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Plastic Jesus posted:I learn best when I gently caress up. So when it's something new I like to have the fewest number of things I can gently caress up, that way it's easier to figure out which thing went wrong. Starting with all grain seems attractive because you'll learn every step involved, but it may end up being harder because you won't know which things you got right and which you didn't. Your approach to things could be different and if so, awesome! But there's nothing wrong or pusillanimous with a partial mash for the specialty grains while using extract for the base. Also nothing wrong with adding dextrose and yeast to 5 gallons of apple juice to see what fermentation looks like prior to brewing beer. Thanks, I agree with your views on learning as well!
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Dec 14, 2011 06:53
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Daedalus Esquire posted:If you have a program like Beersmith to manage all the calculations and whatnot, BIAB is no more difficult then doing an extract batch that involves steeping of specialty grains. At least in my opinion.
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Dec 14, 2011 07:01
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Yea, Beersmith actually says in the notes when you set it to BIAB that sparging is unnecessary. I think I'm going to at least do the whole pour some water over your grain bag thing from now on since my efficiency ended up being lower than I was expecting, but honestly, the batch I did turned out fine. I was a little wary going in based on the reading I did expecting to deal with this whole new beast, but once I started doing it, I realized that at it's most basic level, BIAB was just an extension of steeping with none of the brown goop that boils over way too easy.
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Dec 14, 2011 07:16
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So I'm having a bit of a hard time deciding what to brew next. I was originally thinking some type of belgian style, but the more I think about it the more I want to start messing around with sours. So maybe I should try something with a decoction mash next brew, that way I can sort of get used to it and do a turbid mash for a lambic down the line. I figure I can probably brew a lager with some anchor steam yeast no problem. Any style suggestions? I'm thinking a dunkel or something but I don't really know. Unrelated, holiday porter seems to be coming along great. Overshot the gravity which means my efficiency was somewhere around 75-78% or some poo poo, looks like this is going to finish out at 8.7% or so. A week after fermentation started and it's still got krausen. Used a good chunk of the yeast cake from my last pale ale brewed with WLP023 burton yeast, seems to be working well. My only concern is that by overshooting the gravity it might end up a bit sweeter than I wanted. I figure if it finishes out too sweet though, I can use maybe a quart of water for priming sugar, boil the poo poo out of some hops in the water, strain it, then add my priming sugar mix it all up and bottle. Nothing wrong with fixing a beer up before bottling like that, right?
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Dec 14, 2011 09:02
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Daedalus Esquire posted:Yea, I have a false bottom that came with my kettle, but depending on the size of your pot, you could probably order something like this as a pretty cheap false bottom: Don't have access to a sewing machine, but the tutorial you linked to doesn't look particularly hard. Maybe there's some artist space around here to rent time on the machine. The veggie steamer as a cheap false bottom is an awesome idea. Especially since the LHBS wants $40 for a false bottom! Xarb posted:You best bet is a cake cooling rack that fits in your pot like this: The cooling rack is another great idea. The diameter of the pot isn't large, so I would imagine finding a cake rack to fit wouldn't be too hard. When you mention using gas for heating, what do you mean exactly? I brew with propane gas outdoors. Not natural gas on a stove top. So even propane gas won't produce a flame hot enough to melt a voile curtain? If I can get away without any kind of false bottom or method to keep the bag suspended, the better. I'd like to minimize expenses where I can.
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Dec 14, 2011 16:24
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Brewing up a Rauchbier tomorrow with more smoked malt than I've used before. Going with 92.5% weyermann rauchmalt and 2.5% each of carafa III, honey malt and caramunich II. Hallertauer to whatever I decide probably around 20 IBU and using the yeast cake from my munich dunkel. The dunkel was the first time I tried dry lager yeast, the Saflager 34/70. It's supposed to be the same as Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager which is the Weihenstaphen strain. I took a sample of the dunkel last night and it's down to 1.014 and smells/tastes pretty drat good even without any lagering. If these two beers turn out good I'll definitely be using the 34/70 again, beats the hell out of doing a 3/4 gallon starter.
