Topics

1

Beer Recipes / Bourbon IPA

« on: April 19, 2012, 12:08:01 PM »

Some years ago I had a bottle of an IPA in Seattle that had strong tones of bourbon - and was advertised as such.  It was fantastic.

Flash forward.  I want to try to make something like this and I can't seem to find what I'm looking for.  Most bourbon recipes are porters rather than pales.  I KNOW that is not mandatory since I had a really good IPA.

Sooooo, I am considering using my "go to" IPA recipe only tweaking like this:  Soak 4 ounces of Light Toasted American oak chips in 6 ounces of bourbon for a week.  Add to the fermenter 1 week before kegging.  Period.

What do you think?  I can give you my ipa recipe, but I'm thinking that is not pertinent.  Only this concert.

Thanks in advance!

Don

2

Kegging and Bottling / Kegging with priming

« on: January 05, 2012, 08:42:24 AM »

Okay, I TRIED looking through the forum for an answer - but thought I'd pester you instead.

I have read in the latest Zymurgy about using priming sugar (.3 v. .7 cups) in the keg, and then continuing on to CO2 carbonate (as usual?).  I'm new to kegging, but was under the impression that kegging and the use of priming sugar were mutually exclusive.  So, now I find they are not. 

Sooooo, what are the reasons for doing both?  Does it create a different kind of carbonation?  And is it as simple as adding that amount of sugar (boiled, I presume, just as in bottling) to the receiving keg at keg time?

Thanks in advance,
Don

3

Beer Recipes / Help Please with a Saison

« on: September 23, 2011, 09:48:18 AM »

I need some opinions on what I was about to brew until I entered this recipe into Brewsmith.  Unfortunately, I have all of the ingredients, but do not want to be wasting my time.  I took this from NB Petite Saison kit directions (Petite Saison D'ete).  Now unless D'ete means "we are just fooling with ya", I don't understand it.  I had to make some substitutions as recommended by my HBS, but what I have now I cannot even match a style to on Beersmith.  It is:

4.5 lbs Belgian Pilsner
2.75 lbs Vienna
.75 lbs Torrified Wheat
1 oz Kent Goldings - 60
.25 oz Styrian Goldings - 10
.25 oz Saaz - 10
.75 oz Styrian Goldings - 2
.75 oz Saaz - 2
White Labs Saison Blend (568)

My first issue was that Beersmith said that this yeast had 20b cells and that I needed 147b.  With starter I still only get 63b - something seems screwy.  This would mean I should use 3 yeast vials (quite a lot of expense and does not seem right to me).

The next issue is just the readings on the OG, IBU, ABVs.  Now, I know I should just brew what I might like, but every style I compare this against has most of the readings in the red area. 

As much as I don't want to trash all this stuff, I don't want to use my time and keg space on something that is not very drinkable.  Does anyone have an opinion about what this might taste like AND if I really need that much yeast?

TIA.
Don

PS:  One of the comments on the NB site said that this beer, while tasty, was like a cross between a helles and a wit.  But I still can't find anything that makes sense.

4

Yeast and Fermentation / How long in the secondary?

« on: September 10, 2011, 06:48:10 AM »

I've read opinions all over the book and would like a few of yours.  Right now, I'm well supplied for beer and I have
a kegerator on the way in a few weeks (whoopee!!).  My "problem" is that I have an IPA that I brewed 3 weeks ago
and I have yet to rack to secondary and dry hop - which I plan to do today - at least the racking.  And, yes, I do want
to get it out of the primary.

Question:  If I rack to secondary today, how long can I wait before I HAVE to bottle/keg it?  I would prefer to wait
on the arrival of the kegerator obviously.  But I have a good beer coming in and don't want to mess it up.  What I've
heard is that if I rack it, I should be able to wait anywhere from 3-6 weeks. - or more.  In this case, I will dry hop it just a week
or so before I bottle/keg.  If I DO bottle in a week that means I have to brew again (to check out the kegerator) and
that really leaves me with too much beer.  I know, that's not a HORRID thing, but I already have bottles over-carbed from age.

Thanks.
Don

5

Events / Savanah in early September 2-4

« on: August 11, 2011, 01:08:30 PM »

Hate to bring up a tiny little event in the midst of the GABF activity, but I'm stuck in the
boondocks and this was a good one last year.  Is anyone planning to attend?
http://www.savannahcraftbrewfest.com/brewers

6

All Grain Brewing / Small batches?

