Topics

1

Equipment and Software / need tips how to really clean out a Blickmann Therminator

« on: May 05, 2013, 05:01:55 PM »

Been using this Blickmann Therminator for a couple years now.  I run 5 gallons of PBW at 140+ degrees then 5 gallons rinse water via pump to clean, then back flush till clear.  I thought all this time I was giving this plate chiller a really good cleaning out. Finished brewing last week and cleaned the plate chiller as usual.  Unplugged the unit and set it in the sink to drain. Everyday this week I have run the back flush hose and I am getting quite a bit of grain bits/whole cone hop debris.  I think I must have never, really cleaned this chiller out completely!

I am trying to come up with a good way to totally clean this plate chiller out spotless.  I have heard of brewers putting these in the oven and literally baking the thing.  Seems to me this would only burn the debris to the plates.  Thought about using caustic.....

Anyone got a great, sure fire, total clean method for plate chillers like mine that must be encrusted with barnacles of brew kettle debris? 

2

All Grain Brewing / observation of dissolved oxygen loss in wort

« on: April 28, 2013, 06:50:30 PM »

Just finished brewing today and have an interesting observation to share/discuss.

Brewed an Imperial Stout OG 1.094. I use an in-line oxygen system into a 7.5 gallon glass carboy with a Hach luminescent dissolved oxygen meter in the carboy.  Wort is at 65 degrees.  I use the standard 1ppm/degree Plato oxygen per the "Handbook of Brewing", Priest and Stewart.  I have been running this identical oxygen set up for about 2 years now.  I run the wort into the carboy and adjusted the oxygen flow to hit my desired number, then immediately pull the Hach LDO out of the carboy.  Today for the first time I decided to leave the LDO in the carboy and take a few readings over the next couple hours. Initial reading upon filling the carboy 20+ppm O2. Did not pitch the yeast.  Over the next hour the oxygen saturation is down to 5.2!  No yeast, carboy sitting at 65 degrees in the refrigerator.  I was blown away how quickly the oxygen came out of solution. Pitched the yeast and thirty minutes later oxygen saturation of zero!

Appears to me that my in line oxygen set up is near worthless as most all the oxygen came quickly out of solution in the carboy. I always thought an in line oxygen system was the most efficient method.  I now suspect any other delivery system would suffer this same problem. Perhaps a better way is to rack to the carboy and run a very slow, continuous oxygen flow via airstone into the carboy for the first 24 hours?

3

All Grain Brewing / calcium carry over to kettle question

« on: March 04, 2013, 08:00:59 PM »

The numbers I find quoted are 25% - 35% calcium carry over from mash tun to kettle.
I have assumed the spread may perhaps be related to some brewers using calcium additions to sparge water -> maybe.
I have also seen quoted that probrewers like to use 2/3 calcium in the mash and 1/3 calcium in the kettle.
How much all this is true I don't know but these numers seem to come up most frequently in my research.

So I have been shooting for 100ppm calcium using both calcium chloride and calcium sulfate at various ratios depending if it's a malt forward beer or a hop forward beer.
Mash tun 100ppm calcium
Sparge water 100ppm calcium
That means my kettle carry over is down to 25 - 35 ppm calcium.
Seems to me I would top off my kettle with 65 - 75ppm calcium to hit the 100 ppm mark.
That's a 57:43 ratio vs recommended 67:33 ratio - but close enough I believe.

Is this a reasonable conclusion?

4

Ingredients / Belgian Champagne Beer (Deus) spice recommendations

« on: December 15, 2012, 11:25:37 AM »

I am finally going to make a Deus clone using Drew Beechums / Maltose Falcons recipe and directions.  The Deus spice recommendations are lavender, cinnamon, allspice and ginger in the bottling sugar solution.  However, he makes no quantity suggestions for each of these spices.  Anyone done this recipe and have suggestions on the amount of each spice to use?

5

Equipment and Software / Is there a small, cheap, good quality glycol chiller out there?

« on: November 24, 2012, 10:50:55 PM »

I am suprised I can't find a small, cheap, good quality glycol chiller out there.
Was thinking of running glycol chiller in my Therminator instead of tap water with required ice bath pre-chiller to hit appropriate temperature. Tired of the pre-chiller mess and water hoses.
I have no great desire to build one from a refrigerated air conditioner/ice chest.

6

Ingredients / Pumpkin powder?

« on: November 02, 2012, 10:18:17 PM »

I just stumbled onto this pumpkin powder.

http://www.myspicesage.com/pumpkin-powder-p-569.html?CAWELAID=484660936&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CKKMgJOEsrMCFdEWMgodUkoApA

I am thinking about trying this in the mash for my next pumpkin beer.
Anyone try this?
Any thoughts?
Perhaps save this till the end of the mash, sprinkle on top, then sparge?
Consistency of flour so might need rice hull addition....

7

Wood/Casks / How can I humidify a barrel closet?