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Dec 14, 2011 18:25
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RiggenBlaque posted:Hey Saq, I was using your yeast spreadsheet and it looks like your entry for WY3068 is slightly off. Yours says the temperature range is 68-72 and the WY website says 64-72. I hope it's actually lower than that, because I'm fermenting this weizenbock at 62*. I'm not sure who did the data entry for that one but iirc all the wyeast stuff was taken off their website. There is a page for form responses where you can send updates/corrections built in, look in the top left cell. I'll change the temp range.
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Dec 14, 2011 18:39
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I want to brew a pilsner for the spring. Has anyone tried or heard of doing an all Hallertau pils? I have a bunch of it so it would be most economical if I used them. I can also grab a couple ounces of other noble hops from the LHBS if it's really necessary. Someone here mentioned Tettnanger is an awesome noble as well. Any experiences or opinions?
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Dec 14, 2011 18:45
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No experience but since it's in Sam Adam's Noble Pils it can't be too terrible of an idea.
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Dec 14, 2011 18:56
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Anyone have any experience with Ranco temp controllers? Do they have anti-short cycle protection? I know the digital Johnson one does, but it's not dual-stage. I was hoping for a dual-stage with the short cycle protection since I think I've already killed one chest freezer from using the analog johnson controller. Thanks!
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Dec 14, 2011 19:26
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tesilential posted:I want to brew a pilsner for the spring. Has anyone tried or heard of doing an all Hallertau pils? I have a bunch of it so it would be most economical if I used them. I can also grab a couple ounces of other noble hops from the LHBS if it's really necessary. I'm no German Lager expert, but I have a feeling any sort of noble hop will work just fine with a Pilsner
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Dec 14, 2011 19:30
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RiggenBlaque posted:I'm no German Lager expert, but I have a feeling any sort of noble hop will work just fine with a Pilsner Would it be fine by itself? I'm thinking around 50 IBU, and 3 ounces late hop, with another 1-2 for dry hopping. Prefect Six posted:Anyone have any experience with Ranco temp controllers? Do they have anti-short cycle protection? I know the digital Johnson one does, but it's not dual-stage. I was hoping for a dual-stage with the short cycle protection since I think I've already killed one chest freezer from using the analog johnson controller. I have the Ranco. I don't think it has a 10 minute timer or whatever, but you can adjust the differential. For example I have an IPA fermenting at 64* right now. The controller is set to 61* with a 4* differential so the freezer goes from 61-65*, keeping my wort at 64*. When i use it as a keezer I set the spread larger since temps aren't as important. Like 40* with an 8* spread. This keeps the freezer's compressor off most of the time.
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Dec 14, 2011 20:17
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Prefect Six posted:Anyone have any experience with Ranco temp controllers? Do they have anti-short cycle protection? I know the digital Johnson one does, but it's not dual-stage. I was hoping for a dual-stage with the short cycle protection since I think I've already killed one chest freezer from using the analog johnson controller. When you say dual-stage, do you mean it can heat and cool if needed? IMO I don't see how you'd need both for a single brew- you either know it'll be warmed or cooled from whatever base temp you're dealing with - and the johnson digital only takes about 30 seconds to change cool/heat cut-in/cut-out. But I don't know your needs.
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Dec 14, 2011 21:17
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Darth Goku Jr posted:When you say dual-stage, do you mean it can heat and cool if needed? IMO I don't see how you'd need both for a single brew- you either know it'll be warmed or cooled from whatever base temp you're dealing with - and the johnson digital only takes about 30 seconds to change cool/heat cut-in/cut-out. I live in southwest Missouri so we can have pretty large swings in temperature. That said, my garage stays somewhat warmer than ambient in the winter and probably cooler than ambient in the summer. I was also hoping with a dual stage I could keep the beer as close as possible to my target temperature.
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Dec 14, 2011 21:36
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I have even had troubles here in southern California lately keeping temps up, as temps have been near freezing at my house overnight. When that happens, I just chuck a heating pad in the fridge with the fermenters and let it warm things up a bit. I really should get a dual-stage Ranco, but I haven't got around to it yet.
