Messages

46

Beer Recipes / Re: Pils based APA. Thoughts

« on: January 17, 2011, 12:56:26 PM »

Thanks for your input.  I added the carapils because I wanted some body.  I'm mashing at 150 so I'm hoping to end up relatively dry.  I'm also using WY1450 so I was hoping the attenuation would be about right for that level of crystal.  With all those C hops it probably won't matter anyway.  I've brewed so many malty beers and German lagers in the last three months, I'll be a happy with bitter and an aroma other than malt!  Thanks again.

47

Beer Recipes / Pils based APA. Thoughts

« on: January 16, 2011, 10:07:45 AM »

How does this look?  Do I need more crystal for balance?  Caravienna is the lightest I have on hand.  I'm trying to clear some hops and grain from inventory and hope to use all of these ingredients.

18.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 90.00 %
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
0.50 lb Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 2.50 %
0.50 lb Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 2.50 %
45.00 gm Chinook [11.50 %] (60 min) Hops 30.7 IBU
30.00 gm Cascade [6.00 %] (30 min) Hops 8.2 IBU
30.00 gm Cascade [6.00 %] (20 min) Hops 6.5 IBU
30.00 gm Centennial [8.90 %] (10 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops - 
30.00 gm Centennial [8.90 %] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops - 
10.00 gm Centennial [8.90 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops - 
30.00 gm Chinook [11.90 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops - 
10.00 gm Cascade [6.00 %] (0 min) Hops - 
10.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops - 
30.00 gm Centennial [8.90 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops - 
10.00 gm Chinook [11.90 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops - 
30.00 gm Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops - 

 
 
Beer Profile:
 
Est Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
 Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Bitterness: 45.4 IBU
Est Color: 4.4 SRM

48

Yeast and Fermentation / School me up on K-97. Homebrew store gave me two packs.

« on: November 04, 2010, 09:02:21 AM »

I've read it is an ale yeast of European origin and that it is slow in the first generation.  What temp range and attenuation should I expect?  I'm thinking of making an alt or a mock-dunkel with it.  Any experts out there with some ideas? 

49

Beer Recipes / Re: Dampfbier

« on: July 08, 2010, 05:56:57 AM »

I brewed this Dampfbier recipe recently and it turned out great.  This is a style that might appeal to people that don't particularly care for hefeweizen.  I think the yeast character is subdued without the wheat and that might make it more appealing.

Dampfbier 380 (11 gallon)
13.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 70.27 %
5.50 lb Munich Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 29.73 %
2.50 oz Crystal [3.30 %] (60 min) Hops 14.0 IBU
WLP380

50

All Grain Brewing / My water is a changing...

« on: June 28, 2010, 10:23:15 AM »

My local water treatment facility has just announced that they are starting to adding phosphate (via phosphoric acid) to gradually reduce the pH of our drinking water from 8.9 to 7.5.  The reason given is to reduce the amount of chlorine (chlorine dioxide) used and thus reduce chlorine byproducts.  The plan is to implement this over an 15-18 month period.  Since they are adding acid, instead of reducing the lime they add currently, what impact do you think this will have?  My most recent profile water profile is Ca 12 Mg 2 NA 7 Cl9 SO4 5 CaCO3 26. 

51

Ingredients / Re: Weyermann Pale Ale vs Maris Otter

« on: May 24, 2010, 08:00:31 AM »

Thanks.  I love MO but I like saving $15 just a little bit more. 

52

Ingredients / Weyermann Pale Ale vs Maris Otter

« on: May 24, 2010, 07:12:51 AM »

Does anyone have any experience with Weyermann Pale Ale Malt?  My supplier is selling it for $45 a bag which is substantially cheaper than Maris Otter and about what I pay for Briess two-row.  I'd like to sub it for Maris Otter in my English beers.

