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If you’re going to drop $200, why not just buy a SS conical? You can fit it with hoses and you can go from there to a keg under pressure without worrying about the sediment if you’ve already fined it. I do use kegs for secondary and dry hopping myself and I’d not want to use them for primary just due to being annoying to clean.
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Jul 21, 2020 18:48
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Hypnolobster posted:
Could be wrong, but I feel like the lodo and pressure fermentation interests going on could really use a cheaper stainless solution. This is so dirt simple and easy to use/clean.
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Jul 21, 2020 18:50
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I’ve been exclusively using floating dip tubes and fermenting in 21L kegs for awhile now. Racking over to a 11.5L serving keg (filled with sani and pushed out with CO2) with about 1Plato to go for a near ideal low O2 pickup. At my batch size, I don’t see an advantage going to a conical.
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Jul 21, 2020 19:17
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Maybe that’s what I need, a floating dip tube. How does that work with dry hopping for you? Any issues with clogging? I’ve considered using a hop randall, but now that I’m bottling again and haven’t even gone to get my CO2 filled I’m not expecting to do any of this soon.
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Jul 21, 2020 19:53
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Jhet posted:Maybe that’s what I need, a floating dip tube. How does that work with dry hopping for you? Any issues with clogging? I’ve thrown 100g or more at it during a dry hop and haven’t had issues. For the record using a “Clear Beer Drought System” not the cheaper alternatives. Also the added screen for it.
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Jul 21, 2020 21:30
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Jhet posted:If you’re going to drop $200, why not just buy a SS conical? You can fit it with hoses and you can go from there to a keg under pressure without worrying about the sediment if you’ve already fined it. I do use kegs for secondary and dry hopping myself and I’d not want to use them for primary just due to being annoying to clean. I don't want to deal with the shape/size/economy of scale/etc of conicals either. They're hard to fit in a small chest freezer, weird to clean since they're extra tall (because they need legs and a valve on the bottom). They might have bigger openings on top, but they've got a massive deep cone at the bottom, multiple valves, fragile legs welded directly to the thin-wall vessel, etc. Kegs are heavy duty, industry-standard. Especially that kegmenter, you could throw it across the driveway and it'll still happily hold pressure after it lands and bounces a few times. Also it's totally worth building a keg washer/fermenter washer setup with an inexpensive spray ball and sump pump.
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Jul 21, 2020 22:48
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But how would you use that glycol chiller you bought from someone on Craigslist? Kidding of course. Those are all good reasons. I didn’t realize that the conicals weren’t really pressure rated. That is enough reason to not use them as any. That and why wouldn’t they be triclamp? I suppose that’s not the economy option and then how would they up charge for it. I’ll have to look into it when I finally have the space and  to get rid of all the buckets and carboys. Though I may just as well look for half barrels instead and go larger batch size.
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Jul 21, 2020 22:55
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FWIW. I bought a bunch of the loose handle ball locks from aih for $27/keg and it works perfectly.
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Jul 21, 2020 23:45
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LaserWash posted:FWIW. I bought a bunch of the loose handle ball locks from aih for $27/keg and it works perfectly. Yeah, I have one of those too. I use kegs for plenty of things, but I don’t have a way to serve from them right now. They’re too small for me to do full batches though as I aim for 5.1-5.25 gallons of volume depending on how much I expect to lose from transferring. If only I had a large shed to build out into basically a second kitchen. Then I’d still find things to change or upgrade.
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Jul 22, 2020 00:58
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I split a 5-6 gallon batch in two kegs, pitch yeast in both kegs, and then spund with only one valve that is hosed together. When fermentation is done, I clear the trub from both kegs and whatever is left goes into the serving keg. Seems to work out okay. Just have to clean two kegs full of hop debris/trub/yeasties.
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Jul 22, 2020 02:24
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Side note that if anybody is looking for >5g corny kegs, there are also 6 and 6.5 gallon versions that have been made in the past (but not currently). Just another thing to keep an eye out for if they ever pop up for sale. Significantly rarer than 10g versions though. e: Also this is new (though still $200) https://www.morebeer.com/products/ball-lock-torpedo-keg-10-gal.html Different style than the Kegland kegmenter, possibly more or less convenient. Lots of cool things you can do with the triclamp on the top of the kegmenter, but that can get expensive. ee: $100 newer 10g soda keg on marketplace, which is a rare find https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/273748027195326 Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at 02:53 on Jul 22, 2020 |
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Jul 22, 2020 02:47
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Still working on gathering pieces for the future glycol system. Planning on using http://www.gotta-brew.com/products/cool-zone-cooling-jacket.html for cooling 21L cornys.
