|
Josh Wow posted:I do small beers (3-4%) all the time. My regular recipes are a brown porter and a red English IPA but you can make all kinds of small beers. I've done lagers, saisons, smoked beers, belgian table beers, etc. in that low range and they come out fine as long as you pack in a lot of flavor. Use an expressive base malt, high percentages of specialty malts, mash high and keep IBUs low. Jo3sh posted:Not really a small beer per se, but my Best Bitter (OG ~1.039) has become my house beer. Ah ok cheers, I brew alot of 4% best bitters and 4% ish beers (will try your best bitter out sometime, don't worry its on my list  ). I guess I meant to other kind of small beer. Its confusing I know but small beer here is either the second runnings from a strong/big beer to make a 3-4%ish beer (or maybe just being in UK having so much 4% beer we don't think of it as small beer  lol). Or the beers of the past which were used to be able to have a drink without getting drunk or poisoned by the water. 1.5%-3% and also tend to be the hardest to master, it was the type of thing you'd drink in the middle ages etc. A lot now adays are seen as soft drinks mainly like Kvass which was the Russian verison, British was stuff like Dandelion and burdock but that was more a light mead style, and the wacky one that was in Radical Brewing Westcountry/Devon white ale (which had egg whites in it  ). Most have died off because theres "no need" for them as kids aren't allowed to drink alcohol anymore and the water is fit for drinking or just became soft drinks.Will brew your beer in 4 weeks or so Jo3sh, may have to use a different brand of mild malt/caramel 40L but everything else should be the same.
Fluo fucked around with this message at 01:02 on Apr 11, 2014 |
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 00:55
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 28, 2024 02:30 |
|
|
wattershed posted:
This page describes how to do what you're trying to do in the first illustration: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_6/chpt_3/7.html If you're using a PC fan try to find a power supply that's 9 or 5 volts. Soldering is best but it should work without it. You just need to make sure the wires don't touch anything other than the terminal they're supposed to. Hot glue or tape can work as insulation. The closed end splices are for splicing wire to wire and won't work for the wire to terminal connection. If you have one you could use it for the connection between the fan and the power supply's ground (-) wire. Twist the wires together, jam it into the cap with one hand and twist the cap clockwise with the other a couple times and they should be connected pretty good. That potentiometer is only rated for 1/2 Watt. Run your fan at the speed you'd like for a while and monitor it to make sure it isn't getting too hot.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 01:56
|
|
|
Jo3sh posted:Dos Equis Amber? That's a Vienna Lager(ish). The beer you have outlined above looks good to me, but it's not going to be too much like Dos Equis. I might cut the crystal down a bit if the goal is to make a light, crisp beer. You think even at my 8 gallons it's too much? Every beer I've had of his he likes is malty as balls and only has a whisper of hops - could very well be my palate though.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 04:14
|
|
|
Jacobey000 posted:You think even at my 8 gallons it's too much? Every beer I've had of his he likes is malty as balls and only has a whisper of hops - could very well be my palate though. Well, it depends on what you're going for. In my low-gravity, ten-gallon recipes, I tend to use about two pounds of 40L crystal to help prop up what might otherwise be thin beer. You're in a "normal-strength" area there, though, using a darker, less-fermentable crystal, and down on volume from what I do. If your goal is to get nearish to a Vienna lager, then I do think it's too much. If you're going for a richer ale, then maybe not. Personally, I like the malt richness that comes from a sacch rest a couple degrees warmer or a more flavorful base malt (like the Maris Otter you've already got in there) over the stickyness of a heavy dose of crystal. But that's just me. If that were my recipe (and I know it's not), I'd cut the crystal to 1.5 pounds and then tweak the next batch depending on how this one came out.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 04:41
|
|
|
Had a 1.094 IPA that finished in primary at 1.020, transferred to secondary for brutal dryhopping (and I wanted to see if the fermentation was stuck), finished there after 2 weeks at 1.020. It's a few weeks after we bottled and the beer is no longer 1.020. I know this because it supersoaks anyone who tries to open a bottle (and I took a new gravity reading). Motherfuckin 5th generation  e: New gravity is 1.012 fullroundaction fucked around with this message at 05:30 on Apr 11, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 05:28
|
|
|
I've got a batch of Skeeter Pee that I stabilized with Campden and potassium sorbate and then backsweetened, and I'm terrified to bottle it. It's been 4 days and the gravity's stable, but there's like 20 gravity points of sugar in there, if it kicks back up it'll be deadly.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 15:11
|
|
|
