Kegging, A New Frontier

There isn't anything I can say to excuse my absence on this blog.  Life in NWA has been very busy and I lack the discipline required to keep this space updated.  I haven't brewed since the end of April, but in 2012 alone I have brewed 10 batches of beer.  I will try to post a short blog at some point with a photo of each brew but here is a short list to refresh your memory:

1. Hoppy New Year/2Heart2 (India Pale Ale)
2. Muhleisen Pilsener (German Pilsener)
3. Pig Trail Ale 2 (American Brown Ale)
4. Willie's Helles Yeah (German Helles Lager)
5. Big Boozy Baltic Porter (Baltic Porter)
6. Wedding Brew (Split batch for two different fermentations to make an amber ale and an amber steam)
7. Muhleisen All-grain Double Decocted Oktoberfest (German Oktoberfest)
8. Muhleisen Extract Oktoberfest (German Oktoberfest)
9. Steinau Weissbier/Muhleisen Hefeweizen (German Hefeweizen)
10. California Common (California Common) <---wasn't feeling creative to come up with a neat name

All of these beers, except for my Oktoberfests, have had their final packaging into bottles.  I recently bought some kegs and decided that I would keg my German Oktoberfests for an Oktoberfest party to be had this fall.

Kegging is a new frontier and one that scares me a little (a dirty bottle affects 12 oz of a 5 gallon batch).  A dirty keg ruins all 5 gallons.  My cleanliness and sanitation has been on point recently and I think I have nothing to worry about.

The kegging process (aside form ensuring a clean keg) is super straightforward.  Siphon the beer into the keg and pressurize.  There are some finer points but that is basically it.  Below are some pics in the process.

This is me kegging the 'All-grain' batch.  Looked exactly the same for the extract batch.

I will discuss the differences in more detail below but check out the color difference between the two batches.

Putting the pressure on the kegs.

 As evident from the photos, my brewing hobby has transitioned to Ashley's house.  I recently moved out of my house and into a one bedroom apartment that cannot support all of my equipment.  Anyways, the two batches of beer are really vastly different.   I won't say which is which in the photo above, but even the flavors and aromas are different.  I would say they are both true to style for an Okto but just different within those style parameters.

It will be interesting to see how these beers age in the keg.  I will take great joy in forcing my friends and family into picking their favorite between the two after a blind taste test.  They will both be good, but they are bound to divide the masses.

I welcome all who read/follow my blog to be at Ashley's house on September 22, 2012.  There will be two Oktoberfests and probably a Hefeweizen on tap for the occasion.  Soft pretzels, bratwurst, potato salad, German polka records.  Who wouldn't want to be there?  RSVP.