Messages

1

Ingredients / Re: How to Sanitize Sugar Addition

« on: May 18, 2013, 09:56:17 am »

Thanks guys, I think I'll just mix up the Cane and Brown sugar, to get rid of lumps, and stir it in.  I thought I'd heard there was no need to sanitize, but couldn't find any reference to that on the web.  See you in Philly,

    Dave King, BIER

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Ingredients / How to Sanitize Sugar Addition

« on: May 17, 2013, 09:44:27 am »

I made an American Brown Ale, and forgot to add the brown and cane sugars (1/2 lb. of each).  It's fermenting merrily along, and I'm sure it'll be fine, but I could add the sugars while the yeast are active, to get to what the recipe really was. 

I'm wondering about the best way to sanitize it, and I'd think extracting some of the fermenting beer, add the sugar, do a 10 minute boil, cool it, and add it back into the fermenter, would be best.  I could just use more tap water, but the fermenter is rather full, and I also don't want to dilute it.  It is just "clean" sugar, maybe I can just stir it into the fermenting beer?  Thoughts?  --  Dave King, BIER

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The Pub / Re: BB King tonight

« on: March 11, 2013, 12:56:02 pm »

I didn't want to say anything before hand, but he was past his prime when he was here in Binghamton, a good many years back.  Too bad, but we need to remember him for his greatness. 

 Dave King, BIER

4

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 2/16 Edition

« on: February 22, 2013, 10:20:50 am »

Rye IPA, 3.5 lb. of Rye, Magnum to bitter, Chinook and then Amarillo adds.  Haven't planned dry hops yet.

5

Ingredients / Oak a Chocolate Imperial Stout

« on: February 12, 2013, 09:27:28 am »

I’m considering oaking my Chocolate Imperial Stout.  I have 6 oz. of Light toast American White Oak.  Do you think the chocolate and oak flavors would be OK together?  The beer is finished, after 3 weeks in the primary, 9% ABV, I probably should rack it before oaking for a couple weeks, right?  I'm thinking about toasting the oak to about a medium level before using it, which would sanitize it, too.  Thanks, see you all in Philly in June.
 
    Dave King, BIER

6

Ingredients / Re: 1st Wet Dry Hop of 2011

« on: July 08, 2011, 06:29:45 pm »

Are you near the 48th parallel?  If you're between about the top of the US and Dallas, TX, you should be able to water and give them Nitrogen, and get some yield.  1st year, you may not get much, but 2nd year & on, should be good. 

Put them where they'll get the most sunshine, and good drainage.  Actually, there's a ton of good info on the web on how to grow hops.  Where do you live?  Denny is in Oregon, and I'm in NY State, near Syracuse. 

If you're really having trouble, try Cascades, they're about the most robust.

7

Ingredients / Re: 1st Wet Dry Hop of 2011

« on: July 07, 2011, 12:47:07 pm »

Thanks, Drew, I signed up for imgur, it looks like a great site for storing images, to be used on-line.  How's this?



BTW, thanks for all your hard work before and at NHC in San Diego, it was awesome, see you in Seattle!

8

Ingredients / Re: 1st Wet Dry Hop of 2011

« on: July 06, 2011, 05:08:46 pm »

I'm sure your hops will come in fine, next year.  Raising them is great fun, picking and drying is significant work, but well worth it. 

Mr. Moderator, please let me know how to get images embedded, correctly.  I don't understand the "location."  Do I need to have a repository somewhere, on the web?  Thanks!

9

Ingredients / Re: 1st Wet Dry Hop of 2011

« on: July 06, 2011, 01:42:54 pm »

Hmmm, image didn't work.  It was a pair of 2 liter bottles, 2/3 full of Rye Pale Ale, with a couple fist fulls of fresh hops in both. 

10

Ingredients / 1st Wet Dry Hop of 2011

« on: July 06, 2011, 01:41:26 pm »

1st wet dry hop of some homebrew for this season, in Endicott, NY. These are Fuggles, not very aromatic. The Cascades have a few weeks to go before they're ready.



Mod Edit - We'll see if this works - please note you have to link directly to the jpg, not the image with all the html cruft. Also, facebook is a little wonky for sharing pics since it wants people to be logged into facebook

11

Ingredients / Re: Hop Drying with a Food Dehydrator

« on: May 28, 2011, 08:09:32 pm »

The "Big boys" tell me, it's best to dry them before freezing, for best storage.

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Ingredients / Re: Hop Drying with a Food Dehydrator

« on: May 28, 2011, 08:24:24 am »

OK, thanks Denny.  I'll just have to try the dehydrator.  I usually pick mine over a few weeks, too.  My garage rafter setup works pretty well, and without any electricity, so if the weather cooperates, I'll probably rely mostly on the garage rafter setup, but if it's rainy, the dehydrator sounds like a good option. 

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Ingredients / Re: Hop Drying with a Food Dehydrator

« on: May 27, 2011, 05:00:52 pm »

So Thirsty, do you think it retains the light oils we want for dry hopping?

14

Ingredients / Hop Drying with a Food Dehydrator

« on: May 27, 2011, 02:08:44 pm »

My wife just bought a Dehydrator and Jerky Maker.  It's got 4 trays, and will reportedly heat to 95F.  I normally hoist hops on window screens up into the garage roof rafters for drying my home grown Cascades and Fuggles, but the dehydrator might work.  I'm wondering if it's 4 trays are not much room.  Anyone have experience with one?   --  Dave

15

Beer Recipes / Re: IPA with all Columbus Hops

« on: April 16, 2011, 11:22:43 am »

I looked at my hop inventory, and I've got lots of both Columbus pellets and whole hops in the freezer.  I'm thinking of making a Rye IPA with all Columbus.  I've got 2 lb of rye malt, which should be OK for a 6 gallon, 1.070 O.G. with 2 row and some crystal malt.  Anyone know if all Columbus would be a bad idea?       Thanks,

Dave, take a look at my recipe.  The combo of Mt. Hood and Columbus adds a wonderful complexity.  You could do all Columbus if you want, but it might be a bit intense.  Not necessarily a bad idea, but maybe not the best, either.  Also, My recipe uses 18% rye malt.  My taste buds tell me that less than about 15% is really hard to detect.

Thanks Denny, Joe, the issue is living so far out in the middle of nowhere.  But, I might be able to get to a homebrew shop in Rochester, NY in a week or so, and if I do, I'll pick up some Mt. Hood and more rye malt, but I doubt they'll have the latter (I just sent them a note asking).  The next time I do a mail order, I'll definitely add rye malt. 

BTW, I've got Amarillo, Centennial, Chinook, US Goldings, Northern Brewer, and my homegrown Cascades in the freezer, but I'll bet you wouldn't say any of these would be good substitutes for Mt. Hood.