Messages

1

General Homebrew Discussion / Covering the Boil

« on: June 18, 2013, 12:42:46 AM »

I've heard (can't remember where) that some brewers are starting to cover the boiling wort near the very end of the boil to save hop aroma/flavors because most of the DMS has evaporated.  Has anyone else read this? Perhaps some of you have tried this personally?  Any thoughts or insights?

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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 3/8 Edition

« on: March 07, 2013, 09:44:51 PM »

Doing an Imperial Wheat and hoping to keg a Dark Lager and IPA.  I also have six kegs to clean!!! 

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All Grain Brewing / Re: Distilled Water and Salt Addition for Hoppy IPA

« on: March 06, 2013, 07:02:45 AM »

Actually I live in Seoul, South Korea and work on the military base here.  I can get Arrowhead Spring Water in 2.5 gallon jugs.  I can also get Sparkletts Purified Water (minerals added for taste) in the same type juggs.  And I can get distilled water in one gallon jugs.  I choose the Arrowhead generally... for no particular reason.  The mineral listing for that water is:
Ca = 24.1
Chloride = 13.2
Bicarbonate = 81.1
Flouride = 0.1
Mg = 3.6
Potassium = 1.5
Sodium = 11.1
Sulfates = 3.8
TDS = 129
Ph = 6.33 - 8.2

Again, I plan on using the Arrowhead water (and 12 grams of gypsum) in the 5-gallon mash.  I planned on adding .1 grams of gypsum to the 5-gallon distilled water sparge because that would get the ph down to 5.2... from what I can tell.  The key thing I want to do is get 300ppm in Sulfates... love the hops in my IPAs.  I think I did the Brun'water spreadsheet correctly, but was hoping someone had a "pat" answer that would save me from messing up.

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All Grain Brewing / Re: Distilled Water and Salt Addition for Hoppy IPA

« on: March 06, 2013, 05:20:27 AM »

I'm making a Rye IPA... so 12-lbs 2-row; 3-lbs Rye; and .5lbs 40L Crystal.  I was thinking about using some spring water (Arrowhead) for a five-gallon mash and adding 12 grams of gypsum.  Then I was thinking about adding .1 grams of gypsum in five gallons of distilled water for the sparge.  I just don't know the total alkalinity of the Arrowhead water.  I used the Brun'water calculations for what I thought was right... minus the total alkalinity number.  I'm a newb with the water chemistry and would appreciate some expert opinions.  Thanks.

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All Grain Brewing / Distilled Water and Salt Addition for Hoppy IPA

« on: March 04, 2013, 10:28:52 PM »

I am going to be making a very hoppy IPA soon and was hoping to get some help.  I plan on using distilled water and adding my own salts.  Does anyone have a good salt-addition recipe for such a beer?

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All Grain Brewing / Re: adding sulfate to my SNPA clone

« on: February 27, 2013, 08:11:37 PM »

hopf... I'll have to check the label for the mineral content of the spring water I use.  When would you suggest that gypsum be added... mash only... mash/sparge... or mash/sparge/boil?

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All Grain Brewing / Re: adding sulfate to my SNPA clone

« on: February 26, 2013, 11:54:21 PM »

So if I'm making a big American West Coast-style IPA (5-gallons), how much gypsum (in teaspoons) would I add to a low sulfate spring water?  Also, considering the same style of beer, however, with a very pale color, would I add more gypsum to lower the residual alkalinity (RA)?  If so, how much more gypsum (again, in teaspoons) would help bring out the hop pop?  And Sierra Nevada buys gypsum in 50-lb sacks!!!  Holy crap that's a lot of gypsum!

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All Grain Brewing / Re: Ultra Pale colored IPA problem

« on: February 25, 2013, 12:19:24 AM »

It's just strange that three of the four are so similar... $#itty... compared to the first beer made.  My water is store bought spring water with 1 tsp. gypsum added to the boil. 

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All Grain Brewing / Re: Ultra Pale colored IPA problem

« on: February 24, 2013, 10:31:49 PM »

I was just wondering if there might also be a problem with the exclusive usage of light colored grains also. 

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All Grain Brewing / Re: Ultra Pale colored IPA problem

« on: February 24, 2013, 10:01:33 PM »

I recall the last one getting upwards of 75F somewhat early... 78F a week or more later when it shouldn't matter as much.  The others peaked around 72F that I can remember.  The first beer stayed around 65F during the first week for sure.   

11

All Grain Brewing / Ultra Pale colored IPA problem

« on: February 24, 2013, 05:39:57 PM »

So I'm trying to replicate a very pale colored IPA I made over a year ago and keep having problems.  The initial beer was great... delicate, clear, refreshing, with lots of hop aroma/flavor.  However, the last three attempts have been awful... harsh, cloudy, bland, with little hop aroma/flavor.  The grain bill was full of low lovibond grains... 2-row(base/85%); rye(10%); carapils(5%).  The mash was appx. 152F.  The yeast was WLP-001.  The hop bill was always the same... lots of simcoe, centennial, and amarillo.  The fermentation temps might be the only area where there could have been a variable.  Anyway, any ideas as to what might be wrong would be appreciated. 

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Ingredients / Adding sugars in the secondary

« on: October 23, 2012, 05:46:50 AM »

I recently made a Russian Imperial Stout... OG 1.101.  It's now down to 1.018.  I mashed at 148F and it isn't near as thick as I was wanting it to be... and  seems to be missing some of the richer flavors I was hoping for.  I am planning on adding the following into the secondary fermenter to increase the mouthfeel and give it a bigger flavor profile:

.5 lbs lactose
1 lb brown sugar
molasses (one jar)
.5 lbs dark bakers chocolate
2 cinnamon sticks broken
32 oz water

I figured I'd combine all those ingrediants and bring to a boil until most of the water was boiled off.  After, I wanted to add about 375 mL of Woodford Select bourbon to the mix once cooled.  I'd then pitch it into the fermenter.  Any issues... good or bad?

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Equipment and Software / Re: Stained Plastic Fermenters

« on: October 06, 2012, 09:26:06 PM »

They are from William's Brewing.

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Equipment and Software / Stained Plastic Fermenters

« on: October 06, 2012, 08:45:42 PM »

I have two plastic fermenters that seem to be permanently stained at the high krausen point in each.  I've tried using PBW a couple times and the stain won't come off.  I've also put the fermenters upside down on a boiling pot for over 30 minutes to let the steam remove the stain.  That wouldn't work.  There is no grit or surface dirt on either one... just that ring of stain that won't go away.  Will the stain cause a problem? If so, any word on how I can remove it?

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Ingredients / Re: Frozen Blueberries in Hefe

« on: August 25, 2012, 08:40:44 AM »

Thanks Denny... I just got worried because this beer was one of 16 that we're going to be showcasing at our Fall Beer Festival here in Seoul, South Korea.  I want to help push the concept of American Craft Beer here in the land of bland lagers (OB (BO), Cass (ass), and Hite (s***e).  Have you ever had a Korean lager?