Messages

1

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Water filter at new house

« on: June 18, 2013, 04:20:21 AM »

Do not use a garden hose for any consumable product.  All of them I see now days are "labeled not for drinking water".  I'm not a materials scientist so what I'm about to say isn't necessarily gospel on this subject but my understanding is lead is used in the plastic formulation to make garden hoses flexible.  Only use hoses designed for potable water in anything you plan to drink.

Other than that, congrats on the new house!!

Paul

2

Hop Growing / Re: Wilting Hops

« on: June 17, 2013, 02:29:52 PM »

Too much water was my first thought.  You may have more than one issue going on though too. 

As Mort said, get rid of the drain plate and I would start giving the plant some regular light doses of nitrogen.  Probably half the recommended dose on the box about half as often as the manufacturer recommends.  That way if the plant gets better but not dramatically, you have room to increase the fertilizer.  Once you burn off a plant with nitrogen you really have no place go back to.

Paul

3

Going Pro / Re: O2 Carbonation Stone Sizing

« on: June 17, 2013, 02:22:11 PM »

I would think you would need a spare to catch vorlauf while you empty the other pitcher.

That's how I did it pre-pump.

I batch sparge so it's a little different, but I just stop the runoff and pour it back then start running off again.

Yep, I just shut the valve, pour the pitcher back in the top, repeat.  And I batch sparge as well, but I did this exact thing when I used to fly sparge.......

I use 2 rubbermaid pitchers I've had since my first hacked together fly sparge system.  Basically, start runoff in one pitcher, swap in 2nd one and dump first back in while 2nd fills and repeat.  I also batch sparge now but still use the 2 pitchers.  The only difference is that I only run out about 2 pints before swapping pitchers.  After 3 or 4 swaps I'm good to go.

Paul

4

Kegging and Bottling / Re: GOt my frist batch of kegs

« on: June 14, 2013, 01:46:30 PM »

If they didn't recondition the o-rings, go get some new ones and replace them now.  I bought bulk rings from McMaster-Carr a lot cheaper than buying the kits.  I have no idea if the pinlock o-rings are different...mine are ball lock.

From an old thread, McMaster Carr part numbers:

Post o-ring ($2.15 for 100):
http://www.mcmaster.com/#9452k23/

Dip tube o-ring ($1.96 for 100):
http://www.mcmaster.com/#9452k172/

Lid o-ring ($12.69 for 10):
http://www.mcmaster.com/#9452k218/

Paul

5

The Pub / Re: Good news! Beer bellies are a myth!

« on: June 14, 2013, 06:44:48 AM »

Sorry if i scare you. My metabolism is young, I can eat garbage all day and sit on the couch with brew all night, without gaining any weight. I have been told the only way I can gain weight, besides lifting weights "Like thats going to happen," is to get older. 150lbs and not yet thirty

Your time will come, son.  Your time will come.

+1 !  I could eat anything I wanted until ~ age 33.  Then my metabolism hit a brick wall .

Too true.  Until age 35 I couldn't eat/drink enough to gain weight.  The older I get, the faster I gain.  At 35 I weighed 160.  By 40, 175.  At 48 I hit 205 and that's after cutting way back on calories from food and booze.  I'm starting to think air is making me fat.  Maintain some kind of exercise program or your young, invincible body will turn on you with a vengeance.

Paul

6

Equipment and Software / Re: I'm ready to trash my kettle

« on: June 13, 2013, 07:20:41 AM »

I marked my 12g kettle with a finishing nail - center punch in 1 gallon intervals.  I used a 1 gallon distilled water jug to add 1 gallon at a time and made a small dimple with the punch and a hammer at the water line.  I just count down from 11 until I reach the bump where the wort is.

I also live with a 20+% evap rate.  I just adjust my starting volume to accommodate it.

The pre-drilled port sounds like it is too low to me.  If it can't sit level on a table that would really bug me. Out of the 3 this would be my reason to petition the goddess of household finances for a replacement.  I would most likely look around for a different valve first though, because I'm cheap and the petition documentation is grueling.   

It's all a personal decision.  If you want a new kettle/burner and can afford them, buy them.  It's your hobby, it shouldn't be frustrating.

Paul

7

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Stupid noob question - gas vs liquid posts

« on: June 08, 2013, 01:16:23 PM »

Not such a stupid question.  I've rebuilt who knows how many kegs and an empty I pulled off the shelf morning had the posts reversed.  I did not notice until I went to pressurize it.  I hooked up the gas based on the post type, not the labels on the keg, and it sounded like somebody blowing bubbles.

You always have to watch which one goes where.

