511
Equipment and Software / Re: Brewing Software App for Droids?
« on: March 13, 2012, 10:03:29 am »
yeah, I use brewzor for a lot of the calculations I am trying to make when I am at the LHBS or while brewing.
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512
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Beer of the Week
« on: March 13, 2012, 09:53:00 am »
as far as I know, freezing in glass is ok as long as there is somewhere for the expansion to go. also, don't flame the top when you pour out the liquid. I have done it with a growler, and I had no issues.
AFAIK, Freeze concentration is considered legal, and not considered distillation, because you can't really get much above 20% ABV. However, IANAL.
AFAIK, Freeze concentration is considered legal, and not considered distillation, because you can't really get much above 20% ABV. However, IANAL.
513
Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Favorite Commerical Breweries
« on: March 09, 2012, 11:14:21 am »It's easier if I just stick with my favorite local places (alphabetically).
Big Time
Black Raven
Boundary Bay
Diamond Knot
Elliot Bay
Elysian
Everybody's
Fremont
Maritime Pacific
Naked City
Schooner Exact
I take this list and add
Silver City
Pike
13 you say?
A Baker's dozen of awesome.
514
All Grain Brewing / Re: My one hang-up before going all-grain...
« on: March 09, 2012, 10:53:03 am »
This is my ghetto-rigged way of doing all grain.
Heat strike water in my 7.5 gallon boil kettle to Strike temp +5.
Pour water into MLT, stir until the water drops to strike temp.
Add grain, confirm temp, close cooler.
Stay inside, teapot full of boiling water, and check every 15 minutes or so, adding boiling water when needed to maintain temp.
with about 40 minutes left in the mash, I put the sparge water in my boil kettle, and heat it to 175.
I pour the sparge water in my SS 5gal pot, and pick up my cooler and move it inside on the kitchen counter.
Then I run my first runnings into my boil kettle, start that heating up, and pour the sparge water into my MLT.
I run my second runnings back into my 5gallon pot, fill up the boil kettle to 6.5 gallons (so I don't boil over) and boil the rest (about a gallon) off on my kitchen stove.
Its not the best plan, but it keeps me inside most of the time, and it works with what I have. My next plan is to get a 15 gallon pot, so I can stop with all the fussing with boil overs.
Heat strike water in my 7.5 gallon boil kettle to Strike temp +5.
Pour water into MLT, stir until the water drops to strike temp.
Add grain, confirm temp, close cooler.
Stay inside, teapot full of boiling water, and check every 15 minutes or so, adding boiling water when needed to maintain temp.
with about 40 minutes left in the mash, I put the sparge water in my boil kettle, and heat it to 175.
I pour the sparge water in my SS 5gal pot, and pick up my cooler and move it inside on the kitchen counter.
Then I run my first runnings into my boil kettle, start that heating up, and pour the sparge water into my MLT.
I run my second runnings back into my 5gallon pot, fill up the boil kettle to 6.5 gallons (so I don't boil over) and boil the rest (about a gallon) off on my kitchen stove.
Its not the best plan, but it keeps me inside most of the time, and it works with what I have. My next plan is to get a 15 gallon pot, so I can stop with all the fussing with boil overs.
515
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 3/9 Edition
« on: March 07, 2012, 02:50:21 pm »
No brewing this weekend, but I am bottling an Altbier, and tossing some cascades in my American Amber.
516
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 3/2 Edition
« on: March 03, 2012, 01:54:35 pm »
First attempt at turning my Honey Brown Porter recipe from Extract to All grain. I forgot to grab the recipe before I went to the LHBS, so I just winged it. It will be beer!
517
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 2/24 Edition
« on: February 25, 2012, 09:47:55 am »
No brewing this weekend. 2 beers fermenting...
I am attending Washington Beer Open House today though, if the weather cooperates!
I am attending Washington Beer Open House today though, if the weather cooperates!
518
Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Brew day Starter?
« on: February 24, 2012, 11:30:47 pm »
I thought I would post my first impressions of the plan.
I felt like it worked really well, actually better than expected. At least for my light to middling ales, I think this is going to be my plan going forward.
I didn't take a pre-boil gravity reading on my second runnings, but based on my pre-boil reading for the total volume, I would say it was about 1.030, so pretty decent for a starter.
I was pitching the yeast into the starter with about 45-50 minutes left in the boil, because that starter wort got to a boil quick, and then cooled quickly as well.
As per usual, my wort chilling gets really sluggish around 75 degrees, so I pulled out the chiller and siphoned into the fermenter, and then put a stopper on it and set it outside to cool the rest of the way.
About 3 hours after siphoning, and 5 or so hours after pitching the starter, I started to see kraeusen building in my starter. 2 hours after that, it was pretty close to high kraeusen, and getting close to bedtime, so I pitched my whole starter into the wort, which was down to about 58 degrees. Moved the fermenter into my closet at 63, put an airlock in, and left it alone. 10 hours later, that yeast was trucking. As of today, still going strong, looks like 2-3 more days and I can add the dry hops, 1 week after that and it will be bottling time. I will report back again when I pull my final gravity sample before bottling to talk about the taste, and any off-flavors I noticed.
I felt like it worked really well, actually better than expected. At least for my light to middling ales, I think this is going to be my plan going forward.
