796
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: adding sugar...
« on: February 06, 2010, 10:41:43 am »
I wait until after the break since the boil seems to increase in violence a bit with an addition.
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797
All Grain Brewing / Re: Methods to reduce astringency of roasted barley
« on: February 05, 2010, 01:58:40 pm »
IF you are getting astringency from dark grains it is mostly likely due to your water chemistry. I'd suggest first trying to replicate a beer where you had high perceived astringency in the finished product, but try the method of adding the dark grains to the mash just before sparging.
Astringency is:
Astringency is:
Quote
mouthpuckering sensation that is comparable to chewing on grape skins or grape seeds
798
All Grain Brewing / Re: Astringency in dark beers
« on: February 04, 2010, 03:54:36 pm »
Let's be clear, astringency is not something you taste, it is something you FEEL, a sensation.
799
All Grain Brewing / Re: Organics
« on: February 01, 2010, 02:32:24 pm »
How did you crush you malt before and how do you crush it now?
800
All Grain Brewing / Re: Grain Depth
« on: February 01, 2010, 05:44:13 am »
I fly sparge, but it should be noted that grain bed depth really doesn't matter with a batch sparge.
I've never seen an actual depth stated, but 4" seems reasonable. When I do small beers I generally move to a bottling bucked with a copper coil.
I've never seen an actual depth stated, but 4" seems reasonable. When I do small beers I generally move to a bottling bucked with a copper coil.
801
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Blowoff tube vs. airlock. Does it affect bitterness?
« on: January 30, 2010, 07:37:47 pm »Attenuation is rather poor due to the Munich malt I used. I used Franco Belges and this is likely the last time I use this malt.
This seems like and odd statement from you. A single usage and you discount this at the issue?
I don't have in my inventory who my base Munich malt is from, but I suspect it may be MFB and if so have never had an issue with it.
802
All Grain Brewing / Re: fly with rect. cooler
« on: January 28, 2010, 06:17:16 am »
I fly sparge with a rectangular, but in reality I runoff as a batch the first runnings and then begin to fly. I think the continual addition of water is a waste of time unless you find you are compacting the grainbed and so I add as much water as possible and then once that drops some add again. I have a super sophisticated Armstrong system with manual controls 
http://www.ipass.net/mpdixon/ (see setup and mashing techniques)
My efficiency is always in excess of 85%, but I rarely make beers topping 1.070 anymore. I suspect at 1.100 I'd be down in the 75%-80% range.
http://www.ipass.net/mpdixon/ (see setup and mashing techniques)
My efficiency is always in excess of 85%, but I rarely make beers topping 1.070 anymore. I suspect at 1.100 I'd be down in the 75%-80% range.
803
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: No good deed goes unpunished....
« on: January 27, 2010, 08:11:00 pm »I'm giving one on Sunday, Denny, fly on over and I'll save ya a seat.
I saw that, Mike, and I wish I could!
Ours is being postponed until April due to really bad weather in the forecast for this weekend. Looking at April 24, c'mon down
804
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: The NHC...What should I do
« on: January 27, 2010, 10:29:11 am »
What's to know
805
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: The NHC...What should I do
« on: January 26, 2010, 05:42:02 pm »
If nothing else persuades you, I'll be there...SWMBO just gave me the green light and I bought the ticket!
806
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: No good deed goes unpunished....
« on: January 26, 2010, 07:49:22 am »
The official position is you have an hour for a taste retake. In reality bringing out a beer every 15 min tends to overtax the proctors since they need a little extra time IMO to fill out the much longer score sheet. For that reason I bring out the brews every 20 min so in effect someone sitting for my exam could have 80 min to fill out the sheets. In reality as an examinee or as a judge at competition you should be able to do it in 10 min or less or you are wasting time. Proctoring takes a little more time.
The key to a taste retake is to describe what you smell, see, taste and feel as descriptively as possible and then to describe what you don't smell, see, taste and feel. IMO on the exam the only place to speak about style is in the Overall Impression. However I feel for competition one should always relate what is sensed to style.