Homebrewfinds: 10% off Belgian kits at NB in honor of King Gambrinus. http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2014/04/northern-brewer-10-off-all-belgian.html
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 15:20
|
|
|
Glottis posted:I know I'm doing something that really annoys me when people ignore the actual question, but... I personally don't think you need a rheostat. Do you have any idea of how fast the computer fan spins when hooked up normally to a computer power supply? Some are faster than others. Alternatively, you could just wire a resistor in there to slow it down, but I really think the potentiometer (rheostat) is the way to go. I also highly recommend you solder, or it's very likely you're going to be taking this thing apart every other time you use it to figure out which wires came loose. Soldering really is quite simple, so just borrow a soldering iron from someone for a day and do it right.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 15:34
|
|
|
Stupid newbie question: Is it ok to reuse commercial beer bottles (after cleaning/sanitizing of course), or should I just pony up for new bottles? I'm considering buying my first starter kit this weekend, and have a friend's dad with some experience under his belt coming to watch over my first brewing day. I've heard that ales are easiest to start with, so I was thinking of going with a red ale extract kit. I'm super excited! Also, any tips for the first-timer would be much appreciated. I've been watching videos and reading John Palmer's instructions, but I'm sure this is more of a trial by fire deal. Millions fucked around with this message at 20:01 on Apr 11, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 19:59
|
|
|
As long as the bottles are pry-off not twist-off, you're fine. I've only ever bought flip tops, the rest have been reused commercial bottles! E: Only other advice is: Keep it sanitary (use star-san) and don't worry. You have to really really really really mess up to ruin a batch. I've done some pretty hilariously stupid things and come out with drinkable beer just fine.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 20:04
|
|
|
Millions posted:Stupid newbie question: Is it ok to reuse commercial beer bottles (after cleaning/sanitizing of course), or should I just pony up for new bottles? Perfectly fine, but throw out any twist off bottles, as they won't hold a seal worth a drat. John Palmer is very thorough but he presents information in a way that makes brewing sound a lot more complicated (for extract brewers) than 'dump stuff in a pot, boil, cool, sanitize, pitch yeast, wait, bottle'. Everyone (myself included) gets first batch anxiety, and once you do it once, you realize how truly difficult it is to screw up beer in a way that makes it undrinkable.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 20:05
|
|
|
Imaduck posted:It is true that some spin faster than others, but typically it's too fast and it's going to be hard to capture your stir bar if it always starts off spinning really fast. Having adjustable speed is nice because you can start it slow and ramp it up. On mine, if I start it at the max speed, it will immediately throw the stir bar. Whatever works for you, I just personally feel that's overly complex. Just use a lower voltage power supply if it's too fast (the 5V power supply I initially used was too slow for the fan I had, actually). I hold the fan still until I get the stir bar to stick to it, then I let go / spin it once it sticks, and I have zero problems. Separate topic: Does anyone have a good source for Belgian-style cappable bottles or bottles that are otherwise capable of holding decently high pressure? I'd like 375ml/12oz bottles if possible, but everything I find seems pretty expensive. The bottles I usually use are Anchor bottles that would probably explode if you looked at them funny. Glottis fucked around with this message at 20:09 on Apr 11, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 20:07
|
|
|
Glottis posted:Whatever works for you, I just personally feel that's overly complex. Just use a lower voltage power supply if it's too fast (the 5V power supply I initially used was too slow for the fan I had, actually). I hold the fan still until I get the stir bar to stick to it, then I let go / spin it once it sticks, and I have zero problems. They're 330ml/11.2oz, but most of my Saison de Noel was bottled in either Hoegaarden bottles or Duvel/Achouffe style stubbies. Hoegaarden is cheap and it's springtime, so Wit is delicious.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 20:35
|
|
|
Got the go-ahead to order a 7cf chest freezer and all the stuff I need for two taps (to start). Just need a CO2 tank 
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 20:36
|
|
|
2 CO2 tanks, so when you have people over and your CO2 runs out, you just just be like 'hey, np, I've got a backup'
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 21:05
|
|
|
ChickenArise posted:2 CO2 tanks, so when you have people over and your CO2 runs out, you just just be like 'hey, np, I've got a backup' Maybe after I get the other two taps hooked up and the collar put on Speaking of which, I've got an Airgas location and a local welding/industrial gas supply place close by. I've gathered that I probably want to just buy a used CO2 tank so that I don't waste money and can do swaps instead of fills -- can I just walk in and say "one 5lb CO2 tank please" and pay for it, or is there a process?
