Messages

826

Homebrew Clubs / Re: Club legal status

« on: December 31, 2009, 06:04:02 AM »

We set up our club as a business with the state (NC) as a nonprofit corporation. We also have a Tax ID #. Our checking account is just that with zero savings and interest. We've thought about filing the paperwork to be a nonprofit with the Feds but have not seen how that would benefit us.

Here's our state incorporation document, that might help. (I don't mind showing it since I ain't on it!)
http://www.secretary.state.nc.us/corporations/Filings.aspx?PItemId=5264257#

827

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Post mash water adjustments

« on: December 29, 2009, 12:30:54 PM »

I guess no one responded because it truly depends upon your water. Read all these:
http://www.ingermann.com/documents/brewing/schwartz-water-primer.htm
http://www.homebrew.com/mike_brew_corner/mike_02150101.shtml
http://www.homebrew.com/mike_brew_corner/mike_03270101.shtml
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15-4.html

828

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Canning Wort for Starters in Pressure Canner

« on: December 28, 2009, 01:16:42 PM »

vert - I always boil my water for rehydration (only takes 1/2 cup) in the microwave and let it cool to ~100 before rehydrating. Sure I could easily can a quart, but then I'd have to figure out what to do with what remains. No real need to reuse yeast when using dry yeast.

829

All Grain Brewing / Re: Malt Conditioning

« on: December 28, 2009, 06:34:09 AM »

After you've decided for yourself it is the conditioning of the malt, make a few batches using the same malt which has not been conditioned. Then post what you were getting before conditioning, what you got after conditioning, and what you got when you went back to unconditioned malt.


- -

FWIW - I get 85%+ on a motorized JSP adjustable which has never been adjusted (I did remove the grain guides), of course I don't conditions since I don't see where I could benefit since stuck sparges are not a routine problem and my efficiency is very high at times.

830

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Canning Wort for Starters in Pressure Canner

« on: December 28, 2009, 06:28:32 AM »

I don't really see the benefit of sterile water, but you may.

I've been pressure canning (you must pressure can) for years. I actually make a full batch of pale malt mash and after the sparge can the wort. It's on my page www.ipass.net/mpdixon

831

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: cold side aeration and staling reactions

« on: December 15, 2009, 06:43:55 AM »

I understand what he is asking now (duh). I was thinking in regard to pitching and not to transfer, so yes, I believe aerating and then letting the beer sit for days prior to pitching would be a bad thing in the long term since the oxygen introduced during the aeration could cause detrimental staling.

- -

Now since someone mentioned HSA, how about a data point. Often we here people discuss HSA pre-boil. Well one day last year my spigot began to break on the tun and was drawing in air during the runoff. When I noticed the foam from the aeration was about half a converted keg in depth. My first thought was to stop it and then I thought it might be interesting to let it ride, boil, cool, ferment, etc. and determine just what staling effects had occurred. So the first keg drained pretty quickly without adverse effects. The second is STILL hanging out and has no indications of oxidation. It's over a year old with diminishing charateristics due to age, but no oxidation. FWIW it is a Gotlandsdrika ~1.050. So, IMO, pre-boil HSA is not a concern - YMMV.

832

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Colonna capper/corker or other bench capper?

« on: December 14, 2009, 04:41:47 AM »

There are not many which cap both beer bottles and can cork wine. If you want a dual, it may be your only option. I seem to recall from the time I looked into it the corker attachment is a separate purchase.

833

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Blowoff tube vs. airlock. Does it affect bitterness?

« on: December 13, 2009, 03:05:56 PM »

Based upon the data presented in Hombrewing Vol. 1 and a Brewing Techniques article where the IBU were measured bitterness is reduced when blowoff occurs.

834

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: cold side aeration and staling reactions

« on: December 13, 2009, 03:03:56 PM »

I am not aware of any staling issues with aerating/oxygenation at pitching temps. If anyone is aware of any, please provide a reference.

835

All Grain Brewing / Re: Slowed down my sparge,and got a boost

« on: December 11, 2009, 05:25:14 AM »

In the "made you look" category, I checked and my unit can be outfitted for commercial use to go to 185F. Of course it has some kind of limit for home use which caused it to top out at 140F.

836

All Grain Brewing / Re: Slowed down my sparge,and got a boost

« on: December 10, 2009, 06:46:55 AM »

I personally prefer to heat cold (filtered) tap water to ensure getting water that I want to drink when it's been turned into beer - I don't like the idea of drinking hot water out of the water heater.

Instant hot water heater. Basically a ring heats the water as it flows. It's not like a tank of water waiting to be used.

837

All Grain Brewing / Re: Slowed down my sparge,and got a boost

« on: December 09, 2009, 01:03:57 PM »

You need to take a look at Kai Troester's groundbreaking work on "cold sparging".  He basically found that a lower sparge temp doesn't bot affect efficiency.

A retired homebrewer I know had the idea that if one mashed out and then sparged they could use water from their hot water heater. Of course that would certainly increase the viscosity somewhat being 135F or so as opposed to 170F. I long dreamed of using an instant hot water heater for the sparge, but the temps out of range. Since I now have one at home I may have to jack up the temp on that puppy to 140F and give it a whirl. If nothing else I might devise a method to fill the sparge kettle with 140F water. Going from 140F to 170F is a snap!

838

All Grain Brewing / Re: "Belgian" spice flavor wierdness

« on: December 09, 2009, 06:22:02 AM »

I vote hops or the yeast was something other than 1056.

839

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

« on: December 09, 2009, 06:20:35 AM »

Everything I've read and heard says that's the case,  my gut says on a micro level that reaction is occurring and improving the flavor of my beer.

Don't listen to the gut Fred, those things lie...  

It's Maillard Reactions which cause browning and that magical browning derives a myriad of aroma and flavor components AND color components such as melanoidins. Of course not all MR are magical, but most that happen in the brew kettle are!

840

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

« on: December 08, 2009, 03:12:45 PM »

But when you are boiling only a gallon, the water will evaporate and then the caramelization begins at about 320F (not at 212F). Heck I can't even get my regular wort to boil at 212 (at a mile high it boils around 203F  ).

As soon as you go above 212F (at sea level) the water is gone 

Caramelization of the sugars begins at 230F for fructose and a standard grist wort is about 9.5% glucose & fructose so some wort sugars would begin to caramelize at 230F, but the majority above 300F.