Messages

76

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Longest Brewday? Latest Brewday?

« on: July 28, 2010, 04:01:15 PM »

Longest brew day was a triple decoction I was helping someone do.  Fourteen stinking hours.  Never again.

77

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Some Brewing Questions

« on: July 28, 2010, 04:00:08 PM »

I've been hanging around a brewer at a brewery lately, and he's been helping me a lot. But I still have some questions about things he's told me, and just some general questions.

1) He said he ferments his ale's at 32F, so that when you pour the beer and the people drink it at higher then 32F you don't get precipitation. I'm trying to figure out how to clarify my beer, and I know I can use..."something"...I can't  recall the name of the product you can use in the kettle to coagulate the proteins so they sink to the bottom.

2) If you are making a 5 gallon batch of beer, how to you calculate how much water you should use? Or do you just start with 2 gallons, boil your wort, then add cool water to the wort until it reaches desired gravity/Plato? Where can I find a Plato meter to purchase online?

3) Plato vs. Gravity. Which is better, I'm told Plato is more like working with metric (ie: C), it is more precise then gravity.

4) How do I control the thickness of the head on the beer? I'm finding my beer's carbonation has big, round bubbles, and I would like finer bubbles, and a thicker head on the beer. How do I manipulate this?

...I think that's it for now

Cheers

1. Don't worry too much about clarity.  Fine with Irish moss and gelatin, and you can get most beers pretty clean.  Then let them sit cold for a while, and things will drop out of suspension.  If you must have crystal clear beer, buy a filter kit.
2. There are some software packages out there that calculate the water for you, but check out http://www.howtobrew.com for all the nasty math.
3.  Stick with Specific Gravity.  Most of the homebrew literature uses it.  See the link above to convert to Plato.
4.  Not a clue.

78

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Texas Microbreweries

« on: July 28, 2010, 03:55:17 PM »

I was just up in Midland. It also is a wasteland. There were some of the more popular breweries represented like New Belgium etc at the fancy HEB there but my local "ghetto-B" has a better selection. Typical 4/5 of the aisle was Bud, Miller and Coors.

That city is crazy conservative so I wasn't too surprised. Reminds me of why I dislike going there.   

There are a couple of good beer bars, that I visit when I'm there.  Not a huge selection, but more than BMC.  And The Wine Rack liquor store has an impressive Belgian selection.

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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Texas Microbreweries

« on: July 28, 2010, 02:17:28 PM »

Part of the problem IMO is that Texas is such a large state. Populated but really spread out once one leaves the major population centers- BTW we have three cities in the Nation's top ten. We should have more Breweries. Period.

I might agree with the spread out and large part if the whole Alaskan beer scene did not exist. 

You are correct that Texas could use more breweries, but the market has to be there. 

Frankly, I'm amazed there aren't any brewpubs on I-20 between Abilene and El Paso.  I imagine Midland/Odessa could support a brewpub.

80

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Grand Total Post Count (not just here)

« on: July 28, 2010, 09:37:18 AM »

Just a few here, over 4000 on the Brewing Network since 2006.

All quality posts too, right Dirk?  

If you count smileys, yes.   

81

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Texas Microbreweries

« on: July 28, 2010, 09:36:26 AM »

Dirk, I agree that we have 512, Austin independence, Live Oaks, Uncle Billys, NXNW and various other brewpubs and beer bars such as the gingerman and draughthouse but somehow I think those guys are missing something. For example Austin Independence hasn't come out with a new beer since they started brewing there beer line has remain the same and there beers are tame in flavor for being craft beer. I remember going to there third year anniversary and they had an amzing IPA that somehow never made it to the market, if it had I would be the first buyer but they disapointed me cause it never released. 512 doesn't bottle and the one beer that was bottle recently for what I've read in reviews is tasty but various bad batches have also been reported. Live Oaks similar circumstances as 512, they dont bottle yet heard there new facilities will have a bottling line so I'm exicted for this but they also are hard to come by in beer bars and sometime a few of there selection are found sad cause there beer is very good. Uncle Billys and NXNW great brewpubs both make excellent beers but again are brewpubs and Texas laws dont allow them to distribute there beers or sell outside of there facilities. I wish some of these local guys followed in the steps of Real Ale and SouthernStar Brewery, I wish Uncle Billys had a bottling line cause there beers are yummy as well.

Indpendence did add an amazingly good Oatmeal Stout, called Convict Hill.  Rob and Amy told me about that last October.  Otherwise, you are correct, their lineup hasn't changed.  I have had (512) and Live Oak beers in San Antonio at Flying Saucer and Freetail.  Scoring a pint locally in Austin isn't too hard: Flying Saucer, Gingerman, Draughthouse and Uncly Billys serve it. (It would be nice if you could get drowlers, though.)  I don't know if Tasty Planet has a bottling line; I've only seen notices about it being on tap at Austin's Flying Saucer.  I think Jester King will have a bottling line when they open later this year.

