batch #4
belgium ale yeast
fuggle yeast
OG: 1.064
FG: 1.020
Used pellet type hops

best batch so far. tastes a bit like hef, smells delicious.

batch #4
belgium ale yeast
fuggle yeast
OG: 1.064
FG: 1.020
Used pellet type hops

Malty, thin sour, slight sediment, at least it isn't thickly sweet like last batch. Maybe next batch should have half amber, half light.

well today was a bit hectic. Like most days BMC tells me that my primary concern is one task and then hits me with a bunch of other tasks that need to be done right now. We recieved the red links of our STBD chain today. Didn't really get involved as I tried to busy myself on paperwork, hate the stuff actually, I would rather be on deck doing something than on my ass looking at something. The RHIB returned today. We had to park over at the boat yard at NAB because the STBD davit was down last underway. Then we had to keep it over there because the outdrive was stuck in the up drive. I remember the drive over there in the boat. We couldn't get above 5 knots but we left a rooster tail like we were cruising at 30. I couldn't help thinking of some poor schlep on the beach watching us from the beach as he had to come to terms with these two contradicting pieces of evidence. Masterson was suppose to pick it up. For some reason BMC had some sort woody for him and his family counsling appointments. He told me to send him and not to take any gruff about having to go to his meeting. Chief said he would be back long before he had to go to his appointment. So I told Masterson exactly what I was told to tell him. And as always when BMC tells me to tell someone something I told Masterson it was BMC speaking,'Thus sayeth BMC.' Chief dislikes when I do that but I think when the directive comes from above me or at least from someone else than me then that person should get credit, good or bad. Masterson out right said no, told me that he had to be out the door at 1015, at least thats what he told me he said. I thought he said 1115, so when I saw him in the in civilians at 1000 I asked him if I was correct in hearing that he needed to leave at 1115. I told him that if he needed to leave at 1115 than he was a little early to be in civvies. He didn't correct my error, in fact he basically ignored me. So when I saw BMC he asked me if I sent Masterson like he said to. I told my story and that I sent Rust and McCurdy instead. He wasn't to please with the story wanted to put him on paper. On and on went the day whenever I sat down to do paperwork I would either be called to the Quarterdeck or have to answer a call to the Quarterdeck for Walsh, who happened to be at school. Then it was lunch, right lunch we put the boat in the skids. We had SIMA over to watch the operation as he shop checked the davit. It seems that the job for the Hydraulic motor finally came in now that our avail is done. Didn't take long for him to know that the motor needed work. Firstly it takes 10 minutes for it to warm up, before that don't even bother move the controller because it won't do anything. It's like the cover plate is removed and the electric circuit is aligned for manual operation. However everything else indicates that it's otherwise. 10 minutes later when the fluid reaches optimal temprature the systems kick to life. Sounding like it were suddenly under load. The scary thing is while waiting for the ten minutes though Bryant kept demonstrating how useless the controler by moving it down 5 then up five, and Rust would cross between the davit arm and the deck edge even after I pointed that the arm wasn't latched in the up postition. In retrospect it could have a scary moment. If Bryant were demonstrating the controller when the hydraulic fluid actually reached the hoist he might snap the wire. Since it wasn't latched if Rust were walking in front of the arm might have been crushed.

Good weekend this week. I finally got to see Return of the King. It's a good thing that all the movies were finished at the same time that way the fire wasn't lost somewhere between the first and the last movie, like maybe Matrix. Transfered batch #4 to a secondary container for clearing. Heard that the Yeast on the bottom of the primary container could change the flavor of my beer. Asked the staff at Ballast point whether it was fact or fiction, he agreed that it was true. So here goes nothing. I'm also trying to use a hop bag because I'm sick and tired of the slow messy task of filter the hops out of my wort when starting brewing.

batch 5
3 lb pale unhopped malt extract
3 lb amber unhopped malt extract
belgium abbey ale yeast
12% alpha acid hop
OG: 1.070