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LeeMajors posted:I've switched from a hybrid batch/fly sparge to a two-step batch sparge (which I've never really done). It's totally possible that I'm loving that up. I'm also using a cooler with a bazooka tube instead of a false bottom at the moment, so I guess it's a pretty huge departure in general. Are you draining the mash tun completely during first runnings lauter and sparge lauter? You usually have to tip it.
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Feb 26, 2014 17:36
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more falafel please posted:Are you draining the mash tun completely during first runnings lauter and sparge lauter? You usually have to tip it. As much as I can. The collar on the bazooka tube leaves me with about .25g deadspace. I accounted for loss in all my calcs, just the efficiency of the mash is dogshit. The volumes have been more or less fine, with some small tweaks left to be done.
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Feb 26, 2014 17:41
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Do you guys drain your mash tun all the way dry before sparging? I've tried both and I'm not sure which is more effective.Royal W posted:Is there a good way to spot-check once you're in the bottle, or do you just have to sacrifice one to science and use what you learn going forward? Ultimately it's all about the sacrifice, but if you see yeast floating at the top of the bottle/neck and a lot of bubbles still clinging to the side then it's still in the process of refermenting/carbing up. Usually you can only see this with lighter beers though, and of course YMMV.
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Feb 26, 2014 18:03
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fullroundaction posted:Do you guys drain your mash tun all the way dry before sparging? I've tried both and I'm not sure which is more effective. My usual method: * Mash until it's done (I do 90 minutes almost always, but that's probably overkill). * Recirc until runnings are clear. * Pump first runnings to boiler until tun runs dry (see note below). * Add first batch of sparge water. Stir. Let settle for ~10 min. * recirc * pump to boiler * Second batch, same as the first * Put a fire under the boiler, clean up mashtun. As to my mashtun design, I have a T-shaped Bazooka tube. The copper T at the center of the thing is way down in the pickup well of the keggle, so the amount of liquid that gets left when the pump runs dry is pretty small.
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Feb 26, 2014 18:27
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Slightly off-topic, but do you guys have any other go-to brewing blogs similar to Mad Fermentationist?
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Feb 26, 2014 18:40
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LeeMajors posted:Slightly off-topic, but do you guys have any other go-to brewing blogs similar to Mad Fermentationist? Michael Dawson's The Beer Engine blog.
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Feb 26, 2014 18:45
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fullroundaction posted:Do you guys drain your mash tun all the way dry before sparging? I've tried both and I'm not sure which is more effective. I batch sparge so I'm not really sure what difference it would make. I basically do what Jo3sh does except I don't have a pump so I vorlauf into a big pitcher and only do one sparge infusion.
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Feb 26, 2014 19:11
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Marshmallow Blue posted:I start drinking them after one week. I just put a few in the fridge at a time and let the rest age in the closet Yeah, this is really more in line with my actual procedure, except I don't usually put any in the fridge(I drink most things at room temp). Impatience! fullroundaction posted:Do you guys drain your mash tun all the way dry before sparging? I've tried both and I'm not sure which is more effective. I generally let it drain until the flow slows to a trickle, then dump all of the sparge water in and mix it up a bit. Or sometimes I drain it halfway and then fill it back up, or sometimes I keep topping it up as it goes...it doesn't seem to make a huge amount of difference as long as you're taking your time. I think my last two batches took around 1.5 hours for the drain/sparge, and both ended up overshooting the projected OG(one by .01, the other only by .004 or so)
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Feb 26, 2014 19:21
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Batch sparge for lyfe. Vorlauf 1/2-3-4 gallon, drain the mashtun, throw the sparge water in and mix it up, let it sit 10 min, vorlauf again and let it rip. Probably takes me 25 minutes total from starting to drain my first runnings to being completely done sparging.
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Feb 26, 2014 19:39
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LeeMajors posted:As much as I can. The collar on the bazooka tube leaves me with about .25g deadspace. Other than the crush and mash water adjustments, then, the only thing I would suggest is when adding batch sparge water to stir it like crazy, like for a couple minutes, getting everything turned up over and over.
