Carboy Bags & All Grain

I just started using the carboy bags I just bought ... along with ice packs they are great.  They have been keeping the fermentation temperture where I want it to be, but it does require daily switching of the ice bags.

Additionally, this past weekend I brewed up the first batch on Maine's Milky Moose Musk using all grains and no extracts.  I also took into consideration the comments I received from the judges from Hanger 24 contest where they indicated that I wasn't sweet enough for the style, head retention and astringency issue maybe due to over spraging.  I worked on these and hopefully I fixed those issues ... we will know in 6 weeks.

Using Software

Recently I bought Beer Smith 2 and I have been trying to use it over just taking notes in a composition notebook.  There is so much data required and I am still learning but I am hoping to be able to take it to the next level and start using it in advance to aid in my recipe development.

Also just yesterday I got my carboy holders which should allow me to ice pack the fermentation thus better maintaining the temperature here in the heat of the desert environment.  Will start testing this weekend.

It is Been A Bit

Over the past couple of weeks I made a few batches in between having family visit and my oldest daughter getting married.  Over last week I bottled so much that I actually ran out of enough bottles to make another batch and that was with having a modified smoked porter in the secondary.  Thus I must drink up.

I am getting a couple of batches ready for a couple of upcoming competitions ... hopefully one in July and one in August but lately I am hitting some issue with the increasing outside temperatures I am having difficulties keeping the carboy temperatures in the ideal temperature range for the yeast.  I am looking into maybe using a cooler with ice packs or maybe even use the carboy cover with ice packs I saw online with More Beer.