I didn't take a pre-boil gravity reading on my second runnings, but based on my pre-boil reading for the total volume, I would say it was about 1.030, so pretty decent for a starter.
I was pitching the yeast into the starter with about 45-50 minutes left in the boil, because that starter wort got to a boil quick, and then cooled quickly as well.
As per usual, my wort chilling gets really sluggish around 75 degrees, so I pulled out the chiller and siphoned into the fermenter, and then put a stopper on it and set it outside to cool the rest of the way.
About 3 hours after siphoning, and 5 or so hours after pitching the starter, I started to see kraeusen building in my starter. 2 hours after that, it was pretty close to high kraeusen, and getting close to bedtime, so I pitched my whole starter into the wort, which was down to about 58 degrees. Moved the fermenter into my closet at 63, put an airlock in, and left it alone. 10 hours later, that yeast was trucking. As of today, still going strong, looks like 2-3 more days and I can add the dry hops, 1 week after that and it will be bottling time. I will report back again when I pull my final gravity sample before bottling to talk about the taste, and any off-flavors I noticed.
519
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Just had my first kolsh...
« on: February 24, 2012, 11:20:22 pm »
I don't have any experience on kolsch, so I am not going to comment on any of the recipes. However, I did just brew a Altbier that was on the light side (more Munich next time). Its currently lagering outside on my back patio, covered in a towel, and sitting in big bucket full of water. As far as I have noticed, the beer is down around 45 degrees or so, and I don't have too many temperature swings with the large amount of liquid (close to 15 gals) creating a lot of thermal mass. YMMV, especially if you live in warm areas.
520
Beer Travel / Orlando, FL
« on: February 19, 2012, 08:21:39 pm »
So the Army, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that the best place for me to go for a physical is Orlando FL. Since it is a free flight and hotel, I am hoping to get some great beer while I am out there. I will be there for 2 nights and 3 days, with really nothing to do after 4:30pm. I won't have a rental car, but I am totally able to walk a mile or so, and I am willing to take any public transportation. Also, some recommendations for good beer from FL that I can't get in WA would be great too, I plan on bringing back 4-5 bottles at least.
521
Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Coffee Stout - no carbonation
« on: February 18, 2012, 06:33:23 pm »Since you think some are fine and others don't have enough carb, it sounds like it could likely be a problem with evenly distributing the priming sugar. Normally, one boils the priming sugar in some water, cools it, dumps it in the bottling bucket, and then racks the beer on top. This usually mixes the sugar pretty evenly but, depending on the racking, maybe not. Also, it's a good idea to gently (don't want to oxygenate) give things a little stir while you're bottling. Is that your process? or are you doing it a different way?
+1
This sounds like a classic symptom of the priming sugar not being mixed properly. I recommend stirring a bit, for me its the only way to be sure that the sugar is evenly distributed.
522
Yeast and Fermentation / Brew day Starter?
« on: February 18, 2012, 01:19:52 pm »
So, I get all ready for brewing, I heat up my strike water, get out my grain, hops and start getting excited. I open my fridge, and see my lonely package of yeast with no starter... I am going to brew today, but I would rather not run down to the LHBS. Here's my plan, I would like to know your thoughts.
I am making a APA, and shooting for a 1.055 OG.
My plan is to add an extra .5 gallon of sparge water, and run that off into a pan, boil it for 5-10 minutes, cool it, and pitch my yeast. When it hits High Kraeusen, which should be sometime tonight or tomorrow morning, pitch the whole business. I figure that since it is the same grain bill as the beer, and I won't over oxygenate it, it won't affect the flavor of the beer so much. Any Ideas?
I am making a APA, and shooting for a 1.055 OG.
My plan is to add an extra .5 gallon of sparge water, and run that off into a pan, boil it for 5-10 minutes, cool it, and pitch my yeast. When it hits High Kraeusen, which should be sometime tonight or tomorrow morning, pitch the whole business. I figure that since it is the same grain bill as the beer, and I won't over oxygenate it, it won't affect the flavor of the beer so much. Any Ideas?
523
Ingredients / Re: Coffee Addition into Secondary
« on: February 18, 2012, 12:28:09 pm »
I made an espresso porter once by adding a shot (1oz) of fresh espresso at bottling to each pint of beer. It turned out really nice, with a distinct coffee flavor, but it was not overpowering and nice.
524
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 2/17 Edition
« on: February 17, 2012, 07:34:52 pm »
Making a APA with 35% Munich and only 5% crystal. Racking my Altbier to secondary, mostly to clear out fermenter space...
525
All Things Food / Re: Espresso Machines
« on: February 16, 2012, 07:50:43 am »
for actual Brands, I own a Rancilio Silvia. I got it with the grinder and some other stuff (it was a gift set) for $1000, but the machine itself was about $600. I have had it for about 2 1/2 years, and it is still going very strong. It pulls a great standard shot or double, and I haven't had any issues with the boiler or pump malfunctioning. We did have 1 small problem with the boiler not heating up, but it was an emergency switch that occasionally flips if you leave the boiler on too long, and the fix was simply pushing a button with a screwdriver.
I bought it from www.wholelattelove.com, which has a lot of good information and useful reviews.
I bought it from www.wholelattelove.com, which has a lot of good information and useful reviews.