Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Getting Started: the accoutrements

Here's the kit in all it's glory. The tinted barrel is for fermenting and in the box? Well let's pop open the hood!


Interesting set up here, looks like some bottles a graduated cylinder, where'd that fermentation barrel go? Hmmm. . .

Doh! there we go, excellent work vice-chairman. Now let's visualize the individual components.

The graduated cylinder, presumably a transferral device or to make measurements perhaps?

A device I've never come across before, looks like a cross between a thermometer and a Dr. Grip ball point pen, officially called a hydrometer.

Some Golden Syrup, wonder if this goes well on pancakes?

Now we're getting down to serious chemistry, looks like gypsum, calcium sulfate and Irish Moss [Im104], a little known trace element found on the periodic table right next to the highly volatile Kimchee[Km105].

And of course the brewer's yeast, can't wait to put this into action.

some sanitizer to keep everything spic n span. . .

Now we're getting to the real meat an potatoes, looks like some grain malt. Lovin' the name on this stuff "Simpsons Dark Crystal"

Oak chips? Seems a little out of place, but I surmise these are used to add subtle flavoring to the brew.

Bottles of course, these are supposed to be better than the Groelsch type stoppers, but not sure why. Will explore this in the future as we further engage the process.

And finally some malt extract.

So those are the components of the home brew kit compliments of the Wesley O'Morrow Foundation, hat tips galore. Next post I'll be breaking down the function of each part of the kit and it's importance in brewing. Respect the process!