Messages

46

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: sugar added to secondary

« on: September 19, 2010, 06:08:55 PM »

Also, double check your hydrometer in water to see if it is still calibrated correctly.

Just out of curiosity, how could you recalibrate your hydrometer if it is incorrect?

47

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: belgian sour mix not sour

« on: September 19, 2010, 05:52:53 PM »

I have not yet done a sour, so I can not address your main question.  All I can say is that if your LHBS can not get the yeast you want, order online.  Shipping may cost extra, but maybe you can think of some other things you need that you can bundle into the order.

48

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: The nuclear (Beano) option

« on: September 19, 2010, 05:43:46 PM »

Yes, Fred, that would be best.  It's just that the nearest Brewpub is 100 miles from here and I haven't even established a relationship with the brewer. 

I gave them a gentle,but thorough stir today.  There is now some slow activity in the airlocks but it may be merely CO2 coming out of solution (three hours post stir).  I'll hold off for another week before I reconsider doing anything rash.

49

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: The nuclear (Beano) option

« on: September 19, 2010, 04:50:27 PM »

Actually, I used 2 packs apiece for both of the 5 gallon fermenters.
About the home-made crystal,  I soaked the 2-row for 3 hours in distilled H2O, then drained and baked at 150* (as best as I could tell) until dry before raising the temp to 300* to toast.

50

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: The nuclear (Beano) option

« on: September 19, 2010, 11:47:39 AM »

As to the taste...haven't checked.  I ought to do that.

51

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: The nuclear (Beano) option

« on: September 19, 2010, 10:51:46 AM »

#33 - The Kitchen Summit

A ProMash Brewing Session - Recipe Details Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

10-B  American Ale, American Amber Ale

Min OG:  1.045   Max OG:  1.060
Min IBU:    25   Max IBU:    48
Min Clr:    10   Max Clr:    17  Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal):        10.00    Wort Size (Gal):   10.00
Total Grain (Lbs):       31.50
Anticipated OG:          1.069    Plato:             16.89
Anticipated SRM:          14.1
Anticipated IBU:          43.4
Brewhouse Efficiency:       60 %
Wort Boil Time:             60    Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate:       1.00    Gallons Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size:   11.00    Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity:      1.063    SG          15.44  Plato

Formulas Used
-------------

Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used:   Daniels
Hop IBU Formula Used: Tinseth
Tinseth Concentration Factor: 1.30

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops:         2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops:      10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

   %     Amount     Name                          Origin        Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  2.4     0.75 lbs. Crystal Home-Roast Light      Kitchen        30.00     10
  1.6     0.50 lbs. Crystal Home-Roast Dark       Kitchen        30.00     60
  0.8     0.25 lbs. Crystal Home-Roast Medium     Kitchen        30.00     40
 95.2    30.00 lbs. Munich Malt                   Germany        37.00      8

Potential represented as Points per pound per gallon.


Hops

   Amount     Name                              Form    Alpha  IBU  Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1.00 oz.    Summit                            Pellet  18.00  25.5  30 min.
  1.00 oz.    Summit                            Pellet  18.00  16.5  15 min.
  1.00 oz.    Summit                            Pellet  18.00   1.4  1 min.


Yeast
-----

Danstar  Windsor


Mash Schedule
-------------

Mash Name:

Total Grain Lbs:   31.50
Total Water Qts:   28.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Total Water Gal:    7.00 - Before Additional Infusions

Tun Thermal Mass:   0.25
Grain Temp:        64.00 F


                     Step   Rest   Start   Stop  Heat     Infuse   Infuse  Infuse
Step Name            Time   Time   Temp    Temp  Type     Temp     Amount  Ratio
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
low sacch              5     30    144     144   Infuse   169       28.00   0.89
high sacch             5     30    156     156   Infuse   194       10.83   1.23


Total Water Qts:           38.83 - After Additional Infusions
Total Water Gal:            9.71 - After Additional Infusions
Total Mash Volume Gal:     12.23 - After Additional Infusions

All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.
All infusion amounts are in Quarts.
All infusion ratios are Quarts/Lbs.

Fermented @ 65-66*F until no apparent activity (3 days) then raised over the course of the next day or two to 68-69*F.

I'm not sure how "Crystal" the home roasted malt was.  May be more like merely toasted malt.  I had difficulties measuring the temps in the "mash"(?) and drying in the oven.

