Messages

166

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: I literally cannot wait any longer to try this

« on: February 01, 2013, 10:41:40 AM »

I just took a gravity sample on a 10 day old IPA.  After I got my reading I put it in a PET bottle with a carbonator cap, hit it with 30 psi and stuck it in the freezer.  In an hour I'll have a cold, carbed sample to taste.

Hell, sometimes I just drink the entire hydrometer sample that I take before packaging!  Last night I had a flat (but tasty) ESB before kegging and a moderately cold Munich Dunkel before it went to lagering. That Dunkel was AWESOME.

So OP, 6 days isn't the worst that could happen... at least you ain't drinkin' outta the fermenter!

167

Pimp My System / Re: Home made grain mill . . . . that could crush a brick!

« on: January 31, 2013, 05:52:17 AM »

Very cool!

168

Events / Re: NHC competition site change.

« on: January 30, 2013, 11:16:49 AM »

I'll say this again because I think it warrants repeating. If you want to help the AHA out with the increasing demand and future success of the NHC, then begin your journey to become a BJCP judge and join us in judging this awesome competition. I've judged the first and second rounds of the last two years NHC's, and plan to do so again this year in NYC and Philly. The more judges we can recruit, the better off we'll be, for the impending growth of this national competition.

Exactly.

169

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: DME vs LME

« on: January 29, 2013, 08:22:02 PM »

I always thought it was because LME usually only comes in predetermined amounts (3lbs, 6lbs) and DME can be used in various amounts based on the gravity you want.

But I could be wrong. 

170

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Hop Pellets

« on: January 29, 2013, 08:14:42 PM »

I use the Hop Stopper: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/hop-stopper

It's really quite a nice product. I tried just throwing pellets in & whirlpooling, then bagging them, then bazooka screens. This thing works EXCELLENT and will drain all but maybe 1/4 gallon from my kettle. I've used probably 10oz of pellets in the kettle once and it didn't even bat an eye. I have a feeling that it'll handle twice that. Best upgrade I've made in a long time.

I like the looks of that. Is it good at filtering break material as well as hops?

The break material is filtered out by the green mass that the hops form on the screen, so my wort coming out of the chiller is quite clear. I don't have to loose wort/beer in my fermenter either. After using that thing for about 7 months, the only downside I could find was that it was slightly pricey, but it is all stainless. Probably the best hot-side improvement I've found for me.

171

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Whirlpool "Strength"

« on: January 28, 2013, 07:31:02 AM »

The steepness of the coned material in the center of the kettle is dependent upon the 'shear strength' of the material.  In the case of the ground hop matter in pelletized hops, the shear strength is nearly zero since that cone is composed of hydrated proteins and vegetative materials.  Essentially, its goose crap. 

If you use whole hops, then the cone can take on more shape because there is mechanical, 'particle to particle' contact between the individual hop cones.  That mechanical contact increases the shear strength of the mass and allows it to 'cone' better.  One of my old brewing buddies pointed out that a good technique for improving the coning of the hops and trub was to include at least a small proportion of whole or plug hops in the hop bill to provide that strength to hold the cone together.  I prefer pellet hops, but using 100% pellets hops will leave you with a 'flatter' cone nearly every time.

SCIENCE! 

I love Martin's posts, as a side note. "Essentially, its goose crap." <-LOL

172

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Hop Pellets

« on: January 28, 2013, 07:23:45 AM »

I use the Hop Stopper: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/hop-stopper

It's really quite a nice product. I tried just throwing pellets in & whirlpooling, then bagging them, then bazooka screens. This thing works EXCELLENT and will drain all but maybe 1/4 gallon from my kettle. I've used probably 10oz of pellets in the kettle once and it didn't even bat an eye. I have a feeling that it'll handle twice that. Best upgrade I've made in a long time.

173

All Grain Brewing / Re: Hockhurz Step Mash: Check my Process

« on: January 25, 2013, 10:21:19 AM »

I hold the maltose rest for 30 on more malt forward beers and for 45 min on pilsners.

Kai

Excellent. Thanks Kai!

174

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: DIPA Review by Professional Brewer - Bell's Hopslam

« on: January 25, 2013, 10:20:16 AM »

And yet, somehow this makes me say "I really want to drink this beer". I guess "cat pee" is a relative term lol.

A wine-drinking friend of mine uses the cat-pee term to describe sour beers. Definitely relative!

I'm totally getting some Hopslam this year - Monday evening Flying Saucer has a firkin of it. I gotta try to get me some of that!

175

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Beer Brewing Cookbook

« on: January 23, 2013, 12:37:28 PM »

I've only ever flipped through Clone Brews, but I remember saying "this doesn't seem right" to a few of the recipes for beers I'm familiar with. I know there's more than one way to skin a cat, but when a brewery lists their ingredients on their website and a clone recipe is way off in the specialty malts, then I don't have high hopes for that recipe.

That's exactly how I felt about Clone Brews. I got it for Christmas a couple years ago, read it, became skeptical for the same reasons and returned it. Got Brew Like a Monk. 

176

Classifieds / Re: FOR SALE: Hop Stopper

« on: January 23, 2013, 12:33:34 PM »

Is this hop stopper only for blichmann pots or is this okay to use on any 1/2 inch NPT?

It can be used on 1/2" NPT - that's how I use it in my pot.

177

All Grain Brewing / Re: Big beer efficiency and fermentation question

« on: January 22, 2013, 02:57:29 PM »

He batch sparges, which is why I was confused on how a longer time spent sparging would increase efficiency.

With either method, it would increase efficiency if conversion isn't complete at the end of the mash rest.

True. I was making a quick assumption that conversion was complete after 60 minutes.

178

All Grain Brewing / Re: more efficiency questions...

« on: January 22, 2013, 02:05:27 PM »

Crush is definitely a big factor, but I'd think the original crush would have to be truly awful in order for it to be possible to get a 20% boost in efficiency. Kai's experiments showed a maximum variation of ~10%.

My crush was 'truly awful' before I tightened up my mill. I went from a range of 61%-78% to nearly consistently getting 85%.

(I thought my mill could not be adjusted because it wouldn't turn - turns out I just needed some man strength to get it to move! Had the boyfriend loosen it up for me so I could adjust it and then he cranked it down again. #womanbrewerproblems )

179

All Grain Brewing / Re: Big beer efficiency and fermentation question

« on: January 22, 2013, 01:59:50 PM »

You don't say whether you fly sparge or or batch sparge, but if you batch sparge a longer sparge won't make any difference.

He batch sparges, which is why I was confused on how a longer time spent sparging would increase efficiency.

At any rate, the main factors for increasing my efficiency (even on 1.070+ beers) was a tighter crush (thanks Denny!) and a thinner mash. I mash nearly everything at 2 qts/lb if my 10 gallon mash tun can hold it.

180

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Apartment Home Brewing

« on: January 21, 2013, 11:16:46 AM »

Brewing anywhere inside also requires good ventilation and airflow. Hopefully one will have a hood vent that communicates outside so the steam has somewhere to go. It would be near-raining in my efficiency...

During the winter, my windows drip with condensation. I just crack 'em open and carry on!