Messages

46

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: My first firkin!

« on: January 15, 2013, 04:00:10 pm »

Awesome! Though I don't think ye olde Egyptians had maize...

Probably not. I added it for the flavor, but then again didn't Joseph tell Pharaoh to stockpile corn for 7 years of drought?

47

General Homebrew Discussion / My first firkin!

« on: January 15, 2013, 12:18:06 pm »

This Friday marks my first firkin at my favorite local beer bar, TapWerks in Bricktown OKC.  It was collaborative brew with my friends at COOP Aleworks, also of OKC. COOP don't distribute outside of OK, so if you've not made it to one of our liquor stores, then you're missing out on F5 IPA and the Territorial Reserve series.  But back to the firkin; it's my Egyptian recipe that's medaled at Dixie Cup, Foam Cup and the IN State Fair this year. I even made the local news blog.

http://blog.newsok.com/thirstybeagle/2013/01/15/tapwerks-offers-chance-to-try-ancient-egyptian-beer-recipe/

Can you tell I'm excited? 

48

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: travelling with lots of beer

« on: January 10, 2013, 11:11:22 am »

I recently flew to FL for a wedding, and checked 2 cases of homebrew without any issue. Just make sure everything is well packed.

49

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Keezer of...well not death but certainly unpleasantness

« on: January 09, 2013, 08:26:13 am »

Been there, done that!

+1 in my fermentation freezer

50

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 2013 Brew Year's Resolutions/Goals

« on: January 08, 2013, 12:04:11 pm »

Thanks Paul - I've had to tell myself to stop entering the Barleywine and keep some for myself!

51

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 2013 Brew Year's Resolutions/Goals

« on: January 08, 2013, 11:21:27 am »

1. Spend less (no big purchases on equipment)
2. Brew more efficiently (both brewhouse efficiency and 10 gal batches to save time)
3. Don't let brewing take over my life. Find a better balance.

Brewing consuming your life is it? I've been brewing more this year so far (2 times since the first, planning to brew again next weekend). I brew 4 gallon batches though.  I'm buying and drinking less commercial beer, so I'm going through my own beer so much faster. Maybe I'll want to start brewing 5 gallon batches again.

Maybe not consuming my life, but I'm finding myself brewing every Sunday, or getting antsy if I haven't brewed in a couple of weeks, plus brewing equipment in just about every room, and no room in the freezer for food because of the hops, and yeast taking up half the fridge etc LOL.  It would be nice to dial it back in a bit.  Admittedly it doesn't help that I started Angry Scotsman Brewing LLC last year (www.angryscot.com shameless plug!) but still, a better balance would be nice.  The yard doesn't take care of itself after all...

52

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 2013 Brew Year's Resolutions/Goals

« on: January 06, 2013, 10:15:11 am »

1. Spend less (no big purchases on equipment)
2. Brew more efficiently (both brewhouse efficiency and 10 gal batches to save time)
3. Don't let brewing take over my life. Find a better balance.

53

The Pub / Re: Shortshipped grain from AHS

« on: December 31, 2012, 12:25:48 pm »

I've always had great service from AHS, although I may weigh my next order just out of curiosity. Fast shipping from them too. I live in OK, so their ground saver shipping is 2 day. I can order on a Tuesday and still have supplies in hand Friday for a weekend brew.

54

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Boiling starters in a flask

« on: December 31, 2012, 12:22:12 pm »

Every time I try to use the conical flask directly it boils over. It's easier for me to use a pot then transfer.

55

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Tank #7

« on: December 25, 2012, 09:17:02 am »

I'm alsso rather partial to Tank 7, even though I thought it was a bit sweet at first, it grew on me.. I like it even better as their Brett Saison which is Tank 7 with Brett in secondary. That's a beauty right there.

56

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Brett Non Fermentation

« on: December 24, 2012, 10:08:24 am »

When I went Brett-only with a vial of Brett Brux Trois, I had to step it up a couple of times to get a decent pitch. After that it fermented like a normal Sach, with only a slightly longer lag time of a few extra hrs.  When Brett is used by itself, it doesn't throw the funk that you get when it's stressed as a secondary pitch.

With a 3L starter, there should have been quite the slurry of yeast to pitch.  Did you see a lot, or was it more like the small amount from the initial vial?

57

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: 1.072 to 1.050

« on: December 18, 2012, 09:09:09 am »

I wouldnt worry.  I dont think you need to pitch the whole thing though.

I was thinking half?

half of what though - sort of like how long is a piece of string 

I'd pitch a cup.

as for a starter - what Joe recommends above - you're sort of at my breakpoint of where I'd make a starter versus a straight pitch - once it goes over a month I consider making a starter.  but sometimes, I have been know to be lazy...

You could skip the starter, and pitch the slurry into a quart of your wort, and let that kick off, then pitch that at high krausen into the main fermentation vessel.

58

Kegging and Bottling / Re: bottling small amount from full batch

« on: December 12, 2012, 01:36:28 pm »

I'm surprised nobody has thrown out the idea of force carbing the entire keg, then just bottling from it. You can do it as simply as a bottling wand stuffed into a picnic tap with the springy bit removed. I have a beer gun, but for 6 bottles or so its not worth breaking it out. I do this all the time.

Advantages are clearer beer in the bottles (no sediment), you know the carb level, and it's faster.

somebody did 

Or bring a growler to your friends and pull a growler full after it is forced carbed but before it is all gone.

touche, although that was a growler, and i suggested regular bottling   

59

Kegging and Bottling / Re: bottling small amount from full batch

« on: December 12, 2012, 07:16:17 am »

I'm surprised nobody has thrown out the idea of force carbing the entire keg, then just bottling from it. You can do it as simply as a bottling wand stuffed into a picnic tap with the springy bit removed. I have a beer gun, but for 6 bottles or so its not worth breaking it out. I do this all the time.

Advantages are clearer beer in the bottles (no sediment), you know the carb level, and it's faster.

60

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Quick Hop Aroma and Flavor Loss

« on: December 07, 2012, 10:15:24 am »

If you're over pressurizing the keg to quick carb, then venting it before you serve, you're probably purging out a ton of hop aroma. Better to rack to the keg, toss in the dry hops, set it to serving pressure and wait a week.