Messages

1966

Ingredients / Re: Citra Hops

« on: December 10, 2009, 08:17:38 am »

actually, this is the first use of it - babalu87 spoke pretty highly of it to me a few times - so I figured I would give it a go.  and from what I understand, its kinda in between US 2-row and MO in terms of richness.

I've used the Optic before, and while I liked it in an ESB, it seemed to have a bit of candy-ness that didn't go well with all the citrus and pine I load into my IPAs.

I won't be breaking into the Halcyon until mid/late jan, but if you want, I'll let you know how it turns out - I think I am going to really like it.

1967

Ingredients / Re: Citra Hops

« on: December 10, 2009, 07:54:44 am »

3 bags Best Pils
1 bag Best Munich
2 bags Best Vienna
2 bags Thomas Fawcett Halcyon
1 bag Thomas Fawcett Maris Otter

I already have 50lbs left of TFMO and 40ish of Best Munich, but other than that I am stocked well with specialty grains, though the Maris Otter is going to take a small dent on Monday with the partigyle ABW-ESB and Old Ale.  10lbs+ of hops in the freezer, a dozen mason jars of yeast slurries (plus access to brewpub slurries of 830 and 001). 

Don't tell my wife, but theoretically, I could not buy any brewing supplies for all of 2010, but will that happen...doubt it!

1968

Ingredients / Re: Citra Hops

« on: December 10, 2009, 07:29:45 am »

[
I thought you were showing considerable daring...going with the Citra to bitter your old ale...
What else would you normally bitter with in an old ale?

I still have not experimented with my Citra...but I am planning on using them later and real late in an ipa soon.
I think I have too many hops

 

Normally it'd be a limey bittering hop, Challenger, Target, maybe EKG, something along those lines, but as you know, Pinnah, I rarely have any of those in my freezer 

I just picked up 495lbs of grain last night - I'm set for a while 

1969

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Kettle Caramelization for a Wee Heavy

« on: December 09, 2009, 02:27:41 pm »

I'm not averse to it at all.  I aleady used the technique at a smaller scale on a 60 that I'm fermenting right now.

I just like to understand what's going on in the brew and the differences in techniques.  This has been a good discussion for me.

gotcha - agreed - it has been a very informative discussion.

1970

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Kettle Caramelization for a Wee Heavy

« on: December 09, 2009, 02:17:22 pm »

Ah.  So how long of a boil are we talking about before we don't need the separate boil-down?

a lot of hours, I'd guesstimate at least 4.

nd - you seem rather averse to doing the gallon boil down, but I'm not sure why?  It works very, very well.  Just keep an eye on it - amazingly, 2 gallons can boil over a 5gal pot when you turn your back  

1971

All Grain Brewing / Re: Partigyle - split the mash or all first for the main, all second for the small?

« on: December 09, 2009, 01:16:22 pm »

thanks for the advice tom - this will be my first gyle - I have done an all first runnings BW before and the richness of the malt is jawdropping.

I plan on doing exactly as you suggest and see where the gravity for the first runnings is and then make a judgement call.  Reason being, I don't necessarily want my BW to be over 1.100 - so if its coming out 1.090 preboil, I might do a little mixing to get it down to mid 70s and shoot to end up there.

I borrowed a second BK from a friend so I'm all set.

And right after I get these two in the fermentor, I'll be making my Old Ale.  Don't know if I'll p-g that one too though, that might break my back for the day, but I think I can handle the three.

1972

Beer Recipes / Re: Hibernation Old Ale now with Recipe

« on: December 09, 2009, 10:15:00 am »

I would do a long secondary.  

how long do you recommend?  I was thinking 3-4 week primary (however long it takes) then a 3 month secondary, throwing the dryhops in the last 2 weeks and then bottle.

1973

Ingredients / Re: Citra Hops

« on: December 09, 2009, 10:00:51 am »

Well if you don't chicken out...let us know how they worked out. 

will do, although only using them for bittering, so I don't know how much I'll glean from that tasting.  will be using them in a pale in the spring though.

1974

Beer Recipes / Re: Hibernation Old Ale now with Recipe

« on: December 09, 2009, 09:52:27 am »

I'd drink it! 

I assume that's similar to "it doesn't suck" 

1975

All Grain Brewing / Re: Partigyle - split the mash or all first for the main, all second for the small?

« on: December 09, 2009, 09:09:26 am »

The EXTRA grain, would you have that sitting in a separate pot to save time and combine just prior to second sparge - or how exactly does that work?

if I do it that way, the "extra" grain will be thrown into the mash after the first runnings are run out.  then add the sparge water, and hold for 45min or so, then run out into the second kettle for the small beer.

1976

Ingredients / Re: Citra Hops

« on: December 09, 2009, 08:51:34 am »

head's up, too - hopsdirect has them now for 13.50 per pound, leaf.

1977

Ingredients / Re: Citra Hops

« on: December 09, 2009, 08:45:45 am »

ndcube - did you bitter with Citra in that or only late hops? 

can you tell I'm starting to chicken out on using them in my old ale? 

1978

All Grain Brewing / Re: Storing Grain?

« on: December 09, 2009, 08:16:20 am »

After reading all of the replies, I still have one concern - if your grain is being purchased after already sitting in a humid climate such as the Gulf Coast, how do you dry out the grain enough to store it long-term in a Rubbermaid container or bucket?  The house is kept below 70 (don't ask), so temp is not a problem, but humidity is over 80% here nearly all year round.

well, I live in South Florida, so my humidity is easily as bad as yours.  I generally keep around 150-200lbs of grain inside the house(74-76df), under my stairs, at any given time, stored in bakery buckets and some Homer buckets, and a few dog food bins.  I have never, ever had a problem, even using some specialty grains over a year after purchase.

the reason I was posting all the questions above is for the 500lbs of grain that is coming today, and storing that in my in-laws garage...

1979

All Grain Brewing / Partigyle - split the mash or all first for the main, all second for the small?

« on: December 09, 2009, 08:03:41 am »

On Monday, I'm brewing my partigyle ABW/ESB.  What I'd planned on doing was using all first runnings for the BW, and using the sparge (plus an extra 2lbs of MO and 1/2lb of crystal 60) for the ESB.

Was discussing this with a brewclub friend, and he mentioned partitioning the main mash, rather than doing all first/all second.

So assuming an 8.0gal boil volume for each, perhaps take 2.5gal from the first runnings for the small beer, and 5.5gal of the first runnings for the ABW, then vice versa with the sparge/second runnings. 

I've had a first runnings only ABW before and it is insane, but I also want to avoid having a 'thin' 'lifeless' small beer.

Any opinions/thoughts?

1980

Equipment and Software / Re: after boil will a bazooka tube filter pellet hops "goop" or get clogged?

« on: December 09, 2009, 07:48:00 am »

my scenario is similar to keith, though I don't whirlpool, I have a triple stage, Rube Goldbergesque chiller, but it works.

anyway, I discovered long ago that I cannot have >50% of the hop bill be pellet, or there is not enough of a filter bed.