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Dec 14, 2011 22:40
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Dolemite posted:The veggie steamer as a cheap false bottom is an awesome idea. Especially since the LHBS wants $40 for a false bottom! Dolemite posted:When you mention using gas for heating, what do you mean exactly? I brew with propane gas outdoors. Not natural gas on a stove top. So even propane gas won't produce a flame hot enough to melt a voile curtain? If you are just heating the pot with the bag in during mashout you can also pull the bag up a little bit by the sides and clamp it with clothes pegs etc while you are heating it. I did this before I got the baking rack. tesilential posted:I want to brew a pilsner for the spring. Has anyone tried or heard of doing an all Hallertau pils? I have a bunch of it so it would be most economical if I used them. I can also grab a couple ounces of other noble hops from the LHBS if it's really necessary. I also dry hopped after a week in the fermenter.
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Dec 15, 2011 00:10
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Dolemite posted:Don't have access to a sewing machine, but the tutorial you linked to doesn't look particularly hard. Maybe there's some artist space around here to rent time on the machine. I'd worry that the veggie steamer would bend. mindplux took a Dremel to an old pot lid and it looked perfect. So if you like power tools and sparks that's an option.
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Dec 15, 2011 00:32
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Has anyone here done business with Monster Brew? Any feedback? I have a friend who wants to get his son a starter kit, and this is the site he's currently looking at - just want to make sure to send him to a reputable supplier.
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Dec 15, 2011 01:51
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Jo3sh posted:Has anyone here done business with Monster Brew? Any feedback? I have a friend who wants to get his son a starter kit, and this is the site he's currently looking at - just want to make sure to send him to a reputable supplier. I've never bought from them, but I have seen favorable reviews, and no negative reviews. Take that at face value, though.
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Dec 15, 2011 02:43
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Ugggh I think my first attempt at all grain got infected. Strong vinegar aroma and a little bit of taste. Certainly doesn't taste of cloves and banana. Now I'm worried about the next batch. Definitely throwing out the yeast I washed from that batch and starting with a new smack pack. Bleh. Edit: Oh yeah same nasty smell in the dunkel. gently caress. Bleach bath time for all my equipment. beetlo fucked around with this message at 06:37 on Dec 15, 2011 |
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Dec 15, 2011 06:11
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Jo3sh posted:So let's say for the sake of discussion you added 3/8 cup of white sugar per gallon. That's actually a whole lot - in five gallons (which I think you said was your batch), that's 15/8, or close to two cups for the batch. Most priming calculators suggest less than six ounces of table sugar in five gallons even for effervescent styles, but nearly two cups of sugar is almost a pound. Okay, I FINALLY got all my measurements together (and sanity checked with FermCalc) and while I was pretty far off on how much sugar I claimed I added previously, it's still pretty high: Volume before additives: a little over 4 gal. SG before Xylitol: .995 SG after 17 tbsp. Xylitol: .999 Granulated sugar added to reach 1.005 target: ~1 c. Volume after bottling: 4 1/4 gal. So yeah, it looks like I added quite a bit more than I should've. Nearly twice as much, in fact. The EZ Cap bottles I'm using are rated for 3 vol. CO2, according to a rep. (I have no idea at what temperature, so let's assume 65F.) 3 vol. CO2@65F (33.5psi) works out to 4.8oz. of sucrose according to the calculator above. Adjusting the CO2 volume in the calculator to achieve 8.1oz. sucrose, we arrive at 4.65 vol. CO2. If my calculations are correct, keeping the pressure constant at 33.5psi and cooling the bottles to 38F will bring the vol. CO2 safely down to 3. So let's assume I have bombs in the making. What's the recommended test procedure to make sure I catch my booze at just the right time to cold crash the yeast, before I get geisers (or bombs)? Open a bottle every day? Every few days? Same bottle or a different one every time? It's been 10 days since bottling, and after cracking open a few, they barely have any pressure; a few PSI at the most. I'm not sure if the remaining yeast is lazy, or just too sparse to produce carb. quickly. Big Nubbins fucked around with this message at 06:36 on Dec 15, 2011 |
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Dec 15, 2011 06:24
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beetlo posted:Ugggh I think my first attempt at all grain got infected. Strong vinegar aroma and a little bit of taste. Certainly doesn't taste of cloves and banana. Now I'm worried about the next batch. Definitely throwing out the yeast I washed from that batch and starting with a new smack pack. Bleh.  Sorry to hear that dude. A couple other things to consider* Think through your process and think of ANYTHING unsanitized that could have touched the wort after you shut off the burner on the boil. Really obvious I know but worth revisiting before you throw poo poo out. * Throw out all your hoses and racking cane (assuming it is plastic) and buy new ones. It's worth the $2 to rule them out as infection sources. * Look at your fermenter(s). If they're glass or plastic carboys, look for nasty scratches from carboy brushes and think about tossing it (or dedicating to sour beer!) if found. If plastic bucket, just toss it (or dedicate to sours) and buy a new one for a few bucks.