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Jul 22, 2020 17:15
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Ok, I was joking about the glycol (a little), but I don’t think I’d personally invest in one unless I’m doing 1bbl or more. I’d rather just build a chill chest with a front opening. Especially for the 21L/5 gallon range. That’s still light enough to just lift.
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Jul 22, 2020 17:32
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Getting my keezer cleaned up. What should I soak my tap is? I have some alkaline cleaner, the craftmeister brand, figure let it soak overnight and I should be good to go. Also gave me the push to move over to a duotight setup.
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Jul 22, 2020 22:05
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Hey so I'm sorry if this question has been asked and answered a dozen times in the thread, I'm slowly working my way towards current-day but I'm not even close to caught up. How much liquid is normal / acceptable to lose during a boil? In my first batch (which was admittedly just a gallon due to kitchen / cookware limits) I think I lost close to 2 quarts of fluid during the boil. The kit/instructions I was using basically said that this was no big deal and that I could just re-add water to make up the losses before transferring to the fermentation vessel, but it seemed like an excessive amount. I had a sip of what came out post-fermentation before I put it up in bottles and besides being flat and warmish nothing tasted wrong. I guess I'll know tomorrow when I try the first of them. That said, should I boil covered, or is there a better way to reduce evaporation-loss during boiling?
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Jul 22, 2020 23:35
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The Strangest Finch posted:Hey so I'm sorry if this question has been asked and answered a dozen times in the thread, I'm slowly working my way towards current-day but I'm not even close to caught up. The only problem with extra boiloff is consistency (you want to know how much you're going to boil off so that you can make up for it, either by starting with a higher volume of more diluted wort, or by adding more top-up water after the boil, like in the case of an extract beer), and the actual steam created by the boiloff. If you're brewing in a kitchen and you have a range hood, the steam isn't really a problem. You definitely shouldn't boil covered (there are some exceptions to this, and it might not matter for extract). There's a volatile compound called dimethyl sulfide (DMS) that you want to be boiling off, because otherwise it tastes like creamed corn crossed with crab shells and overcooked cabbage. It can condense on the lid and precipitate back into the kettle, so just let it get steamy. You're not boiling off wort, you're boiling water out of the wort.
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Jul 22, 2020 23:59
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The Strangest Finch posted:How much liquid is normal / acceptable to lose during a boil? 5% - 15% per hour is normal, with most people probably around 10%. Topping up with (boiled) water is fine. Shorter, lower intensity boils could help some, but don't boil completely covered, it will boil over and make a mess. thotsky fucked around with this message at 00:12 on Jul 23, 2020 |
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Jul 23, 2020 00:09
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more falafel please posted:The only problem with extra boiloff is consistency (you want to know how much you're going to boil off so that you can make up for it, either by starting with a higher volume of more diluted wort, or by adding more top-up water after the boil, like in the case of an extract beer), and the actual steam created by the boiloff. If you're brewing in a kitchen and you have a range hood, the steam isn't really a problem. Thanks! So as it happens I'll be working from extract next. I'm trying to simplify some of the steps just to limit how complex things are right from the get-go. I haven't actually looked into it in detail yet, but from what you're saying I should expect the recipe to call for another top-off after the boil? If so, that's actually kind of a relief, I'm still pretty limited in the container-size department and its much easier to top-off after the boil than fill to the very brim beforehand. thotsky posted:
Oh. Yeah. Welp. Live and learn. I'll get that on the next time around. The Strangest Finch fucked around with this message at 00:13 on Jul 23, 2020 |
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Jul 23, 2020 00:11
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The Strangest Finch posted:Hey so I'm sorry if this question has been asked and answered a dozen times in the thread, I'm slowly working my way towards current-day but I'm not even close to caught up. How long have they been in the bottles? Patience is key, it'll take probably 2 weeks to carbonate.
