Messages

16

All Grain Brewing / Re: Grains on hand

« on: May 14, 2013, 04:05:37 am »

Every fall I pick up 2 bags of MO, 1 bag of white wheat and 1 bag of Rahr 2 row.  These typically last until the next fall.

Any other grains I need, I buy based on need before I brew.  As others have said I normally buy 2#s or 2x what I actually need.  It saves a few trips to the LHBS and I always make more than one batch of each recipe.

Having the correct hops on hand is the biggest pain in my brewery.  For some reason I never seem to have exactly what I'm looking for on hand.  That's probably another thread though. 

Paul

17

The Pub / Re: A Free Kindle Book

« on: May 14, 2013, 03:51:53 am »

I read this book in 2011.  It isn't a bad read.  It gets a bit dry at times and is more about the macro-brew world but it covers a lot of ground.

Paul

18

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Beginner's question

« on: May 13, 2013, 02:09:10 pm »

If you need a boil kettle, I would go with the Mountain Homebrew kit.  You get some interesting bells and whistles with the other but for $10 I'd get the kettle and forgo the stainless turkey baster.  I actually have never seen a stainless steel turkey baster but that's beside the point.

Paul

19

Equipment and Software / Re: pH Meter

« on: May 13, 2013, 10:04:49 am »

This thread actually made be pull out my ph meter on Saturday while I was brewing.  I've had for 1.5 years and had not taken it out of the box.  I had reasons for not using it but none that really held up to scrutiny.  I intended to start tracking my water more closely but a lot of "life" got in the way.

My basic American Wheat mash gave me a reading of 5.4 with no water treatments or chemical additions.  Not bad for "blindly brewing through the new millennium".  8^)  One of these days I'll get a Ward Labs test done on my water and see where I'm at.

The meter is a Milwaukee pH56.  Basic meter from Northern Brewer's site.  Seems to work fine.

Paul

20

The Pub / Re: Do you hate to be corrected?

« on: May 13, 2013, 09:35:06 am »

No one likes to be wrong and no one likes to have it publicly pointed out. 

I used to respond to family members directly with no CC's on stupid, blatantly incorrect info they would send out and gently inform them of what was incorrect and where they could check such things.  It seemed to work for awhile, or so it seemed, until I found out that they just removed me from their mailing lists.  I don't necessarily miss knowing about the next family reunion but it seemed extreme to need to make my younger brother promise to notify if Mom dies.  I really would like to go to the funeral (and not to defend my position in the estate  ).

Now I've decided that I will just delete/ignore info that I disagree with (assuming I'm ever added back to the mail lists).  And I have no use for Facebook, Twitter or any sites that expose person information to the world, even when setup your security "correctly", and just waste time.

Paul (The Old fuddie-duddie and curmudgeon)   

21

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Irish Red kit from Midwest- through primary in 2 days?

« on: May 11, 2013, 04:20:15 am »

+1 to the recommendations you've gotten so far.

One detail on skipping the secondary though.  Do not rush the beer through the primary if you are going to skip the secondary.  It is just a couple of steps of impatient from "I'll leave it sit for 14 days" to "it's been 6 days, I'm sure it's done".  You need give the beer time to clear or you will have a lot of crud in the bottom of each bottle.  Just a reminder to not rush. 

Paul

22

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Beer, aliens, zombies

« on: May 11, 2013, 04:13:13 am »

Looks like it could be a fun movie.  Assuming there's alcohol involved in the viewing.   

Leave it to the Brit's to do crazy movies while the colonies wallow in self pity. 

Paul

23

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Handle on 20 LB CO2

« on: May 10, 2013, 03:18:22 pm »

My last 20# fill included the hydro-test for about $56.  The fill was 20-ish.  The fill before that was $17 so it has gone up a bit.

Paul

24

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Drinking while brewing

« on: May 10, 2013, 05:33:59 am »

More dangerous is drinking while posting. .. just sayin

Yea, that's a no-no.....

I keep relearning that lesson.  I also learned not to try to post while brewing a few weeks ago.  I lose track of time.  Worst boil over in years.   

Paul

25

Equipment and Software / Re: Canner

« on: May 10, 2013, 05:27:57 am »

It may be a great deal on the canner but as I understand it (and I don't really claim to understand it) you have to buy cans at some 10's of 1000's at a time so it might not be very useful.

I know, i know, Paul's being a wet blanket again.   

Paul

26

The Pub / Re: Best TV theme song

« on: May 09, 2013, 12:45:22 pm »

I'm a nerd... so I'm right

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0yUTEbC48Y

Good choice. That's a theme song You can enjoy being stuck in your head. And maybe we will have new episodes soon 

+1 on the song.  I don't about new episodes of the show though.  It was a great story but have you watched Castle lately?  Mal would need to either lose 30 lbs. or explain how he got chubby in space.   

Paul

27

Going Pro / Re: Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery (2nd Edition)

« on: May 09, 2013, 05:41:36 am »

I'm not planning buy this book from any retailer at the moment so the price difference doesn't bother me in any way. 

That said, the dues we pay to the AHA are used for far more than discounts on books.  I pay my dues because doing so supports a team of people who have our backs as home brewers.  Without them many of us would be brewing illegally in our home state.  We would not have access to the resources we currently do to improve our craft.  The book discounts are nice but not the reason we all joined the AHA.  Please keep in mind that in the grand scheme of things the AHA is a tiny organization with limited resources doing a very good job on executing on their charter.

Paul

28

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Almost there - AL senate gives passage to homebrew bill

« on: May 09, 2013, 04:24:32 am »

Something for Alabama to consider next...
http://www.denverpost.com/legislature/ci_16725693

Just another example of a government protecting one business over another.  Seems odd to require people at a bar to drink higher alcohol beers than people drinking at home.  Sounds like a conflict of interest in a way to make people more likely to DUI.

One line I found interesting was "Light versions of the big three — Coors, Budweiser and Miller — appear to have just enough alcohol to remain flowing."  You just knew the big boys would be taken care of by the nanny state.

Maybe AL will be better.

Paul

29

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Almost there - AL senate gives passage to homebrew bill

« on: May 08, 2013, 06:40:37 am »

It's a good start, assuming the governor signs it.  60 gallons a year is much better than 0 gallons a year.  Welcome to the 20th century  and here's hoping the legislature keeps loosening the restrictions as time goes bay.

Congratulations Alabama!!!

Paul

30

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: A simple way to organize boil additions

« on: May 07, 2013, 03:55:24 am »

I have a pile of paint trimming containers.  They are labeled 1,2,3... so any additions (hops, Irish Moss, yeast nutrient or whatever) go in order.  That way I can check off each addition on the sheet as I go.  Keeps me on track most of the time.

I like the idea of lids though.  I don't know how many times I've knocked one of mine over.

Paul