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Feb 26, 2014 20:37
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Its been a long while since i brewed, and I -must- ake advantage of the lower temps. I was dabbling with the following recipe, but I really just start throwing stuff together, I would love some advice on this Oatmeal stout. 7 lbs 8.0 oz Brewers Malt 2-Row (Briess) (1.8 SRM) Grain 1 75.0 % 1 lbs Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.0 % 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.0 % 8.0 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.0 % 1/2 lbs lactose @ 15 min 1oz Willamette @ 60 min 1oz Willamette @ 10 min Beersmith tells me 5.2 abv but maybe a little light on color for a 5 gal batch? I plan on toasting the oats a bit ??? before brewing.. i heard that was a thing to do. Also thinking of a 156d mash temp... and Nottingham dry yeast. Then throwing some vanilla beans in the carboy after primary is done After primary I was also thinking splitting it into 2 and infusing one with coffee as a test, and leaving the other as is. Thoughts ? Please tell me if I'm dumb, I'm not 100% on meldng ingredients together into a cohesive product.
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Feb 26, 2014 22:20
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Just got some Oxiclean Free to use instead of PBW. How much do people here use per 5 gallons? The container directions indicate one full scoop per gallon, but that seems like an awful lot compared to PBW.
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Feb 26, 2014 23:51
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Marshmallow Blue posted:Are you also doing a sour mead? Or just a sour in general. It'd be cool as punch to know I have a brother in the fight for sour mead knowledge. Sour mead, 2.5 gallons scaled up from your recipe. It's my first foray into the world of making sour stuff so I figured I'd start simple. I'm not sure what knowledge I have to contribute apart from mine not growing much of a pellicle? I'm looking to rack to secondary as soon as I get another dedicated sour carboy (  , is that Northern Brewer 2-for-1 sale still on?) so I can taste it, even if it is a bit young. I may also pitch something else onto the yeast cake to take advantage of the second generation's faster ferment time. I think I read that somewhere.Smell wise, it's currently a pretty terrible mixture of funk and in your face CO2. Coming along well in that department, I'd say. Maybe I'll carb some of mine to see how that goes?
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Feb 27, 2014 00:15
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Roundboy posted:Its been a long while since i brewed, and I -must- ake advantage of the lower temps. I was dabbling with the following recipe, but I really just start throwing stuff together, I would love some advice on this Oatmeal stout. Speaking only for myself, I'd get the beer good before I started adding vanilla and/or coffee to it. I'd brew this one straight, and then think about it next time. But whether you decide to go for those things, I think the basic recipe needs some tweaks also. I would: Use English or Scottish base malt rather than American. Drop the lactose. You don't need the body here, and I think the sweetness is also out of place. Add some roast barley and/or black patent malt. This will darken it up and move the flavor more into "stout" and away from "porter." If you can find it, maybe also swap out the flaked oats for oat malt. Not every shop carries it, but if you can find it, it's supposed to be a different take. Or maybe just use grocery-store quick oats rather than brewshop flaked oats - might save a buck. If you're expecting 5.2% ABV, then you're aiming at what, about 1.050? I'd also reduce your conversion temp to 152-153 or so. You don't really need the dextrins, because you'll get smoothness and mouthfeel from the oats.
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Feb 27, 2014 00:42
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wildfire1 posted:Apparently the trick with carared is to also use 1% roasted malt of some kind (carafa, whatever) which gives it the red highlights to make it not brown. Alternatively, melanoidin + a bunch of medium crystal Here's my go-to base for a real roasted red ale (10gal/150F mash): 87% (15lb) Maris Otter 9.4% (1lb 10oz) Simpsons Caramalt (35L I think) 3.6% (10oz) Roasted Barley (300L) 1oz Fuggles/Golding aroma (15mins) and something to ~20 IBUs (60mins) Beersmith says 5.1%ABV 14.8 SRM but it's a super awesome red color and great flavor instead of just being a red beer.
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Feb 27, 2014 02:50
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Jo3sh posted:Speaking only for myself, I'd get the beer good before I started adding vanilla and/or coffee to it. I'd brew this one straight, and then think about it next time. Thanks for that. I based this on English malts and such, but converted to 2,row , etc because I was looking ahead to the next beer and grain usage. The oats I can do easy,but I thought lactose was a staple feature of milk stouts? I was really taking a high rated northern Brewer kit and adapting it for me, and the comments mentioned it being a bit 'thin' prompting me to add to the grain bill a bit, lactose, and temps But I defer to more knowing people
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Feb 27, 2014 03:25
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Moved the maple sap beer to secondary, tonight. Bubbled for 2 days but had slowed down to one bubble about every 45 seconds. Using Nottingham ale yeast at ale temps, so it was about time to do it. Will bottle in 2 weeks, or so.
