1
Beer Recipes / Re: Very Plain Lagers
« on: September 01, 2011, 06:59:57 am »
Tent beer (as in Oktoberfest tents). It could be as light as ~5 SRM if the Munich was Weyermann Type I (~6* L).
News: Welcome to the American Homebrewers Association Forum. Though you do not need to be a member to participate, we would love for you to join us!
Show Posts
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
2
All Things Food / Re: Tips on breaking down primal cuts
« on: August 12, 2011, 07:25:47 am »
My extremely limited understanding is that Europeans cut primals a little differently (and generally into smaller primals) than the US. Do you know which you'd rather have?
3
Ingredients / Re: Coriander question
« on: July 27, 2011, 11:26:48 am »Seems like it would give a new meaning to the phrase 'lawnmowing beer'.I can't imagine what a beer with cilantro would taste like, it sounds gross but then I'm not a big fan of cilantro.
I AM a big fan of cilantro, and I still think it sounds gross!
4
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: wort chillers
« on: July 27, 2011, 11:24:20 am »Thanks for the advice everybody...I went out and got a wort chiller last night and brewed up an IPA....Question...what is the best way to use the least amount of water while running the wort chiller?I use tap water at first and collect the effluent and put it in my washing machine for laundry. After I've dropped it to ~100* F I use a pond pump to circulate ice water, then use the remaining cool water (no longer has any ice) in the water bath for the carboy.
5
Ingredients / Re: Infused sugars?
« on: July 27, 2011, 09:33:06 am »
I do the vanilla bean infusion. Just the other day I back-sweetened a Traditional Mead with a small proportion of the vanilla-infused sugar with mostly OB honey. I used it (a proportion) in the custard for chocolate ice cream and occasionally put it in my coffee.
6
Ingredients / Re: Coriander question
« on: July 27, 2011, 09:20:18 am »Also, wouldn't fresh coriander just taste like cilantro?AFAIK, the word 'coriander' in the US means the seeds and the word 'cilantro' means the leaves. But IIRC, in the UK and maybe other places, the word 'coriander' means the leaves and I don't know what word they use for the seeds.
In any case, the seeds and the leaves are a totally different flavor. I can't imagine what a beer with cilantro would taste like, it sounds gross but then I'm not a big fan of cilantro.
7
The Pub / Re: Belgian Luggage Handler
« on: July 27, 2011, 07:36:21 am »Damn, this bar exam is turning my brains to mush. Why oh why did I decide to get licensed in two states?One bar means cold, two bars means supercold. What is so hard about that?
9
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: for bottle brewers...and any brewers...oxyclean!
« on: July 25, 2011, 08:06:09 am »
^^^+1. The combination of soaking in PBW (or Oxiclean free) followed by a Starsan soak works very well for a lot of the things we soak. Left a beer glass sitting half-full and it has a 'ring'...PBW followed by Starsan (mainly the Starsan). Carboy has a ring from Oxiclean/PBW...use Starsan. Brown-ish film on bottom of your kettle?...PBW followed by Starsan and it's bright shiny new stainless again. Just don't soak plastic tubing too long (mainly in Starsan) or it will get tacky.
I never throw away PBW or Starsan solutions after one use (Starsan gets used for weeks), there's always something that will need a soak soon enough.
I never throw away PBW or Starsan solutions after one use (Starsan gets used for weeks), there's always something that will need a soak soon enough.
10
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Poured out that old Belgian
« on: July 22, 2011, 05:08:51 am »
The last Quad I did I followed a temp schedule recommended by someone who had successfully brewed Westy/Sint Bernardus clones. Start at ~64* F and let free rise to ~82* F or so. I feared fusels, banana, bubblegum, etc. but I went with it (but only reached 76* F) and it is probably the cleanest big Belgian I've ever made (but just going from a sample at racking). Surprisingly not hot and no noticable fusels. I've gotten fusels keeping it below 68* F for the entire ferment. This was 3787.