« on: April 02, 2012, 04:00:16 PM »

So I finally figured out my barrels need to be at 60 degrees and 60% humidity.
See my prior post for this info.
I stack my barrels in a commercial refrigerator so temperature control is no problem.
Now I have been trying to figure out how to hold the humidity at 60%.
There are many ways to do this with spending big bucks.
I first looked at wine barrel humidifiers - $1000 plus. No good.
I then stumbled onto these cigar closet humidifiers.
http://www.thompsoncigar.com/product/CIGAR-HUMIDORS/ELECTRONIC-HUMIDIFIERS/LE-VEIL-DCH-55-GEL-HUMIDIFIER/79613/sc/9445/c/9445/pc/8389.uts
This $150 Le Veil DCH-55 has a remote digital control panel.
Suppose to work up to 55 cubic foot closet.
Only holds 1/2 gallon of water in gel base.
Not sure this is enough without daily refill.
I live in the desert southwest, can you say dry?
Any thoughts / suggestions?

8

Going Pro / mash filtration technology systems?

« on: March 02, 2012, 05:25:13 PM »

Is there any other manufacturer of craft brewer mash filtration technology systems besides Meura and their Monsville system? I know the Alaskan Brewing Company is now using this system. Perhaps one or two other craft brewers in the USA. Of couse the really big brewers on their really big systems, but I am not interested in that massive scale.

I also heard a rumor that Paul Farnsworth is down south somewhere building a full custom mash filtration system - for some big name brewer I would venture a guess.  Rumor? Gossip? Straight out lie? Any insider info on this?

9

Wood/Casks / Optimum temperature for barrel aging?

« on: February 03, 2012, 04:18:07 PM »

I keep my barrels in my beer cellar (commercial refrigerator) at 45 degrees with the rest of the beer collection.  I have never seen any data or suggestions on optimum temperature for barrel aging beer.  Is there a best temperature for a barrel aged stout versus a sour beer?  Anyone have any insight / thoughts on best temperature range?
Thanks,
JJ

10

Equipment and Software / Blichmann Tower of Power - when available?

« on: January 17, 2012, 06:34:01 PM »

Anyone got the insider scoop on when the Blichmann Tower of Power RIMS will be available?
Web site keeps showing continued materials delay.
Thanks,
JJ

11

Equipment and Software / Anyone use a cold break filter?

« on: September 22, 2011, 10:08:56 PM »

I have been considering a cold break filter in my set-up...

I currently run from the kettle to a hop back to a plate chiller to an in line oxygenator to the fermenter.
I would like to run an in line cold break filter with my current set-up.
Don't want to go to a sedimentation vessel.
Anyone use a cold break filter?

12

Kegging and Bottling / source for 26mm crown cap with bidule

« on: May 24, 2011, 05:44:43 PM »

I see Williams Brewing is now stocking crown caps with bidule - but only in the 29mm size.
That cap will only fit French champagne bottles or Belgian ale bottles.
I would like to work on a Deus clone this year - including the remuage & degorgement.
All the USA champagne bottles I have located take the 26mm crown cap.

I would like to find either 26mm crown caps with bidule.
Or second best, several cases of empty French champagne bottles that fit Williams Brewing 26mm cap - for cheap.
I know I could buy the French champagne bottles full and drink them all...
Don't really like champagne that much....

Any leads on this one?
Thanks,
JJ

13

Kegging and Bottling / Nitrogen 75% / Carbon Dioxide 25% - gas mix uses?

« on: May 20, 2011, 03:29:43 PM »

My local gas distributor where I get my CO2 now has this 75/25% nitrogen/carbon dioxide mix.
I have always used just CO2 for racking and carbonating kegs.
He says many local guys use this 75/25 mix for their dark beers, but CO2 for their light beers.
He didn't know why, he was just passing on the information - this is primarily a welding gas shop.

I am tempted to try this when my next bottle runs dry.
The questions:
1) Use this mix because its gives a nice, small bubble, persistent head?
2) Why only on dark beers and not also with light color beer?
3) Can I pressurize my kegs with this mix, or use it only for beer delivery via the kegerator?
4) Can I use this gas to fill crown cap beer bottles from the keg with no ill effects?
5) If I fill bottles with this gas does it also improve the bottle beer head retention?
6) Lastly, he says they can do custom N/CO2 mixes. Any thoughts on benifits of various ratio gas mix?

Thanks all......

14

General Homebrew Discussion / Is pH stated at room temperature or operating temperature?

« on: May 05, 2011, 06:37:13 PM »

In brewing I thought pH was expressed at room temperature.
As in pH 5.2 is that pH at room temperature of 68 degrees.
However, after reading Gordon Stong's book I now have the impression that pH is always expressed at the operating temperture.

So if I am aiming for a mash pH of 5.2, and at room temp of 68 degrees the pH meter reads 5.2,
I am really incorrectly mashing at a true pH of 4.9 or so?
What is the standard?
 

15

Wood/Casks / What is proper oak keg sanitizing?

« on: May 01, 2011, 08:47:54 PM »

So I finially bought my first used bourbon oak barrel for aging beer.
It seems that each place I look for information on barrel sanitizing has a different recommendation.
I am sure there are different techniques for new vs used barrels.
For my used oak barrel i followed these instructions:
1) sulfur strip
2) Barolkleen 3 ounces per gallon hot soak for one hour, rinse well
3) sodiummetabisulfite 2 grams per liter plus citric acid one gram per liter, hot soak for 30 minutes, rinse well
4) rack the beer!
Any suggestions, improvements?
Also, can I save and reuse the Barolkeen for the next few barrels?
Thanks,
JJ