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 21:32
|
|
|
more falafel please posted:Maybe after I get the other two taps hooked up and the collar put on I don't think the Airgas here even does filling. I've always (twice) acquired an empty, tested tank, then taken it into my local tank-swapping convenience store and they swap it for like $15ish depending on the size.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 21:43
|
|
|
Thank you, everyone, for those replies. Since I had everything except the rheostat on hand last night, I pulled out a 9v charger and a PC fan (120mm), spliced red > red and black > black, plugged it in, and it was running fine. Pulled a magnet out of a dead hdd I apparently needed to keep for no good reason (until now) and superglued that onto the fan, then gave it a go with the stir bar and flask. The fan goes way too fast, and flings the stir bar within an instant of plugging it in, so given what I'm using I don't see how else I'd get this done without the rheostat at this point. I bought a project box from radio shack today and spent $8 at Harbor Freight on the shittiest soldering iron and rosin core solder they had. A few youtube videos has me thinking that I can't gently caress it up too badly, but I'll practice on some other nonsense first.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 21:43
|
|
|
wattershed posted:Thank you, everyone, for those replies. Soldering is easy, the main thing to remember is to heat the wire, not the solder. You'll want to heat the solder, but it'll melt too much and not work as well if you do.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2014 22:08
|
|
|
Glottis posted:Separate topic: Does anyone have a good source for Belgian-style cappable bottles or bottles that are otherwise capable of holding decently high pressure? I'd like 375ml/12oz bottles if possible, but everything I find seems pretty expensive. The bottles I usually use are Anchor bottles that would probably explode if you looked at them funny. What I did was go through my empty bottle collection and weighed the bottles. I used only the heaviest (over 200 grams, iirc) and haven't had trouble with bottles breaking. I was aiming for around 3 volumes of CO2 with those. I remember Sam Adams bottles as being pretty heavy, and probably Ommegang.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 00:01
|
|
|
How feasible is it to reuse champagne bottles for sparkling wine?
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 00:02
|
|
|
ShadowCatboy posted:How feasible is it to reuse champagne bottles for sparkling wine? If you have a bench capper you can get a bell the right size for putting the corks in. Otherwise you can also get large bottle caps that will fit most champagne bottle but they won't hold nearly as much pressure as a champagne cork.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 00:56
|
|
|
Imaduck posted:It is true that some spin faster than others, but typically it's too fast and it's going to be hard to capture your stir bar if it always starts off spinning really fast. Having adjustable speed is nice because you can start it slow and ramp it up. On mine, if I start it at the max speed, it will immediately throw the stir bar. I just went through my collection of surplus wall warts and found one that worked well. I ended up using one for a USB-based cell phone charger. I'm supplying enough DC voltage to the fan that it spins all right and keeps the starter moving, but not near enough for it to spin so fast that it throws the bar. USB is 4.5V or something? Previously, I tried it with 9VDC and a pot, but it went from pretty fast to a little faster, not from slow to reasonable.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 01:04
|
|
|
My LHBS rents bench cappers by the day so you could also look into that if you have a decent local store and it's a one-time project.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 01:26
|
|
|
ShadowCatboy posted:How feasible is it to reuse champagne bottles for sparkling wine? works fine, and you can use a regular 26mm crown cap on most american bottles (I buy sparkling apple juice for my kids and save the bottles, cheaper than buying them empty and new) and a 29mm cap on euro-style bottles. I haven't seen champagne corks for sale but plastic stoppers that you put a cage over are available - I've heard mixed reviews on how well they work but at least you don't have to use a corker, you just tap them in. edit: some French champagne producers have gone to crown caps with a lever to "pop" them so I don't think pressure is an issue with crowns. Myron Baloney fucked around with this message at 01:50 on Apr 12, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 01:41
