The art of homebrewing. It’s a hobby I’ve only recently taken up, but one that has already provided me great enjoyment. My first batch of beer, which I brewed on my birthday in January (the 8th for those wishing to send cards next year), was an Irish Red Ale. There was something about an Irish Red that seemed somehow appropriate, almost fated. I’d rate the result a B+, which for my first attempt I’d say was a success.

My second batch, which I brewed on February 8, was an American Amber Ale. Amber ales are similar to pale ales, except they are a bit darker and strike a better balance between the sweetness of the malt flavor and the bitterness of the hops. Pale ales tend to highlight the bitterness of the hops, creating a sharp, crisp flavor. The amber I brewed leaned a bit more toward the hops, too, with a distinct orange citrus note in both the aroma and the flavor. I tend to be a hop-head, so the additional citrus presence in this particular version appeals to me.

So, after a little more than two weeks in the fermenter, yesterday was bottling day.

Bottling is a two part process, consisting of “racking” (siphoning) the beer from the fermenter to a bottling bucket and then from the bottling bucket into the bottles.

Fermentation creates all sorts of by-products, including a thick sediment at the bottom of the fermenter. Racking to a bottling bucket separates the beer from this layer of sediment.

It also allows the beer to be mixed with a sugar water solution, which the yeast will feast on in the bottle, creating carbonation. All in all, it takes about an hour from start to finish. Sadly, the end result is two cases of beer that must sit for at least another two weeks in a cool, dark place before they are ready to drink. If nothing else, this hobby is teaching me patience.