16
The Pub / My Co-Workers Have Pretty Good Taste
« on: February 16, 2012, 05:14:02 pm »
For my birthday, they bought me six of these:
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17
The Pub / The cone of shame
« on: January 20, 2012, 04:41:35 pm »
It would be difficult for my dog to be more miserable.
Fortunately, it's not as bad as it looks. The whole bandage/cone apparatus is just to keep her from getting at a couple of sutures in her ear.
Fortunately, it's not as bad as it looks. The whole bandage/cone apparatus is just to keep her from getting at a couple of sutures in her ear.
18
Equipment and Software / pH Meter: How long to get a reading?
« on: January 09, 2012, 11:35:51 am »
A couple of months ago, I bought a Milwaukee MW101 pH meter.
One thing I wasn't expecting is that it takes about 2-3 minutes to get an accurate reading. When I first insert the probe, the initial reading is usually around 7 or 8, and then it slowly starts going down until it eventually settles at the final reading. I have found that gently stirring the probe in the sample speeds the process up a bit and actually seems necessary to get an accurate reading (as confirmed with testing solutions).
I've never heard anyone mention this before. Is it normal or do I have a bad probe (it's only about 6 months old, and I store it in the recommended storage solution)?
One thing I wasn't expecting is that it takes about 2-3 minutes to get an accurate reading. When I first insert the probe, the initial reading is usually around 7 or 8, and then it slowly starts going down until it eventually settles at the final reading. I have found that gently stirring the probe in the sample speeds the process up a bit and actually seems necessary to get an accurate reading (as confirmed with testing solutions).
I've never heard anyone mention this before. Is it normal or do I have a bad probe (it's only about 6 months old, and I store it in the recommended storage solution)?
19
Ingredients / Hemp Seeds
« on: January 07, 2012, 06:20:39 pm »
The other day I noticed that my local Whole Foods sells hemp seeds in bulk, and I thought I might try them in a beer. Does anyone have a good idea of what they might contribute flavorwise?
According to what I've found on the internet, they have a flavor that is both "toasty" and "nutty."
I'm thinking maybe 15% of the grist in a basic pale ale recipe. Thoughts?
According to what I've found on the internet, they have a flavor that is both "toasty" and "nutty."
I'm thinking maybe 15% of the grist in a basic pale ale recipe. Thoughts?
20
The Pub / Brew closet shelving
« on: January 06, 2012, 10:53:18 pm »
I don't know why I never thought of this before; it's going to make my life so much easier (especially getting in and out of the fermentation freezer).
Before
After
Before
After
22
Ingredients / Phosphoric acid
« on: September 25, 2011, 10:28:21 am »
I recently started adjusted the pH of my sparge water with 10% phosphoric acid.
How powerful is this stuff? I've been pretty careful with it, but will I get a nasty burn if I accidentally spill some on my hand?
How powerful is this stuff? I've been pretty careful with it, but will I get a nasty burn if I accidentally spill some on my hand?
23
General Homebrew Discussion / NHC Gold and Single Infusion Mashing
« on: September 22, 2011, 08:39:52 pm »
I was just looking through the NHC gold medal recipes in Zymurgy, and I noticed that of the 23 gold medals for beer:
15 were single infusion mashes (with and without mashouts);
4 were multi-step mashes; and
4 were decoction mashes.
Included in the single infusion mash category were such styles as Vienna Lager, Schwarzbier, Bock, Cream Ale, and Dusseldorf Alt.
I'm not knocking step mashing or decoction mashing (they both obviously have their place), but that's a pretty strong showing for the single infusion mash.
15 were single infusion mashes (with and without mashouts);
4 were multi-step mashes; and
4 were decoction mashes.
Included in the single infusion mash category were such styles as Vienna Lager, Schwarzbier, Bock, Cream Ale, and Dusseldorf Alt.
I'm not knocking step mashing or decoction mashing (they both obviously have their place), but that's a pretty strong showing for the single infusion mash.
24
The Pub / The origin of lager yeast
« on: August 25, 2011, 03:53:50 pm »
An interesting article sent to me by a friend:
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/202349/20110823/yeast-lager-beer-university-of-wisconsin-madison-saccharomyces-cerevisiae-stowaway-patagonia-alcohol.htm
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/202349/20110823/yeast-lager-beer-university-of-wisconsin-madison-saccharomyces-cerevisiae-stowaway-patagonia-alcohol.htm
25
Every summer, my dog gets fleas. Neither Advantage nor Frontline seem to be doing much - unless they're just preventing an even worse situation from occurring.
Do you all just resign yourselves to your dogs having fleas during the summer, or is there some magic cure I'm not aware of?
Do you all just resign yourselves to your dogs having fleas during the summer, or is there some magic cure I'm not aware of?
26
All Grain Brewing / Tannins
« on: May 22, 2011, 02:55:41 pm »
I know you won't extract tannins when your temperature goes over 170 if you keep your pH in line (e.g., when decoction mashing).
Would you extract tannins if your pH was high, but your temperature was below 170?
Would you extract tannins if your pH was high, but your temperature was below 170?
27
The Pub / Austin, TX
« on: May 22, 2011, 01:00:39 pm »
I'm going to be in Austin for a couple of days. Anyone have any suggestions for cool stuff to check out there - music, beer, bbq?
I don't eat beef or pork, but I'm hoping to find some good chicken.
I don't eat beef or pork, but I'm hoping to find some good chicken.
28
Ingredients / Ginseng
« on: May 07, 2011, 04:01:40 pm »
Anybody ever brewed with ginseng?
I'm doing an Ginseng American Amber today for my neighbors. I added to the sparge water 26 ounces of ginseng tea I made by simmering 2.25 oz of chopped American ginseng and 1.25 oz of whole spirit ginseng for an hour.
If it doesn't have enough ginseng flavor, I may consider dry-hopping with ginseng or making a very concentrated tea and adding it to the keg.
I'm doing an Ginseng American Amber today for my neighbors. I added to the sparge water 26 ounces of ginseng tea I made by simmering 2.25 oz of chopped American ginseng and 1.25 oz of whole spirit ginseng for an hour.
If it doesn't have enough ginseng flavor, I may consider dry-hopping with ginseng or making a very concentrated tea and adding it to the keg.
29
Equipment and Software / Finally got to try my new pH meter
« on: May 07, 2011, 02:31:33 pm »
Not bad - Kai's spreasheet predicted a pH of 5.6. Colorphast strip read 5.3 (Kai's experiment showed these strips tend to read 0.3 too low, so if I was only using the strips I would have called it 5.6).
Using an old yeast tube to store the probe has also been working out well.
Using an old yeast tube to store the probe has also been working out well.
30
All Things Food / Making pickles
« on: May 01, 2011, 02:29:16 pm »
Anybody make pickles?
These are refrigerator pickles, not the fermented variety, but they are still really tasty. I like to add enough cayenne pepper to give them a good kick.
These are refrigerator pickles, not the fermented variety, but they are still really tasty. I like to add enough cayenne pepper to give them a good kick.