31
The Pub / Re: Finally happened.
« on: September 26, 2011, 04:30:13 am »There is nothing that turns me off more that a tattoo on a woman.
Just saying.
Hear Hear!
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Hear Hear!
32
The Pub / Re: The OFFICIAL AHA 4M's NFL BULL SH$%^&TER'S THREAD!
« on: September 26, 2011, 04:28:22 am »Titans looked ugly but pulled out the win against the hapless Broncos.
Losing Kenny Britt doesn't help our cause, either . . .
33
The Pub / Re: The OFFICIAL AHA 4M's NFL BULL SH$%^&TER'S THREAD!
« on: September 25, 2011, 05:28:22 pm »The Patriots are America's Team. Look at the facts:
1. Patriots - duh
2. Uniform colors are Red, White, & Blue
3. Success through team effort...no super star egos ( yes that includes Brady you haters)
4. Star quarterback marries hot super model
5. Blowing a 21 point lead and losing to the Bills
Everthing that America stands for and strives for ( especially that last one )
34
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Is your boil-off volume reproducible?
« on: September 25, 2011, 05:10:49 am »
Well . . I was able to prove that my "Reverse Reckoning" works no mater the original kettle volume.
Y-day I brewed the Tripel that had a 31 lb. grain bill . . about all my mash tun wants to choke. For whatever reason my sparge water needed for a 13.5 gallons original BK volume didn't seem to fit. and I had to batch sparge twice . . or so my mistaken calcs told me. Long story short . .14.5 gallons in the BK. 1.5 hours later I was at 13 gallons. One hour to go, so hops went in, all other additions in, and 12 gallons at flameout. Nailed my OG @ 1.074.
I guess I pretty much have it down to a 1/2 gallon per 1/2 hr. boil off rate no matter how I try to screw it up.
Y-day I brewed the Tripel that had a 31 lb. grain bill . . about all my mash tun wants to choke. For whatever reason my sparge water needed for a 13.5 gallons original BK volume didn't seem to fit. and I had to batch sparge twice . . or so my mistaken calcs told me. Long story short . .14.5 gallons in the BK. 1.5 hours later I was at 13 gallons. One hour to go, so hops went in, all other additions in, and 12 gallons at flameout. Nailed my OG @ 1.074.
I guess I pretty much have it down to a 1/2 gallon per 1/2 hr. boil off rate no matter how I try to screw it up.
36
The Pub / Re: Life is Good
« on: September 23, 2011, 07:33:05 pm »
Must be common theme among home brewers . . I wouldn't trade my lot in life for anything. Good career, loving family, lot's o' good friends, lots o' good beer, lot's o' clean kegs and another brew day tomorrow.
37
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Is your boil-off volume reproducible?
« on: September 22, 2011, 07:02:03 pm »I'm having a hard time predicting my boil-off volume. Two consecutive brews with the same boil time, and the first boiled off 2.5 gallons, but today was only 1.5 gallons. As far as I can tell, the only major difference between the two sessions was the humidity. Today I brewed in an on-and-off drizzle, so saturated humidity. The previous session was about 60% humidity. Today I even turned up the burner intensity because I saw that the boil off rate was low. I have to find a way to get a more repeatable figure. Any hints?
I think everyone has some problem with this sometime in their brewing career. Several years ago I found a way to get real close to the final volume I was looking for. I threw out all the theories, formulas and guess work and installed a site gauge on my brew kettle. I also made 90 minutes my standard boil time. I put 13.5 gallons of pre-boil wort in the kettle, and end at 12 post boil. You get a feel for the personality of your system after a number of batches, so now I watch to see how much volume has gone out in the first 30 minutes. I can tweak the boil rate up or down slightly to end up at 12 when 90 minutes has elapsed. This way, the first 30 minutes is spent getting your final volume dialed in without screwing up the timing on your hop additions, etc.
Yes . . my boil off is repeatable!
