Brewday - The Platypus India Brown

My lack of blogging of late seems to have coincided with most of the other beer blogs in Victoria slowing down or grinding to a halt. Fortunately, there is a new blogger on the block as local homebrewer Russ has started chronicling his brewing exploits. Its good to see someone else on the Island blogging about homebrewing, as as far as I know, I've been the only one up until now. Hopefully this will help infuse new energy into Island beer blogging. On to the beer.

Brewday - The White Whale Oatmeal Stout

He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it 

- From Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Saison du Sam: First Crack at 10 Gallons

Recently, I ordered and made a few items of equipment with the goal of being able to make 10 gallon batches. First was my new mash tun that I made from a standup cooler that had a much larger capacity than my old plastic bucket rig. Then came the pot, a 60 quart behemoth fitted with a ball valve, sight glass, and thermometer, probably my first item of truly skookum, brand new brew gear. After a trial-run involving boiling water, it became clear that using this on the stove top was not a good idea for a variety of reasons, including the danger, the lack of power, and the potential loss of my damage deposit. To remedy this I ordered a new propane burner to complete my 10 gal setup.