• 1 oz. Unsweetened Cocoa powder(5 min)

After the boil was over, I quickly gave the pot an ice bath and with the addition of cooled water got the wort down to 80 degrees. Gave it a thorough aeration and took a sample and the hydrometer read 1.057. It turned out to be only .002 less than the estimated starting gravity.

So overall, brew day turned out to be a successful one. And one week later, the brew is winding down on the primary ferment. Still a burp here and there on the airlock. Tomorrow we move it to the secondary fermenter.

Again, this is just the beginning. I plan on entering this brew into the Alamo City Cerveza Fest put on by the Bexar Brewers.

So I ask whoever reads this: Please pray for my journey and doors and opportunities to open up to share with people, fellow homebrewers, and beer-lovers the love, grace, mercy and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

-Dave