Messages

1

Kegging and Bottling / Re: 2.5 gallon corny post size?

« on: January 19, 2013, 04:14:45 PM »

you're on the right track, Tom!  Don't know why it never ocurred to me to try swapping the gas\liquid connectors.  Sure enough, the posts were switched by the previous owner!  So, a quick swap and everything's right again.

Let me serve as a cautionary tale for any lacking common sense 

2

Kegging and Bottling / 2.5 gallon corny post size?

« on: January 19, 2013, 03:43:43 PM »

Hey all, I have a beautiful little 2.5 gallon corny that I'd love to put beer in. Unfortunately, none of my liquid disconnects fit the OUT posts (have several other 5 gall cornies). I've heard some just take a little more effort to pop on that others, but even with keg lube on the o-ring and using all my weight, it will not pop on - afraid I'm going to break it.

Are there different sized posts that I need a different disconnect for, or do I just need to use a mallet to pound the thing on?

Cheers!
 - Ryan

3

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Alt suddenly tastes like aspirin

« on: December 16, 2011, 11:01:52 AM »

Yeah, it's been carbed and pouring fine at ~8psi.  With the flavor coming on near the end of the keg, I wondered if the ratio of airspace to liquid somehow resulted in greater C02 saturation in the beer, but the C02 will only saturate to equilibrium of it's environment, right?

The only other time I've tasted something distinctly similar was with a Mild I brewed which I mashed way too low only, so after it was carbed, there was this thin, seltzer-water quality that was very noticeable.  Maybe that was acetic acid too?

4

General Homebrew Discussion / Alt suddenly tastes like aspirin

« on: December 16, 2011, 10:36:29 AM »

In a matter of days my kegged Alt has turned to tasting like water with a bottle of ground aspirin mixed in.   It was alway dry and bitter (hopped above style guidelines with early and late Hallertau additions), but has since taken a definite turn from the floral, earthy hopiness that it was originally pimping.  I even had family who aren't beer drinkers asking for second or third samples at a party last weekend - now it's got a aspirin, or alka-selzter-like bite. 

With the time that's passed (kegged for ~5 wks), I'm guessing it's an infection of some sort, but have not yet found what causes a strong flavor of aspirin.

My serving lines could stand a cleaning - they are a little discolored from a Stout I brewed a year ago - would beerstone be causing this and if so, wouldn't that just affect the small amount of beer actually in the line?
Any suggestions are welcome!

5

Yeast and Fermentation / Computer Controllable yeast....

« on: November 08, 2011, 02:25:59 PM »

http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/8/2547642/computer-controllable-yeast

So is the suggestion here that say, one could reduce (or increase) ester production regardless of wort temperature (within reason)?  Or kick the Dupont strain in the ass to finish that Saison without all the messin around it typically does? 

6

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: yeast selection for an Alt: Notty vs. German Ale?

« on: October 23, 2011, 02:16:06 PM »

Thanks for the info and encouragement guys!

7

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: yeast selection for an Alt: Notty vs. German Ale?

« on: October 21, 2011, 02:30:25 PM »

an update on this beer and a question:

My fermentor got up to 64 for ~6 hrs yesterday (forgot to swap out an ice pack in the water bath) after having sat at 61 since early Monday when active fermentation was underway.  Was I enough through the ester-producing primary phase by yesterday (36-40 hrs) to have avoided any unwanted esters for this one?

Can't do anything about it now, so I'm relaxing and having a homebrew, just wondering if my expectation of a nice, clean Alt isn't realistic.

8

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: yeast selection for an Alt: Notty vs. German Ale?

« on: October 17, 2011, 02:15:30 PM »

Don't know if I'll get down to 55F, but was at 62F (and hopefully still falling) this morning in an ice water bath.  Brewed yesterday and krausen forming this morning, hopefully I will have kept the esters\etc at bay!

9

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: yeast selection for an Alt: Notty vs. German Ale?

« on: October 17, 2011, 01:20:31 PM »

well said, Skyler - don't know why I wasn't thinking about that.  Mouthfeel and flavor compounds sometimes dramatically affect taste.

I'm reminded of a filtered bottle of Gulden Draak in a promotional Belgian Beer Pack that was decidedly lifeless compared to the bottle conditioned versions I've had.  Then there's my recent toasted Malt Amber that lost some nice complexity after it cleared - wasn't bad bright, but the change was noticeable.

10

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: yeast selection for an Alt: Notty vs. German Ale?

« on: October 14, 2011, 09:37:48 AM »

Thanks for the info Kieth - I will give this one a couple weeks in the fridge and hit it with gelatin as I would like to see it sparkling clear.  Just didn't know if traditionally the clarity was a presentation thing, or if as with lagers, flavor development during cold storage was a required attribute of the finished beer.  I'm guessing some of both

and Dave, just fyi - I'm doing a run of Danstar beers (2 with Windsor, 2 with Notty) just to compare to Fermentis products and have had excellent results.  They have also changed up their packaging which I heard was a part of their improved QC processes.  I do hear you on having US-05 around though - an awesome and easy yeast to use.

11

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: yeast selection for an Alt: Notty vs. German Ale?

« on: October 12, 2011, 08:10:42 PM »

Well, that is good to know - think I'll still stick with the 1007 this time around since I've never used it, but in case of an emergency, good to know 1056 will do the job!

More of a style-specific conditioning question Denny, but do you just cold crash your Alts to clear them, use finings, drink it cloudy?  I was shooting for clear, so was planning on using finings, but if extended cold-conditioning improves the flavor, then I may skip that step and let the yeast do it's thing.

12

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: yeast selection for an Alt: Notty vs. German Ale?

« on: October 10, 2011, 01:03:31 PM »

Well, that was easy - I now have no reasonable defense for taking the easy way out of this one with the dry yeast.  Thanks for holding me accountable guys - 1007 it is! 

13

Yeast and Fermentation / yeast selection for an Alt: Notty vs. German Ale?

« on: October 10, 2011, 10:46:43 AM »

Putting together a traditional Dusseldorf Alt to be brewed this weekend.  Actually, by the time I use the Hallertau I have, might be pushing into Sticke territory with hop-profile.  Was curious if spending the extra $ and 'trouble' to build a starter with WY1007 \WLP036 would be worthwhile over using some Nottingham I already have?

Everything I read is that  the German yeasts are clean, moderately attenuative, and low floccing - pretty similar, if not identical to what I get out of Nottingham which can also ferment on the low temp range.  I will probably mash higher if using the Notty due to it's higher attentuation.

Hoping to hear of experiences with both - thanks!

14

Equipment and Software / Re: Keg Conversion

« on: September 06, 2011, 02:57:02 PM »

Excellent - that answers my question.  Thanks, Tom!

Of course, one benefit of the keg fermenter is being able to boil to sanitize - not gonna work well with a stick-on thermometer, me thinks 

15

Equipment and Software / Re: Keg Conversion

« on: September 06, 2011, 10:26:02 AM »

I too, would love to hear a report on how this thing works.

Until I can afford the above gadget, anyone know if a stick-on thermometer would give an accurate reading for fermentations?  Concerned the keg walls would be too thick to measure accurately.

Loving the idea of closed C02 transfers, both from process control and back-saving standpoints (i.e. lifting a full fermenter to siphoning-height), but don't use carboys.  However, with these couple sankeys sitting here...