Messages

3031

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Texas Microbreweries

« on: July 28, 2010, 10:50:11 am »

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. 

3032

Beer Recipes / Re: 1776 Porter from Radical Brewing

« on: July 28, 2010, 06:04:13 am »

Not all 2-row malts have high diastatic power.
Degrees Lintner
Simpsons Golden Promise = 56
TF Optic = 69
Maris Otter = 50 -60 ish.  Have seen 120 on the web, but that might be WK index.
Briess 2-row brewers malt =140
Rahr 2 Row = 161 (wow)

Briess 6 Row = 160

Form NC malt for MO spec.
http://www.northcountrymalt.com/pages.php?pageid=6

3033

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Texas Microbreweries

« on: July 27, 2010, 07:48:33 pm »

I get to Austin now and then.  They used to have more brewpubs, Waterloo, The Bitter End, Copper Tank.  Looks like the new wave is on the way.

The Cellis thing.  Yep, the brewery and brands are now in MI, as part of Michigan brewing.  Those were purchased from Miller.  IIRC, Cellis had a put option with Miller, and excercised it.

3034

All Things Food / Re: Kitchen Knives

« on: July 26, 2010, 12:41:33 pm »

So looking around I see that this company does make carbon steel knives.  High carbon steel can be very sharp and will hold the edge.  Can rust like you say.
http://www.herdermes.be/en/enkk01.htm

3035

All Things Food / Re: Kitchen Knives

« on: July 26, 2010, 11:47:03 am »

Rostfrei literaly translates to "Rust Free".  It is stainless steel.
So if it will rust, it could be a low grade of stainless, or a special blade from a company that is named Rostfrei.
Is it this company?  I was not familiar with that one.  Wife has Henkels Profi S.  
http://www.rsg-solingen.de/d/index.php

3036

Beer Recipes / Re: 1776 Porter from Radical Brewing

« on: July 26, 2010, 08:27:53 am »

Many old British recipes use 6 row, in a small percentage.  Maybe use 2 lbs 6 row and the rest of the pale malt as MO.

3037

All Grain Brewing / Re: Increasing efficiency

« on: July 25, 2010, 08:55:55 am »

Good advice all around.

Want to say that pH is one thing to look into.  I have seen graphs that show the efficiency dropping off very quickly if the pH is above 5.7.  The optimum was at 5.2.  The graph did not extend below 5.2, so I don't have a clue what happens if you go below 5.2.

3038

All Grain Brewing / Re: Head Problems

« on: July 24, 2010, 05:36:53 pm »

Make sure you water has 10-20 ppm Mg.

Get zinc diet suppliment tablets.  For a 15mg tablet, it turns out that 1/2 tablet is just about perfect for 10 gallons.  Add after ground up,  at 10 or 15 min. left in the boil.

3039

All Grain Brewing / Re: Head Problems

« on: July 24, 2010, 03:44:28 pm »

Edit - and we pitched a big starter of lager yeast, aerated.  Fermentation was done in 5 days at a controlled 50F.  That was a healthy fermentation.

Holy cow, Jeff, that's outstanding performance!

I thought something was wrong, did a gravity reading, and said wow, crank up the temp for a D-rest!  Still was some slow activity on the air lock, but it was essentially about one point or less of being done.

All of my lagers this year went fast.  I have been making sure the yeast have enough Mg and Zinc.  The NHC talk last year by Dr. Fishborn talked much about the importance of Zinc.  Greg Doss mentioned Zinc and Mg this year.

3040

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Dark starter for a dark beer?

« on: July 24, 2010, 09:54:29 am »

Putting it in the fridge overnight will cold crash the yeast.  The liquid on top is clear, layer of yeast on the bottom.   No porblem doing this.

3041

Other Fermentables / Re: Cider from store bought juice

« on: July 24, 2010, 07:23:18 am »

but if i stabilize it and back sweeten it, i won't be able to bottle it with carbonation, right?

That is correct, unless some yeast can manage to remaing active.  I looked, and you didn't say that you wanted it sweet and carbonated.

Backsweetening, kegging the cider, and force carbonating would be my choice at this point.

3042

All Grain Brewing / Re: Head Problems

« on: July 23, 2010, 07:03:17 am »

The best head retention of late was a N. German Pils with 100% pils malt we brewed in Dec., but is now sadly gone.  No car-pils required for a towering head on a German Pils.

Edit - and we pitched a big starter of lager yeast, aerated.  Fermentation was done in 5 days at a controlled 50F.  That was a healthy fermentation.

3043

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Any tips for filtration of beer?

« on: July 23, 2010, 06:59:02 am »

I use a big nylon fine mesh bag.  It is long enough to stick out of the top of the carboy.  Boil to sanitize.  Put racking cane in the bag, put bag and cane through the carboy neck, then siphon beer.  This keeps the debris out of the beer you are racking off - hop particles in my case.

3044

Other Fermentables / Re: Cider from store bought juice

« on: July 23, 2010, 04:40:18 am »

You can stabalize it with Potassium Sorbate and Campden tablets.  Then back sweeten to 1.006-8 with the sugar of your choice.

You can find more on this at gotmead.com or wine forums.

3045

Ingredients / Re: Home grown Cascade

« on: July 21, 2010, 05:48:05 pm »

To add to Kai's post, we dry out hops at much lower temps.  Mine are in the garage on a screne.  The commercial hop farms have to use 140F air to get throughput.  This flashes off some of the essential oils.

Here is James Altweis's presentation.  Some really good stuff here.  I might dry in the house or in the basement with the house AC unit this year.

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/0000/4802/Hop_Quality-James_Altweis.pdf