Topics

1

Ingredients / Blackberry Wheat. How many pounds

« on: April 24, 2013, 06:31:31 PM »

I will be making 10 gallons of hefeweizen this weekend. 5 will be clean and the other 5 will be with blackberries (my girlfriend has been bugging me to do a fruity wheat beer). How many pounds do you think I need to get a good blackberry flavor? Also, I was planning on using wyeast 3068 yeast for both. But as I type this I am thinking that I would get more flavor using wyeast 1010 yeast for the blackberries.

Any ideas and thoughts are great.

2

Yeast and Fermentation / New to Lagering

« on: March 27, 2013, 06:26:28 PM »

I am looking to try my first lager in a few weeks. Not sure which style yet. I have just tested my fridges temps for the last few days and it is sitting right at 45 degrees every time I have checked the temp. I was on the white labs site and most lager yeasts have an optimal temp of 50-55. I'm sure 45 is fine for a lager yeast, I have a few questions.

1.) Would fermenting at 45 create off flavors?
2.) Any styles that like a colder fermenting temp?
3.) I was listening to the Jamil Show and he said that lagers fermented at lower temps don't need diacetyl rests. Is that something to go by? If so, whats a low temp?

Sorry if some of those questions seem a little common sense but I have never looked into lagers until a few days ago.

3

Beer Recipes / Pale Ale Recipe

« on: March 26, 2013, 07:34:44 PM »

I am posting this recipe here because it doesn't have the hop flavor that I am looking for. It's just seems to lack the hop punch I am looking for. Any ideas as to how to improve this recipe.

9# 2 row
12 oz. carapils
8 oz. torrified wheat
8 oz crystal 30
mashed at 152 for 60 minutes

1 oz cascade fwh
.5 oz cascade 15 min
.5 oz amarillo 15 min
.25 cascade 10 min
.25 amarillo 10 min
.5 oz cascade 0 min
.5 oz amarillo 0 min
fermented at 68 with WLP001

dry hopped for 7 days with
.5 oz cascade
.5 oz amarillo

Should I have added some hops in the 30 minute range? Added a high alpha acid hop in the fwh? any ideas would be helpful.

4

Yeast and Fermentation / Sour Golden Strong ECY 001

« on: March 11, 2013, 05:59:30 PM »

I pitched bugs on my Sour Golden Strong after the the clean yeast ate it down to 1.040 from 1.078. This was about two months ago. I haven't seen a pellicle yet and I know that sometimes it takes a while to get one and sometimes you won't. I'm not too worried about it because the beer smells sour.

My question is when pitching bugs on an already partially fermented beer do you shake up the carboy or just pitch the bugs and let them be? I didn't really shake the fermenter because I was told the bugs don't like oxygen.

5

Yeast and Fermentation / WLP 001 in a Pale Ale

« on: March 07, 2013, 07:37:38 PM »

So I just brewed a pale ale on saturday. OG was 1.054 and pitched two vials at 70 degrees. It is sitting my basement bathroom that is unused and it fermenting at 68 degrees. It's been 5 days and went to throw in my dry hops. By this time the yeast has fallen out but to my suprise I still have a good amount of krausen sitting on top of my beer. Is this normal for the yeast? The other times I've used this yeast it has fallen out by now. I haven't taken a gravity reading yet so I guess it could still be going.

6

Classifieds / ATC Refractometer for sale

« on: February 06, 2013, 07:21:09 PM »

I have a new refractometer for sale. I received two as gifts and don't need both. It seems to be made of both plastic and metal but still feels rather hefty. If anyone is interested in getting rid of your hydrometer and start using a refractometer this would be perfect for you. I have used mine for 2 brews so far and it's great. I was able to check the gravity frequently and not lose a lot of wort. I can get a pic of it if people want to see it. i just don't have my camera at the moment.

7

Equipment and Software / Fryer for boils

« on: July 25, 2012, 11:05:02 AM »

I am switching to all grain and therefore want to be able to do full boils. Through my research on the internet I saw that most of them come with 7.5 gallon pots. I have heard/read that boil overs will happen a lot and that I should get a bigger pot. I would like to save some money on buying a seperate pot so does anyone know where I can get a bigger pot that comes with a propane fryer for a decent price? Links would be appreciated.

8

General Homebrew Discussion / Fermentation Temps

« on: July 24, 2012, 10:06:12 AM »

So I have read about people fermenting some of their saisons and belgian ales at a steady temp and then I have read about people letting their fermentation temps flucuate and rise. Anyone know why people do that, let the fermentation temp rise and flucuate? I have always been told to keep a steady fermentation temp to reduce off flavors and such.

9

All Grain Brewing / Brewing my first all grain batch. Hefeweizen

« on: July 16, 2012, 10:59:26 AM »

So I just took the leap to all grain and decided that since it's summer time I might as well make a hefeweizen. I am keeping the grainbill simple. Here is my reciepe I came up with right before I went to the store. I made it while at a restaurant so it might not be what I want but oh well, I'll still drink it.

5# german wheat malt
4# german pilsner malt

1 oz hallertau (60 mins)
WLP 300 Hefeweizen Ale Yeast

Let me know what you think and how you think I should brew it. As well as how long you think it will take to brew. I am really excited but nervous at the same time. Seems like a big step up from extract.

10

Beer Recipes / Belgian Blonde

« on: May 11, 2012, 01:41:01 PM »

So I am trying to make a recipe for a belgian blonde with my dad in a few weeks. It's a extract batch with specialty grains. Let me know what you guys think about it and any changes you think I should make and why. Any feedback would be great.

7.00 lbs Pilsner DME
1.00 lb Light Candi Sugar
0.50 lb Biscuit Malt
0.50 Vienna Malt
0.25 lb Crystal 10L

1.00 oz Northern Brewer @ 60 mins.
Yeast - WLP 550

I am going to steep the grains at 150 for 30 minutes then add the DME and sugar after I get the wort boiling.

With the program I used to make the recipe it gave me:
IBUs - 26
SRM - 6.4
OG - 1.064
FG - 1.016

I have a couple weeks to think about it so it could change.

11

Events / Boulder Sourfest

« on: May 11, 2012, 11:02:05 AM »

So Boulder sourfest put on by Avery Brewing is coming up. Just wondering if anyone got tickets to it, i know it sold out fast. I'll be there with my dad. Would like to meet some people that live in the Boulder/Denver area that brew and wouldn't mind helping out someone that is getting into all grain this summer.

12

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Brewing with my dad

« on: May 04, 2012, 09:27:55 AM »

So my dad is visiting me out in Colorado in a few weeks and wants to brew with me. He has never brewed but has been recently turned on to craft beer. I have a English Bitter and a hefeweizen bottled and just did an IPA the batch before those so looking for something new that would be enjoyed during the hot summer months. I was thinking of a saison because it is something I wanted to always brew but wanted to give my father some options as to what he wants. Looking to brew a 5 gallon batch so give me some ideas or recipes you have tried.

Thanks

13

All Grain Brewing / New to all grain. Need help with set up

« on: April 27, 2012, 01:50:21 PM »

So I just bought a place with plenty of space to start all grain brewing. I have read a lot of articles and looked at many different set ups but want to know what I would need for the basics. As much as I would like something badass and tricked out I just want something that will allow me more control of my beer.

I have been brewing extract with specialty grains in my apartment for almost a year now and while the beer taste great I would like to take the next step into this obsession.

Even if you just show me a link to a good site with information or your own set up that would be awesome. And about how much do you think it would cost to get a "starter" set up that I can upgrade easily?

Thanks a bunch.