Messages

901

Ingredients / Re: Weyermann Floor-Malted Bo Pils Malt -- Suitable for Light German Lagers?

« on: April 19, 2012, 08:18:47 am »

excellent everyone! Let me know how things turn out.

Dave thats a long protein rest!

I like mixing it up.  Took the recipe out of 'Designing Great Beers'.  I know malts have become more modified in the past 10 years, but I figured "what the heck".

902

Ingredients / Re: Weyermann Floor-Malted Bo Pils Malt -- Suitable for Light German Lagers?

« on: April 19, 2012, 07:59:47 am »

Jason,

I did a 20 minute protein rest at 130 for the Kolsch.  Then 150 for 90 minutes.

For my BoPils, I did a 30 minute protein rest at 128, followed by infusion to 146 for 45 minutes, followed by a 15 minute boiled decoction to 158 for what ended up being 90 minutes because I was making another beer (gluten free for buddy) that tied up my kettle.  Mashed out at 170.  Bubbling along happily in my chest freezer at 52F.  Will post results. 

Dave

903

Ingredients / Re: Weyermann Floor-Malted Bo Pils Malt -- Suitable for Light German Lagers?

« on: April 19, 2012, 05:09:11 am »

So far I've made a BoPils and a Kolsch with it.  This weekend is my Munich Helles.  Do you plan on incorporating a protein rest or no?

904

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Any suggestion on scales?

« on: April 18, 2012, 03:19:19 pm »

Got this for Christmas and LOVE IT!

Escali Alimento 6 kg (13 lb.) Scale

Try Amazon for the best price.

Dave

905

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Plastic Bucket for Lager Primary

« on: April 18, 2012, 11:34:17 am »

That's the marketing anyway. Without details on the composition of the plastic, or controlled testing, who knows?

True, true.  They do have a lot of information however on their website with tech specs, chemical studies,  etc...  It's worth a look as they are a lot easier to handle/clean than glass.  No, I'm not a rep, just a home brewer who found a piece of equipment I like and recommend.

Dave

906

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Plastic Bucket for Lager Primary

« on: April 18, 2012, 08:26:19 am »

I've had very good success with mine.  I'd buy another over glass.  From their website:

Don't think of BetterBottle carboys as plastic – think of them as better than glass, because they are made from a special, scientifically tested, polyethylene terephthalate copolymer (PET), which does not have the disadvantages of other plastics.

BetterBottle® fermentation carboys are: are: 1) Designed to be strong, scuff resistant, easy to handle, and essentially unbreakable, 2) Pure – Taste- and odor-free, BPA-free, DEHP-free, and plasticizer-free, 3) Virtually impermeable to oxygen, 4) Clear and colorless, 5) Incredibly light weight, and 6) Extraordinarily easy to wash and sanitize (no brushes necessary). BetterBottle carboys are not at all like other plastic carboys. The special PET, used to make BetterBottle carboys, is non-absorbing, non-porous, and non-wetting (hydrophobic), so it will not carry over flavors from one batch of wine or beer to the next and it is easier to clean and sanitize than glass or other plastics.

907

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Plastic Bucket for Lager Primary

« on: April 18, 2012, 05:22:47 am »

Thanks all.  RDWHAHB and the plastic primary it is for my Munich Helles this weekend.

I plan to buy another Better Bottle or two soon, but need to space out my equipment purchases since my wife was kind enough to let me add another appliance to our garage.  I now have the chest freezer for my lager fermentation vessel, the upright freezer for storing food and an extra fridge where I store my lagers on the bottom and about 8# of leaf hops in the top freezer......

Brew on!

Dave

908

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: The Secondary Topic Revisited

« on: April 18, 2012, 05:17:41 am »

+1.  I think you are just inviting problems with secondary.....

909

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

910

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Flask size...pilseners

« on: April 17, 2012, 01:02:18 pm »

On electric.  My LHBS owner promised me he has used his Bomex flask for years on electric with no problems.  I've made a dozen+ starters so far with no problems.  I have to admit, I was pretty tentative for the first one though......

Dave

911

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Starter for my Helles

« on: April 17, 2012, 11:56:47 am »

Thanks man!

912

All Grain Brewing / Re: Single-Malt beers

« on: April 17, 2012, 10:52:09 am »

I think it depends upon what you are looking for as a final result.  I agree that it can come off one-dimensional, unless you are brewing a BoPils with the appropriate malt like Jason which is also in line with the style guidelines. 

Experimentation is part of why we do this hobby, no?

Dave

913

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Starter for my Helles

« on: April 17, 2012, 10:32:27 am »

This might be a dumb question, but can you overpitch lagers? It seems like most people have issues underpitching lagers, but I haven't heard of problems from overpitching.

I've yet to hear of such a thing! 

914

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Starter for my Helles

« on: April 17, 2012, 10:31:37 am »

+1

You need to calculate the total number of cells needed which corresponds to a volume of slurry at a given thickness and viability.  There is a bit of estimation involved but mrmalty.com will help guide you on this.

OK, so here is what I have.  I saved all the slurry from the Becks in a container.  From there I washed it several times until there was a clear separation of water, yeast and trub.  Now I just decanted the water, yeast and a little trub in a separate container.  The plan was to see how much yeast I have and make a starter from there.  If I saved all of it from my last batch and it's at 60% viability, I figure I'm either right where I need to be or should make a small starter.

Should I now just estimate how much yeast I have, figuring the yeast concentration is on the high side and the non-yeast percentage is on the low side?  Seems right but please chime in if I'm missing something.   I want to learn how to calculate this properly.  Thanks.

Ron, hook me up.  I voted for you!   

Dave

915

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