Messages

1201

Equipment and Software / Re: Blow off tube

« on: January 02, 2011, 04:26:02 PM »

I had a broken plastic racking cane lying around, so I cut a short piece of it off and stuck that in a standard bung.  Then I put a short piece of racking tubing on the top end of the cane piece.  Works like a champ and when the major fireworks are done I just remove the cane and insert a 3 piece fermentation lock.

I used to just put a piece of racking tubing on the inner pipe of the airlock but it still plugged up once in a while.  The bootom of the airlocks I've got have a 4 branch screen type thing on them that would get gunked up.

Paul

1202

Equipment and Software / Re: When the Back no Longer Wants to Play

« on: January 02, 2011, 10:39:14 AM »

I'm 46 and wondering what I'm going to do when my 17 year old son goes to college after next year.  Some days it's just dang hard to move 5+ gallons at a time.

Paul

1203

All Grain Brewing / Re: Mixed Up Yeast!

« on: January 02, 2011, 10:37:13 AM »

Interesting things can happen with yeast mistakes.  I just kegged a sour mash yesterday that was brewed with London ale yeast instead of London ESB.  Let's just say after purchasing the wrong yeast twice I wasn't going back to buy it again. 

Anyway, I think it's the best tasting version of this recipe I've ever made and that's saying a lot!  Just another happy mistake.  You'll likely end up with something special.

Paul

1204

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's your first brew for 2011?

« on: January 02, 2011, 10:25:57 AM »

I had to check my list.  Looks like the next one on deck is my 4th attempt at a Pilsner.

Paul

1205

The Pub / Re: Is to Early to Say Happy New Year?

« on: January 01, 2011, 08:25:09 AM »

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

The family and I got home about 11:45 last night from some friends house and it didn't occur to me post here before bed.  2010 could have been worse but I hope to not end too many years the way it went out.

I did get 1.082 out of Denny's RIPA recipe on Thursday.  Maybe in 2011 I'll be able to figure out what I did different.  

Paul

1206

All Things Food / Re: Coffee roasting

« on: December 28, 2010, 04:37:59 PM »

I have a Krups.  It gets the job done and we got it as a wedding present 23 years ago.  If ain't broke don't fix it I guess.  I roasted 8oz. of a wet hull Ecuadorian bean this afternoon on a beautiful day in Iowa.

Paul

1207

All Grain Brewing / Re: Schematic

« on: December 28, 2010, 04:29:21 PM »

I've had a 5 gallon round and 10 gallon round cooler and curretnly use a 52qt. Coleman Extreme (rectangular) and they all worked fine.  The round ones hold temp a little better but not a great amount better.  Every choice has positves and negitives but most anything works.

Don't worry about being in over your head, all grain isn't that much more difficult thatn extract.

Welcome back to the obsession.

Paul

1208

The Pub / Re: Spinal Tap

« on: December 28, 2010, 03:48:42 PM »

Everytime I see the "Little Kiss" Dr. Pepper ads I think of the Mini-Stone Henge bit.  I hate the commercial but it makes me chuckle.

Paul

1209

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Watcha get for Christmas?

« on: December 26, 2010, 02:00:18 PM »

My wife doesn't know it yet but I'm getting a new 20lb CO2 cylinder.  She gave me a remote read smoking thermometer and a Kindle.  Along with the parts bin rack I received it was a very good Christmas.

Paul

1210

The Pub / Re: What's the Weather Like Where You Are?

« on: December 25, 2010, 06:20:11 PM »

17F with little to no wind.

It was a bit chilly when I was out blowing snow earlier.  Now just watching DVD's (Santa brought a Blu-ray player and a pile of movies).

Paul

1211

All Things Food / Re: What's For Dinner?

« on: December 25, 2010, 06:17:12 PM »

We did something different for Christmas Eve this year.  After the 5:30 Childrens Mass we ame home and had crab cups, shrimp cocktail, hard sausages, cheese and a couple of cheese balls with crackers. The kids thought it was great.

For Christmas dinner, which we jsut finished, it was very trditional. Turkey w/ stuffing, sweet potatoes, mixed vegies and a salad.  I feel like a stuffed pig and the Castle Reisling went down ery well.  Now off to hook up the new blue ray palyer and fall asleep for awhile.

Paul

Tryptophan strikes again!

Sorry, What?  I just woke up. 

I'm not sure what I did but this was the most moist bird I have even made.  The only thing I did different was I used my new Big Green Egg remote thermometer.

Paul

1212

All Things Food / Re: What's For Dinner?

« on: December 25, 2010, 02:30:30 PM »

We did something different for Christmas Eve this year.  After the 5:30 Childrens Mass we ame home and had crab cups, shrimp cocktail, hard sausages, cheese and a couple of cheese balls with crackers. The kids thought it was great.

For Christmas dinner, which we jsut finished, it was very trditional. Turkey w/ stuffing, sweet potatoes, mixed vegies and a salad.  I feel like a stuffed pig and the Castle Reisling went down ery well.  Now off to hook up the new blue ray palyer and fall asleep for awhile.

Paul

1213

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Shoot first, now asking questions

« on: December 24, 2010, 12:10:46 PM »

You got a very good deal. The co2 tank alone is worth at least $100. You made out like a bandit. Shoot first...

+1

It's a very good deal.  I just bought a new 20# CO2 bottle for $120 with shipping.  You can look at everything else as free.  You may want to upgrade the tap to a forward seal at some point.  I had 4 chrome taps for about a year and replaced them with perlicks.  No more frozen taps if you don't open them for 3 days.  If anyone wants four very nice chrome faucets let me know.   

Paul

1214

Equipment and Software / Re: Star San

« on: December 24, 2010, 12:00:23 PM »

I wouldn't use hot water but warm should be okay.  I've read that 30 seconds contact time is enough.  That's always worked for me but of course YMMV.

The bottle I bought is looking like it will last the rest of my life.  I mixed up my first batch in a bucket with a lid using distilled water.  After close to a year I tossed it out only because I couldn't convince myself it was still good.  It had odds and ends sitting on the bottom of the bucket but the water was still crystal clear.

Paul

1215

The Pub / Re: Merry Christmas!

« on: December 24, 2010, 10:37:53 AM »

Merry Christmas All!!

It's truly Christmas now.  I got done blowing snow off the driveway, sidewalks and shoveling off the decks and patios and now it's snowing like crazy again.  Kids are out sledding and it's a beautiful day.

Paul