Messages

1

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Cherries in the snow

« on: April 26, 2012, 01:27:34 PM »

I double checked and it is 1.5 gallons of water.  I think it has to do with getting the temperature where you want it as to avoid setting the pectin. I think I should have used the juice in the jars because the temp I got was 179 when it should have been closer to 160.

Cheers

2

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Cherries in the snow

« on: April 21, 2012, 03:17:12 PM »

I did think of frozen cherries, but then they would not have been sour.  Whatever sour means... probably not candied?

3

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Cherries in the snow

« on: April 16, 2012, 08:30:21 PM »

8.5 lbs Alexanders light malt extract syrup
1.5 Santiam or Tettnanger hop pellets 9 HBU
0.5 Santiam or Tettnanger hops (finishing)
10 lbs sour cherries

American ale-type yeast


O.G. 1.046-1.050 (11.5-12.5)
FG 1.011-1.017 (2.5-4)

Bitterness 33 IB, Color: Rose

Boil extract and boiling hops in 1.5 gallons for 60 minutes.  Remove boiling hops (rinse/sparge) these hops with hot water.  Add crushed sour cherries and finishing hops to boiling wort.  This should cool the wort to temp of 160 ( I got 179. .  Let steep for 15 minutes.  Do not boil. Then pour entire contents into fermenter bucket.  Pitch yeast and after 5 days, remove as much cherries and floating hops as possible and siphon into secondary and finish fermentation.

Probably more than you needed to know,

Cheers

4

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Cherries in the snow

« on: April 16, 2012, 05:12:14 PM »

yes it is a Papazian recipe.  Here is food for thought.  A fellow brewer just pointed out to me that if I took the liquid out, the weight would be significantly altered, that is to say  what I felt to be 10 lbs, might be a lot of liquid weight.  I might add a second jar of liquid just for giggles. 

Cheers

5

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Cherries in the snow

« on: April 16, 2012, 04:08:45 PM »

I am making this fruit beer tonight and I was wondering if I could get you opinion.  Essentially the recipe calls for 8 lbs of light extract syrup and 10 lbs of sour cherries.  The cherries I got come in some kind of sugar water, essentially red juice.  Should I allow any of that juice into the wort?  Should I rinse the cherries?  I was thinking of allowing one jar (1.5 lbs worth) to be poured in with the juice and the rest strained, not rinsed.

Let me know what you think

Fro
 

6

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Need opinions over lost airlock

« on: February 14, 2012, 08:00:54 AM »

Thanks guys for your opinion. What I really needed to know was how important was bottling given the situation.  This is because, if I had to put my money on it, I would guess the beer is finished brewing.   And if bottle was going to help the beer minimize damage from the current situation by eating of o2 from brew and heading off infection with a little more fermenting, then I felt it worth the risk.  I think I will just go back to my original plan which is checking gravities after 4 weeks of lagering and if the gravity is unchanged, bottling it. 

7

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Need opinions over lost airlock

« on: February 13, 2012, 06:17:38 AM »

I had thought as much.  Usually I find the yeast holds some Co2 in it, even if there is not a lot of yeast after racking.  However, I am still a little concerned  that because it was already done fermenting prior to racking there was much less co2 in it to begin with (but what can I do but hope it still comes out good).  And keeping that in mind, is it worth while to rack the lager after it's one fermenting because, even with the best siphoning technique, there is going to be a least 1.5 gallons of air left at the top of the carboy.  This may seem like a silly question, but I am told the small amount of air at the top of a bottle can ruin a beer.

8

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Need opinions over lost airlock

« on: February 13, 2012, 05:17:43 AM »

Ok, got some more information.  It was the wife who dropped something on it, not realizing the airlock fell off.  I estimate the time it was off was about 12 hours.  Bottling today will be close to impossible, but I will pull it off if I need to.  So my second question is, how important is it that I bottle it now as opposed to say tomorrow morning or afternoon?  I am just trying to weigh all options. 

Fro

9

General Homebrew Discussion / Need opinions over lost airlock

« on: February 13, 2012, 03:32:07 AM »

I am currently brewing a lager. It has been three weeks since I pitched the yeast.  The temperature has been consistently 54 deg, although I suspect it took quite several days for the beer to cool off ( another long story). I racked the beer at 10 days ( the earliest I could do it). Prior to racking there had been no noticeable fermentation for several days, I suspect this due to the initial warmer temps.   

To make a long story short, my 21 month old must have gotten to the beer and pulled off the plastic portion of the airlock.  I don't know how long it has been since it happened, but my guess is that it occurred 12-24 hours before I discovered it.  I immediately sanitized the the removed part and replaced it.  The question is, should I let it sit for another week as I planned or should I go ahead a start bottling to head off any infection? I am weary of checking SG as I am not sure if the upper parts of the carboy may have become contaminated.  Any insight would be great. 

Fro

10

Beer Recipes / Re: contradictory beers

« on: June 29, 2011, 01:48:26 AM »

drooling over both!!!

11

Beer Recipes / contradictory beers

« on: June 28, 2011, 10:13:29 PM »

I am planning a party for September 29-ish in which I celebrate the late philosopher, Miguel de Unamuno's birthday. He was a walking contradiction and in order to honor his memory, I looking for recipes of beers that come off as rather contradictory.    I realize that any beer made well cannot be a contradiction onto itself ( really just more creative), I am just trying to have some fun.  Let met start of with an example:  Imperial porter made with lager yeast.   I am sure that such a beer is not really any sort of shocker, most especially to you guys, but for me personally, I rarely think of a Imperial beer or a porter being made with lager yeast.  Thus, it fits the bill for the party.  If anyone else has good recipes that fit the above description, I would love to hear about it.   I would prefer ale's because the coolest I can brew right now is in the mid 60's, but if you think a lager yest at that temp is worth it, I am game.   I'll also take interesting contradictory food ideas as well, even though it is not really what this section of the forum is for.

Cheers

12

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Moldy tasting beer

« on: June 27, 2011, 05:50:37 PM »

Thanks to all above, there is some great information here.  It will be quite the waiting game now.

13

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Moldy tasting beer

« on: June 25, 2011, 05:39:03 PM »

I need a wort cooler, and I should probably be brewing in my basement ... but, I waited too long to turn on my dehumidifier and it has gotten moldy down there.  WHile I am working on it and have my dehumidifier on, it was a bit late for my last few beers. 

That being said, I am surprised that the higher temps would have created this particular funny flavor, I would have though more butterscotch.  However, I do think think the best explanation for all of this is that the high temps, the long sit in the yeast, combined with the pine created a horrid tasting beer ... for now at least.

14

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Moldy tasting beer

« on: June 25, 2011, 07:54:33 AM »

The OG astounded me, almost as much as the final alcohol content being around 3.5%.   THe recipe called for a lot of honey in order to provide a kick while keeping the beer light.  I ended up adding 1/2 pound more honey and 1/2 pound more amber malt to strengthen it.  Everything about this beer has surprised me.

15

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Moldy tasting beer

« on: June 24, 2011, 03:39:31 PM »

3.3 lbs john bull plain dark malt extract ( had to use the mutons equiv)
1 2/3 lbs plain dried amber malt extract
2.5 lbs honey
3/4 lbs crystal malt
1/3 lb black malt
1oz centennial hops
1oz Amarillo hops finishing
1 oz pruce essence
yweast 1056

pitched at 78 degrees

OG 1.036
FG 1.011