Messages

1

Yeast and Fermentation / Old yeast as yeast nutrient?

« on: March 24, 2013, 05:31:14 pm »

I have a six week old, homebrew sized pitch of yeast from a local brewery that didn't get used as quickly as I had planned.  I can get a fresh pitch to use for my next batch, so is there any benefit from adding the old yeast to the boil as a nutrient?

2

All Grain Brewing / Re: Mashing cystal malts

« on: November 18, 2012, 05:41:41 pm »

Thanks Tom,  I wasn't really thinking that there were more starches to convert. I didn't realize the the sugars might be modified during the process. I had been thinking that the beta-amalayse might change the existing sugars into something fermentable.  And I have been mashing pretty cool lately (in the 145*F to 148*F range)

3

All Grain Brewing / Mashing cystal malts

« on: November 18, 2012, 02:09:32 pm »

I have always understood that using crystal/caramel malts will add non-fermentables to a recipe. I know that the enzymes have been denatured but I have started to wonder if the active enzymes in the two-row will act upon the crystal's long-chain sugars anyway.  I have been ending up with a lower FG than I expected recently.  Should I steep the crystals separately like with extract brewing or maybe add them just before sparging?

4

Yeast and Fermentation / Feral Yeast (or Yeast Gone Wild)

« on: September 23, 2012, 07:03:10 pm »

 After every batch that I brew, I dump the yeast and trub onto the ground behind my house.  It is mostly redwood and other conifer needles over dirt and moss.  Is it possible for that yeast to survive and maybe even interbreed with other strains of dumped yeast?  In particular, might that be a possible spot for spontaneous fermentation?

5

Ingredients / Re: Dry hop-cigaring?

« on: September 06, 2012, 08:03:11 pm »

Okay, I'm convinced.  It was just a passing thought.  Actually, it was something I dreamt last night. Maybe it was a nightmare.

6

Ingredients / Re: Dry hop-cigaring?

« on: September 06, 2012, 07:43:02 am »

Yeah, I hear ya.  Wouldn't want to chew the tobacco.  But, then again, I wouldn't really want to chew the hops either.

7

Ingredients / Dry hop-cigaring?

« on: September 06, 2012, 07:18:59 am »

At last years Christmas party I got a Centennial Hops Cigar which I really don't think I will ever smoke.  I was wondering about shredding it and dry-hopping a batch of something (suggestions?) with it.  Would this be an interesting flavor addition or would the tobacco just make it nasty? I don't know the ratio of hops to tobacco.  Could be hops mixed with tobacco in the filler or maybe just hops in a tobacco leaf cigar roll-up.

8

Ingredients / Fennel rye saison?

« on: April 14, 2012, 07:38:16 pm »

Anybody ever brewed with fennel? I am putting together a recipe for a spiced rye saison, but am not sure just how or when to use the fennel that I am tasting on my mind's tongue. Seeds in the boil? Fresh green leaves in the keg?

9

Yeast and Fermentation / making a bug blend

« on: January 18, 2012, 08:17:10 am »

My local club is going to fill a 55 wine barrel with a Belgian Brown Ale after we have each done our own primary fermentations.  What I am wondering is: if we make starters of each of the individual bacteria and brett., what is a good ratio to add to the barrel.  I have heard that making a starter (or using 2nd generations) of a commercial blend might result in a change in the original ratio.  (Or do we even need to build up a starter?)

10

All Grain Brewing / Re: First lager batch

« on: September 21, 2011, 05:17:05 pm »

Hi Doug!  You can do it all at once.  A pack or vial might not have enough yeast for 5 gal., but it's got plenty for 4 L.

Thanks Denny, I think I'll need to do a starter step-up anyway. I'm planning a 10 gallon 1.090 OG Baltic Porter.  Probably will need 2 4-L starters. Maybe it'll be ready for the Christmas party.