|
|
|
Thanks guys! I'm just a big fan of Rosa Regale, and the bottles are so voluptuous that they kinda cry out for reuse. Just lookit that extra-wide, scalloped base. Baby's got some junk in the trunk.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 05:42
|
|
|
Hi folks. I'm living in New Zealand for a year (usually UK) and keen to start brewing simply before I head back. I think the most cost-effective way for me to do this for a short time period would be to buy a basic 'starter' kit. I've looked around and this looks up my street/price range: http://www.brewyourownliquor.co.nz/...wery-kit-detail I guess my main questions would be: - Would this kit allow me to experiment and mess around with recipes etc? - What extra things do you think I might need? I guess most obvious thing is bottles. - Do any of you have experience with these beginner kits? Are they any good/worth it or should I compile my own equipment? Cheers!
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 06:34
|
|
|
Does anyone here use a thermowell in their fermenter to control fermentation temp? How much difference do you see between the thermowell and your fermentation fridge ambient temperature?
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 09:17
|
|
|
wattershed posted:The fan goes way too fast, and flings the stir bar within an instant of plugging it in, so given what I'm using I don't see how else I'd get this done without the rheostat at this point. For my stir plate I ended up moving the fan farther away from the container I use for starters so it wouldn't throw the bar. I wired a potentiometer in but it only goes from really fast to slightly less fast. I mounted the fan in a project box on long screws with nuts on either side so I can space it however I like.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 14:06
|
|
|
Jo3sh I'm unable to get hold of/ find Caramel 40, I think it must be under a different name in UK. Which of these do you think its nearest / it is? http://themaltmiller.co.uk/index.php?searchStr=crystal&_a=viewCat&Submit=
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 14:44
|
|
|
Fluo posted:Jo3sh I'm unable to get hold of/ find Caramel 40, I think it must be under a different name in UK. Which of these do you think its nearest / it is? http://themaltmiller.co.uk/index.php?searchStr=crystal&_a=viewCat&Submit= 40 lovibond is equivalent to about 105 EBC. Which is in between the light and the normal crystal malt linked. See also https://www.brewtoad.com/tools/color-converter
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 14:54
|
|
|
Fluo posted:Jo3sh I'm unable to get hold of/ find Caramel 40, I think it must be under a different name in UK. Which of these do you think its nearest / it is? http://themaltmiller.co.uk/index.php?searchStr=crystal&_a=viewCat&Submit= Man, the listing in EBC rather than L scared me for a minute. It looks like either the Pale Crystal Malt (EBC 50-70) or the Crystal Malt (EBC 120-140) would work fine, sort of bracketing the 40L Crystal I'm used to. The color and flavor will turn out slightly different, of course, but neither one will be bad or wrong. Brew it both ways and decide which you like best. Jo3sh fucked around with this message at 15:03 on Apr 12, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 15:00
|
|
|
zedprime posted:40 lovibond is equivalent to about 105 EBC. Which is in between the light and the normal crystal malt linked. zedprime posted:40 lovibond is equivalent to about 105 EBC. Which is in between the light and the normal crystal malt linked. Jo3sh posted:Man, the listing in EBC rather than L scared me for a minute.  Thanks both of you!  And yeah EBC scares me too, thats why I try to use SRM whenever I can lol.
Fluo fucked around with this message at 15:11 on Apr 12, 2014 |
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 15:05
|
|
|
So...southern brewer tips. I'm sure this has been touched on but I follow this thread so sporadically I miss a lot. I live in New Orleans (suburb of) and typically I can keep house temps at 74-76, 76 in the heart of the summer, without making the energy bill outrageous. Now I know this isn't workable for fermentation. Getting a spare fridge isn't the most economical option for me, nor do I really have the spare space for one currently (soon). What are good options other than ice bottles and cold water? Could I isolate a room and get a window unit to cool the room?
