Messages

31

Equipment and Software / Re: FastRack

« on: February 08, 2013, 10:09:23 AM »

What about bombers?  Do they mention how many (or if) bombers will fit and still stack with any stability?

32

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Rehydrating Dry Yeast

« on: February 08, 2013, 09:48:04 AM »

So, If I'm planning on boiling my water that I'll use to rehydrate some US-05 is there any reason I shouldn't add enough DME to the equivalent concentration of a typical starter  and a pinch of yeast nutrient for the purpose of rehydrating? I'm wondering if this would provide a nice boost or if the yeast would be confused by spending a short time in a "starter" solution prior to being pitched (say, after a couple hours or so).

As I understand it this is a bad idea because the yeast, when first reintroduced to a liquid environment are not prepared to triage what goes in to the cells via dried out membranes. So they can not regulate how much and and what kind of things are coming in and this causes a lot of damage if there are lots of sugar and other stuff in the liquid. Plain water gives them a chance to wake up and get their membranes working properly before they have to deal with sugars and other chemicals.

They already have the reserves they need to get through this period well. Hence the manufacturers recommending rehydration in plain water.

That makes really good sense.  I suppose I should have just asked myself what I would prefer if I were dehydrated. Thanks Mort.

33

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Rehydrating Dry Yeast

« on: February 08, 2013, 08:49:14 AM »

So, If I'm planning on boiling my water that I'll use to rehydrate some US-05 is there any reason I shouldn't add enough DME to the equivalent concentration of a typical starter  and a pinch of yeast nutrient for the purpose of rehydrating? I'm wondering if this would provide a nice boost or if the yeast would be confused by spending a short time in a "starter" solution prior to being pitched (say, after a couple hours or so).

34

Events / Re: Conference website

« on: February 05, 2013, 11:37:29 AM »

Playing with the numbers a bit more... by the time its all said and done, or perhaps bought and paid for is a better term. I'm looking at close to a couple grand to pull this trip off.  Think I'll put that towards a single tier and see you all next year.  Cheers and have fun... now where's my MoreBeer catalogue?

35

Events / Re: NHC 2013 Hotel?

« on: February 05, 2013, 10:53:29 AM »

Anyone know which alternate hotels are connected with a skybridge? I like skybridges.

36

The Pub / Re: The OFFICIAL AHA 4M's NFL BULL SH$%^&TER'S THREAD!

« on: February 04, 2013, 10:47:52 AM »

Pretty damn good game really, and I rarely watch and entire NFL game anymore. To me college football is much more interesting and fun to watch.  But last nights second half was really good drama. 

Volkswagen was my favorite commercial. Big white office guy from Minnesota with the voice and vibe of Jimmie Cliff.   

37

Kegging and Bottling / Re: keg lube

« on: February 04, 2013, 10:38:31 AM »

Did you check that the lid was seated properly? Mine can get slightly off kilter and leak.  I lubricate all the o-rings at once when I take the posts off to fully clean the keg.

+1
I lube up the o-rings about every 2-3 cleanings.  You'll develop a feel for how the o-rings, well feel when they need a fresh coat.  I use the lid ring as my guide. 

38

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: I literally cannot wait any longer to try this

« on: January 30, 2013, 06:21:42 PM »

If bottle conditioning, I'd always do one in a clear bottle to check.

+1, another great tip.

39

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: I literally cannot wait any longer to try this

« on: January 30, 2013, 04:02:04 PM »

I just took a gravity sample on a 10 day old IPA.  After I got my reading I put it in a PET bottle with a carbonator cap, hit it with 30 psi and stuck it in the freezer.  In an hour I'll have a cold, carbed sample to taste.

Carbonator caps are one of my favorite tools.

40

Beer Recipes / Re: Hop Liquor

« on: January 30, 2013, 01:42:15 AM »

Ridiculous!
do it

41

Equipment and Software / Re: has anyone dissected their plate chiller?

« on: January 30, 2013, 01:32:04 AM »

What's the difference between this and the film on the outside of an immersion chiller that "sanitizes in the boil" and makes your copper come out shiny?  Recirc some hot wort through for a few minutes before you chill and it doesn't matter what's in there.

If you really care, make a hop stopper.  I have and I never see any particulate come out when I backflush.

I think the difference is that with a plate chiller you have densely packed, angular surfaces that seem more likely to harbor hop/trub debris.  That and you can't see what you're dealing with.  I'm with you though in that if recirculating sanitizing boiling wort doesn't work, I'm hosed someday. Even with that and the fact that I backflush, flush and backflush again after every batch, I can help but worry a bit about what's jammed into the nooks and crannies. I get a lot of debris out of the chiller when I backflush.
Do you use your hop stopper with a pump?  I have one but haven't used it thinking I'd clog it up by using my pump.
To the OP, I'll throw in two bucks if somebody wants to cross section their well used chiller and post the results.   

42

Pimp My System / Re: grain mill

« on: January 28, 2013, 03:13:32 PM »

I thought I would share some pics of my grain mill.  The mill is by no means new, built it about 4 years ago.  However, I recently moved from so cal to the pacific northwest... and go figure, the frame quickly rusted over.  I have always been meaning to powdercoat it and this was a good excuse to finally get it done.

THAT is quite possible the coolest grain mill I've ever seen. Really dig the canvas hopper. Nice job, and welcome!

43

Equipment and Software / Re: What 10 gal fermenter?

« on: January 28, 2013, 10:37:16 AM »

Have you ever experienced any clogging using the gas disconnects?

No, not even the most crazy blowoff has caused the gas connects to clog and I have found the blowoff bucket full of solids after some larger batches with reduced headroom. It simply pumps out whatever happens. Originally I took out the spring and plunger inside the connectors and the poppet in the posts, but after years of doing that I simply stopped as it proved to be a waste of time. I'm sure someone will have had something different, but I've been doing this for a long time now with no issues. I don't change anything in the keg or with the connects. Most batches are 10.5-11 gallons when they hit the fermenters, so that's a lot of headroom to compensate for krausen.
[/quote]

Good to know, thanks.  Sooo, you don't shorter the out tube either?

44

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Need advice on stirrer plate

« on: January 26, 2013, 09:59:09 AM »

Stirstarter, good product, good price, great service.
The only thing i don't like is having to carefully balance my 5L flasks, but it works like a charm.

Build yourself a stand for your 5L flasks - something that is the same height as the top of the stirplate but with a hole in the middle that you can put the stirplate in.  A little bit of plywood and some scrap 2x4 should be all you need.  It will support the edges of the flasks and not interfere with the stirplate.

...AND I could rationalize buying a jigsaw!

Sure - or you can build a few small pieces that are not attached to each other and just arrange them around the plate when you're using it.

I'd definately go with the jigsaw.  Any project that dpen't require a new tool isn't really a project.   

Paul

Exactly, that would just be a chore.

45

The Pub / Re: song title game

« on: January 25, 2013, 12:24:13 PM »

The title was
Ebony AND Ivory

Ebony & Ivory

Ivory Tower
-Van Morrison