Messages

1

All Grain Brewing / Re: Collecting Cooling Water for Future Brews

« on: May 18, 2013, 08:57:39 PM »

I've been using it to water flowers, the lawn, hops, and using it to clean equipment.  Yet, as I was watering the flowers this evening, I was wondering if anyone used the water in their next brew.  I probably would need to use a RV hose instead of a garden hose to hook up to my IC.

2

All Grain Brewing / Collecting Cooling Water for Future Brews

« on: May 18, 2013, 08:32:05 PM »

Does anyone collect and save the water they use to cool their worts and use that water for the mash and/or sparge for future brews?  If so, how do you collect and save your water?  Is there any negatives in doing this? 

I currently don't do an treatments to my water and just use the good ole' tap water here in Aurora, CO.  One day I'll get around to getting my water analyzed and adjusting my water where needed. 

3

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: New Belgium Rolle Bolle

« on: May 16, 2013, 08:39:55 AM »

I wish that the seasonals, especially from them, would stay the same for more than a year or two. I personally like the anticipation of a good seasonal instead of ones that are continually changing. I used to love their old spring seasonal Mighty Arrow and every once since it has been a bit of a disappointment to me.

I agree regarding their seasonals, but understand why they would want to rotate them.  I really liked their winter seasonal 2 Below, but they haven't brewed that for a few years now.  Snow Day is good, but 2 Below was much better in my opinion.

Rolle Bolle is good.  My wife liked it more than I did, but she is in love with Dry Dock's Apricot Ale, so I don't think we'll be buying any Rolle Bolle anytime soon.

4

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: When did you switch to all grain?

« on: May 15, 2013, 08:48:35 AM »

I switched to all grain after my 3rd batch of extract.  From all the great advice from the guys at my LHBS and the members of this board, I realized how easy it was to do brew all grain batches.  Brewing all grain can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be.  If brewing all grain meant you had to have a fully automated RIMS system to brew, then I'd still be doing extract brews.

Edit:  Then again, maybe one day I'll have a fully automated RIMS system

5

The Pub / Re: Best TV theme song

« on: May 15, 2013, 07:02:52 AM »

I just asked my daughter what her favorite cartoon song is and she said "Ruby Gloom"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myC9XOT0NlA  Really catchy tune that my daughter loves to dance to.  I work from home which allows me to be a stay-at-home dad, so my head is full of cartoon songs!

6

The Pub / Re: Best TV theme song

« on: May 15, 2013, 06:56:26 AM »

4 pages and no mention of Gilligan's Island?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfR7qxtgCgY

Because I have a 3-yr-old daughter, I just have to add the Bubble Guppies theme song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCngw7y3sVM  That show has some very catchy tunes and I catch my self singing those damn Bubble Guppies songs throughout the day! 

7

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: dry hopping for the first time

« on: May 13, 2013, 05:25:08 PM »

If you haven't already done so, you don't have to transfer your beer to a secondary fermenter.  You can just leave it in your primary fermenter, open and drop in your pellets.  I keep a spray bottle of sanitizer and will spray the outside of the cap and airlock before I take it out.  Then again, I don't do this all the time and I haven't had any issues opening the fermenter to drop in the pellets. 

Yes, just drop in the pellets for the last 4 days if you want to go by the recipe.  I normally dry hop 7 - 10 days and have left them in for up to 14 days once.

8

Hop Growing / Re: Bine Culling

« on: May 13, 2013, 12:21:03 PM »

My first year also.  I've been told by several others to pick the 2-3 best shoots and cut the rest. 

9

All Grain Brewing / Re: Grains on hand

« on: May 13, 2013, 11:42:02 AM »

Besides 2-Row, maybe some wheat or MO. 

I keep white wheat on hand since my wife really likes the different wheat beers I brew for her...actually, she's starting to brew with me so I should say all the different wheat beers she likes to brew.

Since I'm starting to brew with it more often, I also keep Maris Otter in stock.  Other than that I usually just get all my specialty grains at my LHBS when I need them.

10

The Pub / Re: Fun stuff you find when you google yourself

« on: May 12, 2013, 09:09:27 PM »

I see a little Vince Neil there.  Was planning on attending the Magic City Brew Fest in a couple weeks, but plans fell through and will be making my way to B'ham to visit family the end of summer instead.  Hope to attend next year.

11

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Almost there - AL senate gives passage to homebrew bill

« on: May 10, 2013, 09:42:33 AM »

the part that drives a pick up truck and eats bbq

Like Texas, and most of the south, that's the entire state.

After living in Bama' for 8 years (2 in B'ham and 6 in Mobile), I'd agree that the entire state is like that, but that's not a bad thing.  I've been in CO for 8 years now and although I have a truck, man do I miss that BBQ.  Archibalds in Tuscaloosa, The Brick Pit in Mobile, Dreamland, Big Bob Gibson's in Decatur, Moe's and Full Moon and Saw's in B'ham, Down South in Foley, etc...  I won't mention Jim n' Nick's since we have one her in Denver.  I also can't put Mike & Ed's or Byron's Smokehouse on the list since they are located in auburn and anything that comes out of auburn just sucks...Roll Tide!

12

Going Pro / Re: Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery (2nd Edition)

« on: May 10, 2013, 09:01:32 AM »

Here's the book the guys on probrewer.com rave about, and it's only $20: http://www.lulu.com/shop/tom-hennessy/brewery-operations-manual/paperback/product-20402206.html

Thanks for that link!  Just ordered.

Me too

Just placed my order too, thanks!

13

Equipment and Software / Re: Canner

« on: May 09, 2013, 03:30:24 PM »

Now that would be a nice upgrade to have!  My wife would be all the help I need to talk me out of a purchase like that.  Then again, she's starting to brew with me and has been on board with my last few upgrades

14

Going Pro / Re: Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery (2nd Edition)

« on: May 09, 2013, 06:39:37 AM »

I'm not planning buy this book from any retailer at the moment so the price difference doesn't bother me in any way. 

That said, the dues we pay to the AHA are used for far more than discounts on books.  I pay my dues because doing so supports a team of people who have our backs as home brewers.  Without them many of us would be brewing illegally in our home state.  We would not have access to the resources we currently do to improve our craft.  The book discounts are nice but not the reason we all joined the AHA.  Please keep in mind that in the grand scheme of things the AHA is a tiny organization with limited resources doing a very good job on executing on their charter.

Paul

Couldn't have put it better.  I ordered the book through the BA Store and although I don't foresee myself going commercial anytime, it should be interesting to find out what all goes into the process of opening a brewery.

15

Equipment and Software / Re: Upgrade

« on: May 08, 2013, 05:48:42 PM »

Another carboy or bucket.  Every time I think I have enough carboys, I need another.