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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 1st All grain today
« on: May 25, 2013, 08:31:44 AM »
I like the recipe. It should turn out tasty. Good luck.
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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Begian Dark vs Quad
« on: April 14, 2013, 05:40:58 PM »
The way I read the BJCP is that a quad belongs in the 18E category, but if you are trying to clone a specific Trappist beer then it belongs in 16E and you have to specify which one in the comments.
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Homebrew Competitions / Re: NHC Competition question...
« on: March 21, 2013, 05:21:34 PM »
Hmmmm....
So i can't edit my entry description now for 16E? I didn't write anything initially because I was trying to rush to enter and figured I could add that info later. Oh well. The feedback will have to be my prize.
So i can't edit my entry description now for 16E? I didn't write anything initially because I was trying to rush to enter and figured I could add that info later. Oh well. The feedback will have to be my prize.
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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: How to pour a Black & Tan
« on: February 09, 2013, 01:55:37 PM »
It helps to really foam up the 1st beer (usually Harp). Give it an inch or more of head. Then slowly pour over the top. My dad had some new gimmick that is a disc that sits on top of the pint with holes on the side that trickles the stout slowly over the top. Worked great for the 1st one, but when splitting 2 bottles to make 2, the 2nd one was not as good. The conclusion was to stick to the turtle spoon.
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Events / Re: NHC 2013
« on: January 18, 2013, 06:54:46 PM »
Is the social ticket to a specific person or could I bring my wife to the banquet and another friend to club night?
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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Change for the worse in Star San longevity? At least in my new bottle...
« on: January 03, 2013, 04:54:59 PM »
Have you tried making it with distilled water? Mine clouds with tap water but lasts months with distilled water.
I just unsealed a new 32oz bottle of Star San to replace the 32oz bottle I've used for about a year and a half. Something I noticed immediately is that solutions made from this bottle of Star San cloud over much more rapidly than those made from the previous.
From my previous bottle I was getting shelf life of about a week with a covered, mixed-up batch of SS (1oz to 5 gal water). But solutions made from this latest bottle cloud over within a day (even when in a covered container or spray bottle).
Since Star San's pH (and therefore microbe-killing power) can be roughly judged by the clarity of the solution, I'm forced to consider changing my sanitizer habits to include discarding fresh but hazy solution and mixing batches more frequently.
BTW, the labels look legit and product was purchased from a reputable retailer.
Anybody else out there seeing a change in recent batches of Star San? I'm pretty sure that my water didn't change that much over the course of a few weeks.
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All Grain Brewing / Re: stuck sparge
« on: November 30, 2012, 06:30:54 PM »Batch sparging is not necessarily a panacea here. 8 of us used the same mill on Learn to Brew Day, and I think everyone using a Bazooka/kettle screen ended up with a stuck mash and we were all batch sparging.
It's primarily the crush, as even with a very slow run off speed, if you've got a ton of flour in there it's going to clog up that screen. When I use my own mill, which I have adjusted by trial and stuck sparge, I never have a problem...thankfully.
Anybody using a SS hose braid? I find those work much better than a Bazooka.
I use the SS braid and was fine until this past weekend (maybe 20 brews). I was doing my 1st single batch sparge (about 3gt/lb) and running off fast. Stuck towards the end briefly. I fiddled with the valve and a bunch of husks shot out (strained them before boil). It was fine after that.
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All Grain Brewing / Re: Pests in brew house/ Need storage suggestions!
« on: November 30, 2012, 06:22:56 PM »
I've been dealing with mice in my garage. I'm guessing grain remnants in the driveway and garage lure them in. I'm the middle unit of 5 town homes so I was surprised to see them. I've just been using the old fashioned traps. I get about 3-4 when the seasons change. My grain is a room away in the basement (carriage type house) and stored in the pet containers from Target. They have not breached the house yet. I hate mice.
http://www.target.com/p/boots-barkley-pet-food-container-50lbs/-/A-11174886#prodSlot=medium_1_3&term=pet food storage
http://www.target.com/p/boots-barkley-pet-food-container-50lbs/-/A-11174886#prodSlot=medium_1_3&term=pet food storage
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Yeast and Fermentation / Re: How hot for 3711
« on: November 24, 2012, 04:09:55 PM »
I just brewed a red saison with 3711. 1.070 SG. 2L starter. I pitched at 66F for 2 days then slowly brought it up to 78 (about 2-3 degrees a day). Just kegged it at 3 weeks at 1.007. It's pretty spicy, but that's what I wanted for a holiday beer.
