Messages

256

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Beer Suprise

« on: May 04, 2012, 10:41:08 am »

I love it when that happens.  I have strained a few through a mesh bag, because of the amount of sediment in the bottom of them (thinking along the lines of an old wine) and really been surprised how good they can be after a while out of sight and mind.

257

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 5/4 Edition

« on: May 02, 2012, 06:40:11 pm »

The Bucksnort Brown with a few guys in the club in my drive, toast at noon, then a big Cinco de Mayo party at 4 with the neighborhood.  Big Brew then big to do.

258

Going Pro / I don't miss homebrewing

« on: May 02, 2012, 11:03:35 am »

I can't imagine not brewing new things, so as long as I could brew some pilot beers, I think the pro thing would work; but getting the time and having the energy to do so as a pro is the real limiter on that, it seems.

Oddly, I am involved in giving advice for a living, so the only way that stops for me is to isolate myself - so I homebrew solo usually and I fish as my other hobby.  These fora give me the opportunity to filter what I respond to, which is a pleasant diversion.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

259

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: To our Governing Committee

« on: April 29, 2012, 04:51:51 am »

I don't know much about the competition, but the hobby has taken off like wildfire.  I prefer to spend my time brewing, rather than going through what sounds like a pretty time consuming and perhaps expensive process to become a BJCP level judge, so in fairness I don't enter the competition.  Maybe require anyone to become a judge and participate in judging if he enters more than x number of beers over a y period of time  and also to work toward BJCP certification in order to continue in the competition each year and require that they sit out two years if they don't do that.  Also support/compensate the judges who participate (free NHC registration, dues waiver, special perks or similar benefits) in order to further incentivize participation as judges.  Again, I don't know how the competition works and I have never entered, so this may be completely unreasonable for some entrants - just my two Lincolns.

260

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 4/27 Edition

« on: April 29, 2012, 04:11:28 am »

An Irish Blonde, plus getting my starter going for WLP 001 for the Big Brew Bucksnort Ale.

261

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Why are 60 and 90 minute boils the norm? Why not longer?

« on: April 25, 2012, 05:50:17 pm »

Energy consumption? Obvious, but worth considering...

262

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Something rotten in the state of Illninois

« on: April 21, 2012, 07:17:42 am »

Give me liberty or give me death.  Home brew is regulated sufficiently by the 200 gallon per year limit.  You are a homebrewer if you do not exceed this limit.  You must be 21 to drink or possess alcohol. No other rules should apply to giving beer away by homebrewers.  Paid admission to an event is not the sale of beer.  The State of Illinois is so backwards as to be a joke.  Our governors rarely exhibit leadership - they usually are led by special interests.

263

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 4/20 Edition

« on: April 20, 2012, 03:25:14 pm »

Happy Birthday, Drew!  I wanna brew some spruce beer, since the tips are ready to harvest.  Anyone got a good, tested recipe?

Cheers

264

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Plastic Bucket for Lager Primary

« on: April 17, 2012, 05:32:16 pm »

No problems with a month in the bucket. I do that all the time.

265

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: The Secondary Topic Revisited

« on: April 17, 2012, 04:44:13 pm »

I leave the lager in the primary for a month usually.  For a shorter time only if I need to free up a primary, but then I will lager it in the keg for a slightly longer period than is typical (a little more than one month).  I rarely do a d rest anymore.  When I rack to the keg, I do so with a keg that has been purged of O2 (I store my kegs under CO2 pressure with a little Star San in there, which I remove by depressing the out post on the keg.

Of course YMMV with a different SOP....

266

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Tell me about Mash Hopping

« on: April 17, 2012, 04:00:18 pm »

I'd say it's a West coast mindset on hops, but he (Smith) is from Minnesota, so I guess it is just a hophead's mindset.....

 

Well, it's unanimous then.  Just don't tell Tasty McDole or Nathan Smith!

Hey, I'd be happy to tell them!  Despite what they say, I have my own experience and that wins every single time.

I was watching a recent Brewing TV episode with Nathan Smith and his comment on the hops in the sparge water was something like 'Hey it's not a double IPA if you don't waste hops right?"

Waste not, want not. I am just remembering back to the hop shortage year....

267

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Thought it was stuck, but maybe it was over pitched? Help with whether to dump o

« on: April 12, 2012, 02:22:19 pm »

The beauty of the Kolsch is the simplicity of the beer - nothing to hide behind.  I would go the route indicated above and hope for the best.  A little fruitiness is expected for the style; harsh tones are not.  But as long as you are brewing for yourself and friends, this will probably be an acceptable quaffer, despite the esters and perhaps some fusels from the temperature.  A buddy of mine had a stout that he fermented too warm and that was one strange one with a headbanger aftershock the next day!  It was tough to get through it, but I didn't want to discourage his brewing, so we shouldered on through it over several sessions.

Cheers!

268

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Sour finish in beers using S-05

« on: April 12, 2012, 02:14:38 pm »

I have an APA with some crystal malt (another discussion) going right now at 58F using rehydrated US-05.  I am expecting it to be on the sweet side.  It has been going since Saturday, so I will let it free rise later this weekend or sometime next week when it looks closer to being finished in the primary.  Hopefully it will be tart-free.

269

All Grain Brewing / Re: astringency and over sparging

« on: April 12, 2012, 11:10:46 am »

Yeah I get that part, but working backward on the stopping of the collection at 1.028 -  how do you determine volumes in advance to set your grain bill?  Maybe I am missing something there, but I would think that calculating to collect 6 gallons at 1.028 might be tough to hit unless your efficiency is really precise.

270

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Starting a homebrew club

« on: April 12, 2012, 11:04:52 am »

Bring your members to the forum and then we can all be confused together!  LOL.

Really, word of mouth will work to grow your numbers.  Myself and another guy started having brew days for neighbors - not really a club thing, but now we have almost 10 brewers in the neighborhood after a couple years!  This hobby sells itself!

Good luck with your club.