Messages

226

General Homebrew Discussion / Schwarzbier - love it - how did I miss this style for this long?

« on: August 27, 2012, 07:11:21 pm »

Just tapped my first Schwarzbier - really liking that!  Can't believe it took me this long to find this style...it probably will not last very long once my tasters check it out.

Cheers and here's to trying something new!

227

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Style Guidelines and Judging

« on: August 27, 2012, 03:21:38 pm »

FWIW - I like the idea of pushing guidelines a little from time to time.  But, sometimes it happens accidentally - I just had a British Mild sneak beyond its intended ABV, because I mashed a little cooler than expected (that's on me) and the yeast (S-04) just munched their way down a couple points lower than I expected as a result of the higher fermentability.  That would simply cause it to go up to 8B, technically, but I was trying to brew an 8A.  Just over the cusp, I would think I would rightly enter it as an 8B and try to get my mash temp better controlled next time to stick with an 8A that turns out to be to style.

Isn't some of this on the brewers?  Don't enter a beer in a style category that you can objectively calculate to be out of style? 

228

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What was your last change in your procedure that you feel was beneficial?

« on: August 22, 2012, 11:29:49 am »

Just tried a second pass of grain through the mill with my last two batches.  Efficiency increased as might be expected.  One batch wasn't very clear even after extended vorlauf, so I will await the completion of fermentation to see what this brings.  If it is merely a greater amount of trub, then I don't know if I will continue the practice; if it is good beer, clear and a negligible amount of additional trub - then it will become standard operating procedure.  (I want to easily harvest yeast).

229

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 2012 Conference Seminars Now Available

« on: August 22, 2012, 11:05:00 am »

HURRAY!

I highly recommend Greg Doss' talk on attenuation.

That was a good presentation and discussion. - I really enjoyed it, though some of the methods were really only do-able in a lab setting!  So thanks to Greg for taking the time and to Wyeast for allotting the lab space and equipment. 

It will be interesting to see this data coupled with beer tasting notes in the future.

Thanks for this great service to those of us not fortunate enough to have attended the NHC.

230

Beer Recipes / Re: Late Oktoberfest...steam as a starter?

« on: August 08, 2012, 11:40:57 am »

There is a state yeast reach where they crowd each other out

Could you explain a bit more, please?  I can't recall ever hearing that before.

Dr. Tom, what say you?

This may take Tom's insight - certainly the yeast reach a point where there are no simple sugars to metabolize, so they go dormant, but if so much yeast is pitched such that little reproduction occurs, I guess you could call that "crowding out".

231

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 8/10 Edition

« on: August 08, 2012, 10:59:22 am »

Gonna do a 10 gallon batch of English Mild this Saturday, but I want to check out a few recipes.  If nothing else seems better, I will go with JZ's BCS version - I want some session beer for the football season.

Anyone got a favorite mild they brew?  I made a Lancashire Black Cat Ale clone (extract batch) a few years back that was pretty flavorful, so I may check into that one....this time AG with some Blackprinz?

Cheers!

232

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: That German lager flavor

« on: August 02, 2012, 07:32:07 pm »

I pick up a couple growlers each time I pass through on my way up to the northern WI fishing lake.  Great stuff with the new tap room.  I'll try to schedule my October trip for a time when your tap roomi is open. 

Congrats Leo's on your continued success as you build almost literally in the shadow of the Leinenkugel brewery.

233

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 5 gallon starters and you drink them.

« on: August 02, 2012, 11:45:49 am »

I reuse yeast by saving in a ziplock gallon plastic bag.  If I use it within a month, I pitch directly with approximately a third, a half, three quarters or all (based on weeks from harvest).  After a month, I will rinse and make a starter or consider tossing it.  I write the date of harvest on the bag, along with yeast type.  I have used dark slurry for lighter beers without any appreciable effect on color of the repitched beer.  YMMV.

234

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Long week

« on: July 30, 2012, 06:24:01 pm »

It can be mild discomfort or downright elephant on the chest pain.  Sometimes jaw or neck pain- generally persistent.  One other thing that could be present - a feeling of deep dread.  It's been 7 years since I survived a 99% blockage of the widowmaker (LAD) and I would wish it on no man.  If you can catch the problem before a heart attack you can sometimes avoid the major re- plumbing by meds, diet and exercise, and still have a few beers!

235

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Beer and ice

« on: July 22, 2012, 06:33:30 pm »

Absolutely on a really hot day - my Classic American Pilsner can't be too cold and since it comes in at 6.2% ABV, it doesn't hurt to cut it a little with some ice.

236

General Homebrew Discussion / What's Brewing This Weekend - 7/13 Edition

« on: July 17, 2012, 11:31:13 am »

Made a schwarzbier Sunday with Blackprinz. - it's bubbling away nicely in my lager chest at 48F - German Merkur as the hops.  First try at a schwarzbier and hoping for a clean black lager to show off for football season along with my staples: helles, cap and German and Bohemian pilsners.

A super hot brew day, but the trees needed the water from the IC....and no one else in the neighborhood was working, so I had plenty of visitors.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

237

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Pliny the Elder

« on: July 06, 2012, 10:45:06 am »

Worst case scenario, you may need to reyeast with some dry yeast and a little more sugar.  Don't go that route unless you have to, though. 

238

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Went to Canada on vacation

« on: July 05, 2012, 06:17:00 pm »

I brought a case of Warsteiner, but my question is whether it could have been a case of homebrew instead!

239

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Went to Canada on vacation

« on: July 05, 2012, 10:51:25 am »

It was a fishing trip.  We stopped overnight in Duluth and visited Fitgers, which had some decent brews.  I am asking about homebrew because in talking with the fishing guide, I realized that a sizer of homebrew would be a nice addition to his tip for the week, as well as a nice way to relax in the evening.  I agree that Molson Canadian and Kokonee were Canadian BMC equivalents, but when the only other choice is actual BMC, you make do with it...cheers!

240

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Went to Canada on vacation

« on: July 04, 2012, 04:29:58 am »

I had some Molson and Kokonee while there.  I was at a resort on Eagle Lake near Dryden.