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For pumpkin beer I just buy cans of pumpkin from Whole Foods or wherever seems the least processed, add a couple of cups of water to it until it reaches the same temperature as the mash, and then pour it in at the beginning along with two or three handfuls of rice hulls. I did this last year on a pumpkin spiced porter that I thought turned out very well, but I would have lowered the spice level in retrospect. Fresh pumpkin can of course be done, but you'd usually want to quarter it and roast it in the oven until you can smash it into a liquid-y paste and do the same thing. Some breweries swear this make a better beer, but pumpkin, like any squash, doesn't really taste like anything.
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Oct 2, 2013 19:21
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| # ? May 19, 2024 18:43 |
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Sorry if I missed an answer to this somewhere in this massive thread. I started a hard cider as my first home brew but Im not sure when to start bottling. Its been fermenting for about a week and a half now and most of the bubbling has stopped. Would it be okay to start right away or wait for the weekend? Is there a down side to letting it sit longer?
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Oct 2, 2013 19:34
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I am a corn fed retard. I am buying grain,sizing mash water based on a 5 gal mash tun And I quite clearly have a 10 gal one. Well good thing I get good efficiency. Time to throw more pumpkin in this mash!
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Oct 2, 2013 19:36
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What is the feasibility of using something like a Sansaire or Anova sous vide appliance to do your mash? Basically they circulate water for sous vide cooking. I was thinking of throwing it in my mash tun (supported some way) and basically either doing a brew-in-a-bag or having a small filter cage around the intake. Constant temperature, can bump up/lower the temp for different rests, can circulate the liquid in different directions.
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Oct 2, 2013 19:44
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LTBS posted:What is the feasibility of using something like a Sansaire or Anova sous vide appliance to do your mash? Research HERMS or RIMS systems. Quite a few homebrewers work with those.
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Oct 2, 2013 20:29
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So here's my experiment tonight: pumpkin candi sugar. That way I can say "yes, this beer does in fact have pumpkin in it" without having to worry about the beer tasting like squash. I'm going to get a few pie pumpkins and juice them. I'll heat the juice up to 155 and add some amylase enzyme to convert it. I'll do an starch test to be sure I have full conversion, and then add some DAP and boil the pumpkin sugar solution down to a syrup. Sound crazy enough to work?
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Oct 2, 2013 20:31
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So dumb question. If you are contagious sick, could you somehow germify your beer during fermentation or bottling? I know it wouldn't be able to get anyone else sick because the alcohol would probably kill it, but could it possibly grow some bad flavors into the beer?
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Oct 2, 2013 20:34
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Drumstick posted:Sorry if I missed an answer to this somewhere in this massive thread. I started a hard cider as my first home brew but Im not sure when to start bottling. Its been fermenting for about a week and a half now and most of the bubbling has stopped. Would it be okay to start right away or wait for the weekend? Is there a down side to letting it sit longer? Airlock bubbling is not an accurate measure of the progress of fermentation. If you have a hydrometer: take a sample, wait at least a day and take another sample. If they are the same then it's safe to bottle. If you don't have a hydrometer, get one. If you can't get one then just wait longer to be sure it's completely fermented, like a few weeks. There is nothing wrong with letting it sit for as long as 6 months or more. On the other hand, if you bottle too soon and it's still fermenting you will end up with exploding bottles or at least cider all over your ceiling and walls. If you really really need to bottle it for some reason you can dose it with sulfite and sorbate to halt fermentation and prevent refermentation. Some people even do this to get a specific level of sweetness in the finished product since most cider will ferment out very dry.
