Messages

1

Hop Growing / growing hops hydroponically

« on: March 29, 2013, 01:33:35 PM »

Has anyone had any experience with growing hops in a hydroponic environment? My neighbor has a hydropnic system for growing flowers and vegetables and he said we could experiment with some rhizomes.  Before I engage in it just want to know if there is any feedback from the forum.

2

Ingredients / Re: simcoe, citra and amarillo

« on: March 29, 2013, 07:07:56 AM »

Using IPA hops at 30, 45 and 60 is a complete waste. Move your 30/45/60 additions to your 3 min additions (1.5oz Citra and 1.5oz Simcoe at 3 min). Then get some cheap and readily available Magnum for your bittering.

On the dry hopping go light on the Citra because it really overpowers other hops. I would say 1oz Citra, 2oz Amarillo and 2oz Simcoe.

I am trying to use hops that I have on hand and don't have any Magnum.  Here is what I have on hand in addition to the Simcoe, Citra, and Amarillo.
Apollo (18.5AA)
EXP 5256 (17.0AA)
EXP 6300 (14.6AA)
Polaris (21.0AA)
El Dorado (15.3AA)
EXP 1210 (6.4AA)

Suggestions and thoughts on the best bittering hop

3

Ingredients / Re: Comet hops

« on: March 28, 2013, 07:22:40 PM »

I have never used them, but looking at the description it sounds like a hop I would enjoy.  What are you planning on using them in?

4

Ingredients / simcoe, citra and amarillo

« on: March 28, 2013, 07:10:16 PM »

I am going to make a big an imperial ipa and I am going to use Simcoe (12.8 AA), Citra (14.1AA), and Amarillo (9.4AA) but I am unsure how to best utilize the bitterness and aroma to maximize each.  I have been brewing so many single hop beers to try to be able to recognize what each does that I am afraid using a combo of each I may lose something.  Here is the recipe and please feel free to give suggestions on how YOU would utilize these three hops in a single beer.

LBS   OZ
14   2   American Two-row Pale
1      Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (Boil)
   10   American Dextrin (Cara-Pils)
   10   American Crystal 40L

                        oz                             AA
boil   60 min   ½    Citra ~ pellet   14.1
boil   60 min   ½    Simcoe ~ pellet   12.8
boil   45 min   ½    Citra ~ pellet   14.1
boil   30 min   ½    Simcoe ~ pellet   12.8
boil   15 min   ½    Amarillo ~ pellet   9.4
boil   3 min           ½    Amarillo ~ pellet   9.4
boil   3 min           ½    Citra ~ pellet   14.1
boil   3 min           ½    Simcoe ~ pellet   12.8

Using (2) 11.5 GRAMS OF SAFALE 05

EST OG: 1.078
EST FG: 1.017

IBU: 78.5

there will be some dry hopping using the some of the same three hops.  Suggestions welcome on that aspect too.

Always appreciated.

5

Going Pro / Re: Starting a brewery

« on: March 02, 2013, 07:05:26 PM »

Someone in an earlier post mentioned kick starter.  This seems to work.  I have a friend who used kick starter to help fund their brewery and it was successful.  They were looking for $30k in 33 days.  It just finished today and they ended up with $34k.  They had different pledge levels and offered various gifts depending on the amount pledged.  The only bad part is if you don't reach the amount you set as your goal, you don't receive any of it and no ones credit card is charged who pledged.

6

Equipment and Software / promash vs beersmith vs others

« on: March 02, 2013, 06:13:39 PM »

I am thinking of upgrading to more advanced brewing software and want to get some opinions.  I have been using Hopville for the last two years or so and I like it, but I consistently run into calculation errors (possibly me, but doubtful)

Anyway, what do you guys use or prefer and why?

7

Kegging and Bottling / Re: recarbonating

« on: February 23, 2013, 06:06:29 AM »

At this point I think I am going to use carb tabs.  I have them already.

8

Kegging and Bottling / Re: recarbonating

« on: February 22, 2013, 03:44:18 PM »

Out of curiosity, what was the highest temp it saw before you cold crashed it?

66

9

Kegging and Bottling / recarbonating

« on: February 22, 2013, 02:09:43 PM »

I bottled an american wheat beer and before I bottled I had cold crashed it for about a week.  I used a carbonation guide that asked me for the temperature of the beer at bottling, which was 40, but I input 45 to account for any heat gained in the process.  This was right on because when I finished I was at 46 degrees.  Anyway the carbonation guide using told me to use a significantly less amount of priming sugar to achieve  a 2.7 carb level.  I went with the amount it indicated and after 3 weeks at 66 degrees there is minimal carbonation.

