The three long-lost stainless shanks for the draft system finally arrived today, so by late night I had them installed and the kegs pouring. Pictures are posted here (scroll down to the section headed “Co2 Draft System”.  More pictures of the inside are farther down the page under “Beer Serving Tanks”).  I have to say it’s a huge improvement over the plastic picnic faucets.

Brewed again today, the weather was so nice that instead of using the shed we set up the structure on the driveway and enjoyed the sun. The batch today is the first attempt to clone a very fine bitter I had at the Eastbourne Beer Festival in October, Bishop’s Farewell from Oakham Ales. Grist was Maris Otter and 8% wheat malt, with Challenger for bittering and Cascade for aroma. I substituted some high-alpha Phoenix pellets for the Challenger. Target graviy was 1.046 and although our pre-boil gravity was right on at 1.038, we only reached 1.044 post-boil.

The Landlord from last week was racked to the pin and a corny, dry-hopping with the last of the Styrian Goldings. With the current hop shortage, I doubt I will see any more of those until next year or later. Racking gravity was 1.014 on both fermenters. The Boathouse Bitter previously in the pin was finished last night, while late Saturday night as I was cleaning the new faucets and shanks the last of the Palmer’s Best Bitter clone was finished.