Messages

1

Pimp My System / Re: I'M CHEAP, NO PUMPS, ALL GRAVITY 15 GAL

« on: May 23, 2013, 12:17:47 PM »

The garage space alone (with floor drains and storage for everything) is to die for.

+1!  I would love to have that much garage space and a drain.  Great set up.

2

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Belle Saison Dry Yeast

« on: May 22, 2013, 09:18:37 AM »

...I believe it needs a little more something so I am going to spice it, perhaps with lemongrass or even dill or basil or something odd like that maybe.  Perhaps even some olde gruit herbs.

At a recent "Homebrewer's Night" at my LHBS, I tried a cucumber basil ale that was actually really good.  Not sure that I would drink more than one, but it was a lot better than I expected.  I don't think I'm brave enough to brew up a basil beer, but as I was drinking it all I could think of is that it would go real nice with some good spicy Thai food.

As for the Bell Saison Yeast, I keep meaning to pick some up and with the results from this thread, I'll make sure to look for it next time I'm at my LHBS.  Thanks to everyone positing their results with this yeast!

3

All Grain Brewing / Re: Water to Grist Ratio

« on: May 22, 2013, 09:10:31 AM »

When I first started doing all grain, I was using the "standard" 1.25qt/lb ratio.  After about 6 months, I switched to 2qt/lb and my efficiency went from the mid-high 70's to the low 80's.  I've recently done ratios at 1.5/lb and my efficiency was just over 82%, so not much of a difference with 1.5/lb and 2/lb.  I haven't gone back and tried a mash of 1.25/lb, so maybe it was something else that changed my efficiency, however, the grist ratio was the only factor that I changed. 

Also, with my batch sparge/ cooler system, when I use 2qt/lb I get equal amounts of first runnings (mash) and second runnings (sparge).  When I was using 1.25qt/lb, I was getting  a much lower amount of first runnings than compared to the second.

4

The Pub / Re: I think this is the best lead I have ever heard Joe Bonamassa play

« on: May 22, 2013, 08:02:48 AM »

This isn't too bad either:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX14smq21HE.  Then again, playing next to Warren Haynes is never a bad thing!

5

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

« on: May 22, 2013, 07:39:51 AM »

just make sure you are using an RV hose or other potable water hose to connect to your cooling water source.  regular hose water is NASTY.

Thanks Blatz, I thought of that and getting an RV hose today.  I just moved up from 3 gal batches to 5 gal batches and started doing my boils in the garage w/ a burner.  I still heat my mash and sparge water on the stove in the kitchen, so I'v been looking for an RV hose recently so that I can fill my water in the garage.

6

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

« on: May 21, 2013, 10:01:51 AM »

I actually just did this a couple weeks ago. The water sat overnight then I used the water for brewing 2 more batches. I collected the water in a 20 gallon food safe garbage can. The wort from both batches tasted good. Now to taste the beers since they are done fermenting!
Cheers,
Brandon

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks, I'm going to give it a go this weekend.  Gonna save the water from Saturday's brew and use it for the mash and sparge for the Sunday brew. 

7

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

« on: May 20, 2013, 12:42:30 PM »

some pro brewers run the hot chilling water right into the tun for the next mash. Why waste the heat? but your' just talking about saving it till you brew again some other day. Get some big 5 gallon jugs if you want. It's never a bad idea to have 10-15 gallons of drinking water available.

Your right, I was thinking about using the collected water for mash and/or sparge for another day.  I usually brew 3-4 times a month, so the water would sit around for a week at most. 

8

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.

9

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. 

10

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.

11

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

12

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!

13

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! 

14

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.

15

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.