Messages

31

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Bourbon barrel porter

« on: June 04, 2013, 01:14:09 PM »

Oh, and I like Joe Sr.'s idea of keeping a couple jars of wood chips soaking in booze around. You know, just in case you suddenly and without warning NEED to oak a stout.

You know, I have the RIS that's ready to keg.  I could split the batch and oak it with different toast levels... just cuz I can.  And I might.

32

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Well....it happened

« on: June 04, 2013, 12:17:16 PM »

Fusels can age out, so I would give it some time.

70s toward the end of fermentation is also not necessarily a bad thing as the higher temps can help the yeast to finish.  But in the first couple days it should be avoided.  However, it's not necessarily doom as I have had beers that spiked up and they were no worse for the wear.

Give it some time, but if it turns out not to be improving you might just need to cut your losses and dump it.  I've got a keg or two that just need to go, but I have enough kegs to let them age.  Hope is eternal.

33

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Bourbon barrel porter

« on: June 04, 2013, 11:56:04 AM »

1. I don't know about minimum, but I've got a couple of jars of chips and bourbon just sitting around waiting.  I also use all of the bourbon they soak in, not just the chips.
2. As long as you enjoy the flavor.  I wouldn't waste top shelf bourbon as that's simply better by itself.  I use a variety of cheaper good tasting bourbons.
3. No worries.
4. I use mason jars.  If the plastic bowl has a lid, that should be OK.  I'd be worried about picking up flavors from the plastic, though.  Perhaps unnecessarily so.
5. I don't think I've gone beyond seven days.  Maybe 10 or so.  I would taste it every couple of days to check. Pull the chips when you hit the flavor you like.

FWIW, I like the flavors of the darker oak chips.

34

Equipment and Software / Re: Cleaning keg exteriors

« on: June 03, 2013, 12:40:11 PM »

Heating them sounds like a good idea.  I peeled a couple last night and got old shards of hard plastic stickers up under my finger nails.  Brilliant.

I used Goo Gone to get rid of the sticky residue but didn't polish them up yet with BKF.  Soon, perhaps.

I've got three soaking in oxyclean to get rid of the soda smell and hope to get to those during the week.

I also used a bit of de-greaser (Kleen Hands, IIRC) on the rubber tops.  They were nasty.  Think I might hit them with Armorall, too.

There are so many other things I should do, but this one I can do in small steps.

35

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: British Yeast Recommendation

« on: June 03, 2013, 09:36:02 AM »

nice. that's good attenuation and just in the sweetspot (no pun intended) for an RIS.

Thanks.  First time I've used this yeast for this recipe.  I've always used the Irish Ale (1084?) yeast in the past.  I'll need to dig out some old bottles for a comparison.  For educational purposes only.

36

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: British Yeast Recommendation

« on: June 03, 2013, 09:12:21 AM »

Checked the gravity on my stout last night.  The ESB yeast took it from 1.102 to 1.015 and it tastes nice and clean.  I love this yeast.

37

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Spartangburg kegs - plastic gas in tube

« on: June 03, 2013, 07:00:31 AM »

Looks like you can get new ones, too. 

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=12475

So many options...

38

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Spartangburg kegs - plastic gas in tube

« on: June 02, 2013, 07:25:13 PM »

I'm not so worried about sanitation as I am whatever odd soda flavors might be there.

If you're good with them, though, that is some comfort.

39

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Spartangburg kegs - plastic gas in tube

« on: June 02, 2013, 04:50:03 PM »

Thanks.  It's good to know there are options.

I'm going to start with just using them, since they're intact.  Hopefully that's not a bad idea.

No root beer in these kegs.  Sprite and other stuff.  Odors are gone with a brief soak.

40

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Spartangburg kegs - plastic gas in tube

« on: June 02, 2013, 04:31:37 PM »

Thanks, Sean.  I tore apart another keg and yes they are narrower.

I also found this thread. http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=279.0

I typically shake to carbonate, so they'll touch.  I'll see if they smell.  I'll also sanitize the bejesus out of them.

Maybe, I'll cut down some other tubes or just try them without.  Fun.  Thought these kegs were a good price.  But I'm they guy who wanted them cuz they were blue so who's to blame but me.

41

Kegging and Bottling / Spartangburg kegs - plastic gas in tube

« on: June 02, 2013, 03:11:04 PM »

Just started cleaning my new kegs.  The gas in tubes are plastic.  And look like they've turned brown over time.

Can I just replace these with stainless gas in tubes?  I'm assuming these are not something I want to continue using.

The kegs are Challenger VI, I believe.

42

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing this Weekend - 6/1 edition?

« on: May 30, 2013, 02:47:00 PM »

Pouring out my oxidized keg of saison.  If I get time and if they're finished, kegging my tripel and imperial stout.

Pissed about the saison, but I'm over it.  It's going into the floor drain.

Is the saison old or did something go wonky in the process?
Hey, at least you have floor drains.

I think I didn't vent the headspace when I carbed it up and oxidized it badly.  It turned brown.

43

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing this Weekend - 6/1 edition?

« on: May 30, 2013, 01:59:25 PM »

Pouring out my oxidized keg of saison.  If I get time and if they're finished, kegging my tripel and imperial stout.

Pissed about the saison, but I'm over it.  It's going into the floor drain.

44

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Naturally Carbonating a Keg

« on: May 29, 2013, 12:28:19 PM »

This thing is so much more awesome, though.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/MINI-DUAL-C02-REGULATOR-P2650C148.aspx

Of course, you pay for that awesomeness.  It's on my "someday" list and I'll never be able to justify the cost.  But I have dreams.

45

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Naturally Carbonating a Keg

« on: May 29, 2013, 09:08:28 AM »

If you have an empty keg available you could carbonate in one, crash it and transfer under pressure and gravity. Then you could take bright beer out to the woods. But if the beer is served in Solo cups with poor light conditions does it really matter?

Depending on the amount of yeast in suspension, I can definitely taste it.  I prefer less cloudy beer even if drinking it from an opaque container.