|
GonadTheBallbarian posted:For tops 15 mins. It went to the bottom after righting it while we were posting, I just didn't want to hand the bottle off to someone and have them get a nasty sickness or something. it's fine, dude. here's palmer on pouring/drinking homebrew: quote:One final item that nobody ever remembers to tell new brewers until it's too late is: "Don't drink the yeast layer on the bottom of the bottle." People will say, "My first homebrew was pretty good, but that last swallow was terrible!" or "His homebrew really gave me gas" or "It must have been spoiled, I had to go to the bathroom right away after I drank it." Welcome to the laxative effects of live yeast!
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 19:20
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 07:54 |
|
|
/\/\ Thanks for the info and reassurance!Jo3sh posted:Oh, nevermind, you answered that already. Cool. Initial reactions are all very positive, which isn't too bad for someone diving in to start doing all-grain right away, I think. Anybody have any experience using maple sugar to prime with? I've been thinking about making a maple ale, but any way to cut out the cost of maple syrup seems risky at best to preserve that flavor (without relying on fenugreek). GonadTheBallbarian fucked around with this message at 19:25 on Dec 15, 2011 |
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 19:22
|
|
|
I was actually reading that site in conjunction with a book to learn to brew, I assume it's up to date and worth reading then? Also some beers recommend you pour sediment, why is that?
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 19:23
|
|
|
Midorka posted:I was actually reading that site in conjunction with a book to learn to brew, I assume it's up to date and worth reading then? It's not up to date, it is worth reading. The print version of How To Brew is the 3rd edition, the free online version is the 1st edition. I bought the 3rd edition and I don't notice much difference, I think mainly he nailed down and expanded some of the advanced topics in the book. quote:Also some beers recommend you pour sediment, why is that? For some beer the yeast flavour is part of the style. Hefeweizen literally translates to "yeast wheat"
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 19:34
|
|
|
Yep, howtobrew.com is a great resource and well worth reading. There is an updated, dead-tree version that might have some fresher information, but there's nothing bad about the free online version. Some styles (such as hefeweizen) get a lot of their characteristic flavor and appearance from the yeast sediment, so they are sometimes agitated gently before serving to get it up into suspension. For the majority of styles, though, clear and sediment-free is the preferred presentation. e:f,b
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 19:35
|
|
|
More on the giant batch ruining infection I seem to have going. Took a whiff of the Oktoberfest I have going. Same smell. I brewed that stuff a month ago, too. Now I'm pretty certain it's the blowoff/siphon hose that is ruined. That bitch is hard to clean and probably got scratched in the process. Plus it has that same awful smell even after soaking in Oxiclean for a few hours. Still going through with the scorched earth mega bleach on everything. New hose ordered. New ingredients ordered. 3 ruined batches. At least my batches are 2.5 gallon instead of 5 or *gasp* 10.
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 20:07
|
|
|
beetlo posted:More on the giant batch ruining infection I seem to have going. Took a whiff of the Oktoberfest I have going. Same smell. I brewed that stuff a month ago, too. Now I'm pretty certain it's the blowoff/siphon hose that is ruined. That bitch is hard to clean and probably got scratched in the process. Plus it has that same awful smell even after soaking in Oxiclean for a few hours. Still going through with the scorched earth mega bleach on everything. New hose ordered. New ingredients ordered. 3 ruined batches. At least my batches are 2.5 gallon instead of 5 or *gasp* 10. First try PBW. That just does a better job then Oxiclean. If that doesn't work then try beer line cleaner instead. Finally there's always the nuclear option of beer line cleaner and Baking Soda. I've had to use that in the past with kegs that have been filled with Root Beer. It's pretty much the only option on getting that smell out.
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 21:14
|
|
|
Noghri_ViR posted:First try PBW. That just does a better job then Oxiclean. If that doesn't work then try beer line cleaner instead. Meh. $1.40 to replace and not worry if it's scratched on the inside and will never be truly clean again. Worth it.
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 21:30
|
|
|
I think I'm going to buckle and order star san from morebeer because I have no idea where to find it locally in Winnipeg, or even a reputable online shop in Canada. Anyone know a morebeer extract/minimash kit that is something special that you wouldn't be able to find at your LHBS?
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 21:37
|
|
|
Be careful with the starsan caps. I got the 32 oz bottle and screwed the cap back on a little too tight, cracked down the side of the cap and partially separated from the top.
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 22:13
|
|
|
mewse posted:I think I'm going to buckle and order star san from morebeer because I have no idea where to find it locally in Winnipeg, or even a reputable online shop in Canada. I enjoyed their Pliny the Elder clone kit, and it was nice because some of the hop varieties can be a bitch to find on their own.
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 22:18
|
|
|
Just shipped out my secret santa box. God speed little package.