11

All Grain Brewing / Re: First lager batch

« on: September 20, 2011, 07:34:59 pm »

"Yes, pitch a large amount of yeast.  Typically it's recommended to do a 3-4liter starter."

I have a question about this.  Can I just make up 4 liters of 1.040 starter and pitch the liquid yeast or do I have to step up to 4 liters (I'm a bit unclear about stepping up a starter)?

12

All Grain Brewing / Re: long mash times

« on: July 31, 2011, 12:08:57 pm »

I don't see any problems with that.  You might find it to be somewhat more fermentable than it would be with a shorter mash time.  With a very high OG beer, it can be a good idea to extend the mash time to maximize fermentability so as not to end up with an excessively high final gravity.

13

Yeast and Fermentation / Hope I didn't ruin this batch

« on: July 31, 2011, 12:03:18 pm »

I put a glug of bleach into the bucket that I run my blow-off hoses into.  I have done this quite a few times before so that the standing water won't grow things.  (I've tried to use Starsan before but it bubbled into foam and ran out of the bucket.)  What is different this time is that I have a new chest freezer and I didn't think about the confined space for the bleach vapors.  Even without spilling liquid, it bleached the color out of the towel the bucket was sitting on.  I don't have a very tight seal on my plastic fermentation buckets, so I am hoping the positive CO2 pressure would have kept out any chlorine.  Does anyone think that this batch stands a chance of  survival?

14

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Wheat based porter

« on: June 19, 2011, 06:27:28 pm »

Here's one I did for my step-son's "wedding".  It was the crowd favorite.
 
Uncle Dweizen's Wheat Porter

A ProMash Brewing Session - Recipe Details Report
BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

12-B  Porter, Robust Porter

Min OG:  1.048   Max OG:  1.065
Min IBU:    25   Max IBU:    60
Min Clr:    22   Max Clr:    42  Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal):        10.50    Wort Size (Gal):   10.50
Total Grain (Lbs):       27.99
Anticipated OG:          1.068    Plato:             16.63
Anticipated SRM:          24.6
Anticipated IBU:          27.8
Brewhouse Efficiency:       71 %
Wort Boil Time:             60    Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate:       1.00    Gallons Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size:   11.50    Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity:      1.062    SG          15.26  Plato

Grain/Extract/Sugar

   %     Amount     Name                          Origin        Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 32.2     9.00 lbs. Wheat Malt                    America        38.00      2
 53.6    15.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row)              America        36.00      2
  4.8     1.33 lbs. Crystal 60L                   America        34.00     60
  2.4     0.66 lbs. Crystal 40L                   America        34.00     40
  7.1     2.00 lbs. Chocolate Malt                America        29.00    350

Potential represented as Points per pound per gallon.


Hops

   Amount     Name                              Form    Alpha  IBU  Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1.00 oz.    Centennial low-alpha              Pellet   6.00   8.2  30 min.
  1.00 oz.    Nerwport                          Pellet  11.10  19.7  60 min.


Yeast
-----

Danstar  Munich


Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Name: single infusion

Total Grain Lbs:   27.99
Total Water Qts:   36.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Total Water Gal:    9.00 - Before Additional Infusions

Tun Thermal Mass:   0.00
Grain Temp:        55.00 F


                     Step   Rest   Start   Stop  Heat     Infuse   Infuse  Infuse
Step Name            Time   Time   Temp    Temp  Type     Temp     Amount  Ratio
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sacch rest             2     60    150     150   Infuse   164       36.00   1.29
bump                   5     30    157     157   Infuse   193        8.09   1.57


Total Water Qts:           44.09 - After Additional Infusions
Total Water Gal:           11.02 - After Additional Infusions
Total Mash Volume Gal:     13.26 - After Additional Infusions

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.
All infusion amounts are in Quarts.
All infusion ratios are Quarts/Lbs.

15

Equipment and Software / Re: Vented silicone stoppers

« on: April 20, 2011, 07:36:17 pm »

Are they intended for barrels?  I was thinking that they would go in the carboy after the blow-off tube was removed.