Messages

16

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: New Wort over an active yeast cake

« on: July 15, 2012, 03:15:56 PM »

I just tried this, pitching a fresh wort into the empty bucket that I just racked from. It was planned but did not execute well, the timing was rushed and I realized at the last moment that the primary I was emptying was a black IPA! Holy dark before light, Batman. It was too late at that time so I guess we will see what becomes of my pale ale wort. I will try to report back. In the future I hope to always take time to clean the collected yeast, at least a little and then make a starter. Still, this hobby has unlimited opportunities for discovery. 

17

Ingredients / Re: backwards recipe creation

« on: July 13, 2012, 03:25:11 PM »

WHOA, DUDE. That wiki search tip is awesome. I did not even know that you could do that. WOW. I feel like an empty headed animal food trough wiper. This could even have impact on the Earths gravity in the future.
THANKS, THANKS, THANKS.

18

Ingredients / Re: backwards recipe creation

« on: July 13, 2012, 02:43:53 PM »

Thanks a bunch. I am going to do some more search functions and reading - the old articles are very educational. Here is what I have, all pellet, just for anyone to roll around in the old noodle.
pound of tettnanger
pound of willamette
almost a pound of: columbus, nugget, magnum and northern brewer. Turns out the yeast was a no-go. expired and did not pass starter test. 

19

Kegging and Bottling / Re: dry hopping post carbonation?

« on: July 12, 2012, 03:08:22 PM »

Just saw a project for a kegerator hop filter in an old BYO ( I am searching for recipe info). November 2010. It looks like one of those inline water filters full of whole leaf hops. pretty cool idea but probably too late unless you want to hold off enjoying your beer until you get it built.

20

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Unlabelled Kegs

« on: July 12, 2012, 03:04:22 PM »

Wow! i guess I don't brew enough. I also only own 3 kegs but I don't think I have ever marked a carboy or keg. hmm... wonder if I am doing it wrong?

same here,
but I keep telling myself, "I can remember this." unfortunately, I am not able to remember often enough. I have started with the painters blue masking tape. it goes on easy and comes off - so far.

21

Ingredients / backwards recipe creation

« on: July 12, 2012, 02:42:43 PM »

Not sure that subject describes the question but here goes: I have a bunch of hops and some yeast and want to make some beer. Is there a web site or something that I can begin with either hops or yeast and come up with the other ingredients for the brew? I am manually searching my back issues of BYO and Zymurgy but it is time consuming and I want to place an order for grain. Oh yeah, that is the missing ingredient and I want to determine how much of what for the grain bill. Thanks in advance.
back to the search.....

22

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Yeast recommendations for hoppy pale ale split-batch

« on: July 03, 2012, 03:48:57 PM »

Thinking about something like this on my next brew. A pale ale malt bill and two different yeasts. I brew 10 gals and two separate fermenters. Considering a San Fran lager for one and a English ale or London ale for the other. All three are past expiration so a starter is required prior to use. Fermentation temps will be the same unless I figure how to keep one bucket in an air conditioned part of the house and the other in the regulated chamber. Looking forward to it whatever the result. I just hope to make a tasty brew.

23

Equipment and Software / Re: Aeration? How important is the method?

« on: June 28, 2012, 09:40:28 AM »

Mixstir, paint stirrer, never heard of the first and didn't think of the second. what a great wealth of info these forums are. I will have to give these a try my next batch. Thanks a bunch.

24

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Plate Chiller or Whirlpool

« on: June 24, 2012, 04:55:47 AM »

I use the 50 ft immersion chiller with a 10 gal batch size. My pump recirculates the wort thru the boil kettle. I run ground water from the faucet thru the IC until the temp is nearing 100-110 then pump ice water thru the IC using a pond pump submerged in a deep sink full of ice water. Of course, your mileage will vary depending on the set up but I reach 70 deg in about 25-30 min. The ground water at my house is rarely less than 80 deg so without some means to cool it, ice water, I could never get wort below 80. As to your question, prior to using a pump to recirculate the wort my chilling time was around an hour. A submersible pond pump is fairly inexpensive. Mine was left over from a previous project and this was just a way to put it to use. A secondary immersion chiller could provide the same results, I suppose.

25

Equipment and Software / Aeration? How important is the method?

« on: June 22, 2012, 01:27:20 PM »

My next system upgrade may be an aquarium pump for aerating the wort. At present I am pouring from bucket to bucket a couple times and results are fine. But along with implementing yeast starters I figured an aeration system would be a logical step. Opinions on pros and cons and good ideas about technique are welcome. I already bought a stone and HEPA filter a while back, got ahead of myself in the beginning. Now with harvesting yeast and making starters to help things get going, well, the hobby can be a self licking ice cream cone. I wonder what kinds of different methods folks are using and what the various opinions are.
ps. My transition to batch sparging has yielded excellent results and I can't see going back to trying to fly sparge. I'm still using my pump to vorlauf and am pleased with how clear the wort is.
Thanks in advance.

26

Equipment and Software / Re: Igloo conversion question

« on: June 20, 2012, 07:47:21 AM »

See this topic

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=12531.0

27

Equipment and Software / Re: Converting fridge or freezer to fermentation chamber

« on: June 20, 2012, 07:45:17 AM »

I am trying to remember my set up when I used a side by side fridge freezer for fermentation. I think the freezer part was just where I stored some extra grains in zip lock bags to ensure they were safe from bugs. The temp controller could only reliably keep one side at consistent setting. Another thing to keep in mind is that a full carboy or fermentation bucket is probably too heavy for most shelving. In my present incarnation I have a piece of wood cut to length that acts as a brace to support the shelf when I have carboys sitting on it.

28

Equipment and Software / Re: Converting fridge or freezer to fermentation chamber

« on: June 19, 2012, 02:55:38 AM »

I read one of the reviews and it stated the freezer coils are imbedded in the shelves. That means you won't be able to remove or adjust the shelves. Which means buckets or carboys won't fit.

29

Equipment and Software / Re: Converting fridge or freezer to fermentation chamber

« on: June 17, 2012, 04:49:52 PM »

I opted for a stand up freezer. With one temperature controller, that is better than a fridge-freezer combo. And I did not want to lift carboys and buckets in and out of a chest model. Mine holds two buckets on the bottom and two carboys above them on a shelf. There is still storage in the door. Make sure the shelves are removable. Some actually are part of the cooling system and can't be removed.

30

Equipment and Software / Re: How big for a homebrewer?

« on: June 12, 2012, 03:47:48 PM »

The latest BYO has an add for the Ruby Street Brewing Mega Ruby. It is capable of 20 gallon batches, featuring 30 gallon kettles. I covet this and have slowly been adapting my home made brew stand into something that looks like their product. Of course, I have very limited space.
If I were you and had such seemingly limitless possibilities, I would scourge the NET for examples of systems, brew sheds, etc, etc and realize your dream.

One such link is http://www.brewzilla.nl/?brewhalla

Lots of examples of brewing rigs. Good luck.