53

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Wyeast 1450

« on: April 23, 2010, 08:11:01 AM »

I just made 10 gallons of a 67 IBU 1.065 American IPA and split it between (2nd gen.)1450 and US05.  There is a stark contrast between the two.  I prefer the 1450 in every respect and had several friends agree.  The US05 seemed thinner and less malty but had a little higher attenuation so that may account for that.  The mouthfeel is definitely smooth and creamy with the 1450 and the hop flavor seemed to complement the beer more.  It made a bolder and richer beer IMO.  I have no intention of using US05 again for an APA/IPA.  I split different yeast strains between batches nearly every time I brew and I cannot stress enough that yeast makes beer, not recipes.       

54

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Can I add baking soda to the keg?

« on: April 19, 2010, 12:31:02 PM »

In this case I used calcium chloride and and epsom salt to get my mash chemistry adjusted.  I've found that adding baking soda really adds drinkablity to my beers.  I didn't want to add plain table salt to the keg since that might alter my chloride/sulfate ratio. 

55

General Homebrew Discussion / Can I add baking soda to the keg?

« on: April 19, 2010, 09:41:24 AM »

I forgot to add baking soda to my boil and my low sodium water seems to benefit from a 75ppm level.  Any reason I can't add it at kegging time to get the sodium in there?

56

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Yeast Washing 101

« on: April 08, 2010, 10:07:10 AM »

I follow the same procedure.  I use the 200 micron bucket screens to filter hop and break material and I always end up with clean yeast cakes.  The rinsing process isn't worth the additional risk or effort in my opinion.  I've never been able to tell the difference between rinsed and bulk harvested yeast in the final product.       

57

General Homebrew Discussion / Keg additions

« on: April 08, 2010, 09:36:06 AM »

I want to add some citrus zest, hops and spices to an American Wheat that I just kegged up.  I dry hop in the keg all of the time but I'm a little concerned about using zest.  What sanitation precautions should I take with the fruit zest and dry spices?

58

All Grain Brewing / Re: Astringency in dark beers

« on: February 05, 2010, 07:42:54 AM »

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys.  I'm thinking maybe the combiantion of roasted malt, low mash temps and high attenuation may have me confusing dryness with astringency.  By no means is it at a mouth puckering level but reminded be more of coffee acidity.  I think I'm going to raise my mash temps and see if that is it.  As far as crushing, I had considered that but I've never moved my Barley Crusher off of the factory settting and get about 75% efficiency.  I've never had a stuck sparge so I don't think that's it.   

59

All Grain Brewing / Re: Astringency in dark beers

« on: February 04, 2010, 04:33:29 PM »

I understand what you're saying.  To me it is a drying sensation that I would associate with coffee.  I may try mashing higher or going with a little more crystal and see what I taste.  Maybe its just me trying to second guess my adjustments.  Nobody else seems to taste anything unusual.  Most of my beers have turned out exceptionally dry and well attenuated lately so maybe that's it.   

60

All Grain Brewing / Astringency in dark beers

« on: February 04, 2010, 09:04:55 AM »

I've been getting some astringency in my darker beers lately.  It's not overwhelming and maybe it's in my head since I've been tweaking my brewing water.  I've had my water tested and I have soft water(Ca 12, Mg 2, Na 7, Cl 9, S04 5, CaCO3 26).  I make great 3-14SRM beers with very small additons but I'm not as pleased with my 25+SRM beers.  I've used several different water spreadsheets and shoot for the midrange of RA for the given color.  I add chalk and baking soda to my mash for these dark beers with a bias toward chalk but still taste some astringency.  My ph checks with strips indicate that I'm in the correct mash ph range so what else could I be doing?  Is it just me?  Is it the roasted and chocolate malts that I tasting in these dark beers?  Could the grain be too old?  None of my friends seem to taste it but I'm not sure they are sophisticated enough to know.  Should I aim for the high end with my mash additions.  My beers seem to come out a little darker than Beersmith calculates but I edit the SRM values to match what my grain bags say they are in each recipe.  I batch sparge and do a mashout with 190df water and usually end up 168-170df after adding all of my sparge water.  I'm considering going 5 degrees lower or just warm water sparging just to make sure I'm not getting tannins.  Thoughts?