« on: August 11, 2011, 11:13:27 AM »

My wife drinks very little beer.  She does not drink mine (IPAs, Belgians, Farmhouse, etc) and I do not drink hers (Porters, Stouts).
Now that I have 2 months worth of beer stocked up, I want to brew some for her, but I want to make a very small batch - no more than 2.5 gallons, preferably less.

Question:  are small batches as simple as cutting the ingredients all the same percentage and following the exact same process as a 5 gallon?

Never having made a Porter, anyone got recommendations for a good one that is straightforward?

Thanks!
Don

7

All Grain Brewing / Fermentation taking LOOOONG time

« on: August 10, 2011, 11:01:55 AM »

Okay, I am making a replica of an IPA done previously with the only changes
being the grains - now using 10.5 pounds Munich and 1 pound of Victory instead of the
previous 10.5 pounds domestic 2-row, 1 pound Crystal 45 and .5 pounds Cara pils.

I would expect the timing to be about the same.  Instead, I have something strange.  The
first brew was bottled 4 weeks after brewing, but it has now been 5 weeks since brewing day
and my bubble rate is 7 seconds.  Yes, I have done gravity readings.  And for the past 7 days,
the 3 readings have been 1.021 (the og of the previous brew was 1.011).  So, I'm not sure if
fermentation is done or not, but the activity is odd.  Could a simple change of grain make that
much difference in fermentation time - presuming it is still fermenting?

As much as possible, the rest of the process was pretty much the same.  If I'm at 7 seconds
now (and, I know, I should put little faith in bubble timing), seems like it will be a long time
until I can bottle.  I am not interested in making bottle rockets at this time.

And, by the way, the taste is pretty good. 

Seem okay to you?
Thanks!
Don

8

General Homebrew Discussion / Sanitizers

« on: July 29, 2011, 07:14:10 AM »

I use Star-san exclusively.  My friend uses the iodine-based one Amberdyne.  They are both touted to be no-rinse
solutions and we treat them as so. 

Two questions:
All of my friends beers have a common taste element to them (ALL beers, Scottish, IPAs, Belgians, etc).  Just a hint, but it is always there.  My beers do not have that taste.  After effectively eliminating water as the culprit (at least seeing that the PH of his home water is okay), I'm starting to question his sanitizer.  Is that possible?

Also, he said after just a day or 2 he gets a film on top of his sanitizing solution and he has to make a new batch.  I keep mine for sometimes 2 weeks and it seems fine.  How long CAN you keep Star-San?  I have heard that it will become cloudy as it loses its effectiveness, but have never pushed the envelope past 2 weeks.

Thanks.

9

All Grain Brewing / Grain Dust

« on: July 09, 2011, 04:28:03 AM »

Although I fly sparge and have not had a problem with, my friend batch sparges and last brew
got a lot of "stuck" situations.  MY problem is that for my brew today, I'm having to use the same
brew store that he uses - and I'm thinking that this guy is grinding wrong. 

My bag seems to have quite a lot of "dust" in it and I'm wondering if before I start my mash if I
should strain that out.  Would I be losing important sugars, or would I be served well by straining
it out before I start?

Thanks.
Don

10

All Grain Brewing / Mashing Ratios

« on: July 08, 2011, 10:10:34 AM »

I thought I could find an answer to my question (it is SO basic), so I looked a ways through the forums and, REALLY, I couldn't.  So, I will once again display my newbness and ask the following:

It seems as though the amount of water to use in the mash is anywhere between 1.25-2 quarts per pound of grain - depending on "something" (grains? beer style? perference?).  For example, Beersmith for my latest brew (to be done tomorrow), calls for 14 quarts for 11.5 pounds of grain.  That is just about on 1.25 (if I know how to divide).  That is workable for me.  However, some recipes that I've read (and some experts) call for 2 quarts per pound.  Okay, here's my question:

If you have 10 pounds of grain and use the 2 qts/pound suggested, you end up with 5 gallons of mash water.  If you use the, iirc, suggested 150% of mash water for sparge water, you will have to use 7+ gallons for the sparge.  If 10 pounds of grain absorbs 1 gallon of water, that leaves you with a final result of over 11 gallons of water.  If you boil out a gallon, that leaves you with 10 gallons.  Exactly how do I fit 10 gallons of wort into a 5 gallon carboy?

