Messages

46

General Homebrew Discussion / Dryhopping a Belgian Pale Ale

« on: March 14, 2013, 08:13:00 PM »

I brewed a BPA with Belgian Abbey II (Wyeast #1762) to propagate yeast for a Rochefort 10 clone.  Just tasted the beer after 1.5 weeks of fermentation and it tasted a little insipid.  Not bad, no flaws that I noticed but lacking zip.  I'm thinking about dryhopping it now.  Any ideas on what I should do?  Traditional or stylistically correct suggestions are preferred, but I'm open to all ideas. 

47

Beer Recipes / Re: Old Ale

« on: March 12, 2013, 02:47:40 PM »

Do a small sour mash on 2 quarts.  Roselare isn't that sour.

48

All Things Food / Re: Growing food - The Garden Thread

« on: March 12, 2013, 02:42:07 PM »

I'm building a hoop house this year from PVC pipe.  I'm looking forward to kale, spinach, brussel sprouts this spring and more in the late fall from the hoop house.  I may keep rosemary and other perennial herbs year round in the hoop house.  I will plant leeks in a trench this year (didn't do a trench last year so I got almost no white parts) and Numex chilis.  Also I'm looking to improve my rain barrel irrigation system for the hops and the rest of the garden. 

49

Hop Growing / Re: Rhizomes planted on 3/9/13

« on: March 12, 2013, 08:40:59 AM »

I vaguely remember reading that you treat as brown material.  Other than that it should work fine in compost.

Paul

I've read on these boards that spent grains are high in protein, the theory being that you just removed all the starches.  I have no opinion about browns vs greens, but I've noticed that spent grains decompose quickly if kept moist. 

50

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: fermentation issues

« on: March 08, 2013, 08:40:06 AM »

What yeasts have you been using?  Have you tried Nottingham?  If you still have a high FG when you pitch two rehydrated packets of Nottingham (~23 grams of dry yeast) into 5 gallons then I would think you got a mash/malt extract issue although I would have to double check a yeast pitching calculator. 

51

All Things Food / Re: FryDaddy Fodder

« on: March 07, 2013, 10:18:18 AM »

What is the secret to making sure the batter sticks to the pickle?  Is it drying the pickles really well?  Is it a really sticky batter?  I just haven't mastered fried pickles.

52

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Souring a Berliner Weisse

« on: March 07, 2013, 08:54:45 AM »

That Zymurgy article also has syrup recipes that I am going to try.  When sour mashing, how do you sanitize the mash tun following the souring?  I would need to use a picnic cooler to hope to maintain temps....but I would hate to have a permanent sour only vessel.

Actually I would be concerned about what is already in the mash tun that might affect your sour mash.  If you have ever left grain overnight in your mash tun, you probably found that your spent grains stink.  Sanitizing with star san before the sour mash would be a good idea.  Boiling water could damage your mash tun depending on what the tun is made from. 

53

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: prefered fining agent

« on: March 06, 2013, 12:18:33 PM »

Thanks Mark

54

Hop Growing / Re: Hop trellis options and a few other questions

« on: March 06, 2013, 11:27:47 AM »

An aside:  could we get a 'hop growing' section in the AHA Forum?

Much thanks.

+1

55

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: prefered fining agent

« on: March 06, 2013, 11:26:20 AM »

If I fine with gelatin in a corny, can I serve clear beer from the corny or should I rack to another corny for serving?  Got a beer than needs some clearing, in the meantime I'm trying to clarify by cooling outdoors in Chicago.

56

Hop Growing / Re: Hop trellis options and a few other questions

« on: March 06, 2013, 08:00:07 AM »

A final bit of advice... Have a plan to combat Japanese beetles. They seem to have a preference for certain varieties (Willamette and Centennial in my garden). They only want to eat the leaves, but I'm sure it slows the plants' growth down. I just spray with water daily to knock them off.

Not sure where in the burbs you're located, but if you need any rhizomes, I can cut plenty off my plants and give them to you. My Goldings and Willamette have huge root systems, so I could cut lots from those. My Chinook may be ready for some cutting too. PM me if you're interested.

I'm by the City.  I have never seen Japanese beetles on my Cascade, CTZ or Goldings.  I do get white fly on my Cascade.

I can give you a cascade rhizome.  PM me if you're interested.

57

Kegging and Bottling / Leak is fixed!

« on: March 05, 2013, 08:35:47 PM »

Following advice of a homebrewer at Praxair, I tightened a nut in the middle of the valve handle with a manual nut driver (if that is the right term, it looks like a screw driver) so I would avoid overtorquing it.  That sealed the leak.  I think the nut tightens the packing around the valve stem.  I think the leaky stem may have allowed some air in the gas line which caused my kegged beers to age really fast.

58

Hop Growing / Re: Hop trellis options and a few other questions

« on: March 05, 2013, 08:28:58 PM »

According to "Hops," for commercial growers low-trellis systems reduce recurring costs like labor but are less productive unless you are growing a dwarf variety.  With a low trellis you can make multiple harvests and you don't cut down the hop plant until the first frost allowing nutrients to go back into the roots.  It is faster to cut down a straight string and to harvest all the hops. 

59

Zymurgy / Re: mit schuss - thanks!

« on: March 02, 2013, 09:23:34 AM »

The recipes in zymurgy are approximately 1:1 syrups.  Based on the internet, which is always true (he's a French model), the refrigerated shelf life of these are on the order of weeks.  A 2:1 syrup has a refrigerated shelf life on the order of months.  The shelf life can be longer if the pH is low enough or some alcohol is added to raise the ABV to 3%.

60

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: acetone smell (ethyl acetate?) in my barrel

« on: March 01, 2013, 03:02:40 PM »

You got yourself a souring barrel.  Brett can produce lots of ethyl acetate and ethyl lactate, which both smell solventy like acetone.