Messages

631

Equipment and Software / Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer

« on: May 21, 2012, 09:56:03 AM »

I do a one-point cal during the boil. My mash thermometer usually comes out at ~214-215F.

See if your LHBS has a calibrated water bath or something. If not, a REALLY crude alternative is to get a few of the same thermometers off the shelf and stick them in the same water. See if yours comes out somewhere in the middle.

Not scientific AT ALL, but it may give you some piece of mind.

Keep in mind that measuring to 1 deg F at such a wide range is a pretty hefty feat for any instrument, especially without regular calibration. If you can nail down a reasonable offset that's fairly consistent (i.e. adding 2-3F to your reading), you're still doing ok. Just keep watching for drift.

632

All Grain Brewing / Re: San Diego water for Pale Ale

« on: May 21, 2012, 09:00:28 AM »

Before you get up in arms about your water, try it (undiluted) in your pale recipe. Then brew the same recipe with either your water diluted by half or with all distilled water.

Which do you like best? Tasting the differences is going to make a lot of sense out of all the water adjustment information out there.

(P.S. Either way, you'll need to adjust your water at some point. I agree - Bru'n Water is a great tool even if you're unfamiliar with water treatment)

633

Equipment and Software / Re: Tired of crappy therm and hydrometer

« on: May 21, 2012, 08:55:05 AM »

Your thermometers were "off" compared to what? What was your reference temp?

634

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Mixing Lager Yeasts - Pros and Cons

« on: May 21, 2012, 08:51:31 AM »

Typically speaking, when I want the characteristics of two or more yeasts in a beer, I'll ferment them separately and blend the beer together after fermentation. This way you'll be able to achieve the desirable characteristics of each yeast in a desired proportion in the finished beer.  I recently used this technique for a BDS using Trappist and Abbey Ale yeasts.  Amazing results.

Currently trying this with a Flanders Red/Lambic-type beer - half with Roselare, and half with a concoction of dregs. Otherwise the fresh strains in the Roselare take up too many sugars/nutrients and give off too much acidity to revive the several strains from the dregs.

Also gives me some room to blend, hopefully creating a Flanders and a lambic from the same wort. We'll see.

635

Beer Recipes / Re: Possbile IPA recipe

« on: May 21, 2012, 08:18:00 AM »

+1 - throw in some yeast nutrient for CYA

636

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: I always liked Tallgrass Beer

« on: May 21, 2012, 08:10:08 AM »

From the same website (didn't see it earlier):

A note on yeast: Tallgrass uses White Labs WLP007 Dry English Ale; with Tallgrass' blessing, we suggest Wyeast 1450 as the default option so customers (especially mail order customers) can more easily evaluate viability before brewing.

637

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: yeast bummer

« on: May 21, 2012, 07:01:09 AM »

I'm always shocked when I calculate viability by mfg date with Mr. Malty, but it holds true.

Use it or lose it.

638

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Methode Champenoise, dry hop in bottle?

« on: May 21, 2012, 06:58:49 AM »

I've really enjoyed following along this thread and reading about Drew's clubs' experiments with this method.

Nateo - how long should these cellar before you're ready to drink?

639

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: I always liked Tallgrass Beer

« on: May 21, 2012, 06:56:16 AM »

The recipe on the NB site calls for WY1450 - are they using Denny's yeast in the brewery?

640

Equipment and Software / Re: Tubing and autosiphons

« on: May 21, 2012, 06:41:09 AM »

Before removal, I do pump OxiClean and then StarSan through it...

Just remember to find the "Free and Clear" (unscented) OxiClean for brewing equipment...

(don't learn the hard way)

My "old" autosiphon/tubing gets marked with a permanent marker and used for wild ales. I have a few sets just in case one breaks or I ever need to fill a barrel...

641

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Mixing Lager Yeasts - Pros and Cons

« on: May 21, 2012, 06:38:26 AM »

A few years ago, Sun King made a great Belgian Golden with what they said was a "mixture of 7 yeast strains". If I ever get a chance, I'd really like to ask the SK guys how they did this...

Can you match up the Belgian strains with similar behaviors/attenuation ranges this way? Kind of like Hopfen described with the PU strains.

If you dump enough yeast in, will it give you something different (and worth the price of all that yeast)?

642

All Grain Brewing / Re: Wee Heavy mash temp

« on: May 21, 2012, 06:27:20 AM »

Getting ready to partigyle. According to Noonan, you are supposed to collect 13 qts sparge runnings and heat this for the second mash's strike? do I got that right?

Do you mean run the first runnings back through during the sparge?

643

Equipment and Software / Re: Stainless Steel Scrubber in Boil Screen to strain hops?

« on: May 18, 2012, 12:10:12 PM »

Sometimes I do line the bucket with a grain bag and lift it out slowly aftewards to pull almost all the hops/trub out.

THAT's a great idea!

644

All Grain Brewing / Re: Mash temperatures

« on: May 16, 2012, 11:48:37 AM »

That comment was not made to me personally.  It was said to all the homebrewers during the "awards presentation"  And he was very clear in his statements.  Most of us kind of looked at ech other, and wondered......

Woah... well, brewers are sometimes an opinionated group.

645

Equipment and Software / Re: Thermowell for a Ranco

« on: May 16, 2012, 10:29:21 AM »

The poly tubing will provide some insulation, along with the air between your probe surface and the interior surface of the tube.

My LHBS has one made of metal - possibly aluminum? I would try a 1/4" ID piece of copper with a capped end.