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Jul 23, 2020 02:11
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The Strangest Finch posted:Thanks! So as it happens I'll be working from extract next. I'm trying to simplify some of the steps just to limit how complex things are right from the get-go. I haven't actually looked into it in detail yet, but from what you're saying I should expect the recipe to call for another top-off after the boil? Most extract kits are for 5 gallon batches and assume that you don't have a 7-8 gallon pot to boil the full volume with, so the instructions usually tell you to boil about 3 gallons, then top off with water to reach the final 5 gallon volume. If you're doing small-batch kits, they might not say that in the instructions, but as a rule of thumb I'd say you can do a half volume boil and top up.
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Jul 23, 2020 02:31
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honda whisperer posted:How long have they been in the bottles? Patience is key, it'll take probably 2 weeks to carbonate. As of tomorrow itll be 8 days, so the plan was to split one at dinner to see if we were at least on the right track. The rest will wait for the full two weeks. Hopefully there'll be another batch fermenting by this weekend though. I suppose the real question I have therefore is: in a small batch (9 total) is 8 days likely to be enough aging to make trying one worth it or is it unlikely to have had time to carbonate decently? The Strangest Finch fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Jul 23, 2020 |
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Jul 23, 2020 05:06
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The Strangest Finch posted:As of tomorrow itll be 8 days, so the plan was to split one at dinner to see if we were at least on the right track. The rest will wait for the full two weeks. Hopefully there'll be another batch fermenting by this weekend though. I'd wait, but I say that having done exactly the same thing. Seeing how the beer changes with age is interesting enough it might be worth it to you anyway.
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Jul 23, 2020 10:52
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Update on my ginger beer, attempt 3: we have carbonation! I'm pretty sure the problem was not enough oxygen in the water, and that's why the yeast wasn't active. Also explains why it started working when I had the bottle in the fridge: I started drinking it and introduced some fresh air. This time around I did a couple things to try to get the water re-oxygenated after cooking, and I think that did it. I also left the bottles in the basement longer, which was maybe a mistake as they have a lot of yeast-gunk on the bottom and I'm betting there's no sugar at all anymore. Haven't tried it yet, just put it in the fridge now. Probably attempt #4 I will shift back to 3 days.
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Jul 23, 2020 13:02
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honda whisperer posted:I'd wait, but I say that having done exactly the same thing. Seeing how the beer changes with age is interesting enough it might be worth it to you anyway. We compromised by opening the one that was least filled during bottling (about 3 inches short of full) and leaving the rest for next week. The single that was opened had definitely carbonated. It had a nice hiss when it opened and it definitely tasted like a brown ale... but the aftertaste left something to be desired. Hopefully that'll mellow over the next week, but even if it doesn't it's still quite drinkable and it was a good learning experience so I'm hopeful about the next batch!
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Jul 24, 2020 02:28
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The Strangest Finch posted:We compromised by opening the one that was least filled during bottling (about 3 inches short of full) and leaving the rest for next week. The single that was opened had definitely carbonated. It had a nice hiss when it opened and it definitely tasted like a brown ale... but the aftertaste left something to be desired. Hopefully that'll mellow over the next week, but even if it doesn't it's still quite drinkable and it was a good learning experience so I'm hopeful about the next batch! Hell yeah! If round one was drinkable you're off to a good start.
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Jul 24, 2020 03:03
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I've had hoppy ipas carbonated and drinkable in 72 hours so I think 2 weeks is more of a 'Just to be safe' timeframe
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Jul 24, 2020 08:12
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So I swapped my beer into a carboy two days ago (after 10 or so in a bucket) and just got no carbonation or anything happening. Should I just bottle it?
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Jul 24, 2020 09:07
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Derpies posted:So I swapped my beer into a carboy two days ago (after 10 or so in a bucket) and just got no carbonation or anything happening. Should I just bottle it? Did you take a gravity reading? What style is it? Also why'd you switch it from the bucket? Common wisdom these days seems to be that secondary fermentation is, in most cases, not really recommended because its benefits are outweighed by its risks (oxygen gettin' all up in there). I'd say let it sit for another 2 days and then bottle... I usually bottle/keg at around 14 days total fermentation time.
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Jul 24, 2020 09:49
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Derpies posted:So I swapped my beer into a carboy two days ago (after 10 or so in a bucket) and just got no carbonation or anything happening. Should I just bottle it? Should be done by now, take a gravity reading and if it's in the ballpark you can probably go ahead and bottle.