52

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: The nuclear (Beano) option

« on: September 18, 2010, 11:01:58 AM »

OK, I think the game plan might be to keg up 5 gallons and see if it is finished and/or acceptable as is.  If it's good...no problem.  If it seems unfinished I can work on the other 5 and still blend and chill when done. Although, maybe I should give both of them a rouse first and see if they drop some more.  I don't think I can raise the temp any higher. They are in a water bath at about 69-70* with an aquarium heater. I cranked up the heater from 65* after obvious activity had finished.

53

Yeast and Fermentation / The nuclear (Beano) option

« on: September 17, 2010, 07:52:13 PM »

I have two 5-gallon fermenter buckets that have stalled at 1.024 (1.062 OG, mashed at 152*F, pitched w/ Danstar Windsor).  It has been 2 weeks and after a quick and strong ferment for 2 or 3 days, there has been no noticeable activity.  I'm thinking of adding Beano to one of them and letting it ferment out.  Afterward I can blend them and immediately chill them to stop fermentation.  How low can I expect the Beano half to go? 1.000? If so the blend would be 1.012.  Do I need to add more yeast?  I have another packet of something...can't remember what.

54

All Grain Brewing / Re: umami water treatment

« on: September 14, 2010, 07:16:42 AM »

I think I'll go with Denny's idea of having two separate 5 gallon boils to compare. Just need to decide what style might benefit most or what style might yield the most experimental info.

55

All Grain Brewing / umami water treatment

« on: September 12, 2010, 12:23:51 PM »

In a recent article I read (BYO), the author mentioned umami in describing various flavors in beer.  Umami is the "5th taste", along with sweet, sour, bitter and salty.  It is often described as "savory".  I have often wondered about trying to introduce some of that umami flavor to my beer.  What I am wondering is how the addition of mono-sodium glutamate (MSG) would affect the water chemistry if I add it to my water adjustments. Or maybe, I should just make sure my sodium levels are low and then add the MSG to the boil.  Anybody have any ideas about this?
BTW, I am of the opinion that MSG gets a bad rap in the media, and is not much (if at all) worse than sodium chloride.  You might want to watch your intake, but it is not poison.

56

All Grain Brewing / Re: Water adjustments: Strike vs. Sparge

« on: March 20, 2010, 10:24:31 AM »

OK, that sounds reasonable...
The flavor profile support is just the Cl:SO4 ratio and the Na & Cl?

57

All Grain Brewing / Water adjustments: Strike vs. Sparge

« on: March 20, 2010, 09:02:39 AM »

Once I get a handle on what adjustments need to be made, how do I divide the additives between the strike and the (batch) sparge?  I was thinking that I would just add everything to the total volume and then split between strike and sparge.  Or do most (or all) of the adjustments belong in the 60/90 minute mash?

58

All Grain Brewing / Re: Finally sent for water report

« on: March 11, 2010, 08:36:29 PM »

I just got my report from Ward Labs but I don't really understand what it tells me or what I want to change or why.  It seems to me that this is pretty soft water.  Does that mean I can brew low SRM beers as it is, and would have to adjust to brew something like an Imperial Stout?

pH                7.4
Cations/Anions, me/L     1.1 / 0.9
Na               11
K                 <1
Ca               9
Mg               2
CaCO3         31
Nitrate          0.3 (NO3-N)
Sulfate          1 (SO4-S)
Cl                 4
CO3              <1     Carbonate
HCO3           40    Bicarbonate
CaCO3          33   Total Alkalinity

59

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's your Favorite Style of Beer?

« on: February 25, 2010, 07:15:46 PM »

Commercially: RIS for sure.
Homebrew: Lately I have been happiest with what I am calling "Uberdampfbier". 
(an 8 or 9% ABV wheat yeast barley ale)

60

All Grain Brewing / Re: Water Report

« on: January 31, 2010, 10:15:03 AM »

Reading this thread, I am wondering if my water is too alkaline also.  Last spring I moved a couple of hundred miles and now have different water.  I have noticed a pronounced harshness to the bitterness in the batches I have done here.  I have never fiddled with the water chemistry before, but I have some Gypsum on hand.  I am thinking that I could add a few grams (10 gallon batches) and see if it helps.  I have no numbers to work with.  I would be trying to work bass-ackwards from the symptoms.  Plausible?
Thanks, Doug