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Oct 2, 2013 21:24
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Crunkjuice posted:So dumb question. If you are contagious sick, could you somehow germify your beer during fermentation or bottling? I know it wouldn't be able to get anyone else sick because the alcohol would probably kill it, but could it possibly grow some bad flavors into the beer? It's possible, but so long as you exercise proper sanitation procedures it shouldn't happen. I mean during fermentation you're basically dealing with a giant pot of super tasty bug juice, so any microbes that you toss in there will be competing with the "good" microbes for the prize. I figure bottling would be less likely because of the alcohol content but the risk could still be there. So I guess I would avoid bottling or brewing while sick. A bigger risk would be sick while handling a 5 gallon pot of boiling wort or the risk of broken glass. Speaking of brewing and being ill...  I had minor surgery yesterday, and while waiting for the procedure to start my wife and I figure out what we wanted to brew over the new few weekends. The hospital had wifi so we put together a shopping list from Annapolihs Home Brew, and it arrived today. They put everything together and shipped it the same day, and since we live in Maryland we got all 57 pounds of it the next day! Not bad for $7.95 flat rate shipping. What you see there is the all grain kit for their Belgian Tripel, the extract kits for the WH Honey Ale and Honey Porter kits, and finally the ingredients for Northern Brewer's Saison de Noel kit. I also picked up some FermCap-S, extra corn sugar, and some yeast nutrient. Total price was $202 shipped. So yeah, if you guys are putting together a big order and want flat rate shipping I highly recommend giving Annapolis Homebrew a shot. BTW has anyone checked out Northern Brewer's Megapot? Looks pretty nice, and $150 for a 10 gallon isn't terrible.
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Oct 2, 2013 21:57
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Beer4TheBeerGod posted:
Same pot, $106. http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/update-international/sps-40/p5176.aspx
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Oct 3, 2013 00:58
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The 10 gallon megapot (or cheaper alternative) rules for 5 gallon batches. It's very wide so you need to start with 7.5 gallons or so to end up with 6 gallons post boil because of evaporation but it's big enough to not have to worry much about boil overs. Beer4TheBeerGod posted:It's possible Nope. No viruses or pathogens that can make you sick can survive in beer. Josh Wow fucked around with this message at 01:11 on Oct 3, 2013 |
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Oct 3, 2013 01:09
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Angry Grimace posted:Same pot, $106. Same as the old Megapot but not the same as the Megapot 1.2. I have that Update International pot and it is very short and wide (16" across by 12" deep) unlike NB's Megapot 1.2 which is 14.1" wide by 16.3" tall for the 10 gallon. That said I'm very happy with my sps-40 pot and would recommend it.
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Oct 3, 2013 01:22
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Angry Grimace posted:Same pot, $106. The 80-quart version is calling my name a lot lately.
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Oct 3, 2013 01:25
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Josh Wow posted:Nope. No viruses or pathogens that can make you sick can survive in beer. But that's kind of getting into ridiculous detail since most people can usually avoid coughing and sneezing into their beer.
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Oct 3, 2013 01:42
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Angry Grimace posted:Same pot, $106. You can also get that pot on Amazon for $93, but it's 16" in diameter and this one appeals to me because of its narrow size. I have a 5 gallon turkey fryer pot that's 12" in diameter and I was thinking of getting something a bit beefier. Josh Wow posted:Nope. No viruses or pathogens that can make you sick can survive in beer. I was thinking bacteria? But yeah, it seems rather improbable.
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Oct 3, 2013 01:53
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Beer4TheBeerGod posted:It's possible, but so long as you exercise proper sanitation procedures it shouldn't happen. I mean during fermentation you're basically dealing with a giant pot of super tasty bug juice, so any microbes that you toss in there will be competing with the "good" microbes for the prize. I figure bottling would be less likely because of the alcohol content but the risk could still be there. So I guess I would avoid bottling or brewing while sick. A bigger risk would be sick while handling a 5 gallon pot of boiling wort or the risk of broken glass. I'm planning the Saison de Noel as well, so I was pretty happy when Wyeast announced that the 3726 Farmhouse Reserve was going to be one of their specialties from October-December. I already asked the LHBS when they're getting it in 
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Oct 3, 2013 02:44
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Beer4TheBeerGod posted:BTW has anyone checked out Northern Brewer's Megapot? Looks pretty nice, and $150 for a 10 gallon isn't terrible. Just another option if those limitations are ok with your usage.
