Messages

61

Going Pro / Determining Wastewater Info

« on: December 25, 2012, 07:39:35 PM »

You can send a sample of cleaning solutions or other matrices you will be flushing down the municipal sewage system to an analytical laboratory. If you PM me I can recommend a lab. The tests are inexpensive.

62

Beer Recipes / Indian Brown Ale

« on: December 24, 2012, 08:47:42 AM »

I brewed a clone of DFH Indian Brown Ale a few weeks ago from a recipe I found in Zymurgy.  I can spot a few errors in my procedure that I will change before I brew it again.  One I noticed right away was that I don't think it should be dry hopped.  Sam says on the website that it is dry hopped similarly to the 60 & 90 minute IPAs, but the aroma from mine seems a bit too strong for this beer.  I don't get the aroma from the actual beer.

Also, I didn't caramelize the brown sugar, I just added the brown sugar at the end of the boil.  I can definitely taste the brown sugar.  I used the Ringwood Ale yeast.  I read this yeast needs a d-rest so I attempted it.  Unfortunately, temps were crazy that week and I don't know if I was able to get it high enough for the d-rest.  Fortunately, the brown sugar flavor is masking any diacetyl because I can't taste it.

I'm thinking about trying this one again, but maybe simply using a 1056 or S-05.  Also, I think I'll skip the dry hopping and stick to the warrior and vanguard in the boil.  Any thoughts?  Will this beer get better with some age, maybe lose some of the strong hop aroma and brown sugar flavor?

63

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Starsan after BLC

« on: December 20, 2012, 07:52:41 AM »

I have typically rinsed lines with clean water, flushed several times with BLC and that's it.  I think I remembered reading on the BLC bottle that there was no need to rinse with water.  I have just been reanalyzing my sanitizing procedures and wanted to make sure I was doing it right.  Thanks all for the comments.

64

General Homebrew Discussion / Starsan after BLC

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

No reason to sanitize twice. Wash, rinse, sanitize.

Star San isn't the best choice for lines though. You want something low-foaming.

So is BLC a sanitizer, or a detergent?

65

General Homebrew Discussion / Starsan after BLC

« on: December 18, 2012, 02:49:16 PM »

Is it necessary? If you've cleaned your small parts and sanitized them, do you need to run Starsan through after BLC?

66

Zymurgy / Re: Confused about Sept/Oct 2012 Addicted Coffee Stout recipe detail

« on: December 13, 2012, 08:21:18 AM »

Did you brew this yet?  How did you handle the coffee and did the beer turn out good?

67

The Pub / Re: AB-Inbev to buy Modelo?

« on: December 12, 2012, 11:29:29 AM »

 

68

The Pub / Gas station growler fills

« on: December 10, 2012, 11:34:30 AM »

Nice! Wish it would migrate to FL. I did see a sign at the Texaco gas pump the other day that said "We now have craft beer inside".  So there's some progress.   Not on tap though.

69

All Grain Brewing / Re: OG right after pitching yeast

« on: December 03, 2012, 10:36:30 AM »

If it was a partial boil and you added water to it after the fact, then it's possible that you didn't mix it well enough and 1.071 is not the right number.  If it was a full wort boil then yeah, 1.071 is the number.

And I agree with what major said re: pitching temp.

It was a full boil.  I may have to get a more efficient chilling process if I want to get it down to 68 or below.  I use a homemade immersion chiller and ice bath in a big wash tub.  I can chill to 70-75 range in about 20 minutes.

70

All Grain Brewing / Re: OG right after pitching yeast

« on: December 03, 2012, 09:14:06 AM »

So I'm an idiot.  I guess I was so happy that I had enought volume at the end of the boil that I forgot to collect some wort for an OG reading.  However, we noticed it as soon as we put the carboy in the fermentation chamber.  We immediately took it out and grabbed a sample for an OG reading.  I was going for 1.086, but got 1.071.  We already aerated and pitched the yeast.  I would estimate about 8-10 minutes passed between the pitching of the yeast and the OG reading.  Is this OG reading valid, or did the yeast start going that quickly?  FYI, I pitched two packs of US-05.

1.071 is the number.  Did you take the reading at the right temp?

Yes, we pitched at about 75F & I corrected the reading we got using Beersmith.

71

All Grain Brewing / OG right after pitching yeast

« on: December 03, 2012, 09:00:40 AM »

So I'm an idiot.  I guess I was so happy that I had enought volume at the end of the boil that I forgot to collect some wort for an OG reading.  However, we noticed it as soon as we put the carboy in the fermentation chamber.  We immediately took it out and grabbed a sample for an OG reading.  I was going for 1.086, but got 1.071.  We already aerated and pitched the yeast.  I would estimate about 8-10 minutes passed between the pitching of the yeast and the OG reading.  Is this OG reading valid, or did the yeast start going that quickly?  FYI, I pitched two packs of US-05.

72

Equipment and Software / New upgrade to my setup

« on: December 01, 2012, 06:30:36 PM »

Utility sink with hot and cold water.


In line water filter hooked up to the cold water line.

73

Beer Recipes / Re: DFH Indian Brown Ale Dry Hops

« on: November 30, 2012, 07:02:04 PM »

I saw that.  OK, I think I'll try it.  Thanks.

74

Beer Recipes / DFH Indian Brown Ale Dry Hops

« on: November 30, 2012, 03:30:59 PM »

What do they dry hop this with? Sam says on their website that it's dry hopped, but the clone recipe in Zymurgy only uses Warrior at 60 min and Vanguard at flame out.

75

Beer Recipes / Re: Imperial IPA Ideas

« on: November 30, 2012, 07:45:52 AM »

I also like to sub out some table sugar for the basemalt. Dry is good here. But not too dry.

Did you mean use more base malt and less sugar, or the other way around?  Also, when would be the best time to add the sugar, end of boil?

Here's my recipe, I won a gold medal at the Colorado State Fair with this...
And +100 on the huge late hop additions...

12 lbs American 2-row
1 lb 20L Crystal
1/2 lb Carapils
1 1/2 lbs white table sugar  10 mins

1 oz chinook   FWH
1 oz Chinook   60 min
1/2 oz each  of Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo  at  15, 10,5,0 min
1 oz each Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo  Dry Hop.


11 oz of hops.  Not a cheap beer to make, but holy crap does it taste and smell awesome!  I am very pleased with this.  Go with hops you like, but definitely load up on the late additions. Your results will be great!

Nice looking beer.  Unfortunately, I have no LHBS, nor do I have one near me, so everything I've already ordered thinking I knew what I was doing.  So, I have 2 oz Warrior, 4 oz Amarillo, & 4 oz Cascade to work with and I'm brewing Saturday.  I'm just trying to figure out where to work them.

You might want to consider scaling it back to an American IPA, or just waiting?  10oz of hops is not a lot for an IIPA.  Hell, it's barely an APA anymore.

With that amount of hops, I would go:
95% 2-row
5% crystal
1.064 OG

About 40+ IBUs of warrior at 60m
1oz Amarillo at 10m
1oz Cascade at 10m
1oz Amarillo at 0m
1oz Cascade at 0m
2oz Amarillo Dry Hop
2oz Cascade Dry Hop

Just my $0.02

That looks pretty good.  I may scale it back a touch, then next beer I'll be more aware of what I want to do for an IIPA.

My bad, I see you have a half pound of sugar in there (missed it on the bottom). The basemalt as is looks pretty good. You might lower the amount of crystal or raise the amount of crystal and sub out more sugar for the 2 row on the next batch depending on what you are shooting for but I think you have a good base grain bill to start with.

Thanks.