Spring is here! Break out the beer!

The day dawns over Dunsinane Hill and the River Tay on my cycle to the brewery the other day - the first day of sunlight on my trip to work since winter began!

And the snowdrops are out, although drooping with the cold frosty morn before the life-giving power of the sun has thawed them out.

More stuff from the force of the sun - malt from last season's harvest in the hopper heading up to the mill - the tiny red box in the upper centre of the picture - to make beer!

It's more than a new day dawning for us at Inveralmond, because we handed over the old building to its new owners on Saturday, completely empty and devoid of its recent brewing history, yet we are excited and a little light-headed with our future at the new brewery at 22 Inveralmond Place.

We have made 17 brews so far - that's 146,880 pints...yes, I did check my figures because I can hardly believe it myself, but the dawning of our new era is fabulous - much like the beer! Thanks to all of our customers and drinkers who have made it possible - mòran taing (many thanks).

Slàinte agus fàilte a h-Earrach (cheers and welcome Spring!)

Ken

Live Brewing Action!

Managed to take a wee video of the XXX wort running into the brew kettle or copper, as we call it. So thrill to the joys of the first wort flowing into the copper!

Before the days of stainless steel, the brew kettle, where the wort is boiled (hence brew) with hops, used to be made of copper, as it was the only metal capable of boiling wort over a fire without imparting off-flavours.

Our brew kettle, being a modern device, is stainless steel and is heated with steam jackets, which is why the wort, upon hitting the heating jacket on the floor of the copper soon fills the space with anti-video steam!

Slàinte! Ken

In the Beginning was the Wort...

I took some pics of the wort run from last week's XXX brew below. It's really nice to see such colours after lots of grey stainless steel in the blog pics.

Wort flowing from the mash tun through the Run Off Taps

The Grant filling up with the wort - showing red from the backlight

Such pretty colours making such tasty beer!

We've done 11 brews now on the new kit (that's 33 days work in the old place!), getting the hang of where everything is and thoroughly enjoying it, although because the building is so much bigger, we're walking so much more around, across, up and down stairs, under and over platforms and gantries that the pedometer has gone through 3 batteries already!