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 22:33
|
|
|
Darth Goku Jr posted:I enjoyed their Pliny the Elder clone kit, and it was nice because some of the hop varieties can be a bitch to find on their own. I'm not big on hoppy stuff.. their malty brown ale looks compelling because of the munich extract..
|
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2011 22:50
|
|
|
Jo3sh posted:Yep, howtobrew.com is a great resource and well worth reading. There is an updated, dead-tree version that might have some fresher information, but there's nothing bad about the free online version.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 01:18
|
|
|
Jo3sh posted:There is nothing harmful that can live in beer Stuff CAN live in beer that smells bad (some gross wild yeasts and bacterias, some of which ARE intentionally used in sour beers) but none of it is going to poison you, just taste pretty bad.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 01:30
|
|
|
I've kept a couple of those 1gal glass Whole Foods apple juice jugs - are there tips or something I need to know about shrinking recipes before going headlong into doing a couple 1gal batches?
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 02:49
|
|
|
rage-saq posted:Fixed for you. Speaking of smelling bad, what's a sour culture supposed to smell like 3-4 months in? Mine has a strong barnyard funk at the moment, and I don't mean "smells like Brett" - I mean actually sweaty and horsey and funky. Do they always smell this way or did something undesirable sneak in there sitting on the kitchen counter for all this time? I don't want to chuck out months of investment but I'm afraid to just pitch it into my sour if it'll make the whole batch smell like this
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 04:16
|
|
|
Problem, me and my friend are going to homebrew this weekend, possibly. The problem is we only have a 2 gallon pot, is it okay to brew twice and combine the batches? Basically brew one, and move it into the next step, brew the next and combine them there? We're looking into a 5-10 gallon stainless steel pot, but they're expensive so we'd like to save money for now IF possible. Also is there a huge difference between them? I found a 24 quart, 5 gallon, pot for $36 on Amazon here. Is this brand okay? It's a bit small, but 5 gallons is all we need now and we can always upgrade later. EDIT: Crap, I just noticed that is an aluminum pot. Definitely don't want that. I found this, good enough? Midorka fucked around with this message at 07:03 on Dec 16, 2011 |
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 06:31
|
|
|
FWIW, I used an aluminum pot for my first 3 beers with no major issues. Keep your eye out though for stainless steel pot deals, I got mine on craigslist from a guy half-way across the country for $160 shipped here: http://spikebrewing.com/ It's a 15 gallon stainless steel with two couplers for when my equipment collecting inevitably expands in the future.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 07:15
|
|
|
Thanks for the link, can you explain what a coupler is though? Is a coupler the little connection I see with a shut off valve? I suppose that would make it easy to transfer the wort to the fermenting bucket?
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 07:32
|
|
|
Midorka posted:Problem, me and my friend are going to homebrew this weekend, possibly. The problem is we only have a 2 gallon pot, is it okay to brew twice and combine the batches? Basically brew one, and move it into the next step, brew the next and combine them there? We're looking into a 5-10 gallon stainless steel pot, but they're expensive so we'd like to save money for now IF possible. Aluminum is perfectly fine. Italian restaurants use them to cook 10+ gallons of house tomatoe sauce everyday. I'd go 40qt to comfortably do 5 gal all grain batches in the future. If you check out a local ethnic or surplus supermarket you can find one for ~$45.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 07:59
|
|
|
Midorka posted:Thanks for the link, can you explain what a coupler is though? Is a coupler the little connection I see with a shut off valve? I suppose that would make it easy to transfer the wort to the fermenting bucket? Yea, I'm talking about the connections on the bottom of the pot. They didn't come with valves though, I got two ball-valves from Lowes for like $6 each. The guy was really easy to deal with though, and I had the pot by the end of the week.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 15:59
|
|
|
Prices are pretty drat fair, thanks I'm going to look into that!
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 17:57
|
|
|
Just sent out my secret santee's package. Wasn't as expensive as I thought. 9 pounds via fedex ground cost me about $13 to send.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 18:15
|
|
|
tesilential posted:Aluminum is perfectly fine. Italian restaurants use them to cook 10+ gallons of house tomatoe sauce everyday. I bought a 32qt Imusa aluminum "tamale steamer" at my local Target for about $20. It's served fine as a brewpot through four batches so far.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 18:26
|
|
|
I've used aluminum pots for the last 3 years now on dozens and dozens of batches. Nothing wrong with aluminum
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 18:29
|
|
|
RiggenBlaque posted:I've used aluminum pots for the last 3 years now on dozens and dozens of batches. Nothing wrong with aluminum Yep. My brewpot is a crappy $20 5 gallon aluminum. It came with a lid and some kinda false bottom that's gonna come in handy when I start doing mini-mashes.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 18:35
|
|
|
Aluminum, in addition to being cheaper and lighter than steel, also spreads heat better. Really, there are a lot of arguments in favor of aluminum pots. The one argument that was formerly a giant worry - the Alzheimer's link - has been thoroughly debunked. It is a good idea to boil a pot full of plain water a time or two before using it for brewing, to establish an oxide layer that will prevent the possibility of a metallic flavor in your beer. Don't use caustic cleaners, and if you have to scrub them, redo the plain water boil to reoxidize any exposed raw metal.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 19:00
|
|
|
Daedalus Esquire posted:Yea, I'm talking about the connections on the bottom of the pot. They didn't come with valves though, I got two ball-valves from Lowes for like $6 each. Spike has pretty good prices on kettles. What kind of valves did you get from Home Depot? Not brass I hope...
