Highs/Lows for the week...

[Brendon]

Ok - so this might seem a little weird and PC by my usual standards but in team meetings at work I encourage people to give a quick "barometer" check of their week to see how they are going. It helps people crystallize their thoughts into the essential things that are going on. So I thought I would try it here on the forum.
There are only 3 rules:
1. You must provide an answer when asked as you would in a team meeting at work - if you are lucky enough ;-) (volunteer out of turn - it's fine on a forum);
2. You may have as many highs for the week as you can reasonably think of but at least one is compulsory; and
3. You may have a maximum of only 1 low for the week.

So what are my items this week? Glad you asked....

Highs:
1. California Lager yeast (Wyeast 2112) - wow, just loving it and the fact that beers take so little time to condition up!
2. Quick disconnects for my gas on my corny kegging system - how did I live before hand. If people want to get you a cheap but valuable present for birthday/father's day/any other reason then get them to buy you a QD's for less than $35.
http://craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=964

Low:
1. Promising 15L of beer to a friend on Friday 30th May and knowing that you don't have a hope in hell as it's that good it won't last that long! ;-)

B

[Alasdair]

Highs:

- finally getting the keg system up and running (next week's high = pouring the first pint)
- tracking down a replacement brew fridge (old fridge is now keg fridge)
- not having to bottle any more (except for the comp and for friends)

Low:

- running out of LPG on Sunday while boiling the wort for an amber ale. A rollicking boil turned into a long, stove-top almost-boil, but I did somehow hit my OG, and it's fermenting happily. I've no idea what the "boil" did to my hop utilisation though.

[Greig McGill]

Highs:
1. Tasting my ordinary, which was close to being a failure due to a bad crush (not paying attention at 4am will do that), but recovered some OG with added brown sugar of all things, and finding it unexpectedly delicious.
2. Seeing how much effort is once again going into the SOBA NHC (mad props, Rob) and a cool T-shirt design (mad props Barry).
3. Finding I have a week in Wellington for a course in mid June.
4. Feeling a wave of manly hetero-style love for the community here on realbeer! ;)

Lows (rule breaking, I have 2)
1. Finding my handpumps have mildew in them after 9 weeks of disuse
2. Realising a SOBA member has been let down due to poor communication on my part

[Edward Siddle]

4am?

[Greig McGill]

Yeah, was just after flying back from Germany, and I was still seriously jetlagged.

[Edward Siddle]

that's dedication! walking off an international flight and straight into the brewhouse.

[Greig McGill]

No choice Ed... no beer in the house! ;)

[MrC]

Highs
- My yeast starter cultured from three bottles of Coopers Pale Ale is developing nicely. Now have a one litre starter with about 0.5 cm of slurry.
- Order arrrived from Dunedin Malthouse with whole cascade hops. Never used them before and they smell fantastic. Even my wife likes the smell of fresh hops now.

Lows
- Licking the spoon after stirring my yeast starter and sh!tting through the eye of a needle the next day. Hopefully just an unfortunate coincidence :)

[jt]

Is that starter very active Mr C ?
I find lots of aeration (shake it up regularly) helps it along no end - or if you have a stir-plate even better so I'm told

What's the yeast going into, got a good Aussie Pale recipe or something else ?

[MrC]

Yep, the starter looks great. I transferred it from the coopers bottle into a 1.5L jug last weekend and I've made 4 wort additions, waiting for the krausen to subside each time. It's now in the fridge waiting 'till I'm ready to brew. Maybe this weekend.

Because I'm new to the whole yeast harvesting thing, I was going use it in a small extract batch of NZ Pale Ale using some NZ Hallertau I've got sitting in the freezer.

[Dan]

Nice one! make sure to smell and taste the starter first, you,ll know about it if its no good!
Since its been its fermented out and in the fridge (fast asleep) i,d be inclined to tip out all of the liquid except the sediment and put a little fresh wort in at pitching temp the day before you brew or even a few hours, so its active!

[Bambule]

Highs -> Well I managed to secure some Nelson Sauvin, riwaka and styrian goldings hops from Dunedin malthouse. Looking forward to that Sauvin, I've missed it!

Lows-> I just slid backwards down a farm paddock, in a newly issued work 4wd, I ran over an old Totara stump causing minor cosmetic damage. Punishment was actioned swiftly by my colleagues, two cans of Ranfurly for you! Oh well, I suppose I can make some beer batter with it I guess.

[Barry]

Highs:
1) Getting a great initial response for SOBA shirts, some good dialog happening and a bunch of ideas and input

2) Getting some good positive feedback for the direction of the SOBA NHC posters I'm working on, cheers Rob and Greig.

3) Having 2 beers in the fermenter and a pretty darn nice "Mayday" mild on tap

Low:
Having the ordinary bitter, the result of a very smooth and trouble free brew night, not want to ferment. New packet of S04 rehydrated, pitched at 22deg, initial burst but it never quite reached full krausen and has died with no more activity. Have to take a gravity reading this morning and see what the heck is going on. ARGH!