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Jul 24, 2020 09:58
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Brewed my first saison. Hit my targets(1.045 OG to 1.004 FG), fermented with healthy pitch of saisonstein monster from omega @ 67-69F. Kegged it 4 days ago and did a burst carb. Right now it has a very strong yeast character, much more so then I prefer in my saisons. Will that be toned down by time? Am I just tasting the yeast at the bottom of the keg? I am tasting it next to Tank 7 and Saison Dupont for reference.
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Jul 24, 2020 23:56
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Batch 5 of the two hearted clone is just now getting near fully carbed. First one messing with the water profile. Best beer I've ever made by far. My only complaint is it lacks the sharp pine note that normal two hearted has. My inexperienced self is leaning towards increasing the bittering hops but I'm very open to suggestions.
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Jul 25, 2020 00:27
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honda whisperer posted:Batch 5 of the two hearted clone is just now getting near fully carbed. First one messing with the water profile. Whats your water look like? I still have never brewed a IPA that has that sharp pine I love in west coast IPAs. Trying again tomorrow with an aggressive amount of gypsum and 75ish IBUs.
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Jul 25, 2020 00:36
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Interested in this too. I brew a lot of West coast ipas and can nail that grapefruit thing but never get the pine either, even when I'm all in on C hops.
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Jul 25, 2020 00:50
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So, first try with water adjustment so I may have made mistakes. Started with distilled water. 8 gal total, 7 pre boil, about 5.5 in the fermenter. Biab so one gal left with the grain. Adjustments were made to the whole 8 gallons. Added Gypsum 12.4 g Calcium chloride 2.6 g Epsom salt 1.6g Baking soda 2.8g Bru'n water profile Calcium 127 Magnesium 5 Sodium 25 Sulfate 249 Chloride 56 Bicarbonate 59 I've got another batch in the fermenter now. Only change was a shift to the water. Added Gypsum 8g Calcium chloride 2.6g Epsom salt 1.6g Profile Calcium 93 Magnesium 5 Sodium 0 Sulfate 168 Chloride 56 Bicarbonate 0 Recipe was straight off the bells website. Yeast was imperial a07 flagship.
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Jul 25, 2020 01:10
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field balm posted:Interested in this too. I brew a lot of West coast ipas and can nail that grapefruit thing but never get the pine either, even when I'm all in on C hops. More Chinook at 15-20 minutes maybe?
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Jul 25, 2020 01:29
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Jhet posted:More Chinook at 15-20 minutes maybe? Truth. When you can get the right crop, Chinook is pure pine bliss. Love that hop.
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Jul 25, 2020 03:12
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LaserWash posted:Truth. I was wondering about this too. I haven't looked into the hops I'm getting at all past the name on the package and weighing them. How much does the supplier effect the outcome?
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Jul 25, 2020 03:24
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honda whisperer posted:I was wondering about this too. I haven't looked into the hops I'm getting at all past the name on the package and weighing them. How much does the supplier effect the outcome? A lot. You can get the same variety grown in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho and they’ll each be a bit different. Some can be a lot different. So not so much the supplier, but the grower ultimately. I tend to get all my hops from the same grower group, but that’s normally the best you’re going to get until you’re buying them directly from a farm. I’d suggest that you look for Washington grown if you want the most pine from your Chinook, and you should be fine with Yakima Chief or Haas Farms. You can’t find Chinook cryohops or lupomax stuff, but you should be able to find Simcoe in that, and it should have plenty of pine.
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Jul 25, 2020 05:17
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Jhet posted:More Chinook at 15-20 minutes maybe? Good suggestion, I tend to ignore late additions and just go hard on the boil and dry hops when I'm doing an ipa. What kind of amount would you use for say, a five gallon batch?
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Jul 25, 2020 06:39
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field balm posted:Good suggestion, I tend to ignore late additions and just go hard on the boil and dry hops when I'm doing an ipa. What kind of amount would you use for say, a five gallon batch? If I were really going to push the pine? I'd probably toss in 1oz at 15 and 2oz just before I turned off the heat. And then dry hop with another couple ounces. I used to hate piney hops, but I think that was because there were too many bad west coast IPAs out there just going brutal on the bitter with it. If you really like doing bitter IPAs, I'd look into getting a small can of hop extract too and a bag of plastic syringes for measuring, then spend my hop money on hops for late additions and dry hop. That stuff will quite literally last forever and the lab at Yakima Chief has one of cans from their first run of extract in the 80s and it's still testing well for stability.
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Jul 25, 2020 07:26
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