Messages

7051

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Post Keg Fittings... confused

« on: September 17, 2010, 09:03:03 PM »

Hey Bill,

Before I knew better I used to have this problem.  The liquid fitting would sometimes not go on unless I really forced it on.  I even broke some of the fittings trying to get them off of the post.  Invariably it was a problem because I had washed bunch of kegs and when putting them back together had switched the posts around.  The gas and liquid posts are not interchangeable.

If you look at the bottom of the posts, the part where you will attach the wrench - the gas fittings have little horizontal cuts there, the liquid fittings do not.  Make sure you have them in the right places.

If you do and it's still a problem, try some keg lube, basically a food-grade silicon lubricant.

I hope that fixes it.  Can't help you with the Spartenburg kegs, I don't have any experience with them.

7052

Ingredients / Re: Berry Beer

« on: September 17, 2010, 09:46:49 AM »

Sure, that works.  It might not be as clear if the keg is going to get moved around, but if it's going to sit in one spot (like in a serving fridge) then it should clear up and be fine.

7053

Ingredients / Re: Berry Beer

« on: September 17, 2010, 09:10:53 AM »

That's fine, as long as you get renewed fermentation it's no problem.  I'd have a packet of dried yeast on hand though, so you're ready to add yeast if you don't see activity.

7054

Equipment and Software / Re: Fermentation chamber ideas

« on: September 17, 2010, 09:09:01 AM »

I haven't done it yet either, but am planning something similar right next to my keezer.  The trickier part for me is the return, since they will be at the same level (I'll cut through the collar).  I don't think I'll have a problem with cold air spilling into the space, but in order to make sure the air will circulate throughout the space when the fan is on I'll put in a little duct to move the return to the bottom.  I think it will work out well.

7055

Ingredients / Re: Berry Beer

« on: September 17, 2010, 08:58:21 AM »

In that case, definitely rack to a bucket.  Freeze/thaw the fruit first, then rack the beer on top of it.  You might need to add some fresh yeast, depending on how long it's already been in secondary.  So after some time on the fruit in tertiary, you can rack to quaternary to help it clear.

How much fruit to add depends on the base beer and how strong of a fruit presence you want, so if you gave us some style/strength details we can better suggest lbs/gallon.

<edited to add last bits>

7056

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Dispensing Equipment For Nitrogen/Beer Gas

« on: September 16, 2010, 08:21:28 PM »

Yeah, the tap is the most important thing really.  Gas places near me will put the CO2/N2 mix in a CO2 tank, so I don't need different gauges or a different tank.  But it wouldn't be the same without the faucet.

7057

The Pub / Re: Why Grammar is Important

« on: September 16, 2010, 03:06:11 PM »

speaking of pronunciations.

the word vaccine is pronounced vacksine or vaxine.  the correct pronounciation? way to say flaccid is actually flaxid the same as vaccine.  i have found a source that indicates that it can be said flassid, and nearly everybody in the medical community says it this way. so when i say it correctly, i get goofy stares. 

Flassid is much more common than flaxid.  While it is correct to say it flaxid, it is not more correct than saying it flassid.  Both are acceptable.

7058

Kegging and Bottling / Re: New keg system

« on: September 16, 2010, 02:57:32 PM »

Good suggestions in this thread. But, in the interest of keeping things simple, I would suggest settling on a pressure and keg temp setting that works for a range of styles and call it good.

Yes, that totally works too.  Good point.

7059

Kegging and Bottling / Re: New keg system

« on: September 16, 2010, 12:36:14 PM »

No, it doesn't work like that.  If the line gets too long the beer just stops flowing.  Carbonate the beers at whatever psi is appropriate for the style and temp.  So 11 psi at 40F for the IPA, and 5 psi for the mild (I don't like to go under 5 psi, even though that's more than 1.7 volumes).

Since you're using a splitter instead of a bank of secondary gauges, when you serve do it at whatever pressure gets you a good pour from your line length.  If you're serving at 11 psi in my experience 5 feet isn't long enough with 3/16" line and you get a glass of foam.  So either dial the gas down or use longer lines.

When you are done for the night, you need to fix the gas levels in the kegs again.  So turn it down for the mild, vent the keg to get rid of the excess pressure, and put 5 psi back on the keg.  Then take the gas off, turn it up to 11 psi, and make sure you have that much on your IPA keg.  Repeat as necessary for however many kegs you have.  It's a bit of a pain, but I did it for years until I got the secondary regulators.

7060

The Pub / Re: Why Grammar is Important

« on: September 16, 2010, 11:58:18 AM »

Yeah, exactly, but kind of with that drawn out "ow" sound in the middle. Like you're ordering a cup of coffee in the diner after coming from the dentist's office with half a face full of novicaine.

That's an awesome image

Try this site: www.baltimorehon.com
When they had the NHC in Bawlmer, they had some of the local jargon on the t-shirt.

That's excellent, now they just need some mp3s so we can hear it

I missed the NHC in Bawlmer, my kids were only about 3 months old at that point.  I couldn't have gotten away with going, but the look on SWMBOs face when I brought it up was priceless.

7061

All Grain Brewing / Re: Crazy Attenuation!!!

« on: September 16, 2010, 11:44:29 AM »

Will Malto-Dextrine add any sweetness or will it only add body?  I'm tempted to add a little sweetness back to the saison and was considering lactose, any thoughts?

In my experience, it will add some perceived sweetness for sure.

7062

The Pub / Re: How do you tell people where you are?

« on: September 16, 2010, 09:34:09 AM »

Why would I want people to know where I am?  If they want to know they can ask.

That's sort of how I feel about it. If I'm going out, presumably I've already made plans. And if someone wants to meet up with me on short notice, they can call me, send a text, Facebook message, FB chat, AIM, Gchat, or email.

My understanding is that most people who use these things heavily are actually playing them as a game - as you check in more places, you accumulate points and... win at having a social life? I'm not sure what the objective actually is.

In my case it's just they can call me, send a text, Facebook message, FB chat, AIM, Gchat, or email, but that seems weird.  I guess I don't understand the whole points thing, but then I don't really need to.

7063

The Pub / Re: Why Grammar is Important

« on: September 16, 2010, 09:31:36 AM »

Zinc = Sink

Funny, I've never heard that one

Hon - No good way to spell this out without some sort of special character. "Hon" gets tacked on to the end of sentences similar to the Canadian "Eh."

Never heard of this either.  Is it like hun, short for honey?  Or is it something else?  Trying to google it led to some hilarious rants against Baltimore and the Ravens 

Edit: Google "Mary Prankster" if you want to hear the accent up close and personal. I won't post those links here.

7064

The Pub / Re: Brewpubs that serve BMC

« on: September 16, 2010, 09:18:48 AM »

I'm not a beer snob. I have ordered Budweiser when good craft beer is available. Sure goes down nice on a hot summer day.

Sure, I don't mind a bud every now and then. But I can honestly say I never have, and most certainly never will, walk into a brewpub to try their selection of Bud products. If its a hot day I might try their kolsch.

Yeah, when it's 105F on the Deschutes I'm reaching in the cooler for a Coors Banquet and not a Gordon.  Never a Bud though, that stuff is terrible, Busch is better among the AB products IMO.  Next time though, it will be Bitburger now that I can get it in cans from my local bottle shop.

7065

The Pub / Re: How do you tell people where you are?

« on: September 16, 2010, 09:04:17 AM »

Why would I want people to know where I am?  If they want to know they can ask.