Messages

31

Events / Re: North, East, & West Pre-Confrence Tours?

« on: May 31, 2013, 10:46:18 AM »

Any word on the idea of a continuous bus to some of the Philly area pubs?  I responded to a poll about that.  It would be nice to hop on a bus or a van going to Standard Tap or Memphis Tap House or others I may not know about yet.  My flight is too late on Wednesday (early afternoon) to go on any of the brewery tours.

32

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Naturally Carbonating a Keg

« on: May 30, 2013, 04:15:17 AM »

I still don't see why you don't force carbonate the keg, transfer off the lees to another keg, and then buy one of those small CO2 cartridges that attaches to the gas poppet to push the beer.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/soda-keg-co2-charger.html

Two reasons....I only have one keg, and it's a sanke style keg.

Did you happen to mention this earlier and I just missed it?
I see the part about 1/8 keg, but I didn't assume it was a sanke.
You could still force carb it and avoid the carbonation issues.

 Nah, I didn't mention it exactly. I don't know how the soda kegs work really (because I don't have one yet), but didn't think a party tap worked on them. I could force carbonate it, but I'm wanting to experiement with this style. I wasn't happy with the results of when I forced carbonated this keg the last time.

It takes practice.  Or science.

33

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Naturally Carbonating a Keg

« on: May 29, 2013, 06:46:01 PM »

I still don't see why you don't force carbonate the keg, transfer off the lees to another keg, and then buy one of those small CO2 cartridges that attaches to the gas poppet to push the beer.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/soda-keg-co2-charger.html

Two reasons....I only have one keg, and it's a sanke style keg.

Did you happen to mention this earlier and I just missed it?
I see the part about 1/8 keg, but I didn't assume it was a sanke.
You could still force carb it and avoid the carbonation issues.

34

Beer Recipes / Re: The Maibock

« on: May 29, 2013, 02:16:44 PM »

I have one on at home now and it tastes fine to me, but didn't do well at the last two competitions.

35

Beer Recipes / Re: kolsch grain bill

« on: May 29, 2013, 10:47:43 AM »

That grain bill is fine.
I use 75/25 Pilsner/Kolsch malt with 029.

I have never seen Kolsch malt until now. Would Vienna be a reasonable substitute especially in smaller quantities?

yeah, what is Kolsch malt?

36

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Naturally Carbonating a Keg

« on: May 29, 2013, 10:44:04 AM »

I still don't see why you don't force carbonate the keg, transfer off the lees to another keg, and then buy one of those small CO2 cartridges that attaches to the gas poppet to push the beer.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/soda-keg-co2-charger.html

37

All Grain Brewing / Re: Mash recirculation

« on: May 27, 2013, 04:10:33 PM »

Jeff, Thanks for your input.    Your comments are also, indirectly supported by Gordon Strong in his book, Brewing better Beer.  I am looking forward to trying this during my next brew.  Do you use brew in a bag for the colored grains?  To help control the SRM?

Yes, I credit Gordon Strong with that idea.  No, I just add the grains on to the top of the mash bed when I get ready to raise the temp to mash out, then sparge.  The recirculation is continuous and the temp is raised by slightly increasing the flame under the mash tun.

38

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Iron Brewer 2013

« on: May 27, 2013, 10:50:50 AM »

I think the out post is on the top to be used as a vent.  The beer tap is on the bottom, using the gas poppet.  It looks like a real ale cask.

39

All Grain Brewing / Re: Mash recirculation

« on: May 27, 2013, 10:22:09 AM »

I have a very old, maybe one of the original SABCO Brew Magic rigs which I have modified a bit over the years.  I stopped using the electric heater element because if the pump should stop working it's certain to scorch any wort that is in the system at the time. 
Keeping a very low flame under the mash tun and recirculating continually, it maintains temperatures very well.

Hydro: "One thing which I noticed is that the color extraction has also increased."  Lately I have been mashing all of the diastatic malts for the length of the mash rest and then adding any color and roast malts just before mash out.  This should not only make your mash more consistent, but keep the color where you want it.

40

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: LHBS

« on: May 25, 2013, 12:09:13 PM »

My local is less than a mile from my house, has a huge selection of ingredients, plus they have a bar that serves craft beers, both brewed there and hand-picked elsewhere.  They support the brewing community, they have a beer garden and last night they had a food truck that specialized in panninis.
I love that place.

41

Ingredients / Re: Sinamar: Not the Right Coloring Agent for a Black IPA

« on: May 24, 2013, 02:30:16 PM »

The bigger breweries use it as a "fixer" to make sure their colors are consistent.  I have picked up empty drums of a similar product from Yuengling.  It seems they go through three drums a week just to match the color at the Tampa brewery. 
Since they are never completely empty, I drained out almost 5 gallons of the stuff after several "empty" drums were drained.  Anybody want some?  I can send it for the cost of shipping and packaging.  I mean, I have a lifetime supply for a homebrewer or three.

42

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: That German lager flavor

« on: May 24, 2013, 02:24:06 PM »

I've been brewing a few lagers lately.  I have a Double Bock on tap now (although a bit young), a CAP lagering and a German Pils fermenting.

43

The Pub / Re: bridge collapse

« on: May 24, 2013, 08:21:40 AM »

It was in May of 1980 that the ship Summit Venture hit a piling of the northbound span of the Sunshine Skyway bridge and caused it to collapse into Tampa Bay during morning rush hour traffic.
That was an eerie morning.  It was strange later to drive over the other span and see the broken bridge hanging over the bay.

44

The Pub / Re: self driving car

« on: May 22, 2013, 02:13:01 PM »

I've often wondered if this concept would ever be realized in my lifetime.

Depends on how long ya live, Ron!

I can't answer that one Denny. I imagine it will be past my prime anyway.

We should have all got jet packs by now.  They promised.

45

Going Pro / Re: Fermentation Temperature Control

« on: May 21, 2013, 01:12:37 PM »

It's probably way over complicated but I have considered a zoned temp controlled area accomplished by putting 'gates' or dividers in at various points each with it's own temp controller which would actually trigger a little servo to open or close a vent and/or turn on a ventilator fan.

So your zones would go from;

coldest=closest to cooling or farthest from heating
to
warmest=closest to heating or farthest from cooling.

just a thought I had.

There's a small brewery in St. Pete that does just this.  The cool room has two areas, one for lagers close to the A/C unit and another room closer to the "out" door for ales.  They are separated by one of those clear, thick plastic curtains.