If, for the exam, one only focuses on what is perceived they really cannot be incorrect. The problem is many do not have the vocabulary or the ability to convey what is sensed. What I would suggest is to put down the description of something else you have perceived in your life experience. If is tastes like toasted marshmallows, instead of trying to come up with something clever, write that down. We all know the chances of someone putting toasted marshmallows in a beer is slim, but if that is what you taste, it is what you taste.
The one part of the taste exam you cannot control is score. The lowest score is 13 so I tell examinees to never drop below 15. The highest scores generally given are 45 so I tell examinees to stay below 42. Unless the proctors and examinees were trained by the same judge the scores tend to vary wildly and it makes that portion of the taste scoring (20%) a wildcard. The nice thing is at worst you will ever get on scoring is 9/20.
Keys IMO are:
Fill up the sheet with comments and no BS
Fill in the sheet 100% complete
Score as best you can
Be as descriptive as you can
Reserve any comments about style to the Overall Impression
I've been judging for quite some time, but when I took my taste retake I did not study at all. Just drove down 3 hours the morning of the exam and took the taste portion. IMO style is only important for the comments made in the Overall Impression.
The key to a taste retake is to describe what you smell, see, taste and feel as descriptively as possible and then to describe what you don't smell, see, taste and feel. IMO on the exam the only place to speak about style is in the Overall Impression. However I feel for competition one should always relate what is sensed to style.
If, for the exam, one only focuses on what is perceived they really cannot be incorrect. The problem is many do not have the vocabulary or the ability to convey what is sensed. What I would suggest is to put down the description of something else you have perceived in your life experience. If is tastes like toasted marshmallows, instead of trying to come up with something clever, write that down. We all know the chances of someone putting toasted marshmallows in a beer is slim, but if that is what you taste, it is what you taste.
The one part of the taste exam you cannot control is score. The lowest score is 13 so I tell examinees to never drop below 15. The highest scores generally given are 45 so I tell examinees to stay below 42. Unless the proctors and examinees were trained by the same judge the scores tend to vary wildly and it makes that portion of the taste scoring (20%) a wildcard. The nice thing is at worst you will ever get on scoring is 9/20.
Keys IMO are:
Fill up the sheet with comments and no BS
Fill in the sheet 100% complete
Score as best you can
Be as descriptive as you can
Reserve any comments about style to the Overall Impression
I've been judging for quite some time, but when I took my taste retake I did not study at all. Just drove down 3 hours the morning of the exam and took the taste portion. IMO style is only important for the comments made in the Overall Impression.
807
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: No good deed goes unpunished....
« on: January 26, 2010, 07:06:21 am »
I'm giving one on Sunday, Denny, fly on over and I'll save ya a seat. 
808
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: No good deed goes unpunished....
« on: January 26, 2010, 06:10:33 am »Why would you not re-take the written, your statments seem to contradict what your beliefs are. Take the written, you have taken it before how hard can it be. You can pass on the knowledge better by taking it twice. Are you taking the easy way out? Just the tasting? Maybe you need a 91 on your written instead, that knowledge can be passed on. Tasting is personal.IMO
A disclaimer here I have never taken the BJCP test or have attempted it, so I my be talking out of you know where.
You ARE talking out of you know where. Why not retake the written? Cause it is friggin hard. There's nothing to be gained for Denny by retaking the written with the score he currently has. A taste retake makes more sense to move up plus it would only be 15 beans.
809
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: No good deed goes unpunished....
« on: January 25, 2010, 03:16:18 pm »
If you get ready to retake, drop me a note and I can offer some pointers on the taste portion to maximize the score.
I need a written retake for Master, but I ain't gotta take the taste again
I need a written retake for Master, but I ain't gotta take the taste again
810
General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Pressure Canning Wort For Starters
« on: January 16, 2010, 07:50:26 pm »
Let's be clear, not everyone pressure cans with a small unit. With an All American Pressure Canner there is no weight. From my page www.ipass.net/mpdixon