38
Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: When to add honey.
« on: September 22, 2011, 05:59:02 am »
I do what Denny mentions and add the honey to the fermentor. FWIW, I use a mix-stir to blend it into the wort. Honey simply added to a fermentor will sink to the bottom. Seems to do the trick . . .
39
Kegging and Bottling / Re: Keg clean up
« on: September 21, 2011, 07:52:41 pm »I agree Oxiclean takes time, but I find 2-3 hours is plenty of time for it to work. Also, I use less that 1/2 as much as you do. Maybe 2-3 Tbsp. per 5 gal. keg or fermenter.
My two day time line is more a matter of convience of getting back to finish the process . . . I agree 2 to 3 hours (at least as far as the carboys I occasionally use) has every trace of the sticky junk line scrubbed clean. The stuff will continue to release its O2 for quite awhile. I'd be afraid to be so frugal as to only put in 2-3 Tbsp, but I have been known to overkill on more than one occasion!
40
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 9/23 Edition
« on: September 21, 2011, 07:44:50 pm »
Lots o' keg/ carboy cleaning for starters, then onto brewing. The Patersbier will be ready for secondary leaving a great cake of 3787 which I will harvest and pitch appropriately into 12 gallons of Tripel on Saturday.
41
Kegging and Bottling / Re: Keg clean up
« on: September 20, 2011, 01:54:16 pm »
I fill the keg up with hot tap water then add a 1/2 cup of OxiClean and place the lid on. Push both poppets to make sure some solution shoots up the tubes and leave it for two days. OxiClean can't do its job if it's put in and quickly rinsed out . .it needs time to scour. Rinse thoroughly with hot water both tank and tubes and rack new beer in. Been doing it this way for 7 years without issue.
Pretty much same routine with fermentors.
Pretty much same routine with fermentors.
42
The Pub / Re: The OFFICIAL AHA 4M's NFL BULL SH$%^&TER'S THREAD!
« on: September 18, 2011, 05:36:21 pm »
Yeah, and the Jags went down in flames and our our perennial conference rival headache Colts are now . . .
(drum roll w/ rimshot) 0 & 2!
(drum roll w/ rimshot) 0 & 2!
43
Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Sam Adams Octoberfest 2011
« on: September 18, 2011, 05:27:49 pm »
Perhaps I've given the impression that I really dislike this beer. That would be overstated and I apologize if that's the way I've come across. I guess my idea of a superlative O-fest is a malt bomb without much residual caramel sweetness. This is a style I tend to scrutinize more than most. I'm probably being too nit picky, but I have been spoiled by better commercial examples . . and my own creations!
Now, as far as the Innis & Gunn Scottish Beer I mentioned in a earlier review . . I meant it when I said it was pancake syrup, and I make NO apologies!
Now, as far as the Innis & Gunn Scottish Beer I mentioned in a earlier review . . I meant it when I said it was pancake syrup, and I make NO apologies!
44
Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Sam Adams Octoberfest 2011
« on: September 18, 2011, 06:21:07 am »
I've been slowing consuming the case I got . . still have 12 left. I discovered something last night when I decided to quick chill a bottle and placed it in the freezer. I left it in a little too long and the beer was almost slush. It still poured and I drank it literally ice cold. I preferred the flavor more at that temp than the 45 degrees I normally would drink it. I guess it subdued the caramel a little.
45
Beer Recipes / Re: Butter beer
« on: September 18, 2011, 05:22:26 am »
Just make sure you leave lots of diacetyl in there!
Oops missed your line about the 1084 at warm temps . . anyway, I agree with Jeffy in that you won't necessarily get more diacetyl by fermenting warm. I'd say under pitching more than warm fermenting would produce increased amounts.
Oops missed your line about the 1084 at warm temps . . anyway, I agree with Jeffy in that you won't necessarily get more diacetyl by fermenting warm. I'd say under pitching more than warm fermenting would produce increased amounts.