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Oct 3, 2013 03:06
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more falafel please posted:I'm planning the Saison de Noel as well, so I was pretty happy when Wyeast announced that the 3726 Farmhouse Reserve was going to be one of their specialties from October-December. I already asked the LHBS when they're getting it in How does that compare to the 3711?
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Oct 3, 2013 04:46
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Cpt.Wacky posted:Airlock bubbling is not an accurate measure of the progress of fermentation. If you have a hydrometer: take a sample, wait at least a day and take another sample. If they are the same then it's safe to bottle. If you don't have a hydrometer, get one. If you can't get one then just wait longer to be sure it's completely fermented, like a few weeks. There is nothing wrong with letting it sit for as long as 6 months or more. On the other hand, if you bottle too soon and it's still fermenting you will end up with exploding bottles or at least cider all over your ceiling and walls. If you really really need to bottle it for some reason you can dose it with sulfite and sorbate to halt fermentation and prevent refermentation. Some people even do this to get a specific level of sweetness in the finished product since most cider will ferment out very dry. Thanks! My roommate has a hydrometer. I would love to avoid cider explosions.
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Oct 3, 2013 05:35
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I have a Berliner Weisse fermenting now, I pitched the Berlinner Weisse from Wyeast on it (lots of lacto for a head start and a bit of Brett to catch up later) and its fermenting at 28C right now. Should I bring that temp down once the lacto has fine it's job, or is Brett ok at that temp? I want a lot of sour funkiness.
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Oct 3, 2013 13:34
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Beer4TheBeerGod posted:How does that compare to the 3711? I haven't used either (this will be my first Saison), but from what I hear it's similar to the 3711 in terms of not stalling out around 1.030, but doesn't attenuate quite as much, and more spicy stuff compared to the more fruity esters of the 3711/3724. It's supposed to be real tasty though, so I'm intrigued. From what I can tell, the Saison de Noel was originally made to be fermented with 3726, and they provide 3711 when it's not available.
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Oct 3, 2013 15:40
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Saison de Noel kicks rear end no matter which saison/farmhouse strain you use, fortunately. 
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Oct 3, 2013 17:58
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Beer4TheBeerGod posted:How does that compare to the 3711?
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Oct 3, 2013 20:28
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Myron Baloney posted:I've made basic pils/wheat saisons with 3711, 3724 and 3726. So far 3726 is the fruitiest and tartest of the 3, 3711 is lemony and lightly spicy and has that smooth mouthfeel, and 3724 (still my favorite) has lots of spice and moderate fruit and tartness (when fermented at 90-95F). I don't think you have to jack the temp up for 3726, I pitched at 70F and let it come up by itself in a room at 75F and it hit FG of 1.003 in 13 days. They'll all get down close to 1.000 if done right but 3711 is the most forgiving. Yeah, I was going to pitch 3726 around 70-75 and then keep it at ambient of 72 or so (so, getting up to almost if not 80 internally) unless it stalled out. This reminds me: I got a submersible aquarium heater: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006MMJ8EE/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 for potentially heating a Saison in a water bath, since I use Better Bottles and I'm not super comfortable putting a heater on them directly. If I do use something like that, how important is water circulation in order to keep a consistent temperature? I was just going to use a rope tub with the carboy/heater in there.
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Oct 3, 2013 20:36
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wildfire1 posted:I have a Berliner Weisse fermenting now, I pitched the Berlinner Weisse from Wyeast on it (lots of lacto for a head start and a bit of Brett to catch up later) and its fermenting at 28C right now. Should I bring that temp down once the lacto has fine it's job, or is Brett ok at that temp? I want a lot of sour funkiness. I wouldn't think that brett is okay at that temp. Brett is like any other yeast and has a temperature range that it prefers otherwise it'll produce more of the funky flavors. Even then, there are multiple strains of brettanomyces so find out which one you have first. For the Lacto, I would try and get a higher temperature. I would go to 43 C if you can for a few days.