I KNOW I'm missing something here.  Help??
Thanks.

11

General Homebrew Discussion / To Tweak or not to Tweak...

« on: July 03, 2011, 06:34:02 PM »

Not that I'm there yet, but.....

When you have developed a tried and true recipe, do you make repeat batches of it or do you continue to tweak it ad nauseum looking for an even better brew?

12

General Homebrew Discussion / Beer from concentrate?

« on: June 28, 2011, 09:20:21 AM »

Okay, I got your attention.  

After a discussion with a friend, we ended up with this issue.

Being frugal, we want to make the most beer possible - within the recipe.  The question is this:
A lot of people (those with 5 gal carboys, anyway) suffer from loss of potential beer with an active blowout
process.  I just lost nearly a full gallon (another story for another time).   IF, to avoid that, say a person did a strong, long boil and ended up with 4 gallons of wort.  Then after 3-4 days when the blowout has subsided, COULD he add a gallon of water to the primary and end up with the beer the recipe intended?

Taken it to an extreme level of silliness one might end up with the soft-drink syrup process - which I know is just, ummm, silly.  But to the extent above, would there be anything lost?

13

All Grain Brewing / Cold Aging?

« on: June 24, 2011, 08:18:26 AM »

In latest Zymurgy, the recipe for Bell's 2 hearted states that you should "cold age" for a week.
My latest attempt at a "clone" (NB Dead Ringer) has no such aging noted.  

Presuming that I can figure out a way to cold age:

1.  what would be the temperature to shoot for?
2.  is this the same as lagering?
3.  what is the reason for doing this and what will I lose if I do not do it?

14

Ingredients / What Specialty Grains?

« on: June 22, 2011, 08:34:18 AM »

I'm moving from pure hophead to a wider range of beer.  Specifically, I find myself wanting to taste more
grain ("chewiness"?) and flavors than my current favorite SN Torpedo.  In particular, I'm starting to appreciate
some of the complexities of barleywine.  The SN XXX anniversary Black Barleywine was very good.

I do not want to attempted a barleywine - I'm just not yet at that point of expertise.  Trying to take it slow.  So,
my thought was to ask y'all what you might substitute for the grains in my, so far, favorite brew.  I'll list the hops
also so you get the entire picture.  But mainly, how can I substitute (or add) specialty grains or adjuncts to make
this more of a malty tasting beer without sacrificing the general hoppiness, etc that I now enjoy?

10.5 pounds domestic 2-row malt (GRNB001)
 1 pound Crystal 45 (GRNS101 Crisp)
.5 pounds Cara pils (GRNS001)
.5 oz Centennial FWH
.5 oz Chinook (60)
.5 oz Columbus (10)
.5 oz Columbus (5)
.5 oz Chinook (5)
.5 oz Centennial (5)
.5 oz Columbus (0)
.5 oz Centennial (0)
.5 oz Columbus (dh)
.5 oz Centennial (dh)
WL001  White Labs Calif 001

Thanks!
Don

15

Yeast and Fermentation / Yeast Pitching Temperature

« on: June 20, 2011, 07:40:54 AM »

I am exclusively an ale brewer.  To this point APAs, with a nod toward heavy hops.

The more I read and learn on these forums, the less I know - or the less of what I thought is true.

Latest is pitching temp.  I have read in the past that 80 is a decent temp for the pitch.  Now, in other
threads I'm seeing it said that nothing should be considered less than 75 and even low 60s is preferable.
My problem is how am I supposed to do that - in a reasonable length of time.  It seems that there should be a
balance between what temps to aim toward versus how long it takes you to get there.  If it takes 2 hours
to get to 62, is it worth it?  I live in Florida and water from my well going through a chiller is not going to
be that cool in the summer when it is 100 out.  Yes, I try to adjunct it with an ice bath, but it still takes
some time.  I canNOT get to 80 in less than about 12 minutes.  I can only imagine how long it might take
to get to 62.  And all this time is going to be leaving me open to contamination, is it not?

How do I get it that cool quickly?  I know there is the two-directional type chiller, but it seems that would even be stressing
in my temperatures.

What does the additional cooling really accomplish?  If I have a good, active yeast with a good starter with
sufficient nutrients, is it worth the additional time it is going to take me to get lower than 80?

Thanks.
Don