Topics

1

Commercial Beer Reviews / Unibroue la Terrible

« on: January 01, 2013, 07:40:09 pm »

Tried this one along with about 30 other beers I had not tried over Christmas with the family.  We rated them all and this one scored well with all and was my favorite beer overall.  It had some very pungent dark fruit notes that I have not tasted in a BDS before.  I will defiantly get this one again.  And from Canada.  I thought they only had LaBatt Blue and Molson Ice.  Lol.

2

General Homebrew Discussion / 2 questions

« on: December 04, 2012, 08:27:13 pm »

I am going to do another experimental small batch now that my sourdough one is done but I need some information before proceeding.  How much wheat can you use in a recipe and do you need a percentage of malted barley?   What would you use for bittering a beer if you couldn't use hops?

3

General Homebrew Discussion / Hit FG but still lots of activity.

« on: December 04, 2012, 06:34:58 pm »

I have a red pitched with US-05 that has been fermenting for nearly a month.  OG was 1.053 and I have had 3 readings in the last 10 days at 1.005.   I kicked up the heat in the room a couple days ago and it started bubbling like mad.  It has had yeast and bubbles on top all along but the gravity is not changing.  Can I bottle?  The beer tastes great btw.

4

Beer Recipes / What to do with 6lbs of Amber LME

« on: October 10, 2012, 01:48:49 pm »

Got a 6lb. jug of amber liquid malt extract and some hallertau hops taking up space, what would you make?

5

Kegging and Bottling / Labeling bottles

« on: October 06, 2012, 10:19:20 am »

For those that bottle, how do you label your brews.  I am starting to get several different brews and they all look the same in those plain brown bottles.  Right now I am just using location to identify them.  I would like to design my own labels because I am an art guy and have graphic design knowledge.  So what do you do?

6

Yeast and Fermentation / Belgian dark strong, low FG

« on: October 04, 2012, 10:50:38 am »

I am 12 days into fermenting The Number 8 extract kit from Northern Brewer and my gravity is down to 1.011 with activity still going on slowly.  The low end of the guidelines on this style says 1.014.  Did I go wrong somewhere?  It tastes delicious so I am not really worried, just wanted some input.  Thanks.

7

General Homebrew Discussion / Sourdough brew experiment

« on: October 04, 2012, 10:27:45 am »

Saw this and decided I needed to try it.  http://www.betterbeerblog.com/index.php/2011/12/27/homebrew-session-experimental-sour-dough-ale/
I made a partial mash .5 gallon batch of beer with light DME and several adjuncts (molasses, honey, oats, wheat berries) and hallertau hops.  Came out 1.053 and I poured the watery top of my sourdough starter in.  My starter is several years old and has a champagne like smell to it.  It is now fermenting very well.  Probably not the best idea, but I am very curious.

https://picasaweb.google.com/mwhanson93/October42012?authkey=Gv1sRgCN6aj5yj1ZfHUw#5795506343929597906

https://picasaweb.google.com/mwhanson93/October42012?authkey=Gv1sRgCN6aj5yj1ZfHUw#5795506405635904770

8

General Homebrew Discussion / Beard beer?

« on: September 28, 2012, 11:02:58 pm »

Found this entertaining.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/26/beard-beer-rogue-ales-yeast-john-maier_n_1917119.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=660851,b=facebook

9

Beer Recipes / Opinions on doppelbock (sort of)

« on: September 25, 2012, 06:46:15 pm »

I decided I wanted to try something more adventurous after doing a couple of extract kits and I came up with this recipe.  I know it is not a traditional doppelbock but I am only 1/4 German so I don't care.  I am only calling it that because it fits right in the style by my calculations and it will be pitched with Celebrator yeast that I am harvesting.  And thoughts on how this will turn out?  I am not too confident yet so I am only brewing a 2.5 gallon batch.  This is also my first lager.

6 lbs  Amber Malt Extract Syrup
.5 lbs Light Dry Malt Extract
.5 lbs Wheat Berries
.5 lbs Wild Rice
1 lbs Honey
2 oz. Hallertau Pellets 45 min.

Let the noob have it.

10

General Homebrew Discussion / Begian Dark Strong kit- Bad instructions!

« on: September 24, 2012, 03:58:08 pm »

Just brewed the Northern Brewer - The Number 8 extract kit this weekend and I am glad that I researched this well before going at it.  It says in the directions to put the AIR LOCK on and says nothing about a blow off tube.  Luckily I ignored the instructions or I would be mopping my ceiling. 

On a side note it is going well, fermenting at about 67 degrees, I will ramp up to low 70's in a couple days.  I plan on splitting it in secondary and adding a pound of honey to one batch as well as dumping some New Glarus Wisconsin Red into it.  Hope it all works out.