Messages

1

All Grain Brewing / Re: Rather than doing a decoction...

« on: Today at 11:26:45 AM »

The cereal/decoction mash is in a pot, that goes into the pressure cooker. The pressure cooker has a false bottom and water under the false bottom. The goods never go over the steam temp, so no scorching, and no need to stir.

I'm sure we all know this, but I think it's worth pointing out that the steam is under pressure and will be hotter than 212F.  How hot depends on the pressure.  Just to be clear.

Going to the NHC BJCP reception?

With a pressure cooked cereal mash you get to about 230f, and some caramelization but lots of melanoidin production. Mr. Renner is a good friend.

Already mentioned in reply 10. 

Ok, worth pointing out again

Does that imply "it goes to 11" 

2

All Grain Brewing / Re: Rather than doing a decoction...

« on: Today at 08:35:00 AM »

guess I need a bigger pressure cooker 

mine is much smaller than that.

Mine is the Presto 23-quart and it's plenty big enough...

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-01781-23-Quart-Pressure-Canner/dp/B0000BYCFU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371655986&sr=8-2&keywords=presto+pressure+cooker

3

All Grain Brewing / Re: Rather than doing a decoction...

« on: June 18, 2013, 07:50:31 PM »

Going to the NHC BJCP reception?

With a pressure cooked cereal mash you get to about 230f, and some caramelization but lots of melanoidin production. Mr. Renner is a good friend.

No, not making it to the NHC and yes, love his pressure cooker decoction method.

4

All Grain Brewing / Re: Rather than doing a decoction...

« on: June 18, 2013, 07:12:17 PM »

When you do a decoction, you are producing melanoidins at boiling temps, as the decoction is not boiled long enough or hard enough to concentrate. I don't boil the decoctions too hard, as I don't want scorching to happen.

Pressure cooker decoction, baby   No constant stirring, no scorching

tell me more

Go to the eZymurgy archives and check out page 39 of the Mar/Apr 2010 issue.  Jeff Renner did an article titled "Pseudo Decoction Mashing" that explains it.

5

All Grain Brewing / Re: Rather than doing a decoction...

« on: June 18, 2013, 08:52:27 AM »

When you do a decoction, you are producing melanoidins at boiling temps, as the decoction is not boiled long enough or hard enough to concentrate. I don't boil the decoctions too hard, as I don't want scorching to happen.

Pressure cooker decoction, baby   No constant stirring, no scorching

6

Beer Recipes / Re: Bourbon barrel porter recipe formulated

« on: June 17, 2013, 11:17:50 AM »

sounds really good. looks a lot like my porter recipe, except I think I didn't use any roasted/black barley. the munich is really the bomb in this style. I mean I love munich malt anyway, put it in almost everything, but this style particularly really benefits from the rich fruity maltiness.

+1.  Munich is very underrated in porter and stout.  Looks great !  I made a "bourbon barrel" milk stout a few months back that came out great, and I used the chips and bourbon the same way.

Special B is also great in a porter.

And here I expected you to say "Brown Malt"

7

The Pub / Re: Good news! Beer bellies are a myth!

« on: June 15, 2013, 07:52:06 AM »

What are you eating majorvices?

<majorvices>Yes</majorvices>

8

All Grain Brewing / Re: mash efficiency question

« on: June 14, 2013, 08:43:34 AM »

1. get a new/better thermometer/hydrometer,
2. try double crushing and/or tightening roller spacing on my MaltMill, and
3. mash out/sparge slower

And if you really care to know which one of those things makes a difference, you'd make those changes one at a time.

9

Homebrew Clubs / Re: My Own Beer testing

« on: June 13, 2013, 06:01:16 PM »

Since Im just starting out wanting to make my own brew,...
<snip>
...The taste is a bit stronger than Miller Genuine Draft, but is very drinkable.

If your goal is to brew your own MGD clone, be aware your biting off a bit much.  MGD, Bud, et al are lagers and most homebrewers start out with ales as they're easier/cheaper/faster.  Also, beers like MGD have relatively little flavor and are extremely "clean".  From a brewers perspective, that means that there is almost nothing there to hide the inevitable flaws that will crop up with beginners homebrew.

A good strategy is to continue what you're doing (tasting lots of commercial examples of different styles) to find some styles that would be better for your first homebrew effort.  Side benefit is that, as you try more and more different styles, you may well develop a taste for more "flavorful" beer.

10

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Does this look like a pellicle?

« on: June 13, 2013, 05:45:35 PM »

Agreed.  Just looks like normal yeasty krausen to me.

11

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Who's going to NHC?

« on: June 13, 2013, 05:21:38 PM »

No NHC for me   Keeping my perfect o'fer streak alive

12

The Pub / Re: Good news! Beer bellies are a myth!

« on: June 13, 2013, 05:19:20 PM »

Skinny homebrewers scare me.

Skinny doctors bother me.  Wish my doc was like my dentist ('bout five feet tall by five feet around) then he wouldn't be able lecture me about my weight.

13

All Grain Brewing / Re: mash efficiency question

« on: June 13, 2013, 05:14:15 PM »

The single factor that has the most impact on efficiency is your crush.  If you're getting your grains per-crushed by the homebrew shop, odds are that's your issue.  IN order to avoid getting complaints from customer about stuck sparges, they tend to crush with a larger mill gap.

Options would be to have the shop crush twice, find a friend with a mill, or get your own.

14

Equipment and Software / Re: I'm ready to trash my kettle

« on: June 12, 2013, 05:05:41 PM »

Appears to me that you just have the itch to buy some different equipment.

You say that like it's a bad thing

15

Equipment and Software / Re: carboy handle

« on: June 11, 2013, 05:57:37 PM »

As far as carrying full carboys, my wife bought me a brew hauler for Christmas this year and it's one of those things I wish I had sooner.

+ a bazillion.  Brew Haulers are great