Is there a safe way to recarbonate or increase the carbonation? I know I will have to open bottles, but didn't know if carb tablets would help or add a small amount of priming sugar to each bottle would do it.

Just for reference I used the beer recipator carbonation guide and used wyeast american wheat yeast.
 

10

Beer Recipes / Re: Cucumber Saison

« on: February 19, 2013, 07:54:58 AM »

Saison yeast and citrusy hops are a love it/hate it combo. I think if you like Brooklyn's Sorachi Ace, go for it!

What comes to mind: Sorachi, Cascade, Amarillo, Nelson Sauvin, or a combo.

I like Brooklyn's Sorachi Ace Saison and from the Beer Geeks video on Cigar City's Cucumber Saison he indicated they used Sorachi Ace and Citra hops. 

I have Citra and Amarillo on hand along with several others that have a very citrussy aroma.

11

Beer Recipes / Re: Cucumber Saison

« on: February 19, 2013, 07:00:35 AM »

This idea sounds awesome, so don't give up!

You might take a look at lowering your mash temp and possibly adding some fermentables (sugar, honey, etc.) to dry the beer out. The base recipe (saison) should be quite a bit drier than 1.015 (I like mine below 1.008).

The Brewing Network interviewed Cigar City Brewing from Florida, and they talked about how they did their Cucumber Saison. You might check that out for some inspiration.

It is still dropping in gravity.  It went from 1.032 saturday afternoon to 1.015 on MOnday and on Tuesday morning it is at 1.011.  Not quite as dry as I like it, but getting there.

I watched the Beer Geeks tasting of Cigar City's Cucumber Saison and he made it sound like it was heavy cucumber on the nose and heavy cucumber on the tongue, but also very citrussy. 

It will remain in primary for another week or so,  but can anything be added at this point to give a little more citrus to the taste?  Will lemon juice or lime juice add a little something or just mess everything up? 

I am going to dry hop with a citrussy variety to give a little more on the nose.

12

Beer Recipes / Cucumber Saison

« on: February 18, 2013, 02:43:00 PM »

So I made a cucumber saison and incorporated my cucumber slurry / tea during cool down before pitching yeast my yeast.  It has been 4 days and the gravity has dropped from an OG of 1.070 down to 1.015.  I believe I may have used too many cucumbers as I have an overpowering cucumber aroma and a very strong cucumber flavor.  Much more than the subtle cucumber aspect I was hoping to achieve.  I figure I can dry hop the hell out it to reduce the cucumber aroma, but at this point is there anything I can do to reduce the flavor?

Here is the recipe:
11 lbs Belgian Pilsner Malt
2 lbs White Wheat
1 lbs Vienna Malt
1 oz tettanger hops 45 min
1 oz Styrian Goldings 30 min
1 oz Styrian Golding 5 minutes

incorporated approximately 2/3 of a gallon of cucumber tea made from 10 cucumbers during cool down.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated

13

Equipment and Software / Re: Conical Fermenter

« on: January 14, 2013, 07:01:17 PM »

Where would I hook the CO2 to if I wanted to push it with CO2?

Some sort of top port; either a blowoff or CIP port. Not knowing the specifics of your fermenter, I can't say.

There is a hole on the top lid for a bung and airlock so I guess I could hook co2 there, correct?

14

Equipment and Software / Re: Conical Fermenter

« on: January 14, 2013, 06:13:09 PM »

1. Cold crash and/or fine for 2-3 days.
2. Dump yeast/trub from bottom port once a day.
3. Dump side port to clear, then rack beer through side port. CO2 push if you can't do it with gravity alone.

Where would I hook the CO2 to if I wanted to push it with CO2?  I am confused

15

Equipment and Software / Conical Fermenter

« on: January 14, 2013, 05:02:24 PM »

My wife surprised me this year at Christsas and got me a 7.3 gallon stainless steel conical fermenter.  It was on the wish list, but didn't think I would get it.  Well now I have started using it and my primary fermentation has completed and now I am not sure what to do or better yet the best method of doing it.

There is of course a side spout (not sure of the proper name), but I was opening that to take my gravity samples.

What is the best method for transferring and procedural order for getting to my secondary or keg?
 
Do I open the bottom and collect of the yeast sediment that built up and dispose of that and then go into my secondary or keg?

Do I open up the side and go into secondary / keg that way?  That doesn't seem correct as I may be not collecting all of the clean beer as some may be below the side spout.

Are there any other steps I am missing?

Any advice / suggestions would be greatly appreciated.