Copper Beech. Almost Blue Sky

I have been brewing a black IPA today, which is first for me. Had a bit of a process disaster when the mash stuck. I have a converted picnic cooler with a copper pipe with slits sawn into it that sits at the bottom of the mash tun and is attached to the tap. The idea being that the grain in the mash tun is too big to fit through the slits so only the liquid drains out. It is attached to the tap with a plastic tube which is just a push fit. (Home brewing is all a bit Heath-Robinson).

So anyway the liquid stopped coming out of the tap, and so I had to investigate. I was able to remove part of the tap and I could see the grain was blocking the tap - presumably my plastic tube holding the copper pipe filter had fallen off. I got a coat hanger and managed to unjam some of the grain, it started to flow nicely. So I poked it a bit more and freed it completely. This was when I realised there was now no tap on the outlet. Wort and grain gushed both down and up into the air (the tap is like a T-shape). Once I had re-attached the tap and staunched the flow things ran more smoothly. I had to filter what work had come out with a sieve before putting it the copper.

Its all done now in the FV and the yeast is pitched so hopefully we will have some fermentation overnight. It has a way to go as its O.G. is 1068.

This tree is very near our house and has some fantastic colours when it has leaves but I kind of like it against a blue sky, stark without the leaves.

I have a new SSD for my Mac and I'm plucking up the courage to upgrade the mac with a clean install of Mountain lion. So if the blips stop for a few days you know I'm having trouble...