Topics

31

Ingredients / Hop Drying

« on: September 09, 2012, 06:28:01 am »

So I've been picking hops all weekend and have a pretty nice bounty.  I have them in shallow baking pans in the oven.  I've been heating the oven to 110F, shutting it off and leaving it for several hours and repeating.  Good or not so good idea?

 

32

Ingredients / Flaked Barley and Carbonation

« on: July 31, 2012, 06:54:09 am »

I've noticed that when I use flaked barley in my German Lagers, they do not carb very well.  I've had this latest one at 20psi and 40F for a couple of weeks and the carbonation is not nearly what it should be.  Any thoughts?  The regulator seems fine as I have not had this problem with other beers.  It seems only to happen when I use flaked barley.....

Dave

33

Kegging and Bottling / YIKES-Frozen Keg!

« on: July 13, 2012, 01:13:12 pm »

Just went to tap one of my lagers and found it frozen!  Not sure how or why as the other kegs are fine and this is the first time it has happened.  I'm letting it defrost at 64F.  Is it toast?

Dave

34

All Grain Brewing / Stale Pale Ale Malt #2

« on: July 12, 2012, 01:20:17 pm »

So, what should I do with the remaining 40 pounds of Pale Ale Malt that is not crunchy?  It's not bad, and I transferred it to my sealed container so it should not get worse, I guess.  Start brewing a ton of double IPA's ASAP?

Dave

35

All Grain Brewing / Stale Pale Ale Malt?

« on: July 12, 2012, 09:16:34 am »

I didn't realize I was out of 2-Row and had a bag of Pale Ale Malt around for about 2 months, so I used 10# of it in lieu of 2-row for my American Lager today.  It was in the sealed bag in my boiler room and I thought just fine, but when I chewed on a few as I am accustomed on brew day, it was, well damp and squishy, not crunchy.  I went ahead and ground it.  It didn't taste bad and it looked fine so I just mashed in. 

Am I screwed or RDWHAHB? 

And did I screw up the lager by using 10 pounds of Pale Malt with 4 pound of 2-row or will the lager just have a little more of a malt backbone?

Dave

36

Equipment and Software / Conical Fermenters

« on: June 21, 2012, 09:27:34 am »

I saw one on Craig's List and it got me wondering.  What are all the pros and are there any cons about using a conical?  One con is it will not fit in my chest freezer so I cannot make lagers with it.  But I know little about all of the pros.  So what better place to hear about why I should buy it, right!

Can the forum gurus please make a case for me so I can make a case to my wife?  What are the advantages of the conical?

Dave

37

Beer Recipes / Kronenbourg 1664 Clone

« on: May 21, 2012, 07:07:36 am »

I'm trying to clone this for a neighbor, but have not found much online.  Here is what I've come up with.  Any advice would be much appreciated.

7#  Floor Malted BoPils
1#  Flaked Rice
.5# Light Munich Malt
3oz Acidulated Malt

2oz Strisselspalt 2.3% at 60 mins
2oz at 30 mins
2oz at 10 mins

1lb Honey at 10 mins

Mash at 150 for 60 minutes

Wyeast 2308 Munich Lager

Thoughts?

Dave

38

Yeast and Fermentation / First Time Pitching on Yeast Cake

« on: May 07, 2012, 05:55:56 am »

I've never done this before so I thought I would give it a shot.  I kegged my BoPils as the next one was mashing.  Racked most all of the beer off the yeast and put it back in my chest freezer at 50F.  Cooled the new wort down to 50F and racked it on top.  Man, I had activity in about an hour and the Krausen this morning is unlike anything I've seen before, even with a 1G starter.  Very cool and thought I would share. 

I know with ales you want to pitch a higher gravity beer on top to make sure the yeasties are not lazy.  Does the same go for lagers?  They don't seem lazy to me but just wondering. 

Dave

39

Kegging and Bottling / Turned to Foam

« on: May 03, 2012, 07:52:59 am »

I really wanted to get my Becks clone carbed before leaving on a business trip.  So I put it on 12psi for 4 days at 36F.  It dropped to 8psi when I checked on it and had a few bubbles.  So I cranked it up to 35psi for a day.  No niceable difference.  So I cranked it up to 40F for another half a day.  Still the same.  There was definitely pressure but no noticeable difference in carbonation.  In frustration as I was leaving the next day, I rolled it around at 40psi and turned it in to foam.

I've been away 3 days now and am wondering if it will settle and still be drinkable or did I completely ruin it and I'm going to need to dump it when I return.  Very bummed as it was superb beer, even slightly carbed.

Dave

40

Yeast and Fermentation / Zero Headspace in Carboy

« on: April 23, 2012, 04:56:23 am »

Brewed a Munich Helles this weekend.  I didn't stop the siphon at the right time and filled up my 5G carboy a little too much.  When I added my starter it filled it up right to the neck.  I expect basically all of the Krausen to blow off.

Should I remove some beer to create some headspace?  I'll definitely be removing some yeast as well.  Or just RDWHAHB and let it ride out?  The blow off is in a 2qt pitcher so I'm not particularly worried about a mess.

Dave

41

Yeast and Fermentation / Frozen 2112 Slurry

« on: April 20, 2012, 05:47:20 am »

The strangest thing happened yesterday.  I took out my 2112 slurry to decant and wash on Wednesday.  Poured the water out from the top, filled with sterile water at the same temp of 36F and replaced in the fridge to let it settle out.  After this rinse I was going to pour the yeast off the trub and save for my next Steam Beer.

When I went to check to see if it had fallen out and was ready for transfer, I found it frozen!  The other containers in my fridge were fine, but this one had ice crystals throughout.  Any thoughts on what happened and how I can prevent this in the future?  And do you think I can defrost it and still reuse the yeast?  I swirled it up pretty good but there is still some ice in there.

Dave

42

Yeast and Fermentation / Plastic Bucket for Lager Primary

« on: April 17, 2012, 01:56:13 pm »

So, I bought an upright freezer on Craigslist for $100 and now have access to our chest freezer as my lager fermentation vessel.  Yes, it's lager brewing season as I can fit 4 carboys at once!

I have two lagers in there now in carboys, and want to make a third this weekend, but only have plastic buckets left for primary.  I know plastic was previously frowned upon for lagers.  But today, with pitching big starters and racking to keg for lagering after 3 weeks, do I really need to worry or should I just brew away and RDWHAHB?

Dave

43

Yeast and Fermentation / Starter for my Helles

« on: April 17, 2012, 06:27:49 am »

I plan to repitch some 2206 that I saved from a Becks clone on 3/27 in to my Helles this weekend.  Mr. Malty says the viability is 60% so I'm wondering how big of a starter I should make.  I don't need my usual 1G monster but what is the recommendation of the forum?  I was thinking maybe a 2L at 1.038-1.040?

Dave

44

Equipment and Software / Chest Freezer vs Fridge for Making Lagers

« on: March 29, 2012, 02:09:10 pm »

I've been searching Craig's List for a chest freezer to use for making lagers.  I want to make more than one lager every 3 weeks as I currently use our wine fridge.  I'm sure I can use a fridge as well though.  Which is better?  Chest Freezer vs Fridge.....

Zacher

45

Beer Recipes / Kolsch Mash Schedule

« on: March 28, 2012, 04:35:44 pm »

I've been researching Kolsch schedules as it's on my to-do list next weekend.  I've seen single infusion in the 149-152 range as well as a traditional Hochkurz mash at 146 to 158.

I really like Hochkurz mashes but Ray Daniels says single infusion in "Desiging Great Beers".  What say the forum?

Dave