GORDON fucked around with this message at 04:02 on Feb 27, 2014 |
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Feb 27, 2014 04:00
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Roundboy posted:I thought lactose was a staple feature of milk stouts? It is. But a milk stout is not an oatmeal stout, at least not necessarily. Roundboy posted:But I defer to more knowing people Please note that all of my suggestions are only what I would do, and that the best homebrew is the homebrew you love. By all means, do what you think will make the beer you like the best.
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Feb 27, 2014 04:07
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ieatsoap6 posted:Sour mead, 2.5 gallons scaled up from your recipe. It's my first foray into the world of making sour stuff so I figured I'd start simple. I'm not sure what knowledge I have to contribute apart from mine not growing much of a pellicle? Mine didn't get a pellicle for a good long time as well. I know if you move the carboy around, it's very easy to destroy them. Cake talk: I'll be pitching mine onto the secondaries cake and pitching the primaries cake (which is washed and in the fridge). I'll continue the generations until they don't work anymore, at which point I'll use it as a big bug pitch for future sours. I don't think mine smells like anything either.
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Feb 27, 2014 15:26
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Anyone have a favorite kolsch recipe? I've never made one before but I love the style and now I have some kolsch yeast in the house due to a roommate's brew so I figured I'd give it a go. I assume just keep it simple and keep it cool. 100% pils, some noble hops and call it a day?
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Feb 27, 2014 16:53
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fullroundaction posted:Anyone have a favorite kolsch recipe? I've never made one before but I love the style and now I have some kolsch yeast in the house due to a roommate's brew so I figured I'd give it a go. I haven't brewed this, so grain of salt, but Jamil says (in Brewing Classic Styles): 10.3 lbs Continental Pilsner .5 lbs Vienna 1.5 oz Hallertau 4.5%AA @60 WLP/Wyeast Kolsch yeast with a big starter Mash at 149, maybe longer than 60 minutes for full conversion, 90 minute boil, ferment at 60F, lager for 4 weeks, carb to 2.5 vols. OG 1.048, FG 1.009
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Feb 27, 2014 17:07
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Marshmallow Blue posted:Mine didn't get a pellicle for a good long time as well. I know if you move the carboy around, it's very easy to destroy them. Ahh, cool. Mostly I just want to be one of the cool kids and post some pellicle porn  e: just came up with a question: I've got some vodka infused with hops. I made this a while ago because.. uh.. I had some hops and vodka. Would it be possible to effectively dry hop with a bit of this mixture? Has anyone ever done this or read anything about it? I mean, I could try just mixing a bit in with a glass, but I'm curious if this is an alternative to dry hopping. ieatsoap6 fucked around with this message at 01:56 on Feb 28, 2014 |
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Feb 28, 2014 00:59
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ieatsoap6 posted:Ahh, cool. Mostly I just want to be one of the cool kids and post some pellicle porn I wonder if hops+vodka=hop extract in the same way that vanilla beans+vodka=vanilla extract? Edit: In that they are essentially the same thing and interchangable for the commercially produced equivalent. BLARGHLE fucked around with this message at 02:16 on Feb 28, 2014 |
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Feb 28, 2014 02:11
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BLARGHLE posted:I wonder if hops+vodka=hop extract in the same way that vanilla beans+vodka=vanilla extract? Probably... but I wouldn't know this from experience or anything, but it would probably be bitter and grassy as gently caress like a marijuana tincture.
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Feb 28, 2014 02:17
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BLARGHLE posted:I wonder if hops+vodka=hop extract in the same way that vanilla beans+vodka=vanilla extract? It smells hoppy as hell and definitely has a strong hop flavor as well. I'll try this later this evening and post a trip report. If I try this for real, though, it'd probably be best to get the extract a bit more concentrated than ~1 shot/bottle (or not  )Update: 1 shot of vodka + 1 bottle of beer is not good. Decent hop aroma and flavor, with a slight burn. If you can get ~3 oz extract from 1 oz hops, it might be worth a shot (  ) but otherwise it's a bit silly.
