Willy's Gillies

This past weekend I got to brew, which I am happy to say has become a more common practice at my house as of late.  It is my first shot at brewing a Wee Heavy, which is a Strong Scotch Ale.. this guy is so strong that he should weigh in at about 9.5% ABV if all goes well.  

One requirement for everything to go well enough for me to hit my target alcohol percentage is that the yeast needs to ferment as efficiently as possible before dying becoming dormant.  Perhaps the middle of December is not the best time to be brewing a Scotch Ale.. which I hadn't considered until my wife, dogs, and I are all sitting here shivering in our home.  Scotch Ales need to ferment between 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit to maximize alcohol output and to create the proper flavors of the style.  The bad news for us is that unlike most other ales which take just about a week or so to complete primary fermentation, our house is going to be an ice box for about 2 1/2 more weeks.

Thank God I have a patient wife, and dogs who cannot willingly choose to move out.

After primary fermentation is done the beer is going to sit and condition in my cold garage for the next few months to be bottled just in time for ShuBrew-a-Pa-Looza at the beginning of March.  I promise I'm going to release more details about the event in the next week or so.  So far plans are coming along; we have almost the full beer menu chosen and many of the food pairings decided, too.  

I'm also going to be looking for a select handful of volunteers who would be willing to help serve or cook at the event.  While I cannot pay you in USD, I will have some pretty fair compensation offerings for your time.  Also, it is worth knowing that all profits for this event will be donated to a yet to be announced charity, so your time and efforts will be going to a good cause.  I can only take some of those who volunteer, and it is best for people who are interested in enjoying all the food, beverage, and atmosphere to get a ticket rather than work the tasting.  If you send me an email I will out your name on a list and once I figure out the logistics of everything I will let you know how and if we can use you.  Thank you in advance to those who volunteer.

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