Some Belgian yeasts seem to be more finicky/difficult to get right. I've not had much luck with Chimay yeast and much better luck with 3787. The others I've only used once or twice but I did like the Rochefort yeast (WLP540/WY1762).
Some Belgian yeasts seem to be more finicky/difficult to get right. I've not had much luck with Chimay yeast and much better luck with 3787. The others I've only used once or twice but I did like the Rochefort yeast (WLP540/WY1762).
11
Beer Recipes / Re: Does rye/wheat affect mash efficiency?
« on: July 21, 2011, 11:52:42 am »
I agree it's most likely the crush but FWIW I just run everything thru my BC and my efficiency is nominal with Rye/Wheat.
But just last weekend I made a Roggenbier with just under 60% Rye and my mash pH was noticably higher than I expected (and higher than Bru'n water predicted by a good amount). I remember reading on another forum that Rye/Wheat often have this effect on mash pH and could affect efficiency. Might not be the problem but mentioning it just in case.
EDIT: I just added some lactic acid to bring it down and efficiency was nominal.
But just last weekend I made a Roggenbier with just under 60% Rye and my mash pH was noticably higher than I expected (and higher than Bru'n water predicted by a good amount). I remember reading on another forum that Rye/Wheat often have this effect on mash pH and could affect efficiency. Might not be the problem but mentioning it just in case.
EDIT: I just added some lactic acid to bring it down and efficiency was nominal.
12
The Pub / Re: 42 Years Ago...
« on: July 21, 2011, 10:56:55 am »There is a Brevard Workforce and Aerospace Worker Transition programs but they are pretty swamped, I'm just starting use them. From what I've heard, there isn't that much local but there are opportunities elsewhere. I'm single with no kids so it's much easier for me to relocate. If I could find work where I want to go, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Colorado would be my ideal location but lots of places way west of here will do.It's a double-whammy for me. I've been an engineer at Kennedy Space Center since 1993...July 29th is my last day (lay-off).
That double sonic boom still startles the hell out of me, but after this morning's, no more.
Have you looked into private sector stuff per my post above? Curious as to what the recruiting environment is like for you guys.
13
The Pub / Re: This has a big WOW factor
« on: July 21, 2011, 10:49:17 am »I'll take a lifesize print of Anna Kornikova.Dibs on the scanning part!
I saw this a while back (if it's the same video I think it is, I haven't clicked the link above) and the printer is only $28K...the scanner is another $28K.
14
The Pub / Re: 42 Years Ago...
« on: July 21, 2011, 05:26:04 am »
It's a double-whammy for me. I've been an engineer at Kennedy Space Center since 1993...July 29th is my last day (lay-off).
That double sonic boom still startles the hell out of me, but after this morning's, no more.
That double sonic boom still startles the hell out of me, but after this morning's, no more.
15
Yeast and Fermentation / Re: How often do you check your gravity?
« on: July 21, 2011, 04:50:26 am »
This is exactly why I only check it twice and the second one is caught as I'm racking to the keg. The rare stuck fermentations I've had did not respond to rousing, raising the temp, adding yeast energizer (usually a combination of all three). Since the yeast were obviously not up to the task I figure it's best to get it off the stressed yeast. So ime, usually once the original pitch of yeast has stopped, it's done, it ain't going any further and racking is the next step.
As for what to do when a fermentation is stuck, ime the best methods to fix it are (in order):
Rack it onto the yeast cake of a 'good' fermentation (or add the cake to the keg). Do not aerate.
Add properly hydrated dry yeast. Dry yeast doesn't need O2 so you don't have to worry about the fact that you don't aerate (which you definitely don't want to do at that point).
Krausen it.
After any of these had run their course I would then do closed keg-to-keg transfer.
As for what to do when a fermentation is stuck, ime the best methods to fix it are (in order):
Rack it onto the yeast cake of a 'good' fermentation (or add the cake to the keg). Do not aerate.
Add properly hydrated dry yeast. Dry yeast doesn't need O2 so you don't have to worry about the fact that you don't aerate (which you definitely don't want to do at that point).
Krausen it.
After any of these had run their course I would then do closed keg-to-keg transfer.