256
The Pub / Re: song title game
« on: June 12, 2012, 02:20:18 PM »
Is This Love - Whitesnake
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257
Zymurgy / Re: We need your brew dog photos!
« on: June 12, 2012, 01:03:48 PM »my dog starts out hanging with me, then he gives me a look like "is this it?" and asks to go inside
The neighbors cat on the other hand watches the boil for me.
Haha, so true! My dog is in it while I am mashing in, at which point he goes crazy! After that it is pretty much nap time or bone chewing for my little English Bulldog
258
All Grain Brewing / Re: Is my water any good for all-grain brewing?
« on: June 12, 2012, 10:41:24 AM »Being pragmatic, I've gotta ask if you've worked on your crush. That's generally the biggest variable and it's a hell of a lot easier to deal with than water chemistry! But if you have experimented with crush, water is the next place to look.
Denny is right - we may be going about this the wrong way. Crush is huge! I think you also like to run your wort out of mash tun fast...right Denny?
259
All Grain Brewing / Re: Is my water any good for all-grain brewing?
« on: June 12, 2012, 09:08:04 AM »
Oops, sorry - you are right! I meant to say it will lower your residual alkalinity.
260
All Grain Brewing / Re: Is my water any good for all-grain brewing?
« on: June 12, 2012, 08:44:53 AM »
As I have learned recently learned, the main thing you want to focus on is your mash pH at room temp. You want it to be between 5.2 and 5.5. Bru n' Water is great because you can plug in your water profile, your recipe, and any water additions you make. Be sure to list if the grain you are putting in is a roasted grain or a crystal grain, as this will help to acidify the mash. You can use Calcium to help lower your pH along with delusion using RO water or distilled water. Once you get your pH in that range (found on the 'Mash Acidification' sheet) you will be good to go.
Another thing is to look at your sulfate to chloride ratio. You get these from calcium chloride and calcium sulfate (gypsum). A .5 ratio will give you a beer that highlights malt. Flip that ratio or even widen it (4:1 or even 7:1) and you will get the hop flavor you want.
Mash pH and Sulfate to Chloride ratio - those are the biggies.
Another thing is to look at your sulfate to chloride ratio. You get these from calcium chloride and calcium sulfate (gypsum). A .5 ratio will give you a beer that highlights malt. Flip that ratio or even widen it (4:1 or even 7:1) and you will get the hop flavor you want.
Mash pH and Sulfate to Chloride ratio - those are the biggies.
261
The Pub / Re: song title game
« on: June 12, 2012, 04:46:17 AM »
Fire on the Mountain - Marshall Tucker Band
262
The Pub / Re: song title game
« on: June 12, 2012, 04:30:52 AM »
Get in the Ring - Guns N' Roses
263
Equipment and Software / Re: recirculating boil kettle during immersion chilling
« on: June 12, 2012, 04:28:25 AM »I haven't really noticed the kettle-recirc pump whirlpool to be much more effective than hand stirring either. Most 5 gallon batches I don't even bother with my pump anymore.
My primary objective in wanting to get a pump to recirculate for chilling is so I can just put the lid on the kettle and let it go. That way it's less exposed to things getting in it (like bugs) and I can work on cleanup while it's chilling.
I find that recirculating the wort moves a lot more across an immersion chiller for heat exchange. Plus you can do it hands free as stated above without introducing anything foreign to the wort. In my experience it is super effective plus it gives me a chance to do any last minute sanitation that I might have neglected
264
Ingredients / Re: Water Has My Head Spinning...
« on: June 11, 2012, 08:32:13 PM »
So I made a dry stout with 100% distilled water. I adjusted my water to give me a mash pH of 5.4 and made a little gypsum and calcium chloride addition with the assistance of Bru'n Water. This is BY FAR the tastiest stout that I have ever made. Thanks for helping my wrap my head around water. It was a struggle for a while, but now I think I have it and know how to deal with water the right ways. Muchos Gracias friends!
265
Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Mixing Lager Yeasts - Pros and Cons
« on: June 11, 2012, 08:23:22 PM »
Update - the beer tastes pretty good. It fermented out all the way, and has a pretty good flavor.
Denny & Ron - I will say that I think you were right all along...I think I would have been better off blending as it isnt's quite what I was going for. A blend of the two beers fermented with different yeasts IS the way to go. Doing it this way, I am tied to whatever the final outcome of the fermentation is. Through blending at different amounts I think I might find that balance I am looking for.
Though the beer isn't bad - I have serious doubts it is the best it can be. Good call guys, thanks for the advice as I will be taking it my next batch
Denny & Ron - I will say that I think you were right all along...I think I would have been better off blending as it isnt's quite what I was going for. A blend of the two beers fermented with different yeasts IS the way to go. Doing it this way, I am tied to whatever the final outcome of the fermentation is. Through blending at different amounts I think I might find that balance I am looking for.
Though the beer isn't bad - I have serious doubts it is the best it can be. Good call guys, thanks for the advice as I will be taking it my next batch
266
The Pub / Re: song title game
« on: June 11, 2012, 08:14:44 PM »
I Hate Everything About You - Ugly Kid Joe
267
The Pub / Re: song title game
« on: June 11, 2012, 05:19:59 PM »
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Culture Club
268
The Pub / Re: song title game
« on: June 11, 2012, 01:41:05 PM »
Suicide Solution - Ozzy Osbourne