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Dec 15, 2011 06:48
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beetlo posted:Ugggh I think my first attempt at all grain got infected. Strong vinegar aroma and a little bit of taste. Certainly doesn't taste of cloves and banana. Now I'm worried about the next batch. Definitely throwing out the yeast I washed from that batch and starting with a new smack pack. Bleh. What temperature did they ferment at?
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Dec 15, 2011 06:49
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Docjowles posted:
Better bottle carboy. Never used a brush. Just gonna bleach the gently caress out of it. The racking canes are plastic. Might replace those. Hoses are getting bleach treatment as well. I'm pretty certain it was the yeast reuse. New batch of starsan is also in order. Temperature never went above 68 for either. The first time I brewed from extract, it hit low 70s. No problems. May have been the best one. The hoses are silcone and a little more than just a couple bucks to replace. More like a couple bucks a foot. They can actually be baked to sterilize. Racking cane is an autosiphon. $10. I'm unemployed. Can't just be throwing poo poo out if it can possibly be salvaged... The blowoff tube is getting replaced for sure. Cheap plastic. Edit: Now I won't have to worry about bottles for the next batch after dumping all the vinegar bombs! The bottles get oven sterilized.  Always look on the bright side of life...
beetlo fucked around with this message at 09:59 on Dec 15, 2011 |
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Dec 15, 2011 07:02
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Trip report: Just tasted my bourbon vanilla imperial porter. I had a 20 gallon share that was in a club project that aged in a Jack Daniel's barrel for 6 months. I then took 6 gallons of that barrel aged imperial porter, and blended it with 6 gallons of the same imperial porter recipe that we brewed a month ago, except that porter was aged with 2 Tahitian vanilla beans and medium toast french oak cubes that were soaked in Makers' 46 for 6 months. The blend is one of the most delicious beers I've ever had. A great roasty, chocolatey backbone that is complimented by some oak tannins from the barrel and oak cubes, that great bourbon flavor, and the vanilla aroma ties it altogether. We did a side by side with the porter that was just aged in the Jack Daniel's barrel and the difference is noticeable. The straight barrel aged porter is very good, more roasty and oakey than the blend. But the blend is just outta this loving world.
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Dec 15, 2011 07:24
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Huge_Midget posted:Trip report: Just tasted my bourbon vanilla imperial porter. I had a 20 gallon share that was in a club project that aged in a Jack Daniel's barrel for 6 months. I then took 6 gallons of that barrel aged imperial porter, and blended it with 6 gallons of the same imperial porter recipe that we brewed a month ago, except that porter was aged with 2 Tahitian vanilla beans and medium toast french oak cubes that were soaked in Makers' 46 for 6 months. Sounds wonderful and you've given me some great ideas!
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Dec 15, 2011 18:06
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Anyone every play around with adding a green tea flavor to a beer? I'd like to play around with doing a honey steam beer for my next batch and infusing it with some green tea flavor somehow. My initial thought is to make a green tea tincture to add at bottling, maybe by pressure infusing some vodka with green tea using my cream whipper. Thoughts?
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Dec 15, 2011 18:13
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JohnnySmitch posted:Anyone every play around with adding a green tea flavor to a beer? I'd like to play around with doing a honey steam beer for my next batch and infusing it with some green tea flavor somehow. My initial thought is to make a green tea tincture to add at bottling, maybe by pressure infusing some vodka with green tea using my cream whipper. Thoughts? There's a few Green Tea IPAs I've seen, so it definitely can work.
