Messages

1

Equipment and Software / Re: Cleaning Beerstone

« on: May 16, 2013, 09:59:47 AM »

Nearly 10 years ago I had a terrible case of beer stone.  When I tried making Fat Tire as published in Zymurgy I ended up emailing Dana Johnson (the author from Birko Corp) and his technique was to use an acid product and without rinsing follow it directly with an alkaline cleaner.  The swing in pH helps to loosen the beer stone.  Dana had me using a mixture of 6% nitric and 26% phosphoric acids and the alkaline cleaner was PBW.  It took two applications to thoroughly remove mine.


> http://www.birkocorp.com/brewing/beerstone.asp

2

Equipment and Software / Re: Questions you may have about March Pumps? post them here

« on: May 15, 2013, 09:58:51 AM »

I have an 809 that I bought from someone retiring.  It has always run well for me.  This past weekend I had some issues with air locks causing free wheeling.  Whenever this occurred I would immediately shut the pump off.  I then would find it would not restart and I would notice the fan would pulse when the switch was turned on, but it would not turn.  The fan was magnetically held in place.  After a few minutes (potentially as the motor cooled) it would run.

Is there a potential dead spot in the motor windings or could it be overheating?

3

Kegging and Bottling / Bottle Bombs Galore

« on: March 12, 2013, 01:21:02 AM »

I don't normally bottle except if I am running out of kegs.  For my last two bottled batches (an RIS and a Strong Scotch) each ended up with highly carbonated (with deformed caps) beers.  For each I used table sugar per an online calculator.  For the first I thought that perhaps I hadn't considered the use of the right temperature that the beer was at.  For the second I paid particular attention to the beer's temp but I still got bombs.  All bottles fill glasses completely with foam (even tried wetting the glasses before pouring).  Both were bottled after 4 weeks and the tastes don't indicate any wild yeasts working.  Any ideas?

4

Equipment and Software / Re: has anyone dissected their plate chiller?

« on: January 31, 2013, 04:08:58 AM »

I used to take my friend's plate chiller to work and put it in a large ultrasonic cleaner.  No matter how many cycles were used I could never stop small particles from being backwashed.

5

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Impending Doom or RDWHAHB?

« on: January 21, 2013, 08:58:24 AM »

Taste will tell you if its wild yeast/mold/bacteria.  Hard to tell from the photo, really it doesn't seem like wild bugs would be that far along after only a month so I'm guessing you're good.

Taste is good, but 3 kegs went directly into my 30F keggerator.  The potential issue I think about is the 5 gallons that is bottled and currently conditioning.

6

General Homebrew Discussion / Impending Doom or RDWHAHB?

« on: January 19, 2013, 10:25:57 AM »

On December 27 I brewed 20 gallons of Wee Heavy.  I typically drain the yeast from my conical and keg/bottle when all of the yeast is out of the vessel (my conical does not have a racking arm).  Anyways, I have been out of town a lot lately and did not have time to drain the yeast, thus today I siphoned off of the top into 4 kegs.  Before starting the top of the beer had dozens of white 1/8" spots floating on the top.  I have seen this before and always attributed it to unsinking kreusen that dries out.  While siphoning today I certainly picked up a few of the dots.  Is my theory feasible?

After siphoning the dots mostly attached to the side wall as the two pictures showl

7

Ingredients / Re: Berliner Weisse Sweetener Choices

« on: January 16, 2013, 10:20:33 AM »

To the OP: where did they find that beer?  I used to really like it, but it's been years since I've seen it.

My friend's father-in-law lives in Rostock, Germany.  I have invited him to my house many times for beer tastings, in which he pays me back by bringing me German beers that are not available where I live.

8

Ingredients / Berliner Weisse Sweetener Choices

« on: January 15, 2013, 10:10:13 AM »

A friend gave me two bottles of Kindl Berliner Weisse.  She said she likes Grenadine with hers, but I'm wondering what other choices there are.

9

Ingredients / Dry Spicing a Wit

« on: January 06, 2013, 08:37:37 PM »

After drinking Full Pint's White Lighting I feel my Wit could use some more orange punch.  So I'm wondering if dry spicing each keg with bitter orange peel would work or if fresh pith would be better.

10

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Kegging without a fridge

« on: December 04, 2012, 10:16:30 AM »

When I started kegging I used a 2.5 gallon corny because it just fit in a dorm fridge.  I would transfer from the 5 gallon cornies to the 2.5 and leave the half filled keg at cellar temperature.  I used this until I moved to a house with a dedicated beer fridge.

11

Equipment and Software / Re: Pulleys

« on: November 04, 2012, 10:53:23 AM »

How are you going to attach the carboy?

While I plan on using mine for my kegs, for a carboy I would use a plastic milk crate (like the ones that say "Thou Shalt Not Steal" on them, although Wally World probably sells them).  With one hand steadying the carboy the other would be ratcheting the winch.

12

Equipment and Software / Re: Pulleys

« on: November 03, 2012, 08:54:18 PM »

How about a hand winch?  http://www.harborfreight.com/manual-strap-winch-95541.html

I don't have one myself but after seeing this I may buy one.  The winch appears to be on a ratchet, so you wouldn't need overhead space.

13

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Pics of recent brews?

« on: October 07, 2012, 11:33:06 AM »

My club, the Three Rivers Underground Brewers, puts on a benefit every October for Cystic Fibrosis.  Through the first 5 events we have donated well over $100K.  This year my offerring for the VIP session will be Blueberry Wit, as seen in one of our tasting glasses.

14

Equipment and Software / Re: wort chillers

« on: October 07, 2012, 07:16:12 AM »

To maintain hop flavor and aroma it is good to cool the wort as fast as possible.  When you make beers without late addition hops do you also experience the same issue.

15

Equipment and Software / Re: Fermentation Immersion Chiller

« on: October 03, 2012, 06:28:45 PM »

higher pH and much shorter contact time make that less of a concern. plus the yeast probably want a little copper in their diet and will metabolize some of what might leach into the boil. Also, not scrubbing your IC after a boil, just spraying/wipeing it down really well will allow a layer of passivated material to remain on the copper which means the copper itself is not even really in contact with the boiling wort.

Well, your argument holds little water (pun intended).  pH is a minor part of this issue.  Talk about the pH of HCl and I would take notice.  From a chemistry point, a boiling medium is far more agressive than a cold one. So it is ok for copper to enter the beer early, but not late?  What's the difference?  Remember that before stainless became the brewer's go to metal that copper was it.  It is very likely that there still remain breweries that use copper fermenters.