Messages

46

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Weinheinstephan yeast

« on: February 22, 2013, 05:29:08 PM »

So I guess it was a bit of an open ferment with a small surface area that was open.

Considering that all that gunk was coming out of the fermenter, I wouldn't really call that an "open fermentation".  That is, not much chance for wild things to get in.

47

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Nitrogen for dispensing

« on: February 22, 2013, 05:27:00 PM »

Hi,
I'm looking for advice on using nitrogen for dispensing my homebrew.

Never heard of just nitrogen for dispensing.  The "beer gas" that you hear talked about when mentioning nitrogen is actually a mixture of nitrogen and CO2.

48

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: When to use a blow off tube

« on: February 22, 2013, 05:24:57 PM »

Fermcap.

I can fit 5.5-6 gallons in a bucket and not worry about blow-off.

I prefer the blowoff.  No questionable additives to my brew plus the blowoff gets rid of the "braun hefe"

49

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: When to use a blow off tube

« on: February 22, 2013, 07:12:23 AM »

I do 5.5 gallon batches in 6 gallon better bottles so I always use a blowoff.  Only time I might switch to an airlock would be for extended aging or something like that.

50

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Weinheinstephan yeast

« on: February 22, 2013, 07:10:46 AM »

Assuming you're talking about 3068, agree, that's pretty typical

51

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: This is a new one

« on: February 21, 2013, 07:15:50 AM »

Anyway, I had to add water volume to the kettle to maintain my BU:GU ratio, and had about a half gallon of extra wort. I thought it would be a great simple way to get my 3711 French Saison started. Pitched a non-swollen smack pack into 1.5L or so of 1.055 80/-, thinking it was not hoppy, and relatively session strength, with some trub for yeast nutrient.

Agree with those who said just give it some more time.

In the future, you might want to dilute that wort as 1.055 is higher than recommended for a starter.  It's usually recommended that starter wort be between 1.030 and 1.040.

52

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Lager chamber

« on: February 19, 2013, 06:07:30 AM »

I place mine in a thermowell inserted into the fermentor so that the probe measures the very center of the wort being fermented... I worry about my wort's fermenting temp, not the temp of the probe hiding under the insulated material. Many agree that the yeast will create a temperature increase within the fermenting vessel which can be anywhere from 4-8 degrees higher than the ambient temperature surrounding it...just because we cool off the fermentor and the ambient air surrounding it, doesn't mean we no longer have any type of temperature increase from the active yeast, does it?

While it's true that ambient can be much warmer than actual wort temp, when you place your probe in contact with fermenter and insulate it, you're not measuring ambient - you're within no more than +/- 1 degree of the wort temp.

53

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: making a yeast starter with distilled water

« on: February 17, 2013, 11:58:41 AM »

Option One: One 12 ounce bottle of malta goya , 12 ounces distilled water, add yeast..... done!! no boil, no muss, no fuss !!!
Option Two: DME, distilled water, shake violently, put on stir plate if you have one, add yeast.....done!! no boil, no muss, no fuss!!
Sometimes we make things wwwwaaaaaayyyyyy too hard... cheers!!

One mason jar canned wort leftover from previous batch, add yeast.... done!!

54

Going Pro / Re: Yeast Nutrient

« on: February 16, 2013, 04:28:39 PM »

I did not mean to slap you. Sorry about it.

No worries, I didn't take it as a slap.

55

Going Pro / Re: Yeast Nutrient

« on: February 16, 2013, 04:14:31 PM »

Do not kid yourself that you will be growing yeast for yourself from slant.
It is not worth your time and extra equipment.

Good point.  I just now realized this is in the "Going Pro" section.

56

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: help motorizing grain mill

« on: February 16, 2013, 03:59:04 PM »

Want to run my mill at under 500 rpm. 

You want to run way under 500, shoot for something between 100 & 200

57

Going Pro / Re: Yeast Nutrient

« on: February 16, 2013, 03:56:02 PM »

In addition to the pro angle, I grow my yeast up from slants and when I started using nutrient (Wyeast), it made for a very noticeable improvement in getting stepped up to pitching size.

58

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Ruined threads on brew pot

« on: February 15, 2013, 06:32:38 PM »

Can you take it to a machine shop and have the threads re-cut?

Or drill it out and use a weldless fitting?

59

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Accurate thermometer

« on: February 15, 2013, 07:53:05 AM »

"You should also check what they're all reading at 150 or so."

Can't really replicate 150f. That's why you measure 32 and boiling point temps as a calibration measurement.

Except that you don't care whether your thermo is accurate at freezing or boiling.  The mash temp range is what you care about, hence calibrating it around 150.  Just because your thermo is accurate at freezing and/or boiling (real fun getting both ), means nothing about it's accuracy around mash temps.

60

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: making a yeast starter with distilled water

« on: February 13, 2013, 12:37:52 PM »

too many bicarbs and high alkalinity and PH in my well water. im going to try a starter using light DME at 1.040 wort SG, .5gal.

should i be adding calcium chloride (50ppm) and adjusting around 5.0-5.2ph also to make sure its optimal for yeast growth?

The DME will give you all the minerals you need.  Only thing you might want to think about adding is a bit of yeast nutrient.