ieatsoap6 fucked around with this message at 03:19 on Feb 28, 2014 |
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Feb 28, 2014 02:31
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LeeMajors posted:All-grain. Its my second brew on my new setup, but I hit my target temperatures and pHs on the nose, and didn't really have any complications. Going to chime in late and say it's likely a too-fast sparge. I even batch sparge and was having major issues with hitting my expected gravitates. I'm not sure what voodoo Josh Wow uses (or others) who can FIRE through and still get reasonable efficiency, but hellfaucet pointed me to a slower sparge and I went from low 60s to mid-upper 70s. LeeMajors posted:Slightly off-topic, but do you guys have any other go-to brewing blogs similar to Mad Fermentationist? I nerd out pretty hard, fair warning. Sui Generis What We're Drinking Bk Yeast Eureka Brewing Bikes, Beer, and adventures Brew Science Some are updated more than others - if you want to read about english brewing - like, holy poo poo, way too much info - Shut up About Barkley Perkens is your wet dream.
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Feb 28, 2014 04:34
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BLARGHLE posted:I wonder if hops+vodka=hop extract in the same way that vanilla beans+vodka=vanilla extract? I've not personally done it but I hear it extracts more of the stuff you don't want, i.e. grassy pungent flavors. The supercritical CO2 stuff does not, somehow.
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Feb 28, 2014 07:04
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Okay, so I need to get rid of a bunch of old hops, mostly hallertau/hersbrucker, with some fuggles, northern brewer and galaxy. I also have drunk most of my beer so I just want to do a quick kitchen sink pale, so I was thinking 85-90% pale ale malt plus with some blend of crystal/Vienna/Munich/whatever with some 60 min hops for bittering and some 30 min additions. Does anyone have any recommendations
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Feb 28, 2014 11:54
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Jacobey000 posted:Going to chime in late and say it's likely a too-fast sparge. I even batch sparge and was having major issues with hitting my expected gravitates. I'm not sure what voodoo Josh Wow uses (or others) who can FIRE through and still get reasonable efficiency, but hellfaucet pointed me to a slower sparge and I went from low 60s to mid-upper 70s. I'm going to do that Mild ale that was posted earlier next week (Colt .177 I think?), so I'll really hold back and do a slow sparge. Hopefully that'll increase my efficiency a bit. I got all worked up, but its just part of working out the kinks I guess. Batch #3, incoming.  Jacobey000 posted:I nerd out pretty hard, fair warning. Thanks for these. I am a huge nerd, and this is much appreciated.
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Feb 28, 2014 15:49
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Nanpa posted:Okay, so I need to get rid of a bunch of old hops, mostly hallertau/hersbrucker, with some fuggles, northern brewer and galaxy. I also have drunk most of my beer so I just want to do a quick kitchen sink pale, so I was thinking 85-90% pale ale malt plus with some blend of crystal/Vienna/Munich/whatever with some 60 min hops for bittering and some 30 min additions. Does anyone have any recommendations I'm doing a 60 minute IPA on This Sunday or next. Ill be mixing all the hops together and adding a little bit every 2 minutes in 30 additions. Brewed on Wednesday! Peppercorn Saison Mead - ~1.75 Gallons (using a Mr. beer barrel) 3 Pounds of Snowberry Honey 1 Pound Wheat DME (thanks Internet Celeb) WYEAST Belgian Saison Gravity 1.084 Secondary will be a couple teaspoons of hand crushed peppercorns (gotta use that mortar + Pestle for something) and an orange. Oh and dry hopping an ounce of Tettnanger
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Feb 28, 2014 16:29
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If any of you guys are in the NYC/NJ area, the president of my homebrew club just opened up a really nice LHBS in downtown Jersey City, near Hamilton Park. The area didn't really have any options besides the winemaking section in Corrados, so I'm really excited to have it. They also have a nice craft beer and liquor selection. The store's called The Thirsty Quaker, and you can get hours/address and stuff at https://www.thirstyquaker.com. I hope this post doesn't come off as overly promotional or anything, but it's a really nice shop and I hope it does well (mostly so I can continue to buy homebrew supplies right around the corner)
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Mar 1, 2014 00:23
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fullroundaction posted:Anyone have a favorite kolsch recipe? I've never made one before but I love the style and now I have some kolsch yeast in the house due to a roommate's brew so I figured I'd give it a go. My favorite Kolsch recipe is: 4 oz C10 12 oz Munich 8 lb Pils 1 oz Tettnang @ 60 1 oz Hallertauer @ 10 Wyeast 2565 Mash at 151, make sure to use a whirfloc, ferment a little cool (upper 50's/low 60's), don't secondary, but cold crash before bottling if you can. Carb to about 2.8 vols.
