Messages

31

General Homebrew Discussion / Brewing water in CO

« on: February 14, 2013, 07:10:31 PM »

My wife and I have been looking into buying a second home in Colorado. The house we are looking at is on a well but at a high elevation. I am conscious of the demand home brewing (and in my case all grain) could put on the well. But if I were a resident is it lawful to fill water from streams and take it to my home brew home on the hill?

32

All Grain Brewing / Re: where do you take mash pH?

« on: February 14, 2013, 09:36:35 AM »

Gordon Strong recommends taking your Ph at the beginning of your mash and reading AT MASH TEMPERATURE,  NOT COOLING. Cooled sweet wort is going to read~.35 higher.

33

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Rehydrating Dry Yeast

« on: February 14, 2013, 09:20:30 AM »

when rehydrating dry yeast, using cooled boiled water, the fact that the O2 has been cooked off any concern?

34

Yeast and Fermentation / Lagering question for Steam beer

« on: January 14, 2013, 08:02:04 AM »

Doing an Anchor Steam clone; been in primary for about a week @~64F. Just tasted some and i am not pickng up any diacetyl and i think fermentation is done. So what next? do i cold crash? lager? or simply keg, force and serve?

35

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Stir plate question

« on: January 03, 2013, 01:24:27 PM »

Cool thanks, My gallon of WLP810 Is on its way to the fridge.

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Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Stir plate question

« on: January 03, 2013, 01:16:19 PM »

How long do you use the stir plate after fermentation begins? do you run it till the bubbles stop?

...I tightly seal the foil on top and off she goes for cold crashing.

Do you bother cold crashing if you are planning on brewing in the next few days or would that be if you wanted it to keep longer?

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Yeast and Fermentation / Stir plate question

« on: January 03, 2013, 08:25:11 AM »

How long do you use the stir plate after fermentation begins? do you run it till the bubbles stop?

38

Ingredients / Re: Gratzer Water

« on: November 16, 2012, 07:11:09 AM »

I found the Weizenrauchmalz at Rebel Brewer and I'm going to brew it this weekend. I'm using WPL029 and going with Hallertaur.
Martin suggests boiling. Do i simply boil all my mash/sparge water (about 10 gal.) or do I need to decant as well?

39

All Grain Brewing / Re: HERMS vs RIMS

« on: November 16, 2012, 06:53:24 AM »

Yeah, TOP is a little spendy; I just want the flow rate/ alarm but dont know where to find one.

40

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Pot beer could be next high for some home brewers

« on: November 16, 2012, 06:50:22 AM »

indeed, anybody chooseing to use this plant for medical or recreational purposes would do well to do something other than smoking. While study after study seems to confirm that the risks associated with tobacco are lessened or even absent with MJ it'll still tear up your lungs and if you already have a lung related issue or are an athlete etc.

Enter the vaporizer. I have made several batches using Rosemary (dry hopped about 20g.) but that's for flavor and aroma. Personally I like to keep the two (alcohol and cannabis) separate, and by the time you start to feel the effects of the THC in your beer, you've already ingested far too much to be enjoyable.
FWIW, PBW does an excellent job cleaning glassware. Just sayin'.

41

Beer Recipes / Re: Mash 100% Wheat

« on: November 14, 2012, 10:24:39 AM »

I recently brewed an all wheat beer and it converted just fine. lots of enzymes in wheat malt.

now, the runoff, that's another issue. flow, stuck, stir, flow, stuck... took forever to runoff. should have used rice hulls.

gonna use rice hulls for sure. thanks for the advice.

42

All Grain Brewing / Re: HERMS vs RIMS

« on: November 14, 2012, 10:20:50 AM »

Design the wiring so there's no current going to the heat element unless the pump is running. additionally a flow rate alarm like Blichmann's TOP prevents scorching should you get a stuck mash.

43

All Grain Brewing / Re: HERMS vs RIMS

« on: November 14, 2012, 09:32:35 AM »

Still stuck with going with either electric RIMS or electric HERMS.  Need to figure that out so I can finish planning my build.

RIMS IMO is easier cleanup. I use a shop vac to clean the mash tun and backflush/recirculate everything, including counterflow wort chiller with five star liquid line cleaner followed by a hot rinse. I guess a HERMS wouldnt be much different- back flushing a coil of tubing versus a heating element in a 18"X1.5" copper pipe.

44

Beer Recipes / Mash 100% Wheat

« on: November 14, 2012, 09:22:29 AM »

I want to do a Gratzer (see Zymurgy Nov/Dec 2012 page 37). I always thought Wheat malt (in this case Weyermann Weizenrauchmalz) lacked enough enzymes to get a full conversion. What do you think?

45

All Grain Brewing / Re: HERMS vs RIMS

« on: November 14, 2012, 09:04:22 AM »

I built a RIMS and use propane for HLT and BK; electric for pimps PID and heat element. i looked at The Electric Brewery site and was impressed. My only concern with going all-electric is this: I tend to brew on cold, windy/rainy days. our power goes out pretty easily around here so if the lights go out i'm screwed. Whereas gas at least can get me through the process.
So how much of a cost difference are we talking (percentage-wise)? If it is significant, i could see upgrading and getting a generator for backup. And how long would it take to re coupe the $$s just needed for the upfit? The generator i could justify because that can be used for other things like chest freezer (fermentation) and simple house power needs.