Messages

1

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: English brown ale

« on: Today at 02:07:14 PM »

Old LME?  Older LME will give you off flavors.  It also darkens as it ages.

IIRC, over pitching helps reduce the old flavors.

2

The Pub / Re: American Brewery Architecture

« on: Today at 02:05:27 PM »

I've always like the Schoenhofen Brewery in Chicago.  Years ago I was told it has an artesian well on site.  I have no idea if that is true.

Regardless, it is a brewery no longer.

3

Equipment and Software / Re: Burn marks on outside of kettle

« on: Today at 12:33:15 PM »

That's called character.  It makes your kettle unique.

4

Equipment and Software / Cleaning keg exteriors

« on: Today at 12:32:19 PM »

I picked up some more kegs and hope to recondition them this weekend.  All in all they seem to be in pretty good shape (holding pressure, etc.).  A minor complaint here and there, but the price was pretty good for today's market.

Anyway, they have a fair amount of stickers on the outside and I was thinking of trying to get those off and polishing them up. 

I've never actually tried to make the outsides look spiffy before.  I figured Bar Keepers Friend should be good for this.

Any one have suggestions? 

5

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: FYI: Yeast Aeration

« on: Today at 12:27:52 PM »

I've been thinking recently about additional aeration as my higher gravity (1.09+) beers are taking around three weeks to reach a stable FG.  I always forget yeast nutrient, but I added it last time to the same effect.

My other thought is that I should scrap my yeast harvest and go back to a fresh culture.  Last batch had a big pitch from an active starter and still seems to have some activity.  I need to pull a gravity sample this weekend.

I've never aerated after fermentation has begun and am leery of doing so.  Anyone on the board do this regularly?

6

Equipment and Software / Re: 10 gallon stainless... thing?

« on: Today at 09:48:30 AM »

Insulated?!... Fill that puppy with beer and bring it to a party! Just need to work out dispensing.

Open the breather in the top, pour from the spigot.  Real cask beer, right?

7

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: 2nd Extract questions

« on: Today at 09:15:16 AM »

I still say ferment it out and see how it tastes.

At the least, you've learned two things: 1) turn off the heat before you add extract and 2) get some diffusion in between the kettle and the flame.

8

The Pub / Re: bridge collapse

« on: Today at 08:24:18 AM »

This wasn't a case of failing infrastructure - an oversized truck hit one of the supports.
 
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/24/18465755-like-a-hollywood-movie-driver-survives-i-5-bridge-collapse-into-wash-river?lite

I would think that if one truck hitting one support is enough to take down a bridge it's till failing infrastructure. just not spontaneous failure.

Could be crappy engineering and/or construction defects.  But failing/poorly maintained infrastructure is more likely.

9

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: 2nd Extract questions

« on: Today at 08:01:33 AM »

Well, I'd get as much of that out of the wort as you can.  It's probably already affected the flavor, but maybe you can minimize it.

I honestly can't say I ever ruined a batch from scorching, but it's been many years and I was not so discerning back then.

10

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: 2nd Extract questions

« on: Today at 07:46:48 AM »

Weird.  That almost looks like plastic.

If you scorched the wort, and it looks like you did, you're likely to be able to taste it in the finished beer.  It might be smoky or burnt.

Taste the wort before you pitch the yeast.  I'd go ahead and ferment it anyway even if it has a burnt flavor, unless it's overpowering.  But you've really got nothing to lose in fermenting it out.

11

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: 2nd Extract questions

« on: Today at 07:27:47 AM »

Yikes.  I have never seem something like that.

When I've scorched LME, it's always just been some scorching on the bottom of the kettle.

Can you get the "sheets" out of the wort?

When you're adding LME it's a good idea to kill the heat, add the LME, stir it to dissolve, and then turn the heat back on.

12

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: 2nd Extract questions

« on: Today at 07:07:41 AM »

I always used a ladle to add hot wort back to the LME jug/can to get the last bits of it.  Add it let it, sit a bit, swirl it and pour it back into the kettle.

LME pouches were always the biggest PITA, but you can also do this same thing with pouches.

Or, you could buy a bit more than you need and not sweat it.

13

The Pub / Re: bridge collapse

« on: Today at 07:02:29 AM »

The roads are 3rd world quality in places.

Spring time in Chicago.  I really should get winter tires with steel rims.

Infrastructure would seem to be a good place to invest tax dollars, but repairs don't make for sexy news conferences.

14

Ingredients / Re: Dosage for generic yeast nutrient?

« on: May 23, 2013, 01:02:40 PM »

I go for about 1tsp per 5 gal (I normally put in 2 tsp for a 12 gal batch).  The nutrients with DAP are definitely noticeable in beer if you overuse them.

I want to say 1tsp per 5 gal is what my little jar of nutrient said when I used it two weeks ago.

One of the few times I've remembered to use it.  I just can't recall if I put it in both batches, or only one.

15

Equipment and Software / Re: Those little red cans of Oxygen

« on: May 23, 2013, 08:44:51 AM »

I give it about 60 seconds or so.  But I don't time it. 

Usually what I'm doing at that point is writing out the masking tape label for the fermenter and checking the hydrometer sample for OG.

My typical batch is 1.07+ so I figure a little extra oxygen is not going to hurt.