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 19:17
|
|
|
Thanks, I think we'll go aluminum for the first few then to save some money. Now what dish soap do you use to clean the pots? I read unscented and mild, I guess we could just find something with that description. As for the rest of the equipment, I know it needs to be sanitized, but should I wash them thoroughly with the same soap as well?
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 19:17
|
|
|
Midorka posted:Thanks, I think we'll go aluminum for the first few then to save some money. Now what dish soap do you use to clean the pots? I read unscented and mild, I guess we could just find something with that description. As for the rest of the equipment, I know it needs to be sanitized, but should I wash them thoroughly with the same soap as well? I did. I'm a little paranoid about bacteria beating the yeast to the sugars, so I carpet bomb the fuckers in every possible place (minus the actual grains themselves). Couldn't hurt to sanitize the pot so long as you're using a non-reactive sanitizer.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 19:26
|
|
|
GonadTheBallbarian posted:I did. I'm a little paranoid about bacteria beating the yeast to the sugars, so I carpet bomb the fuckers in every possible place (minus the actual grains themselves). Couldn't hurt to sanitize the pot so long as you're using a non-reactive sanitizer. There isn't a need to sanitize your brew kettle: The boil does that for you.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 19:34
|
|
|
Midorka posted:Thanks, I think we'll go aluminum for the first few then to save some money. Now what dish soap do you use to clean the pots? I read unscented and mild, I guess we could just find something with that description. As for the rest of the equipment, I know it needs to be sanitized, but should I wash them thoroughly with the same soap as well? Use oxyclean for cleaning and star San for sanitation. That's all you'll ever need. Most times I just use a sponge and water to wipe off scum. Rarely I'll use a couple drops of soap to clean a troublesome bucket. Rinse everything well of course.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 19:35
|
|
|
Thanks a lot, so Oxyclean and star san! Sorry for all of the dumb questions, it's just that this is a lot at once. I'm trying to understand the best I can so I don't gently caress up my first batch.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 19:44
|
|
|
Make sure your oxiclean is unscented. I bought generic Target-brand oxiclean rather than the name brand stuff, and it works great.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 19:48
|
|
|
tesilential posted:Spike has pretty good prices on kettles. Yea brass, but I followed John Palmer's instructions on soaking them to remove surface lead. http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixB.html
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 20:19
|
|
|
It's been an interesting day, my mother's trying to set me up on a date with a furry and I got a package in the mail! I didn't order any yeast samples!  Oh! I'm drinking a Du Shazia right now. It's got a nice head and is pretty tasty! I'm at my parent's on break now so I need to keep some of these to split with my homebrew partner back at school, hopefully they last that long. I'm very interested in the sweet stout but I want to split that with my buddy. Unfortunately I couldn't find a name on anything so I don't know who this package came from. Thanks a lot mystery Santa!
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 20:35
|
|
|
Funny that you, of all people, should post that, because I too just got something from the internet today, and at the end of the note it said, Umm, is it the FedEx University of Hard-Core Shipping Engineering?   Just kidding, the packing job was impressive and there was a bunch of cyclotron spectroscopy fourier transform resonance cascade flux capacitor stuff...the one that really caught my eye was something about "paramagnetic resonance," which I'm pretty sure means "dancing iron ghosts."  Of course, no leaks or broken bottles, looking forward to trying these bad boys out. Looks like I got: Imperial Age Stout Apple Head Cider Ironic Banana Untitled Porter Awesome! Thanks a ton! I'll post a trip report later on.  As for my own shipment to some poor sap, I'm going to send it out first thing next week, since I conveniently mailed a similar package to a friend and want to make sure it arrives okay before I commit to sending out more to other people. 
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 23:01
|
|
|
Awesome, I'm glad it got there intact. I was looking for something to line the box with and my old pchem lab handouts fit perfectly. The bags were probably unnecessary but I figured that if one broke they would toss the box so I thought those would keep it dry. One of those newspapers might even have an article in it about a laser that someone turned in during a fraternity amnesty day thing.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 23:22
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 07:54 |
|
|
All you people have loving terrible penmanship.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2011 23:59
|
|