Messages

1441

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Forced to buy beer

« on: July 20, 2010, 10:42:29 AM »

So I got curious and ran down to the store during lunch.  bottle date was 2/24/10 for 7.99.  I was going to try it but alas, the fiver in my wallet was not enough.

1442

All Grain Brewing / Re: First time all grain

« on: July 20, 2010, 10:40:40 AM »

those pictures on that "other" forum are pretty descriptive. I am not sure i like the valve right on top of the heat source. i guess nothing that good hot pad wouldnt protect you from.

1443

Equipment and Software / Re: Anybody use steam?

« on: July 20, 2010, 09:25:00 AM »

i have thought about doing something similar.  as long as you keep the pressure low should be reasonably safe.  the enthalpy of steam (heat energy) really goes up fas with pressure.  incidentaly, i see a lot of people seem to hacksaw or drill in their copper.  i think using a pipe cutter and just using it through a fraction of the circumference gives a little cleaner result. 

1444

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Forced to buy beer

« on: July 20, 2010, 09:21:28 AM »

it could be old. i didn't check the dates.  if you aren't in this area let me know maybe i can swing back by the store and grab some

1445

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Forced to buy beer

« on: July 19, 2010, 06:33:59 PM »

I'm sad they don't bottle the oatmeal stout anymore, I liked that beer alot. 

I think I sent a pm to brew - witch on accident. Anyway. just was in Lisle, IL  saw goose island oatmeal stout in a bottle. thought you may want to know

1446

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Membership Levels?

« on: July 15, 2010, 10:38:24 AM »

Just noticed, I may never be a denny member but at least I have a full member

1447

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Your own recipes, kits or other's recipes?

« on: July 15, 2010, 10:37:05 AM »

I spend more time thinking up recipes than I do actually getting around to brewing.  I have been planning a rhubarb and rye concoction ever since I had a rhubarb/strawberry jam peanut butter sandwhich on rye bread.  If I could actually find some time to try it I could move on to other things.  Like Drew, I think designing the beers is fun. I try not to get hung up on a style. Just what I think will taste good and refreshing.  of course go look at extreme brewing and radical brewing, or the homebrewer's garden for some unique stuff to try.

1448

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Forced to buy beer

« on: July 11, 2010, 10:25:07 PM »

interesting the bear of the day on my calendar is mission st. blonde ale.  again Trader Joes.

1449

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Forced to buy beer

« on: July 09, 2010, 11:37:08 AM »

glad to see others like the TJ beers.  the calender i referenced earlier said their dark mexican lager is pretty good too.  I will have to try it.  I don't think I could get through the blueberry if it is strong on the berry.  The only fruit beer i have liked was the blackberry wheat from Sam Adams.

1450

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Batches <5gal

« on: July 09, 2010, 10:58:42 AM »

yes you can. sometimes hop utilization may be a little different.  also depending on your rig,  it is about the same amount of work in terms of sanitation and cleanup to brew the 5gal.  some people lose some wort during the process and this amount doesn't change with size so you may lose 1 quart in 5 gallons and 1 quart in 2 gallons which makes a little bigger impact.

1451

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Forced to buy beer

« on: July 07, 2010, 10:35:28 AM »

my vienna has been reduced to cooking due to the mediciney/formaldehyde taste. so i stopped at trader joes and got a very servicable 6 pack of TJs vienna for just under 6 bucks.  that was on the 5th of july. interestingly enough it showed up as the beer of the day on the 6th of july daily beer calender i have.

i have defaulted to budweiser and sam adams from costco in emergency not too expensive.

1452

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Bottle priming after 6 week lager, do I need to re-yeast?

« on: July 06, 2010, 11:40:10 AM »

i had a vienna lagering for about 8 weeks. got worried too much yeast would be gone.  i had saved a little slurry from the primary and added 1 tablespoon.  then bottled.  at end of bottling the tablespoon of yeast was still in a clump on the bottom.  still carbonated very well.  (problem with this batch was the formaldehyde/medicinal  taste that i haven't tracked down to chlorinated water, sanitation, or poor temperature control with the sanfrancisco lager yeast) 

so, probably not needed to re-add yeast.

1453

The Pub / Re: The United States is Being Scrapped.

« on: July 03, 2010, 04:49:07 AM »

as an old submariner, i see a big surface ship and all i see is a "target".  but i love it when they can be preserved.  even small old coast gaurd ships are sometimes turned in to parks. they make great places for a cub scout, boy scout campout.  just something different and it teaches a little about what men, and women, go through to protect this great land and people

1454

The Pub / Re: What does “craft beer” mean to you?

« on: July 02, 2010, 09:39:24 AM »

I mostly agree with the professor.  Some of the big companies have small lines of varied products .  Anheuser Busch makes beach blonde ale etc.  FWIW  i don't mind there fizzy yellow product either on occasion.  just don't like that it isn't american owned.  I just like the variety that "craft" brings.Something new, or a new perspective on something common.  Isnt that why we have so many recipes out there.  Guinness is kind of a big brewery but they brew something other than a pilsner, does that make them a craft brewer? Not in my opinion. It is not a beer I particularly like, something that some british marines and I got in to a disagreement about 25 years ago in hong kong.  But because it is not a common beer

1455

Equipment and Software / Re: Let's talk hop-bags!

« on: July 01, 2010, 02:13:04 PM »

i know this is a little off but has anyone made a press for making their homegrown hops into plugs or pellets.  i have seen it once on some now forgotten web site, but i would like to be able to so i can store longer and not have to deal with whole hops and as much clogging.  my thought was my hydraulic jack and a 2 inch diameter capped pipe to press them into.