Messages

6136

Ingredients / Re: Pairing oak/liquor types with beers for "barrel-aging"

« on: May 13, 2010, 11:00:55 pm »

I've had a Bourbon Porter that was conditioned in a used barrel by a local club member. It was a very well made brew. The Bourbon really came away in the nose- it was just like sniffing a glass of the stuff and I could certainly taste the whiskey. A bit overwhelming even for the Porter so maybe this is something to watch out for. I think it had been in the barrel for two weeks at that point.

6137

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Random Laws of the brewday #266

« on: May 13, 2010, 10:48:34 pm »

Microwave timer. Whirlfloc tabs in  the 15 min hop addition. 

Random law of the brewday #267: You will inadvertently leave some tap or valve open at a critical point in the process.

6138

Zymurgy / Re: Easing the physical process

« on: May 13, 2010, 11:27:39 am »

I think many get into brewing with little idea about what it entails- especially doing all grain and larger batches. We all find an approach and equipment that suits our abilities. Or not.

Gravity or a pump will be a good friend. However, I've brewed for years by just transferring the cooled wort in a gallon pitcher to the fermenters. Also I use furniture dollies to move the fermenters around. Still, I have to lift the fermenters to the counter to drain them.

Know one's limitations and plan accordingly. Not easy, I discovered early on dead-lifting 12 gallons of hot wort up onto the stove was a bad idea...

Wish I had bought a pump back then...

6139

Commercial Beer Reviews / Little Kings

« on: May 12, 2010, 10:34:56 pm »

I haven't seen these in many years. Surprise purchase two 8 packs. I'm getting apple and pear and a light bitterness.

6140

All Things Food / Re: Noodles & Pasta

« on: May 12, 2010, 08:25:19 pm »

Some sliced avocado would round that out man! Looks great!  Healthy too.

I've got leftover beans and some rigatoni. Hmmm.....

6141

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Astringent Beer

« on: May 11, 2010, 10:56:44 pm »

Using too much water for steeping or a partial mash can cause problems.  Normally, the grain will pull the pH down into the right range. If you use too much water, the grain won't be able to do that.  The pH will be too high, which can lead to astringency issues.

For this particular batch, it was a mini-mash and I used 7.25 LB of grain that I mashed with 10 qrts of water at 152 degrees for an hour.  Then I batch sparged with 7 qrts of water at 165 (heated sparge water to about 186).  I think the ration of water to grain is about 1.35 qt/lb - I think that should be ok.

Thanks for explaing how too much water could cause a high pH, that is useful information for the future.

Since the grain was mashed, then hopefully the grain bill matched up with the water profile. It's not only about water-grain ratios affecting pH. Simply put if you're trying to mash at a SRM outside what the water can handle then the pH will be affected.

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Kegging and Bottling / Re: How long does it take to carbonate a 5gal cornelius keg of beer?

« on: May 08, 2010, 10:11:32 am »

Lately I've been sugar-priming my kegs. Let them sit for a couple weeks just like bottles. Works great and no worries.

Used to hook up keg every day and put about 40 psi on it. After about a week it should be carbonated depending on the head-space. Less head-space equals longer time to carbonate with that approach.

6143

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Why is partial mash steeping done at 155 degrees F?

« on: May 08, 2010, 10:05:43 am »

Is there a top limit to how hot the water can be for steeping? Below boiling?

Supposed to be 170F or just below AFAIK.

6144

All Grain Brewing / Re: Questions after first all grain

« on: May 07, 2010, 10:07:32 am »

As far as tilting goes I usually place a piece of 1 x 2 under the far end of the tun before doughing in. Not really necessary with the Coleman xtreme but out of habit it still gets done...

6145

All Things Food / Re: Ethnic Cooking

« on: May 06, 2010, 10:20:06 am »

I like to cook fast. Some stuff takes longer or has a different prep requirement, but ultimately I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen as my free time is limited.

So +++1 on the pressure cooker. A severely underrated item. Bad-ass short-ribs in less than 20 minutes? Beans in ten? That's why I like it... And having one is almost essential in Indian cuisine AFAIK.

I tend to shy away from putting lentils in the PC. They cooks so fast anyway.

6146

All Grain Brewing / Re: Questions after first all grain

« on: May 06, 2010, 09:46:41 am »

What was your method? Fly sparging? Batch?

I think 62% isn't too bad. If the beer tastes good, and it probably will- don't worry you on track. Chasing that elusive "higher efficiency" is the road to madness. Aim for consistency.

Congratulations on the first all-grain experience!

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The Pub / Re: Homebrew Shop Survey

« on: May 05, 2010, 11:11:09 pm »

Are we supposed to reply here or mail it in? 

6148

The Pub / Re: Well, Stephen Hawking, if they do visit....

« on: May 05, 2010, 11:03:24 pm »

If They do visit we'll probably be in line if they go by specie population. Ants first...

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The Pub / Re: Great new place, same great Weaze.

« on: May 05, 2010, 10:59:49 pm »

Glad you made it safely. Moving myself across the country twice in 5 months was quite the adventure. Hope yours goes well next week.

6150

Kegging and Bottling / Re: i'm wanting to bottle and keg my beer.....

« on: May 04, 2010, 03:05:39 pm »

I clean the bottles well, put the empties in the freezer to get as cold as possible & spray them down inside & out with starsan. I've been trying the "piece of tubing on the end of the tap" method, the tube reaches to the bottom of the bottle, but they still foam up a lot. I cap on foam immediately, but when they get opened later on they've all been dead flat, nothing.

What pressure is the keg at? When I use that method with a rubber stopper I have to turn the keg down to almost nothing. Like just enough PSI to get the beer into the bottles without it foaming very much. Maybe 1-2 PSI.  Then it works.