Messages

61

Beer Recipes / Re: APA w/Galaxy and ?

« on: April 05, 2013, 12:47:09 PM »

I've done Nelson and it was awesome.  I've done sorachi ace and it was very good. So was calypso.
I've mixed galaxy with pacific jade, PAC gem and motueko in a pale ale. Very good but all similar Southern Hemisphere hops.

62

Beer Travel / Re: Montreal

« on: April 04, 2013, 08:03:17 AM »

Don't miss Dieu du Ciel!!

http://www.dieuduciel.com/fr/accueil.php

I've heard great things about it but haven't been there.  I wasn't sure if was still open when I looked at the English version of the website because it hadn't been updated in a while but I see you've attached le version francais and it has been.  Enjoy.

Where are you going out of town?  I may have other suggestions depending on where you're headed.

63

Beer Travel / Re: Montreal

« on: April 03, 2013, 05:46:01 PM »

For places to go or beer to drink?  I go there once in a while.
Any of the Unibroue beers are good.  St. Ambroise makes a nice pale ale that I quite like.

The only brew pub I've been to there was Brutopia.  It's small but the beer was OK.

If you want to blow some serious money on somewhere to eat, cue de cheval is great but very pricey and of course there is pied de cochon if you want to try Martin Picard's over the top take on all things pork and fois gras.

You have to try the smoked meat.  I've eaten as Swartz's Deli and it was great but I hear The Main is also good.  And of course poutine.  Must have poutine.

Edit:  Remember, it's Canada so if you see Pale Ale or IPA, it may not be what you are used to in the US.  For example, Keith's IPA is quite popular but tastes more like Bud than what most American craft beer drinkers would consider an IPA. 

Enjoy. 

64

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Can you over pitch a lager?

« on: April 01, 2013, 02:24:43 PM »

Another process I've incorporated for reusing slurry has been skimming at high Krausen.  You can see the difference in the amount of "gunk" on the top and sides from a fresh pitch to a slurry.  Just took a bunch of sludge from a 3x reused 1056.  It's definitely noticeable and I'm hoping it will prolong the number of times I can reuse it.

Dave

Sorry, not sure i follow.  You're skimming and discarding what you skim (braun hefe etc) or are you pitching what you skim?  I thought that skimming the top at high krausen was the same as top cropping and thus would be some of the better yeast (or at least the most "top" fermenting).  I've been top cropping WLP002 with good results when I want to brew a few days apart and don't have any yeast in a starter. 

65

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Can you over pitch a lager?

« on: April 01, 2013, 01:53:49 PM »

Thanks again all.
I too am trying to get to a couple key strains that I use most of the time but I'm still so intrigued by new strains.  Plus I'm really trying to get better at making lagers but I just don't make enough of them to really master them.  I think I do a pretty good ale but I only make 4 or 5 lagers a year at most.  That's one of the reasons I wanted to start re-pitching lager yeast, to get more of a rotation going for summer (plus I made some back in the winter that were supposed to lager until summer and they "evaporated").

66

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Can you over pitch a lager?

« on: March 29, 2013, 09:02:55 AM »

yes, you can.  i've done it 2 times in the past, both resulting in acetylaldehyde, even after a 4 week primary with 1 week at diacetyl rest temps. 

both because I observed the viability factor on Mr. Malty and pitched almost 1500mL of loose slurry in 10gal.

I was able to rescue the beers by letting them sit at room temp (acetylaldehyde has a low boiling point - like 60s or 70s) and bubbling Co2 periodically from the bottom to degas the kegs, thanks to some advice from posters here.

As for your situation - 230mL is a little more than a cup - I would pitch a cup and a half and you will be in the ballpark and be fine.

Thanks. I will do a cup and a half and see how it goes. Maybe 375 to 400 ml.

67

Yeast and Fermentation / Can you over pitch a lager?

« on: March 28, 2013, 07:57:26 PM »

I've got a 5 gal amber lager with WLP833 sitting out for a D-rest right now. 
I'm going to do another lager right away, probably a 1.060ish bock of some sort.  Should I just re-pitch the entire yeast cake?  Mr. Malty says I should pitch about 230 ml of yeast from a re-pitch but I have no idea how to factor in how "clean" my re-pitch is.  I wasn't planning on trying to wash it or anything.  I would expect that there are maybe 2 cups of slurry in the bottom of the bucket, depending on how much liquid I have to use to get it re-suspended to pour.

So, long way to get to my question.  Is there any downside to just re-pitching the entire yeast cake?  I was going to chill to about 45 or so and then pitch.
Thanks

68

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: How to tell a craft brewer his beer is seriously flawed

« on: March 28, 2013, 03:46:37 PM »

It's amazing how many people will drink bad beer and think that's just the way craft beer is supposed to taste like.

It's not?

69

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Irish Ale Yeast WL04 vs English Ale Yeast WL02

« on: March 27, 2013, 07:41:06 PM »

I've made bitter with 004, it will be just fine. I much prefer 004 to 002. I'vee had 002 stall and under attenuate. I've never been disappointed with the Irish yeast.

70

All Grain Brewing / Re: rookie who needs help with floaters!

« on: March 25, 2013, 08:14:53 PM »

How are you straining the wort?  If the extra vorlauf is clear, I'd look at my straining method.  If the wort is perfectly clear and then you get "floaters", I have no idea.

71

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: AHA GC Election

« on: March 25, 2013, 10:39:23 AM »

I did the reset so I can't see how I'm using the wrong log in.
Looks like I'm the only one so I must be doing something wrong.

72

General Homebrew Discussion / AHA GC Election

« on: March 25, 2013, 09:16:57 AM »

Anyone else having problems getting in to vote?  I know I have an account but it's not working, I've requested a user name and password change and that's not working.  So, screw it. 

73

Beer Recipes / British Summer Ale

« on: March 25, 2013, 08:36:57 AM »

I'm thinking of trying something that falls into this somewhat unofficial style.  Anyone have any suggestions?  A friend asked me to make them some beer and I said that they had to make it and I'd help them.  They want something "lighter" in colour so I thought about a blond ale or maybe this style. 
Is there a difference?  If so, what is it?

First thought at a recipe (and this hasn't run through Beersmith yet).

9 lbs Maris Otter
1 lb wheat - just cause
1 oz EKG @ 60
1/2 oz EKG @10
1/2 oz Fruity hop of some sort (Mosaic, citra, amarillo, cascade???) @ 10
10 mins could become whirlpool hops
WLP007

Want to keep it pretty simple for the first attempt.
No idea how this would work but what I've read seems to mention some fruity hop character and not all classic English hops.  Sort of a hybrid US/English hopping regime.
Thanks

74

All Things Food / Re: Big Green Egg

« on: March 24, 2013, 05:21:16 PM »

I'm getting smoke leakage around the crack where the halves come together.  Plus I was doing beef ribs yesterday and was having trouble keeping the temp low so I think I'm getting some air leakage.  For $20 I think I'll try to put a new one on.
Thanks

75

All Grain Brewing / Re: Hard packed grain bed - efficiency spike

« on: March 24, 2013, 10:08:54 AM »

I know that when I went to 2L/lb my efficiency went up.  Personally I like a thinner mash and unless I run out of room I always shoot for 2L/lb, sometimes even a bit more if I miss my strike temp and have to screw around with the temp.