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Oct 3, 2013 20:45
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so how long after getting grains crushed are they still viable for use? I picked up 13lbs of Vienna and 2row 3 weeks ago and had my LHBS crush it for me, and I want to know how long I can just keep it sitting in its bag for.
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Oct 3, 2013 21:02
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I don't have much experience with Munich Malt (specifically for extract but in general will work)...If a recipe calls for X amount of Maris otter and I instead use Y and Z amounts of Munich and Pilsner to get the same color, how different is the taste going to be? I mean that in the respect of will it be fundamentally a different beer or kinda similar - all else the same?
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Oct 3, 2013 21:33
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OK, update time on the Northern Brewer Bubbler carboys. Yesterday, I took a day off work to brew, and did ten gallons of Scottish 80/-. I split the batch between a Bubbler and a Better Bottle. When these were full of cooled wort, I picked each one up, and I found that the Bubbler seems a little firmer to the touch than the Better Bottle does. As previously discussed, there's more plastic in the Bubbler and it feels a touch heavier and more rigid overall, so this really comes as no surprise. Other than that, it seems to hold wort and fermenting beer just fine. I use those orange carboy hoods, and the same one fits both carboys. I guess the next thing will be to see if one might be easier to clean than the other for some reason, but I don't imagine that will be the case.
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Oct 3, 2013 21:39
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Cointelprofessional posted:I wouldn't think that brett is okay at that temp. Brett is like any other yeast and has a temperature range that it prefers otherwise it'll produce more of the funky flavors. Even then, there are multiple strains of brettanomyces so find out which one you have first. Yeah I wanted to bring it higher but the Brett is in there already and I was worried I'd kill it off. I'll leave it hot for another day or so then bring it down.
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Oct 3, 2013 22:03
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I just second-guessed myself yesterday after checking my first kit brew... When you take your final hydrometer reading, do you want your beer carbonated or let it go flat? I assume it makes a difference, and my instinct says flat because that gives you a better comparison to the wort, but what is the proper way?
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Oct 4, 2013 14:10
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ChiTownEddie posted:I don't have much experience with Munich Malt (specifically for extract but in general will work)...If a recipe calls for X amount of Maris otter and I instead use Y and Z amounts of Munich and Pilsner to get the same color, how different is the taste going to be? Yeah it should have a different flavor profile but not necessarily outside the constraints of whatever style you are going for. Maris Otter has a very nice rich nutty flavor, while Pilsner is more delicate and grainy, and Munich is full bodied malty goodness. Don't be afraid to "cross borders" with ingredients, if anything it should be a good experiment for you and better your understanding of base malt flavors. I've had BJCP judges name drop specific malts that were not present in my grain bill at all. Often a certain base malt is assumed per style but you can sometimes use a mix of others without anyone being able to pick up on it. You can even taste the grains on their own while formulating a grain bill. I'll often do this to remind me exactly what they taste like. Your LHBS might even let you take a little sample of each.
