Messages

16

All Grain Brewing / Re: REALLY no sparge

« on: May 07, 2013, 04:09:20 PM »

I do a no sparge, no boil, no hops to make my Egyptian historical brew. Just mashing baked grain breads with dates and chamomile. I sulfite it to kill the bugs, then pitch my starter. Over time it turns beautifully clear, and is a light bodied summer brew with notes of the chamomile and dates. Oh, and it keeps winning golds in 23A 

So yes, it can definitely be done.

17

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Problems serving beer!! Help needed!

« on: May 01, 2013, 07:07:20 AM »

On my nitro I have to have the gas turned up close to 30 to push the beer at a decent speed and it is still pretty slow on a 6 foot line. I have no idea what your flavor problem is, but it doesn't sound like your restrictor plate is working.

This. Line restriction on nitro is less important because the faucet does the restriction. I'm pushing 30psi out an 8' line, but I've even done 40pis out my 5' mobile kegerator. It's not the line. It's your faucet.

18

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane

« on: April 28, 2013, 12:23:25 PM »

Ive never had an issue checking homebrew or unlabeled bottles. And even if one does blow in your bag, they work case is beer soaked clothes with glass fragments. It will not rupture a bag or cause a safety issue for the plane.

19

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Taking Newly Bottled Beer on a Plane

« on: April 26, 2013, 02:56:43 PM »

If there is any chance at all of a "bottle bomb", I would not even consider it. If you don't mind possibly pissing off hundreds of co passengers and a possible very public "colonoscopy"-- go for it.

I dont get this post at all. It's going to be in a checked bag, well packed by somebody who's clearly packed beer in luggage before.

To the OP, it'll be fine. Just let it sit and settle afterwards. RDWHAHB

20

Homebrew Competitions / Re: NHC regional experiences

« on: April 22, 2013, 10:10:00 AM »

I thought I'd bump this up to see how the other regions have faired...are we all done?

I judged Th/Fri/Sat in Tulsa.  I believe they finished up the last few categories on Sunday.

An unfortunately-timed Tulsa Craft Beer Week really ate into the local volunteer pool, but I was impressed with the organization.  The FOAM club does a nice job, and Desiree Knott is an amazing organizer.

Several judges came from Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and Texas to help out.  Gary Glass also flew out to help, which gave us a certain street cred...not as much as if we'd had Janis, but beggers can't be choosers.   
I think a good time was had by all.  I saw a lot of really well-filled-out scoresheets.

Once again the single best improvement to this competition was the 2nd bottle. 
In review I'd be happy to send entries to Tulsa again and would judge there again, especially if they work on the local Fest scheduling to increase the volunteer pool.

any other regions/volunteers want to chime in?  Things you're happy with?  Areas for improvement?

cheers--
--Michael

I judged & stewarded on Saturday in Tulsa with the FOAM guys and High Gravity. Kudos to a well organized judging (lunch was great too!). Got to put a few faces to names I see on here or competition results pages.

Ross

21

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: New brew pot suggestions

« on: April 16, 2013, 06:57:46 PM »

Get a keggle.

22

All Grain Brewing / Re: Brewing Today

« on: April 16, 2013, 09:21:11 AM »

Brewing up 12 gallons of Black IPA / Cross Dressing Amateurs today. I should be at work, but since I got downsized on Thursday, I'm going to enjoy my unexpected paid vacation for a week or two before jumping back into the job market, and brew lots of beer.  Probably more productive than sitting behind a desk anyways!

23

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Bottle Labels

« on: April 09, 2013, 08:14:49 PM »

I do this but I assure you if they get wet they become ruined

This. Plus once you pop the caps, there's no labels to peel off bottles.

24

Going Pro / Re: Starting a brewery

« on: April 08, 2013, 06:43:16 PM »

You're right that brew pubs in OK have an uphill battle because they can only serve 3.2. You mentioned college town, so it's either Sooners or Cowboys! How well do you know your market?

I'm a STW import, and if that's where youre looking, I'd be cautious about bringing in a brewpub, simply because the market is not very deep. Its limited beyond students and they're perfectly happy with cheap domestic long necks. Add in a handle of established bars with good craft selections for good prices, and you'll struggle to shift a bunch of 3.2 at brew pub prices. Especially if I can get a double IPA for the same price or less next door. I just don't see brew pubs in OK being successful until laws change.

25

The Pub / Re: I'm honored

« on: April 06, 2013, 07:25:46 PM »

There's a reason I batch sparge. There's also a certain website I direct friends to when they want to go AG.
Completely deserved. Very cool indeed. Congrats!

26

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 4/7 Edition

« on: April 05, 2013, 08:36:27 AM »

10 gallons of blonde ale for the Buffett concernt in Dallas next month

27

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Brewing supply store startup

« on: April 04, 2013, 07:28:09 AM »

I started an online store out my house last fall. I'm going the slow but steady route, gradually releasing kits. I based my initial inventory around ingredients I use, one because I know them, and two if they don't sell, I know I can use them. Most of my sales are local to friends and coworkers, and I have a system of "grain growlers" (ie plastic buckets) that get swapped out full for empty etc...  It's over an hours drive to the nearest brick n mortar LHBS. In time, who knows where it goes, bit for now it's fun, and makes me a few extra $$ on the side.

28

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Beer gas charging

« on: April 02, 2013, 09:44:59 PM »

That's the preferred route because the N2 won't dissolve.  Of course, if you're like me, and have run out of CO2 lines, you can just vent the keg to get the balance back.

29

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Beer gas charging

« on: April 02, 2013, 09:30:57 PM »

From what I've picked up, and learnt the hard way, you're looking for about half the volumes with beer gas for stouts and English ales. So if the beer blend is 25% CO2, then you're looking for double the pressure to get the CO2 partial pressure down.

For my system, I run CO2 at 14psi for regular beers, and hold my nitro beers at 28psi, which puts the CO2 partial pressure at 7psi. You also need nitro beers at 25-30psi to get the right flow through the faucets. Line length isn't so important on beer blend.

Now you can carb on straight CO2 to the volumes needed then just transfer over to blend, or if you're patient, just hook up to blend and forget it, but it takes a while longer to carb up (even to half the volumes) since the headspace becomes saturated with N2 as the CO2 dissolves.

30

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Carbonation

« on: April 02, 2013, 07:35:43 PM »

Trouble? Other than it probably tasting like Fat Tire? 

Give it another couple of weeks to finish carbing and you should be fine.