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Dec 15, 2011 18:16
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JohnnySmitch posted:Anyone every play around with adding a green tea flavor to a beer? I'd like to play around with doing a honey steam beer for my next batch and infusing it with some green tea flavor somehow. My initial thought is to make a green tea tincture to add at bottling, maybe by pressure infusing some vodka with green tea using my cream whipper. Thoughts? I would just cold steep a shitload of loose leaves in water and try tasting/adding that. I can't imagine steeping in vodka would do much better and might destroy some of the delicate flavors. Alternately you could dry-hop with tea as I've seen some people have good results with that, the problem is how much to use and for how long. If you're worried about infection bake at ~160* for just a minute or two.
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Dec 15, 2011 18:29
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I'm wondering if my black IPA got infected  I worked hard to sanitize everything I could possibly think of, but there's a whitish slimy buildup at the bottom of the bottles. Is that just yeast gone wild? Or is my batch totally hosed?
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Dec 15, 2011 18:54
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GonadTheBallbarian posted:I'm wondering if my black IPA got infected Yeast settles out in the bottle. Is this your first batch?
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Dec 15, 2011 18:57
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mewse posted:Yeast settles out in the bottle. Is this your first batch? Yes, it most certainly is. Here is a picture if more clarification was necessary: 
GonadTheBallbarian fucked around with this message at 19:06 on Dec 15, 2011 |
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Dec 15, 2011 19:02
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greasy digits posted:Granulated sugar added to reach 1.005 target: ~1 c. Ok, 1 cup sounds less dangerous than 2 cups, so I think you have much less to worry about now. If you bleed pressure from any of them, you should do it to all so that they will at least be consistent - not sure if that's a real option. Rather than opening bottles now to check CO2 pressure, I would hold off a bit. When, in the regular course of consumption, you find that carbonation is approaching what you wanted, then I would chill all of the bottles as cold as you can. If at any time you have a bomb, do the same.
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Dec 15, 2011 19:02
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GonadTheBallbarian posted:Yes, it most certainly is. I am betting it's fine - that's just normal sediment. To double check, pour one into a glass and give it a good smell and taste. There is nothing harmful that can live in beer that does not smell and taste bloody loving awful, so if it seems beerlike and you are interested in drinking it, it's just fine.
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Dec 15, 2011 19:04
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Sounds like a Saccharomyces infection which can actually lower the sugar content of your beer and lead to potentially harmful byproducts such as ethanol and carbon dioxide. Mail them to me and I will dispose of the contaminated batch appropriately
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Dec 15, 2011 19:07
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Jo3sh posted:I am betting it's fine - that's just normal sediment. To double check, pour one into a glass and give it a good smell and taste. There is nothing harmful that can live in beer that does not smell and taste bloody loving awful, so if it seems beerlike and you are interested in drinking it, it's just fine. I'm aware of sediment, I just wasn't too optimistic when I saw it go up the side of the bottle. e. added a pic of said slime microbastards. GonadTheBallbarian fucked around with this message at 19:10 on Dec 15, 2011 |
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Dec 15, 2011 19:07
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Jo3sh posted:I am betting it's fine - that's just normal sediment. To double check, pour one into a glass and give it a good smell and taste. There is nothing harmful that can live in beer that does not smell and taste bloody loving awful, so if it seems beerlike and you are interested in drinking it, it's just fine. he posted earlier saying its drinkable, just a bit harsh so it sounds like a standard young IPA with the yeast layer e: that bottle rested on its side right? yeast settles to the bottom, it's more sludge than sediment mewse fucked around with this message at 19:13 on Dec 15, 2011 |
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Dec 15, 2011 19:07
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mewse posted:he posted earlier saying its drinkable, just a bit harsh so it sounds like a standard young IPA with the yeast layer 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.
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Dec 15, 2011 19:15
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Oh, nevermind, you answered that already. No, you're not going to kill your coworkers.
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Dec 15, 2011 19:16
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It reminds me a lot of the old Hop Rod I had, which was delicious.
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Dec 15, 2011 19:19
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