Messages

1

Ingredients / Re: Caravienne

« on: February 21, 2010, 10:36:39 PM »

When I have brewed this I have kept it in the mid 60's. I like 3522 at restrained temps. As far as "how long"....until it is done.

No really 3522 is a hard worker and in my experience will go pretty dry....I think it was like 1.008 or 1.010 FG for that recipe. Don't have my notes at hand.

2

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Pacman Yeast

« on: February 21, 2010, 08:32:47 AM »

I used that yeast exclusively over a few months last year(or was it the year before)...anyway....at the end....I decided I didn't like it....just seemed IMHO that it wasn't neutral enough....the first few beers were ok but after awhile it got kinda weird and fruity-yeasty kinda....maybe it was just my palate or crappy process....whatever the case I have stayed away from it.

I was fermenting in  the mid 60's with it.

3

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Fermenting Belgian ales with wine yeast?

« on: February 21, 2010, 08:29:21 AM »

Great podcast from the brewing network on just that topic...well fermenting with wine yeasts. It was on ther Sunday Session show...so once you get thru all the Howard Stern-wanna-be-ism's of the show they actually get down to business:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/The-Sunday-Session/The-Sunday-Session-11-23-08-Shea-Comfort


"Wine consultant and home brewer extraordinaire Shea Comfort joins us on The Session this week to talk about using wine yeast in brewing to add more complex, fruity, and/or wine like dimensions to your beer. If that's not enough, Shea also teaches us about using oak in different parts of the brewing process to reach different desired affects and also what the main difference and characteristics of the different oaks available are. And it's all done in a way that is both technical, and plain enough for Brewcaster J to understand! ...weird."

4

Ingredients / Re: Caravienne

« on: February 21, 2010, 08:19:29 AM »

I like it in IPA's....Denny's Belgian IPA recipe has it....I think that was the first place I used it and have continued to incorporate that in other recipes.

5

Pimp My System / Re: My Brewery and Alehouse-Shed

« on: January 02, 2010, 02:20:28 PM »

my word man!

that very cool...someday...someday...wow...just wow...im stuck for words

6

All Grain Brewing / Re: spent grains

« on: November 24, 2009, 01:16:13 PM »

Dog cookies....however that only takes up a pound or two. The rest goes into the compost pile. It's rainy here in Oregon so I don't worry about the stink or what happens after I dump it. Rain seems to keep the stink down.

7

Commercial Beer Reviews / C'Sons Greetings Imperial Pale Ale - New Old Lompoc

« on: November 24, 2009, 01:08:13 PM »

Best winter beer I have had this year.

Awesome hop punch to it and very balanced maltiness. Made with 7 "C" hops. Very tasty!!

At 8% ABV this will keep you warm at night.

8

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Lagunitas Brown Shugga' (Sweet Release)

« on: November 18, 2009, 11:44:29 PM »

My wife picked up a 6 pack for me for brewday 11/8/09. It's is my new favorite beer. I was thinking of making a clone, and would be interested in notes.

Another great beer I have tried this week was Anchor Brewery's Christmas Beer... Cherries and Currants and all kinds of good.

The Brewing Network Program did a clone.

Listen to this:

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/510

9

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: reusing yeast question

« on: November 06, 2009, 08:18:40 AM »

Just a thought....why not pitch it right on top of that cake?

Isn't there still beer in the fermenter protecting the cake? Isn't the carboy still sanitary inside?

It is an ugly idea to wrap your head around but it works!

I mean if you've got a Pliny Clone in there or something or a 12% BW maybe not...but if we are talking a reasonable ale you might give it a try. Back when I was brewing at a larger facility with walk in fridges we would save the carboy's with a few inches of beer in them and then drain...swirl and re-pitch all the time. Made some good batches that way.

10

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Question about yeast storage

« on: November 06, 2009, 07:30:09 AM »

hopshead - you make some great points.

Yes with high gravity beers I would recommend not re-pitching a slurry for most of the reasons you cited. However normally I would be using a second or third generation of yeast for a high gravity brew and then not re-using that yeast afterward.

IMHO As far as the viability and health of the yeast I think on the scale that we are talking about (homebrewing 5-15gal batches) there is little to worry about. As long as you maintain sanitation etc.... In the 5 years I have been doing this I haven't seen the ill effects of hop matter when re-pitching either. I could imagine if you dry hop'd then tried to collect yeast etc but generally I have little to no hop matter when I collect my yeast.

11

All Grain Brewing / Re: What kind of mash tun do you use?

« on: November 05, 2009, 08:34:58 AM »

I have two of them.

One is a 10gal Orange Gott with a copper manifold. This is my primary tun which I get about 75-80% eff in. I always hit my numbers in this system so I use it the most.

The other is a 58qt Coleman Xtreme with the DC CnE setup.

12

Commercial Beer Reviews / Lost Abbey Brewing - Devotion

« on: November 05, 2009, 08:22:04 AM »

http://www.lostabbey.com/lost-abbey-beers/year-round-beers/devotion/

Wow great beer. Just sublimely good! Very smooth and soft. Very clear and tasty. This is my first Lost Abbey beer and I was not disappointed. No off phenolic notes or any hotness. Quality schtuff!

13

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Yeast and Zip Lock baggies

« on: November 05, 2009, 08:12:46 AM »

Good idea!

14

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Question about yeast storage

« on: November 05, 2009, 08:10:55 AM »

hopshead - another thing you can do to save yourself some hassle is to stop top cropping and making starters....just collect the slurry at the end before you keg/bottle.

What I do is rack the beer off except for an inch above the yeast in the primary. Then transfer the entire slurry (careful to maintain sanitation) to a flask.

I allow a little bit of the residual beer to come along for the ride into the flask. I cover this with some foil and put it in the fridge. If I am going to use this within in a month or so I just leave it and then drain off the beer before I pitch the slurry. This will settle over time and the break/hop matertial will go to the bottom, beer to the top, and the yeast in the middle. So when I pitch it I try not to pour the last few inches in and as I stated above I drain the beer off.

If I am going to save a yeast for a long time I will do the same procedure as I stated above for the most part. Once in the fridge and in the flask I let it settle(a few days or so). I then drain off the beer and transfer about 1 cup to a sanitized mayo jar with some distilled water in it. Maybe say a cup of water. I then put the lid on, label, and date it.

With this yeast I will make a starter if it has been sitting for a long time....however with the fresh slurry I have never found it necessary.

If you haven't already listened to it there are a couple of podcasts on the The Brewing Network about yeast handling/washing that I would recommend you listen to.

15

Beer Recipes / Re: Old Ale

« on: November 05, 2009, 07:55:22 AM »

That looks good to me. Pretty typical of the Old Ale recipes I have seen. Please let us know how that yeast goes.