Messages

1006

All Grain Brewing / Re: Decoction Boil Time

« on: January 08, 2012, 07:36:49 am »

I ended up boiling the first decoction for 20 minutes and the second for 30 minutes.  Hit all my numbers so far (knock on wood).  I'm currently about halfway through a 90 minute boil.

I'll be brewing a dunkel in a few weeks.  Thinking I'll boil the first decoction for 20 minutes again, but I'll boil the second one for 40 minutes.  I just brewed this dunkel a few weeks ago with a single infusion mash.  I'll be doing some side by side tastings when the double decocted one is ready.

I did a triple decoction Oktoberfest this year and boiled all for 30 minutes.  It came out great.

1007

Ingredients / Re: Post your water report

« on: January 08, 2012, 07:23:45 am »

Water report from Valley Forge, PA.  Would love some feedback.  Thanks in advance!

Dave

The two sets of numbers represent the two pumps that I could get water from.

Chlorine: 2.15, 1.85
Chloride: 39, 26
Nitrate: 1.4, 1.9
Nitrite: Not Detected, ND
Sulfate: 41, 53
Sodium: 19, 15
Magnesium: 9.6, 11
Potassium: ND, ND
Calcium: 32, 33
Lithium: ND, ND
Aluminum: .04, .04
Iron: ND, ND
Copper:  ND, ND
Zinc: .07, .10
Alkalinity: 51, 53
Hardness: 118, 125
Total Suspended Solids: .2, .2
Total Solids: 246, 250

1008

Ingredients / Re: Hops Direct...Imported Pellets...Fresh?

« on: January 08, 2012, 06:29:29 am »

I bought some 2010 Czech Saaz in 2011 before the new shipment and they were still great.  I just started buying from Hops Direct this year, and have 10 pounds in the fridge of whole and pellets of various types.  They have all been outstanding.

1009

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Second wind in the primary

« on: January 08, 2012, 06:15:05 am »

Pretty sure I just laugh-sharted after the knitting comment!

I'll do that.  Gotta Get a turkey vaster but my siphon should work.

+1.  Turkey basters are the way to go,  Hit it with some StarSan and you are good to go.  I usually give it a little swirl when I put the airlock back on to purge any O2 that may have snuck in there.

1010

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Ale Conditioning

« on: January 08, 2012, 06:09:51 am »

So do you guys think I'm mistaken in conditioning my ales at 66F?

1011

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Kegging with priming

« on: January 07, 2012, 04:23:47 pm »

I use priming sugar in almost all my kegs and it works just fine.

I boil .25 cup to .33 cup of corn sugar in about a cup of water, dump it in the keg and then rack on to it.  I use my CO2 tank to set the seals and then put the keg into my storage cabinet until it's needed.  

I'm typically 4-8 weeks ahead on my brewing so the kegs are carbed just fine when they go into the keg fridge.

You do have some sediment on the bottom and that comes out in the first pour (usually).

I also force carb if I need a beer in a hurry.  These are normally light colored "party beers" being served to BMC drinkers.  And you do need to push the beer for serving using CO2 from your cylinder.  There isn't enough gas in the keg to serve a beer carbed either way without external gas connected.

Paul

Great post.  I'm going to try this!

1012

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Crash cooling question

« on: January 07, 2012, 04:20:24 pm »

The beer will need to be warmed back up in order to carbonate, but whether you do that in the fermenter or in the bottles doesn't matter.

+1  There are still yeast in suspension even cold.  Enough to prime the bottles unless it's been lagering for a very long time.  You can bottle it cold and let it warm up in the bottles.

+1.  Need to warm up.

1013

Yeast and Fermentation / Ale Conditioning

« on: January 07, 2012, 04:10:17 pm »

Fellow Brewers,

I typically condition my ales in my boiler room at 66F and my lagers in the outside fridge at 34F.  I like to crash cool my ales before kegging in the outside fridge and then let them come up to 66F to condition. 

I'm wondering what you think the result would be if I just put the keg straight back in to the fridge?  2-3 weeks in primary, crash cool, then keg and condiditon at 34F.  Thoughts?  Thanks in advance.

Dave

1014

All Grain Brewing / Re: is vorlauf necessary?

« on: January 07, 2012, 03:55:15 pm »

But if you yourself could detect no difference in the two batches, would you still vorlauf?

I have a "belt and suspenders" kinda personality sometimes, so yeah, I probably still would.  Every once in a while I get more "stuff" coming out than I anticipated and there's no way for me to tell when that will happen.  Since it's quick and easy, I/d rather do it than wish that I would have done it.  OTOH, if I was one of the guys I read about who vorlauf several gal. I'd probably reconsider that.

I'll tell you what I'll do.  Because I don't think this is such a big concern that it warrants a double batch, and neither do I have the enthusiasm for it, what would you say to me brewing a single APA minus the vorlauf?  If you like, I would even be willing to stir the mash during the runoff, get the wort good and cloudy.  I'll send you two bottles.  You and someone else can taste for tannins, or other nasty elements.  

I'm in the vorlauf camp and wouldn't mind tasting for tannins!!!!!!!!   

1015

All Grain Brewing / Re: is vorlauf necessary?

« on: January 06, 2012, 01:09:56 pm »

I do think vorlauf is important and with my toilet connector, usually drain about 1 qt before clear.
I agree with Tom that pouring back the vorlauf is not a major issue as long as you are not disturbing the bottom half of the mash.
I have experienced HSA before buying a IC.  If you splash the wort around violently while it is over 95F, it can happen.
The only effect I have experienced from HSA is haze.
I don't think HSA matters as much pre-boil but I try to not splash the beer around anyway.

Happy New Year all!

Dave

1016

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: 2206 Attenuation

« on: December 22, 2011, 07:16:25 am »

Both had a protein rest at 131 and then 90 minutes at 155.  84% efficiency on the Czech Pils and 83% on the Winter. 

1017

Yeast and Fermentation / 2206 Attenuation

« on: December 22, 2011, 06:40:34 am »

I made a Czech Pils and a Winter Lager with 2206 Bavarian Lager.  Both only attenuated 68% at 51F over 3 weeks.  I'm just chalking it up to the yeast doing their own thing unless you guys think it could be something with my process.  A 1 gallon starter was made for the first and the entire (washed) slurry was pitched in to the second as it was 1.072 versus 1.050.  The Czech Pils is very tasty albeit a little sweet as it ended at 1.016.  The Winter lager ended at 1.024.  Thoughts?

Dave

1018

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Secondary yes or no

« on: December 22, 2011, 06:37:37 am »

I crash cool in the primary, then straight to the keg.

+1.  Me too.

1019

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 12/23 Edition

« on: December 21, 2011, 10:28:27 am »

For all my neighbors who have wanted to brew with me, I'm hosting "Man Day".  We'll start around 1:00PM and brew a Steam Beer.  The starter is swirling away now.  We'll then move to "Parents Day" and invite the wives for the aftter beer festivities.  Should be a lot of fun!  Got about a dozen coming.

1020

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Suddenly Chill Haze

« on: December 21, 2011, 10:02:41 am »

Interesting topic. I as of late have been getting some really cloudy beers. I have been waiting about 20 minutes or so after the boil for the hot break to settle before pumping thru a CFWC. Think I should transfer immediatly after the boil?

My vote is-definitely.