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 15:37
|
|
|
Make saisons and other Belgian session ales all summer long and give a big middle finger to the weather. Other than that, swamp cooling is about your only option (it could be worse). I live in SC and we try to avoid July/August brewing at all costs.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 15:42
|
|
|
Nashville gets pretty hot too, though I have a basement that stays a little cooler. Basically I'm brewing a bunch of summer-drinking beers now to stock up, then I'll do a few saisons and/or Belgians over the summer.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 15:49
|
|
|
fullroundaction posted:Make saisons and other Belgian session ales all summer long and give a big middle finger to the weather. Swamp cooling is about the only economical option but is definitely fiddly. I've tasted plenty of mishandled swamp cooled beers that are serviceable but noticeably off. Saisons are fail proof. Not counting the stalled Dupont strains in spite of 90f temperatures I kept hearing about blast summer.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 15:57
|
|
|
meastwoo posted:Hi folks. I'm living in New Zealand for a year (usually UK) and keen to start brewing simply before I head back. I think the most cost-effective way for me to do this for a short time period would be to buy a basic 'starter' kit. I've looked around and this looks up my street/price range: That kit looks like more than I would suggest for a first-time brewer. The stainless fermenter is nice, but not needed, and some of the other kits that use plastic fermenters seem more like the thing to do in my opinion, given the NZ$279 (~=US$242) cost. Any of those kits (plastic or stainless) will let you make your own recipes or use kits. Add-ons - bottles, of course. Crowns for the bottles and a capper. I'm not sure what sanitizer, if any, comes with the kits - some of them say they include one, but if it's chlorine-based, I'd suggest looking for iodophor or star-san. An autosiphon is one of the things I like to suggest because it removes what can be a problem from the process. I haven't used that starter kit, but despite the enormous amount of equipment I have these days, the basic process (boil, cool, ferment, package) has changed very little. I'm sure you could make good beer in that equipment. The kit I like to recommend to new brewers here in the US includes: 6.5 Gallon Fermenting Bucket Grommeted Lid (meh, I hate grommets and actually would make a larger hole [1.25 inch] and use a stopper [#7] instead) Airlock 6.5 Gallon Bottling Bucket with Bottling Spigot (I never used a spigot for bottling, I prefer just a plain bucket here) Bottle Filler Bottling Tubing Auto-Siphon Siphon Tubing Beer Bottle Brush (meh, bottles are cheap. If a soak in PBW won't clean it, recycle it and use a different one.) Bottle Capper 60 Caps Instructional DVD (have not seen this, but there are loads of other good info sources) PBW Cleaner (great stuff) Star-San Sanitizer (absolutely key) hydrometer hydrometer test jar I recognize that you may not be able to find these exact items in other parts of the world, but you can probably get close analogs for almost everything.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 16:05
|
|
|
meastwoo posted:Hi folks. I'm living in New Zealand for a year (usually UK) and keen to start brewing simply before I head back. I think the most cost-effective way for me to do this for a short time period would be to buy a basic 'starter' kit. I've looked around and this looks up my street/price range: Do not buy that, you don't need anything that expensive. If you can't find what you need in NZ, the store I work at (http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/) does a starter kit with literally everything you need for $89 including your first brew, but it weighs ~25kg so shipping will be a bitch. Give us a call and we'll suss out pricing for you if you run out of other options.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 16:21
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 28, 2024 02:30 |
|
|
Personally, if you're only in nz for a year, I'd get the coopers kit, which will get you everything bar pot and sanitiser for about $70-80, and then build from there as you need. Unless you get a better deal from a store in reach of course. One thing to keep an eye out for is kits with a bench capper, because they're $50-$60 by themselves and absolutely worth it. Then with a basic starter kit you can do extract, and move on to all grain via esky mash tun or biab (brew in a bag) as you come to it.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2014 16:48
|
|