Messages

1

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Bottling in growlers

« on: May 09, 2013, 07:51:52 AM »

I've filled the swing top, jug handled many times with no ill effects. Mostly when i rack to a 5 gallon corney and have some leftover, I'll put the excess in a growler and bottle condition. If your using screw top growlers or even the swing tops for that matter, if there's a concern you can always bleed off the excess pressure.

2

All Grain Brewing / Re: Batch sparging: what % efficiency drop due to too hot sparge temp

« on: May 09, 2013, 07:20:17 AM »

I did a Gratzer yesterday and Adjusted my mash water with lactic acid. Towards the end of alpha rest i noticed PH was still a little high so I added some saur malt for the last 15 minutes. It got my ph down but would it have been  better to adjust at the beginning of the mash?  I dont have a problem getting 94% efficiency and i fly sparge.

3

Equipment and Software / Thinking of swapping burners

« on: April 23, 2013, 11:59:05 AM »

I have a Camp Chef burner i use to heat my strike/sparge water, and a Blichmann burner for my boil kettle. What would be the pros and cons of swapping them? My thought is the blichmann burner has nearly double the amount of holes making it a hotter (and probably more fuel), while the Camp Chef uses less fuel and has no problem doing good boils. Only other thought is Blichmann can get my wort to a boil faster resulting in a better hot break.
Your thoughts.

4

Equipment and Software / Re: Primary without an airlock

« on: April 23, 2013, 11:44:27 AM »

Just made me think. What if you just took a brand new cooler, lathered the whole thing with StarSan, and pitched directly in the cooler.
...Hmmmm(the sound of wheels turning)... what if i could make my chest freezer a sanitary watertight/beertight, temperature controlled  lagering tank?
Any ideas?
Seriously though, I have a 15 gallon glass wine carboy-type vessel which is just a wee wider than my chest freezer. I like to occasionally do 10+ G. batches and i don't like having to split batches into 2 or more fermenters (carboys).     

5

Kegging and Bottling / Re: beer line formula???

« on: April 23, 2013, 08:12:43 AM »

Length of the gas line is irrelevant.  Length of the liquid line to the tap is important.  The longer the line, the further you have to push the beer (more resistance) which reduces pressure at the tap and gives you a nice pour.  To much pressure and the beer shoots out and you have a cup of foam.

Aha moment! This explains why my beer gun filler with its 2' beerline hose always produces so much foam. I'm gonna bottle a FC'bd AIPA using a longer hose and see how that works. Thanks, once again for clearing up that mystery.

Starting long and reducing to what works for your system is the best way to go.

My wife agrees!

6

Kegging and Bottling / Re: beer line formula???

« on: April 23, 2013, 06:22:52 AM »

Guess i dont understand the relevance to the length if hose. Are we talking about the gas line or the line going to the tap? Fluid dynamics is one (of many) of my weak points. And what length should you use when filling bottles?

7

All Grain Brewing / Re: Dry Hopping

« on: April 23, 2013, 06:10:56 AM »

My AIPA is about 80% done with attenuation according to the hydrometer.  There is still a layer of krausen riding on top of the beer. 

This is the perfect time IMO. There is oxygen in the hops, even pellets. dry hopping while you still have a little fermentation going on will "scrub" the O2.

8

All Grain Brewing / Re: Angry Beer?

« on: April 23, 2013, 06:05:23 AM »

A German brewer-friend of mine once called them "cloverknuckles". Just tried Googling but doesn't match.
A good sign IMO; should drop out in a couple days.
 

9

Yeast and Fermentation / Wlp029 got hot on me

« on: April 22, 2013, 08:45:10 AM »

Brewing a Kolsch; pitched a 1 gallon starter at 64. It's going great after a brief lag time, but the temp is up to almost 70. Is this from the fermentation activity? It's only been fermenting for about12 hours. Gonna try and drop the temp.

10

All Grain Brewing / Re: Ph questions for a Kolsch

« on: April 21, 2013, 09:41:15 AM »

Yes, 5.5 mash ph (at room temp.)
I'm about halfway through my sparse right now. Think adding acid to my sparge water will make any difference?

11

All Grain Brewing / Ph questions for a Kolsch

« on: April 21, 2013, 07:38:45 AM »

For a 12 gallon batch (18lbs grain) i added 1.25tsp. lactic acid to 6.5 gal. strike water for a Ph of 5.5. a 90 min. rest at 150*.
Should also add acid to my sparge water?

12

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Topping off a fermenter

« on: April 19, 2013, 05:45:37 AM »

Just remember, if you are adding water boiled or not you airate well. Boiling removes oxygen, you need to put it back.

13

Beer Recipes / Hopping a Kolsch

« on: April 18, 2013, 05:55:11 AM »

Doing a Kolsch this weekend and wanted your thoughts about hopping.
Here's what i came up with for 12 gallons:
   Amount     Name                              Form    Alpha  IBU  Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1.00 oz.    Hallertau                         Pellet   4.30   8.7  First WH
  1.00 oz.    Hallertau                         Pellet   4.30   8.8  60 min.
  1.00 oz.    Hallertau                         Pellet   4.30   4.5  30 min.
  0.50 oz.    Spalt                             Pellet   4.30   1.5  20 min.
  0.50 oz.    Spalt                             Pellet   4.30   0.7  1 min.
Should be about 24 IBUs. Last time i brewed i used all Hersbruker. What are your thoughts?

14

Ingredients / Re: Wyeast Nutrient Blend how much to use?

« on: April 18, 2013, 05:48:34 AM »

Well, as Mr Garrison says: "there are no stupid questions, only stupid people". Thanks everyone!

15

Ingredients / Wyeast Nutrient Blend how much to use?

« on: April 17, 2013, 05:39:17 AM »

Directions say .5 tsp. per 5 gallons. So if I want to make a starter .1tsp per gallon? Also, If i use in a starter, should I also use in my wort?