Messages

61

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Fermenting in blue (or red) coolers?

« on: May 08, 2013, 06:54:12 am »

I don't think you will be able to seal the cooler and attach an air-lock.

I wouldn't think sealing the cooler is critical. At least not during active fermentation.

I've left carboys open while they are blowing off to no ill effect.  Of course I put the airlock back on when they settled down.

For the cooler, I would think it should seal well enough to keep most stuff out even after active fermentation stops.  Probably not good for long term aging.

62

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Drinking while brewing

« on: May 08, 2013, 06:41:03 am »

I forgot to add the finishing hops one time.  But of course, that was the time we took a break between mash and boil to run out to a bar.  There were bad decisions abounding on that particular day.

When I realized my error (the next day or sometime later) I made a hop tea to add to the fermenter and all turned out well.

I'll generally have one or two, but definitely the details can slip especially if the one or two are tripels or old ales.

63

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Yeast Storage

« on: May 08, 2013, 06:36:56 am »

I use the bags intended for freezing breast milk to freeze wort for starters.  They're about eight ounces and I can usually get four of them filled from just letting the grain bags drain into a bowl.

For yeast, though, I've always just poured the yeast cake into Rubbermaid 1-liter plastic storage bottles.  Unless you have a more precise procedure, I would think pouring into a two ounce container could get messy.

All that said, there's no reason you couldn't use them to store yeast if you want to.  I agree that they would be a good size for growing in a starter.

64

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Wyeast 3711 French Saison

« on: May 07, 2013, 06:37:59 am »

I pitched 3711 a month or so ago when my basement was in the very low 60s, maybe high 50s.

At low temps, it takes longer but still seems to work.  I moved it to somewhere warmer after a couple weeks because it was still in the high teens (OG around 1.08 IIRC).  I need to get this one in the keg, but the last sample I pulled was delicious and somewhere around 1.008 or 1.006.

65

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Re: Brewing a 5 gallon extract with 5 gallon carboy

« on: May 06, 2013, 02:32:19 pm »

I regularly have blow offs fermenting 5 gallons is a 6 gallon better bottle.

If you put 5 gallons in a 5 gallon fermenter, you're going to blow out most of your yeast.

The best approach would be to brew a smaller batch or get a larger fermenter.

I have 4 6-gallon fermenters and sometimes they are all full.

66

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: budweiser yes, but kind of cool

« on: May 06, 2013, 07:45:31 am »

Found this under my porch this weekend.  Vintage bow-tie shaped can.  It was crushed like that back in the 70s or thereabouts.

67

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Bottling from a keg

« on: May 06, 2013, 07:06:41 am »

I bottle with a piece of racking can stuck into the picnic tap and a drilled #2 stopper to plug the bottle.  Works great for me, although I have never used a beer gun or CPF so I cannot compare.

When I think of it, I change out the line and tap to a newly sanitized tap for bottling.

I'll also sometimes flush the bottles with CO2 using an airgun attachment (or whatever it's called) from my compressor.  I put a piece of tubing on the end so that I can get CO2 to the bottom of the bottle and flush about 6 at a time.

All of this is with things I've got lying around, so the investment was zero.  My recommendation is start like this and if it doesn't work for you look into the beer gun.  People really seem to love them.

68

All Things Food / Re: Pizza stones

« on: May 06, 2013, 07:01:27 am »

I ordered up a square one.  Not sure I'll get around to doing pizza on the grill, but if I do maybe I'll get a round one, too.

The kids love making them, so the stone will get plenty of use.

69

The Pub / Re: Sam Adams Cans

« on: May 03, 2013, 01:57:30 pm »

there's a lot you can do with a can that you can't do with a bottle

Such as the shotgun.

Cans are great for the golf bag.  I tend to buy bottles when I buy, because I'm always thinking about refilling them.

70

All Grain Brewing / Re: CLOUDY Weizen

« on: May 03, 2013, 01:07:15 pm »

Fruit beer.  Yech.

I know it's a weizen, but you could try fining it.

I have the opposite problem in that my weizens seem to drop clear in the keg.

I've had batches of Belgian ale that took forever to clear and I would get a cloudy pour if the keg got jostled at all.  I fined those and jumped them out to another keg.  Problem solved.

71

Equipment and Software / Re: Storage of equipment (tubes, brushes, funnel, etc.)

« on: May 03, 2013, 09:57:08 am »

Nice brew area, but when was this picture taken Denny?  If it's recent, then you need a new monitor and upgrade from Windows ME

No ME for me!  It was, and still is, Win95.  That's all I need since all I do with that machine is run Promash.  I do have a 23 in. flat screen monitor on it, now, along with a new and larger desk.

Well, at least your not using 3.1

72

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: One last question before my very first brew this weekend

« on: May 03, 2013, 09:25:41 am »

5 gallon paint straining bags from the hardware store work great too.

Paul

I also like to use these for mashing grains.  Sort of a mini-BIAB for partial mashes.

You can easily get 5 lbs of grain into these bags.

73

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: One last question before my very first brew this weekend

« on: May 03, 2013, 09:06:16 am »

I use a nylon hop bag for pellets.  Without it, you have a lot of straining to do.

74

Equipment and Software / Re: Storage of equipment (tubes, brushes, funnel, etc.)

« on: May 02, 2013, 04:44:28 pm »

They'll dry and probably leave spots.  I've never worried about it.

You can swing the tubing around over your head like a madman and try to get all the water out.

75

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Fermentation temp question

« on: May 02, 2013, 01:54:41 pm »

Nice!  A big plus is that this cooler can also be used as a rolling kegerator.