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Mar 1, 2014 02:13
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Whoever it was who mentioned that they were going to brew Colt .177 soon, please recheck the recipe. I just noticed that for some reason, it had been saved with 2 *pounds* of roast malt in it, when it ought to be 2 ounces. I'd like to blame it on Brewtoad, but to be perfectly honest, it was probably my fuckup.
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Mar 1, 2014 05:49
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I'm about 10 pages behind on the thread so I'm sorry if this came up already, but: I'm on a saison kick right now and I figure I can save some money by just reusing yeasts. Because I'm still in the stone age brewing tech-wise, I'm planning on draining the leftover beer from my carboy on brew day and using the yeast at the bottom for my next batch. How bad of an idea is this?
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Mar 1, 2014 05:54
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That's pretty much what I've been doing with my 3711 about 3 times in a row now and it's worked fine. No fancy-schmancy yeast washing or anything. Just be careful if you're doing anything like dry hopping, you probably don't want to get a bunch of hop matter in there.
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Mar 1, 2014 05:58
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LeeMajors posted:Slightly off-topic, but do you guys have any other go-to brewing blogs similar to Mad Fermentationist? Beer and Wine Journal Beer Labels in Motion Brewtoad Blog Cerevisia Gluten Free Brewing Hive Mind Mead Homebrew Finds Hopwise Brewery Journal of the Institute of Brewing Ryan Brews The Beer Engine The Mash (Brooklyn Brewshop) Zythophile Also, I bought Ron Pattinson's (the guy who does the aforementioned Shut up About Barkley Perkens) new book The Homebrewer's Guide to Vintage Beer last week. It's small and surprisingly short, considering how much he spergs about vintage breweries, but has a lot of interesting recipes that I can't wait to try out. Capt. Sticl posted:Just got some Oxiclean Free to use instead of PBW. How much do people here use per 5 gallons? nmfree fucked around with this message at 08:54 on Mar 1, 2014 |
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Mar 1, 2014 08:21
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Has anyone used White Labs #300 Hefeweizen ale yeast? I thought I'd experiment with it in my Belgian pale ale (half with Antwerp, other half batch with Hefeweizen). Day 2 and whenever I near the cupboard I am getting a load of sulphur / rotten eggs from it, never really had this from any ale yeast before and it is the Hefeweizen yeast giving it off. Anything I should do to make sure its out of the beer before bottling? Transfer to secondary for 4weeks or something?
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Mar 1, 2014 14:05
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Thanks for the kolsch recipes guys  Bottled my year-old Framboise last night. Added about a pint of top-cropped 3711 last week and about 1/3 a pack of D47 during bottling so hopefully I don't have any problems carbin up.  Came out pretty good, just not nearly as fruity as a I wanted it to. Hopefully the aroma picks up when it has some bubbles. 70% pilsner / 30% white wheat / 15IBU goldings, 3 months primary, 9 months secondary, sat on one of those giant cans of vintner's raspberries for 4 months, and an oak spiral soaked in port wine for about a week.
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Mar 1, 2014 14:21
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fullroundaction posted:Thanks for the kolsch recipes guys That photo  ! Love to hear how it turned out, I'm planning on doing the 70% pilsner 30% torrified wheat (can't seem to get white wheat at the moment :I) thing, but not got around to it yet as the cupboard needs alittle touchup before I can turn it into my souring cupboard. 
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Mar 1, 2014 14:32
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Fluo posted:Has anyone used White Labs #300 Hefeweizen ale yeast? I thought I'd experiment with it in my Belgian pale ale (half with Antwerp, other half batch with Hefeweizen). Day 2 and whenever I near the cupboard I am getting a load of sulphur / rotten eggs from it, never really had this from any ale yeast before and it is the Hefeweizen yeast giving it off. Anything I should do to make sure its out of the beer before bottling? Transfer to secondary for 4weeks or something? Perfectly normal for a hefeweizen yeast. It'll clear up by itself when primary is over.
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Mar 1, 2014 17:23
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