Topics

1

Kegging and Bottling / Amount priming sugar to use

« on: March 27, 2010, 10:47:23 AM »

So I've been yielding less than 5 gallons out of the last 2 batches I've produced.  In the end I have
figured I just need to add more water during my mashing and sparging processes.  However, I now
have a 2-2.5 gallon batch of a belgian pale ale that is currently ready for bottling.

What I'm wondering is if I need to cut the amount of priming sugar solution I would use in half
since I have half of what the normal batch should be.  Wouldn't this help prevent exploding
bottles?  I figured if I used the amount of priming sugar for a 5  gallon batch it would be too much.

Thanks,

2

Yeast and Fermentation / Yeast cultivation in bottle...from a bottle

« on: March 04, 2010, 02:47:03 PM »

I just tried cultivating some yeast for the first time...but I went about things in an interesting way:

I took a bottle of Orchard White from the Bruery and poured everything from the bottle minus the
last inch or so (it's a wine bottle 750 that indents in the bottom center).  I've been told the yeast
works well for cultivation.  I created some wort, ice-bathed it and then added it to the bottle with
the yeast.  From there I read about "stepping up" and figured I was getting in over my head slightly.


SO...instead of going through the stepping up process I just added a packet of dry yeast to what
I already had.  I am hoping that I will basically get a combination of 2 yeast strands this way.  It's
been only about 16 hours and the airlock shows no signs of fermentation. 

Anyone have input on whether you think I will get a starter of the 2 strains combined effectively?  Can
anyone help give me some input on how much fermentation activity I will be seeing?  I have essentially
13-14oz of wort with yeast and was planning to dump it all in to my future Saturday brew.

3

Ingredients / Other than bourbon chips.....

« on: March 01, 2010, 05:05:53 PM »

Hello there,

Being my first post here I'll start out with an interesting one.  I have been brewing about 2 years now and in this time have acquired a position working for an alcohol distributor.  Thus, I began thinking more about soaking oak chips in spirits other than bourbon.  With that, I have a few questions:

1.  What is the best way to use chips to get an authentic barrel-aged feel?  I've been aging some oak chips in different liquors for a while now but do not want to just dump in liquor-soaked chips.  To me that seems like it's just the same as pouring in liquor and adding oak.  I was thinking of trying to dry them first, sterilize them somehow, and then add them.

2.  Has anyone tried using liquor other than bourbon?

3.  I was thinking of trying this in moderation with a belgian-style pale ale (as opposed to the traditional imperial stout that gets all the wood attention)...thoughts?

Cheers,