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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: I would be totally pissed...
« on: July 14, 2012, 10:42:04 AM »
I'm curious why the batch was ruined.
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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Westy in the US!
« on: November 21, 2011, 04:09:35 PM »
I brewed this as a clone of it. It's almost @ 6 weeks in primary. Going to bottle soon.
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
14 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 62.2 %
6 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 28.9 %
2 lbs Candi Sugar, D-180 (180.0 SRM) Sugar 3 8.9 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 mi Hop 4 20.4 IBUs
2.0 pkg Abbey Ale (White Labs #WLP530) [35.49 ml Yeast 5 -
The Pils is Dingemans. The Candi Sugar is from candisyrup.com. I'm not sure it will be cloned, but hopefully it's good
I had a Westy 12 this summer. Not sure if I would even be able to remember it exactly. It was very good, but I wouldn't pay much more than I would pay for a Rochefort 10.
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
14 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 62.2 %
6 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 28.9 %
2 lbs Candi Sugar, D-180 (180.0 SRM) Sugar 3 8.9 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 mi Hop 4 20.4 IBUs
2.0 pkg Abbey Ale (White Labs #WLP530) [35.49 ml Yeast 5 -
The Pils is Dingemans. The Candi Sugar is from candisyrup.com. I'm not sure it will be cloned, but hopefully it's good
I had a Westy 12 this summer. Not sure if I would even be able to remember it exactly. It was very good, but I wouldn't pay much more than I would pay for a Rochefort 10.
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All Grain Brewing / Big Beer Kits and Efficiency
« on: April 03, 2011, 06:54:30 AM »
I brewed an Imperial Stout kit last night. My first big beer (5th all-grain). The kit was for all-grain 5 gallons and assuming 75% efficiency (determined by throwing the recipe in BeerSmith). I got 60% efficiency (I've been getting 75-80% on beers 1.034-1.060 in OG). I wasn't really close on my numbers (1.090 expected, 1.076 actual). I threw in some DME to help, but only had 1lb on hand. I adjusted my 60 minute hop addition to keep the IBU/SG ratio in the original recipe. Was there anything else I could/should have done? Should I throw in some sugar in the fermentation to try to get the FG lower?
After not hitting my numbers, I read a little and it seems 60% efficiency is reasonable for big beers. Is there anyway to increase that besides crush which I don't have control over? I guess I just need to buy extra ingredients based on the 60% efficiency. I'm a little disappointed that they sell that kit the way they do. It's a bit false advertising. There should be a disclaimer/warning.
It was a good learning experience though. Beer will be good just off my mark.
After not hitting my numbers, I read a little and it seems 60% efficiency is reasonable for big beers. Is there anyway to increase that besides crush which I don't have control over? I guess I just need to buy extra ingredients based on the 60% efficiency. I'm a little disappointed that they sell that kit the way they do. It's a bit false advertising. There should be a disclaimer/warning.
It was a good learning experience though. Beer will be good just off my mark.
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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Green beer
« on: March 16, 2011, 02:34:02 PM »
I'm a relatively new home brewer and I thought this thread was going to be about beer just put into a keg.
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All Grain Brewing / Re: How long does a batch take/Grinding grain.
« on: March 11, 2011, 06:45:17 PM »Well, here's one. Don't have a wort cooler.
Silly huh?
I had a smaller pot before and I cut down a garbage can and set the pot in the can and ran cold water through the can while stirring the wort intermittently. Worked very well. But the new 15 gal pot won't fit.
Luckily, we got 6 inches of snow last night and it's about 28 degrees outside so I guess I'll just stack snow up around it and let it sit.
Yes, since you don't have a chiller...I'd let it cool (lid on) in the snow. Just keep packing snow around it from time to time. It should cool down in due time.
This process will make you want to buy a chiller of some sort.
Good Luck!
It will cool faster if you just leave it in the air. Snow is an insulator.
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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: fermometers
« on: February 19, 2011, 04:51:54 PM »Fermometer on that bucket reads 66F. I temped it with the thermocoupler- yep it was actually 57F! Seriously?!? How can a beer that has been fermenting for a week in a room with an ambient temp of 65F be at 57F?
Could the thermocoupler be the one that is wrong?
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