Messages

1

Yeast and Fermentation / using half of a white labs vial

« on: June 16, 2013, 05:46:25 PM »

A white labs vial has about enough viable cells to pitch into a 1.030 beer without a starter, assuming the yeast is extremely fresh. So depending on your beer style, you most likely under pitched. By at least half. No sense in being frugal when it comes to yeast. You wouldn't use half the malt or water or hops for a recipe, would you? Guess what? Yeast is at least 65% the flavor of the beer! Pitch the correct amount everytime. Use   This pitching calc as a guide

http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

2

General Homebrew Discussion / Dads Day Brew?

« on: June 16, 2013, 09:28:20 AM »

i'll be swimming, grilling and drinking IIPA! Maybe a whiskey and cigar later on if I'm sill functioning.

3

Ingredients / Too dry. How to correct.

« on: June 16, 2013, 08:42:26 AM »

Personally, I think most AIPAs with 10% crystal are way too sweet and cloying unless you add some sugar to dry the beer out further. Agree with the others, package and drink it. Buy the end of the batch you may find it is not too dry, after all. 1.012 is certainly not excessively dry for an IPA. In fact, its about spot on. For my tastes, anyway.

4

The Pub / Good news! Beer bellies are a myth!

« on: June 16, 2013, 04:57:00 AM »

Ya look great for an old man Major

I was thinking the same thing about you!

5

All Grain Brewing / Best wood type for smoking grain?

« on: June 15, 2013, 04:39:38 PM »

I made a cold smoker last year and haven't experimented with anything but apple wood bit if was wonderful. I swear I tasted apple. Way in the back.

6

All Grain Brewing / Soapy Flavor in New Zealand Hopped IPA

« on: June 15, 2013, 04:22:13 PM »

I had some soapy issues on my IPA and a smart person here on the 4M suggested addig a small amount of gypsum to the beer glass and it worked at scrubbing out much of the soap character. I now add gypsum to my mash for every IPA. Seems to have fixed the issue.

I wonder it it's the Calcium or Sulfate doing that? Or both?

I think it's just the paint on the ground up drywall?

7

The Pub / Good news! Beer bellies are a myth!

« on: June 15, 2013, 03:02:10 PM »

What are you eating majorvices?

Lots!

I eat pretty healthy. Very little fast food. It's the beer and second helpings that are killing me!

I'm still in pretty good shape though. For  a brewer.

Looks like you lost a few pounds of hair!

Nah. I just don't shave my back anymore!

8

The Pub / Good news! Beer bellies are a myth!

« on: June 15, 2013, 10:54:07 AM »

FYI: I was sucking my gut in on that picture

9

The Pub / Good news! Beer bellies are a myth!

« on: June 15, 2013, 09:11:19 AM »

What are you eating majorvices?

Lots!

I eat pretty healthy. Very little fast food. It's the beer and second helpings that are killing me!

I'm still in pretty good shape though. For  a brewer.

10

Yeast and Fermentation / blonde ale with US-05 tasting like Hefe

« on: June 15, 2013, 05:58:10 AM »

I have seen Chico strain mutate like this a few times. Hazy and rubbery yeast aroma. Time to buy a new packet of us-05. Don't break the bank.

That sounds accurate. That was the last of it anyways. I have used US-05 so much now that I want to experiment with some other yeasts a bit more.

S-04 is my new yeast for now. I haven't been impressed after reading descriptions about how well this yeast drops out. My summer ale on tap has yeast floating all over the place after cold conditioning for a couple of weeks....

Is your water especially soft? Water low in calcium can have a negative effect on yeast flocculation.

11

All Grain Brewing / Soapy Flavor in New Zealand Hopped IPA

« on: June 15, 2013, 05:55:24 AM »

I had some soapy issues on my IPA and a smart person here on the 4M suggested addig a small amount of gypsum to the beer glass and it worked at scrubbing out much of the soap character. I now add gypsum to my mash for every IPA. Seems to have fixed the issue.

12

The Pub / Good news! Beer bellies are a myth!

« on: June 15, 2013, 05:49:39 AM »

I never had a beer belly until I opened my brewery. Sat at an office desk job 40+ hours a week and barely an oz of fat. Now I'm on my feet all day lifting heavy things and running from one end of brewery to other with barely a minute to grab lunch.  But at 4 o'clock after brewing all day I find myself compelled to hit the taps.

The same here.
I think I gain 20 lb in 2 years.
I tell to my kids that I need that muse to lift 150 lb kegs.

And the worst of it Is rarely have beer at home.
Nobody told me that before I opened a brewery.

I am pushing past 20 lbs now. And I always make sure there's at least 2 taps at home. That's another part of the problem! I still work out by weight lifting 3 or 4 days a week in addition to brewery work and hiking another 2 days a week but it's no use. I keep getting fatter!

OTOH the other part of the equation is I turned 43 last October.

13

The Pub / Good news! Beer bellies are a myth!

« on: June 14, 2013, 06:32:43 AM »

 I never had a beer belly until I opened my brewery. Sat at an office desk job 40+ hours a week and barely an oz of fat. Now I'm on my feet all day lifting heavy things and running from one end of brewery to other with barely a minute to grab lunch.  But at 4 o'clock after brewing all day I find myself compelled to hit the taps.

14

Beer Recipes / Belgian Red Ale?

« on: June 14, 2013, 03:18:31 AM »

I make a Belgian red ale with cara red that turns out really nice. It's a little over "session able" at 1.060 bit it's a deep red and very quaffable. I use a lot of cara red and some sugar to dry the beer out. LMK if you are interested in the recipe.

15

Yeast and Fermentation / blonde ale with US-05 tasting like Hefe

« on: June 14, 2013, 03:15:31 AM »

I have seen Chico strain mutate like this a few times. Hazy and rubbery yeast aroma. Time to buy a new packet of us-05. Don't break the bank.