The important thing to remember is that most of these breweries have only a handful of employees, certainly under 10, and distribute themselves.  So any day they aren't brewing they are out trying to sell their beer to retailers as far away as Houston.

Finally, I have to object to the idea that craft beer has to be BIG! and BOLD! to be considered craft beer.  That kind of thinking leads to people putting bottles in dead squirrels and selling it for $700.  Mild beers can be craft beers.  I am partial to the Indepence Brown ale, for example.  A very nice session beer.

82

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Grand Total Post Count (not just here)

« on: July 27, 2010, 01:44:53 PM »

Just a few here, over 4000 on the Brewing Network since 2006.

83

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Texas Microbreweries

« on: July 27, 2010, 01:41:15 PM »

Celis is in Texas too. Isnt Austin full of good brewpubs? I havent been there, but my boss often talks about the quality and quantity available there.

Since everyone has addressed the Celis thing, I'll answer the second part of your question.

There are several good brewpubs in Austin.  Uncle Billy's Brew and Cue on Riverside Drive is a consistent GABF winner.  North By Northwest in North Austin is a little more upscale (and pricey), and has very distinctive brews.  There is also Draughthouse and Lovejoy's Tap room.  Haven't been to those two, but I have heard good things.

Austin is the home of four microbreweries: Independence Brewing, (512) Brewing, Live Oak Brewing and Thirsty Planet Brewing.  Only Independence bottles.  Everyone else is, I believe, keg only.  Coming soon is Twisted X Brewing, Circle Brewing, Jester King and Moon Tower brewing (along with a second location for Uncle Billy's).

Nearby is Real Ale Brewing Company in Blanco, between Austin and San Antonio.

84

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 7/9 Edition

« on: July 10, 2010, 07:57:00 AM »

About to sparge Drew's Belgian Bombshell.

85

Equipment and Software / Re: Let's talk about pumps!

« on: July 01, 2010, 02:32:01 PM »

Name the pumps "Hans" and "Franz."  "Und ve just vant to pump... (clap) ...YOU UP!" 

Ok, I have 3 pumps, but one is a wimpy one just for the RIMS recirculation.  What should I name him?

Ahnold.

86

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Oregon cancels homebrew contest at the State Fair?????????

« on: June 29, 2010, 02:45:10 PM »

The OLCC was the worst thing about living in Portland. What a Fascist Prohibitionist finger-wagging waste of legislative effort and taxpayer money those nanny state liquor control agencies are in most states. I say we do it like Belgium. Anyone can serve anything legal whenever they want in Belgium. Leuven is the only city there I know of that even prohibits outdoor drinking.

To be fair, I doubt the OLCC wrote the laws.  I think the legislature wrote the laws, and created the OLCC to enforce the laws.  Not sure.  I don't like in Oregon, but Texas has TABC to enforce the laws and everyone here calls them the same things you said.  

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like this is not a new law.  Someone wanted clarification on the law, and OLCC realized that for the last couple of decades, the contest has been illegal.  

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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Is a good, low ABV IPA possible?

« on: June 29, 2010, 09:33:37 AM »

This is a little strong for what you were after, but was originaly called Pliny Light, now Tasty APA by Mike McDole.
From Fred's site.  You might spend some time looking around there.

http://beerdujour.com/Recipes/Tasty%20APA.html

I second this motion.  I've brewed this about 6 times and it reminds me a  lot of Pliny.  Unfortunately it only lasts a week! 

88

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What do you want your AHA Governing Committee to do for you?

« on: May 24, 2010, 05:23:33 PM »

Both audio and video captures of presentations are ideas that have been discussed and I'm willing to bet will be implemented at some point.  Powerpoints are available going back a few years.  Text might be difficult.  I know I don't have prepared text for my presentations and I don't think many of the presenters do.

How can you have text for your presentations, Denny?  When I was in Cincinnati, you spent a large part of the time answering questions.

Having said that, a youTube Channel might be a good idea.  The problem, of course, is the expense of recording and editing the sessions.

89

The Pub / Re: RIP Ronnie James Dio

« on: May 17, 2010, 04:21:59 PM »

Yeah...isn't that Ozzie Osborn's backup band?? 

Oh Snap!

90

Homebrew Competitions / Re: Old West regional scorecards

« on: May 12, 2010, 08:23:12 AM »

Mine came via email on Sunday.