Messages

136

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Today's screw up...

« on: July 29, 2012, 08:37:57 PM »

The brew gremlins were everywhere this weekend. I and another club member did a demo brew at the local County Farmers Market on Saturday. First, while he was checking temp with my digital thermometer, I watched as I saw the thermometer slide from his grasp in slow mo and sink to the bottom of the boil kettle. Second, his ex drops off the 2 year old because she has some work issue and can't find a sitter. You know 2 year olds are pretty curious and unbeknownst to me, she has cracked the valve open on the boil kettle. I'm busy talking to market patrons and notice something leaking underneath my truck (we were brewing on the tailgate).....what the hell is that I wonder. When it occurs to me how sticky it is, I holler "the valve is open." Instead of closing the valve, my partner in comedy goes running for another kettle to catch it in. We end up sacrificing 3 gals of fist runnings to the asphalt gods. A much lengthened boil time later we end up with a 7 gal batch instead of 11, but did at least manage to hit the right OG.

137

Events / Re: Pilsner Urquell Masters Chicago finals

« on: July 27, 2012, 03:10:25 PM »

Well done, Here's to ya! PU has always been one of my favorites, but i have never brewed a BoPils successfully. I keep ending up with pretty decent German Pils. You inspire me to keep on trying though.
Thanks for passing on the tips.
Cheers

138

Ingredients / Re: Hop Hoarder

« on: July 27, 2012, 08:45:53 AM »

Don't hops go bad? Do you hoarders use vacuum sealers? I just put them in ziplocks and try to get as much air out as I can.

I vacuum seal them and keep them in a freezer.

+1

139

Ingredients / Re: Hop Hoarder

« on: July 27, 2012, 08:35:11 AM »

I won't admit I have a problem yet, but my garage beer fridge/freezer can't hold any more hops. There's currently a conflict brewing between food and hops in the house freezer. And fall harvest isn't too far away.

I'm up to four freezers. 2 for food and 2 for beer. Hops have already moved to the food freezer .......WTHeck...beer is food...why should there even be a conflict. I think I just solved another problem

140

Going Pro / Re: OK, we DID it!

« on: July 21, 2012, 09:43:00 AM »

Way to go!

+1   Keep us posted on how you're doing.  Fun to share the excitement here with you.

141

Beer Recipes / Re: Recipe help please

« on: July 20, 2012, 10:24:20 AM »

Just as a matter of interest, what comm'l beers are readily available that use Summit hops? I'd like to try a couple.

142

Beer Recipes / Re: Recipe help please

« on: July 20, 2012, 10:03:15 AM »

This is an interesting situation.....opposing viewpoints from two people I hugely respect. As Gordon has nailed my
tasting experience with the "stanky feet" commentary and given it a  perfect descriptor, I'm going to steer clear of the Summit hops for this batch. I'll see if I can nab an ounce or two to do a little experiment and determine if Summit is the reason I am repulsed by some beers I have tasted that I believe are using it. Thanks for your input everyone......and Keith, am I to take away from this that you are NOT fond of Summit.

143

Beer Recipes / Re: Recipe help please

« on: July 19, 2012, 10:50:42 PM »

FWIW I hate summit hops. I have never had a beer made with them that I could enjoy. Total personal preference. I know folks who love them.

I haven't used them, but when I have had beers that do, I also have not liked them. I'm wondering if the objectionable flavors are a result of long boil times. Maybe the Griffin Spit would work because of the later additions. I'm thinking an experiment would be in order, but I'm not sure I want to put my name on a 25 gal.batch that I'm experimenting with. Might just try a small batch with some and see what happens. I've got time.

144

Beer Recipes / Re: Recipe help please

« on: July 19, 2012, 04:33:29 PM »

FWIW, I love Summit hops!

Bitter and/or aroma?

Both.  One of my all time favorite recipes is a past Big Brew recipe called "Griffin Spit" (it's in the wiki).  Uses all Summit hops, all at 20 min. or less.  Wonderful tangerine aroma/flavor.

Hmmm. Thanks Denny.

145

Beer Recipes / Re: Recipe help please

« on: July 19, 2012, 11:25:09 AM »

roast some of the pale malt, or get some roast malt, use just enough of the summit to bitter a little and the other hops near the end.  shoot for medium to dark amber, lower ibu and use the london yeast and  i think you could get somewhere along the profile of a scottish, but with a more pronounced ending hop flavor, aroma.  something kind of unique and not provided by anyone else

Good thinking Don....I was sort of pondering the possibility of a N. Eng. Brown too.

146

Beer Recipes / Re: Recipe help please

« on: July 19, 2012, 11:22:42 AM »

FWIW, I love Summit hops!

Bitter and/or aroma?

147

Beer Recipes / Re: Recipe help please

« on: July 19, 2012, 10:44:03 AM »

If it were me I'd go English IPA using the Summit for bittering and the Glacier and EKG's for flavor/aroma.

Oops, forgot to mention...no IPA, Cream Ale or Porter is to be made as those will be supplied by a comm'l brewer.
Thanks for your input though, that would have been my first choice too.

148

Beer Recipes / Recipe help please

« on: July 19, 2012, 09:35:53 AM »

I will be brewing 25 gals of beer for an event. Ingredients provided are Gambrinus Pale malt, whatever specialty ingredients I want in reasonable quantities, and the following hops...Kent Golding, Summit and Glacier. American Ale Yeast or London Ale Yeast.

Another person has already committed to brewing an English style bitter for this event, so it needs to be different.

I have never used Summit hops. I've read a lot of negative comments from folks about them. The person providing the ingredients uses a fair amount of Summit and I'm not in love with many of his beers.

I'd love some thoughts on what some of you would brew constrained to these two yeasts and 3 hops varieties...

Thanks.

149

The Pub / Re: "Homebrewers" (insert eyeroll)

« on: July 16, 2012, 09:34:20 AM »

Believe me, 90% of the time I'm ecstatic to talk beer with anyone, for any length of time (as anyone I met at NHC can probably attest).

OMG...you're a real person!!!!!  I thought you were just some loquacious incarnation of beer verbosity created to entertain people at the NHC. ;-)

150

All Grain Brewing / Re: How much of a difference does mash thickness make?

« on: July 10, 2012, 09:56:47 AM »

I think it makes no sense....

You and my DH. Before the NHC I specifically tried to instruct him to pay attention and not order the "D"s
and the "I"s. (He's a session bitter and IPA drinker and has little idea or interest in what all the other stuff is)
He spent a lot of time on his own and sure enough I found him slurring ;-).......but happy.