Paul

8

Equipment and Software / Re: Found an old carboy

« on: June 07, 2013, 03:09:40 PM »

I've had friends give me glass carboys that were used 30+ years ago to hold darkroom chemicals.  One of them had an unidentified metal object rusted to the bottom.

+1 on strong bleach solutions, scrubbing with a carboy brush, and some patience.  I use both of the carboys he has given me on a regular basis, and have never had problems. 

And the third arm I grew comes in really useful on a brewday....

My overly Catholic friends (full disclosure - cradle Catholic, 3 kids in Catholic school as I type and one at ISU) turn white and start to fall down when I point out that if God really wanted make a design that works we would have at least 4 arms.  I don't know how many times I've been upside down in a machine that would really like to kill me and thought "WOW! What I'd give for one more hand".   

Paul

9

Going Pro / Re: Filled Keg storage

« on: June 07, 2013, 03:01:26 PM »

Great point, Tom. Nothing pisses off a bar manager more than having a warm keg delivered on Friday at 4:00

Think about from the consumer side.  Back in your days of planning keggers (admit it, we all had to plan at least one kegger) Did you ever get a warm keg?  would you have accepted it?  At a commercial level your kegs must be cold.  For homebrew, I built a cabinet that is against an underground wall.  Internally it stays about 55*F (back wall is open to drywall over concrete).  That means into serving fridge I need about a 12*F drop (or less) which works well for me.  If I were selling beer, I would build a cold room 2 to 3 times my current production capacity (hope springs eternal) and keep the kegs at serving temp.  Depending on distribution area I would have a refrigerated van/truck. 

Paul

10

Equipment and Software / Re: Buidling a Cooler Mash Tun...PLEASE HELP

« on: June 07, 2013, 02:50:01 PM »

I used an assembly like Gary posted and it works well.  After 4 years I'm starting to see a couple of drips but other than that no issues.

I tried using a cooler like you posted a picture for but couldn't figure out a good way to make all the corners inside to be sure I wasn't leaving a lot of wort behind.

It may work great for you.  I admit I'm really paranoid, over think everything and doubt every design I've ever created.  On the other side of that, everything I've ever built works.   

I'm sure it will work for you too.

Paul

** edited spelling of cooler.  Yes I'm OCD and have a beer named after ODC that I cleared with a friend who has a son who is OCD just to make sure he wouldn't be offended by a beer name that makes fun of being OCD.  God, need I need a drink.  Or maybe I've had enough.  Who the H#!! knows.

11

All Things Food / Re: Beer Ice Cream Recipe - Searching...

« on: June 07, 2013, 05:45:46 AM »

I always wanted to try drizzling in fresh LME (or concentrated 1st runnings) like caramel. I think some good, fresh Munich LME with some toasted and chopped walnuts would be GREAT. You could even candy some walnuts or almonds with the LME.

Emeril made a Guinness Ice Cream on his show. I would probably substitute a sweeter, less bitter stout or a nice scottish ale. Fruit lambic would be interesting.


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/guinness-ice-cream-with-dark-chocolate-honey-sauce-recipe/index.html

A lambic might actually work in an ice cream.  The tart/sweet combo would balance nicely. 

This would be the only use I have found for a lambic.  I'm happy some people like them but personally I have never found one I could drink.

Paul

12

Equipment and Software / Re: Torque

« on: June 07, 2013, 04:21:00 AM »

Used motors are like rabbits.  I went 30 years without an old motor lying around.  One year I got one from my mother-in-law, which I used to motorize my mill.  By the end of the next year I had 3 sitting downstairs.  The first one must have been pregnant when I got it.   

Actually, word got around that I was looking for 1/2hp, 1725rpm motor and people would drop them off at the house.  Then we cleaned out my Mom's house and found a couple more on shelves in the basement (Dad and Grandpa were both small time hoarders).  You might be amazed at how many are out there collecting dust.

Good luck with you project.

Paul

13

Equipment and Software / Re: Torque

« on: June 06, 2013, 12:27:38 PM »

I am definitely not an expert on gear drives but I can't imagine a realistic way to make the motor from my old blade grinder run a mill.  This is without any idea what your blade grinder actually looked like though, of course.   

My old blade grinder was tiny.  The motor would fit in my hand and the drive shaft is about 2mm thick (tops).

Paul

14

The Pub / Re: Frivolous Magic Hat Lawsuit

« on: June 06, 2013, 12:22:24 PM »

And the lawyers went home happy.  Everyone else was just relieved it was over.

Paul

15

Questions about the forum? / Re: Main Page Glitch

« on: June 05, 2013, 01:00:02 PM »

It must be gremlins.  It all looks fine to me.

Paul