So, the IPA I made last month was technically a “contract brew” for a friend. As it neared completion I was a bit concerned as it tasted a little off. The Hop bitterness I thought tasted perfumy or soapy and it didn’t ferment down as far as I had hoped leaving it a bit too heavy and sweet.
I needed to have it done before Christmass as the person I was making it for, planned to give them out as presents. That realy added to the pressure and stress.
I mean, if you make something for yourself and it doesn’t turn out quite right its no big deal. But when you get it all finished and bottled up and hand it over and say “…here you go, oh by the way it’s not that great…” it takes a lot of the fun out of the whole process.
My little bottling apparatus, worked very well and the carbonation was maintained, just right. Maybe even a little too much, which is an OK problem to have.
He picked up the beer (nearly 2 cases of it) and mentioned that he was going to be sharing some with some friends at a dinner party that night. Now I was really worried. I can see it now. “Hey check out this awesome beer a guy made for me…here have some…”
However in the end, I got a text message a few hours later about how much he liked it and that it went over pretty well.
I guess I’m just a nervous Nellie. I still feel like I owe him some of what I consider a better effort.
