Messages

736

Ingredients / Re: Now THAT's some fresh yeast

« on: August 13, 2012, 01:21:45 PM »

Great to live near Wyeast, huh?  I often get packs dated justv a day or 2 before I buy them.  But I doubt a week or so will make a lot of difference.

Thought I would check Mr. Malty to see what the degradation rate is.  Seems it's programmed to lose 5% of viability per week......

Dave

737

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Using Ice to cool wort?

« on: August 13, 2012, 12:16:28 PM »

i fell your pain bro (original poster).  i took the temp of the water coming out of my hose solidly for over 5 minutes and it "got down" to 102.

HAHA exactly. I think it would be almost pointless to get an Immersion Chiller.....

Not at all.  With a small pump you could take water from an ice bath and pump it through an immersion chiller.  With enough ice and time you could even get your wort down to lager temps.

+1.  This is my next project so I can get my 10G lager brews down to pitching temps without having to put it in the chest freezer overnight.....

Dave

738

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: First timer here

« on: August 13, 2012, 07:30:46 AM »

Good luck and welcome to the addiction!

739

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: First timer here

« on: August 13, 2012, 07:12:33 AM »

The Krausen settles back in to the beer after a few days.  You are fine.  I would just leave it in primary for 2-3 weeks, then rack and bottle. 

Dave

740

All Grain Brewing / Re: Shift in thought regarding optimal mash pH

« on: August 08, 2012, 07:44:35 AM »

From what I have read, all the breweries take their readings at room temp in the lab.

Dave

741

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Blew the lid on my fermenting bucket - is it salvageable?

« on: August 07, 2012, 10:39:20 AM »

I would prefer a blow off hose to an unsealed fermenter.  But do what works for you.

Dave

742

Ingredients / Re: What type of yeast should I get?

« on: August 07, 2012, 10:35:18 AM »

I don't have any problems getting it to clear using finings and cold crashing.

+1.  Don't have any problems with Chico, even without cold crashing.  Just have to give it time....

Dave

743

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Blew the lid on my fermenting bucket - is it salvageable?

« on: August 07, 2012, 08:38:06 AM »

If it was during active fermentation you should be fine.  RDWHAHB.

Dave

744

Ingredients / Re: What type of yeast should I get?

« on: August 07, 2012, 04:31:41 AM »

+1.  Yeast has a major role in the outcome of your beer.

745

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: What are you paying for your yeast?

« on: August 06, 2012, 12:52:37 PM »

with prices like this I'm surprised that there aren't more home brewers that maintain their own slants.

Kai

I did for several years, but finally decided it wasn't worth my time.

Why?  I don't want to spend the $ on the equipment to come up with the same conclusion.  Washing and reusing is working just fine.

Dave

746

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: What are you paying for your yeast?

« on: August 06, 2012, 12:18:30 PM »

I pay $7.50, but like many, wash and reuse as much as possible.  I typically get 4-5 generations per packet/vial bought.  Looking in to maintaining slants per Kai as well.  Next level....

Dave

747

Ingredients / Re: Alpha Acid number variation

« on: August 02, 2012, 05:39:59 AM »

Well i was talking with one the guys on the LBHS and he mentioned that he has heard many stories of people not double checking the numbers and having beers that were either way under-hopped or over-hopped and "not drinkable".
So i guess that is what i was trying to say, if anybody has forgotten to double check and "ruined" a beer?

That's one of the few mistakes I have not made, but I'm sure it's happened plenty.  It's definitely one of the things you double check when building your recipe once you get in a routine.

Dave

748

Ingredients / Re: Flaked Barley and Carbonation

« on: July 31, 2012, 11:28:19 AM »

I know!   

749

Ingredients / Re: Flaked Barley and Carbonation

« on: July 31, 2012, 08:34:59 AM »

Thats a strange one Dave!

Do you experience the issue when you use oats or something similar?  I can't really think of any reason flaked barley would create this issue. AFAIK the rate at which c02 is abosrbed into liquid is not dependent on protein levels or anything like that.

It's totally wierd.  Can't figure it out and it makes no sense at all.  I have not used oats but have used flaked rice and corn without this issue. 

750

Ingredients / Re: Are 30 minute hops worth it?

« on: July 31, 2012, 08:30:04 AM »

The great thing about brewing: There's no "wrong" way to do it.
The awful thing about brewing: There's no "wrong" way to do it.

Do people use 30min additions to make good beer? Sure. There are lots of ways to make good beer. Is the beer good because of the 30min hop addition? I doubt it. In a blind tasting between a beer with a 30min and a 20min hop addition, all other things equal, I doubt most people could tell the difference.

I think you should pick a method that works for you and stick to it so you can get consistent results.

+1 here.  The only thing I would add is the 30 minute hop addition makes it different than the 20 minute, 10 minute, whirlpool, etc..  How do you know whether you like it or not until you try it?  Brew the same APA with a 30 minute instead of a 10 minute addition and compare them side by side.  That's the great part of this hobby for me, the experimentation.

Dave