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Oct 4, 2013 14:11
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BrianBoitano posted:I just second-guessed myself yesterday after checking my first kit brew... Your final hydrometer reading(s) should be pre-carbonation while still in the fermenting vessel. The usual guideline to make sure fermentation is finished is 3 consistent readings in a 3 day period. Obviously there is opinion about how many days in a row, etc 
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Oct 4, 2013 15:53
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EnsignVix posted:Yeah it should have a different flavor profile but not necessarily outside the constraints of whatever style you are going for. Maris Otter has a very nice rich nutty flavor, while Pilsner is more delicate and grainy, and Munich is full bodied malty goodness. Don't be afraid to "cross borders" with ingredients, if anything it should be a good experiment for you and better your understanding of base malt flavors. I've had BJCP judges name drop specific malts that were not present in my grain bill at all. Often a certain base malt is assumed per style but you can sometimes use a mix of others without anyone being able to pick up on it. Cool. Thanks for the tips, I'll try more experimentation batches. Small one of the MO and small of the Munich/Pilsner to see how they differ
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Oct 4, 2013 16:03
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JawKnee posted:so how long after getting grains crushed are they still viable for use? I picked up 13lbs of Vienna and 2row 3 weeks ago and had my LHBS crush it for me, and I want to know how long I can just keep it sitting in its bag for. 6 months? - As long as you aren't storing it a damp hot place you should be fine. A small nano brewery in Maine used to buy their grain pre-crushed b/c they didn't have a mill. Said he kept grain for a long while.
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Oct 4, 2013 17:17
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Hops Direct is taking orders for 2013 crop leaf hops (including Amarillo), Citra and Tettnanger will be up in a couple hours. http://www.hopsdirect.com/new-2013-crop-available/ I love my LHBS and the owners but I just can't afford $4/oz leaf Amarillo.
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Oct 4, 2013 20:52
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Jo3sh posted:Yesterday, I took a day off work to brew  I can't even find time to take the day after hernia surgery off.
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Oct 4, 2013 21:28
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more falafel please posted:Yeah, I was going to pitch 3726 around 70-75 and then keep it at ambient of 72 or so (so, getting up to almost if not 80 internally) unless it stalled out. Myron Baloney fucked around with this message at 22:06 on Oct 4, 2013 |
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Oct 4, 2013 22:03
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I am sure one of you more experienced brewers can help me out with this. I have a huge pitch of lager yeast from a bock that I just brewed, and I am thinking I want to do a small batch (2.5 gallons) of Russian Imperial Stout that I can lager over the winter. The bock yeast will ensure malty body, no fusels, and definitely no underpitching. So, do I: a) Find a RIS recipe and just scale the grain/mash volume/sparge volume down, or b) brew an american stout, and just boil the poo poo out of it until I get to my 2.5 gallon mark on my kettle? Any suggested recipes? Rage_saq, Doc, Josh, I am looking at you.
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Oct 5, 2013 05:14
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gently caress doing a russian imperial stout and make a baltic porter if you have lager yeast. Take a robust porter recipe, add a little bit of smoked malts, scale down the recipe but bump up the base malts for extra gravity. Baltic Porters might not reach russian imperial stout levels of booze but it's a really under appreciated style.
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Oct 5, 2013 06:34
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| # ? May 19, 2024 18:43 |
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Agreed, Baltic Porters are amazing. In other news, I thought I'd hosed up my Berliner Weisse by fermenting it too hot initially, since the Wyeast one apparently contains a German ale yeast as well. It looked ok when I got home, but when I took a whiff holy poo poo it smelt bad. It's only gotten worse too, to the point that I have to keep it outside or it stinks the whole house out just through the airlock! I talked to a brewer friend of mine and he said that it happens, and that in 6-12 months the Brett will clear it all up. It's interesting, but as soon as primary is finished I'm transferring it to something with a complete stopper and stashing it in the garage. Lastly, I pitched the dregs of Rayon Vert (pale ale with brett) into a starter and have yeast flocculated at the bottom. If I'm trying to build up a big brett starter to separate into multiple batches so I can innoculate different beers, am I better off taking the mostly fermented wort and making a new starter with it? My thought is that the Sacc from the pale ale will be what's flocculated at the bottom and the Brett will still be floating around, superattenuating so when I make a new starter with just the liquid no yeast then it will be mostly brettanomyces? It's not a huge deal, since I won't be doing any primary fermentations but it would be nice to know that it's just (or mostly just) brett in there instead of US-05 or whatever with a tiny bit of brett. e: oh my god, my starter smells amazing - nectarines and peaches.
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Oct 5, 2013 07:39
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