Messages

1

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: When did you switch to all grain?

« on: May 15, 2013, 09:41:48 AM »

I brewed from extract for around 15 years before going all grain in the mid/late '80s.
The reasons for the delay were threefold:   1)  I was fairly satisfied by my extract brews (though perhaps not blown away by them);   2)  space considerations regarding the setup of all grain brewing;  and 3)  being irrationally intimidated by the perceived difficulty of the all-grain process.  I bought a house in the mid '80s that finally allowed me to build a dedicated brew kitchen and, with some help and great advice from Al Andrews and from "Stew's Brews" (anyone here remember them??),  I took the plunge.

I only wish I'd realized before that how dead simple it all really was...I would have taken the plunge much sooner.

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The Pub / Re: NTSB Recommends 0.05% BAC Limit

« on: May 14, 2013, 02:36:32 PM »

In the PA coal region, neighborhood bars that literally double as people's homes are a common thing.  However, a friend of mine was busted for trying to walk home, which was three doors away from a bar.  An undercover liquor control guy followed him outside.

Can's say I'm totally surprised.  PA is kind of known for it's bizarre and backwards liquor laws as well the overzealous folks on the liquor control board who 'enforce' the law.

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All Grain Brewing / Re: Grains on hand

« on: May 13, 2013, 05:44:26 PM »

I always have the following on hand:
--a bag of 2-row (varying brands based on what's available to me...some are better than others but I've never had a bag that utterly disappointed me).
--a bag of imported Munich 20
--some 120L crystal, some 40L crystal, and usually some  CaraAroma
--some Carafa III special

I'll occasionally buy a pound or two of various other specialty malts to play around with or for a favorite recipe that I may not brew regularly; but as long as I have the ones mentioned above, I'm as happy as a clam. 
My hop requirements are similarly simple. I buy my faves by the pound, and experiment with other varieties as needed (rarely, actually) with 1 to 4 oz purchases.

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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Brewstrong

« on: May 05, 2013, 05:47:35 PM »

This is a funny thread to stumble across.  I had a good time reading it.

Once everyone liberates themselves from styles and brew what tastes good to you and your friends, family, and acquaintances, you will all feel better about yourselves.

Amen to that!

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The Pub / Re: Reinheitsgebot craziness

« on: May 03, 2013, 05:02:12 PM »

+1.  A great dopplebock is amazing, but the creativity and freedom Belgian and American brewers have has led to some stunning results.

...and some pretty dreadful ones, too.

That said, I do agree that rules are made to be broken.
And anyway, while some clowns are brewing beer with goat balls or shellfish, fotrunately there are still brewers around who don't feel a pressing need to partake in the growing fad of pushing the envelope with weird stuff (or, for that matter, overdoing it with regular stuff).

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All Grain Brewing / Re: % of Munich for light summer ale

« on: May 01, 2013, 07:18:08 PM »

You are  not going to notice 5% of munich. Not really. Munich is a base malt, not really a specialty malt. I mean, it is a specialty malt in some regards (you can't make a bock or doppelbock without it), but you need to use at least 10%, and really upwards of 20% to get a real contribution. I often use if as 80+ % of my basemalt for some of my recipes.

+1.
I've made light bodied "summer" beers with 100% Munich.  They turned out quite nice.

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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: cold conditioning

« on: April 30, 2013, 03:48:52 PM »

...is cold conditioning really necessary?

Necessary?  Probably not.  But I'm convinced beyond any doubt that a few weeks of cold conditioning (or a few months or more, depending on the beer) will usually improve the taste.
I think a lot of homebrewers miss out  when they impatiently consume beers too young. 

8

Ingredients / Re: Christmas Beer

« on: April 28, 2013, 02:39:42 PM »

Some flavors are not for beer IMO. Such as oysters or foie gras. I fear mint may be in the top twenty

"Freedom is temporary unless you are also Brave!" - Patriot

I agree.
Then again,  I don't think spices of any type belong in a real Christmas beer (unless it winds up as part of a grog type of drink).  Maybe I'm just a stubborn traditionalist.   

Of course, an easy way to test the idea out would be to smash up some mint leaves with  mortar&pestle and stir it into your strong beer of choice.

But I think Denny's toothpaste analogy is pretty much spot-on.

9

Equipment and Software / Re: Nat. gas stove boiling times

« on: April 20, 2013, 04:07:55 PM »

Insulate your brewpot.
It'll boil like a champ.

10

Ingredients / Re: sweet orange peel

« on: April 05, 2013, 05:00:30 PM »

I'd just add it at knockout. Fifteen minutes is going to boil off some of the oils you want for flavor. It will smell nice in the steam those last fifteen minutes but that's probably not your goal.

+1...you don't want to lose the volatile aromatic  oils.

11

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Why do YOU keg?

« on: April 05, 2013, 04:58:15 PM »

I started doing it because of #7 (the cool factor) ...but in the end it also allows for convenient bulk aging/conditioning. 
And when I do elect to bottle (either a few bottles or most of a batch) I can bottle bright, properly aged, perfectly conditioned beer without producing any bottle sediment.   

12

Equipment and Software / Re: hop screen

« on: April 05, 2013, 04:47:41 PM »

The perforated false bottom in my ghetto (homemade)  electric keggle holds back the hops (whole or pellet) just fine.  I've never had a clog in the lines to or from the counterflow chiller in the 23 years I've been using the setup.  Wouldn't  a perforated false bottom with legs do the trick in your kettle? (or does the flat bottom of the kettle still let stuff sneak through?)

13

Ingredients / Re: Comet hops

« on: April 04, 2013, 06:19:20 PM »

why are you having second thoughts? i haven't used them yet, but am planning to do so soon. have you used them and now having second thoughts or just read about them and not as excited?

Right.
You just need to brew a few batches using them and decide from there.  I'd never take the word of anyone on the internet on matters regarding taste, without trying the item in question myself. 

Someone's words may well talk you out of something you might really like, or even taint your perception..

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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Whatcha all drinkin on St Pat's day?

« on: March 17, 2013, 08:43:30 AM »

Guiness Foreign Extra Stout.  Best thing they make IMHO.

I won't be having any today (I don't drink at all on St. Paddy's day).  But yeah, Foreign Extra is the best thing they make...to me it's the real Guinness. 
In fact, I prefer both Extra and Foreign Extra over any other stout out there.

15

All Things Food / Re: Corned beef and cabbage

« on: March 14, 2013, 03:37:56 PM »

My go-to for St Pats is usually the more traditionally Irish pork & cabbage, but I do my corned beef the same way...in the traditional NY Jewish deli method   :    a long (2+hour) steambath on a rack in a covered pot.  The meat never touches the water, and comes out melt-in-the-mouth tender without falling apart when you slice it.

When I do a corned beef, I also opt for a 'point cut' rather than a 'flat cut'.  To me, they seem more flavorful.