Messages

7141

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Minimum time needed for a starter

« on: September 15, 2010, 10:49:00 AM »

How do you make your starters Denny?  That's a really long time to finish fermenting, do you check the gravity?  It could be done before 4 days but just not flocculated yet.  I'm guessing you don't use a stirplate since you're talking about the yeast dropping?

Nope, no stirplate, usually 3 qt. starters, although sometimes only 2 qt.  Sometimes takes a day or so for it to get going, 2-3 days to ferment, so I plan on a minimum of 4 days before it's ready to go in the fridge to crash the yeast.

How much yeast are you using?  Liquid/dry?

A stirplate would speed things up if you were so inclined.

7142

The Pub / Re: Why Grammar is Important

« on: September 15, 2010, 10:46:12 AM »

The one that bugs me is "anyways" instead of just saying "anyway".  Seriously annoying.

I've had this discussion before, maybe not here. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong about "anyways," or for that matter, "anywise." It's that the modern usage is typically incorrect.

Either way (or is it either ways?) it hurts my ears.

And another thing, what is with these US politicians saying "take a decision"?  Since when did we start taking decisions instead of making decisions?

7143

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Minimum time needed for a starter

« on: September 15, 2010, 10:37:08 AM »

I've always thought that pitching a start that is still "active" is the best way to go and that brewers let the starter finish so they don't have the bland starter wort/beer diluting the batch...

Tom, is this the best method for yeast health and harvesting the yeast from the target batch?  Is the lag time important as the yeast go into growth phase, or will they just jump back to growth phase when they are introduced back into the target wort?

It won't happen instantaneously, but they will start to grow as quickly as they can when the conditions are right for growth.

For harvesting, if you're using a top cropping yeast then top crop.  For other yeasts, just get it after it flocculates and the yeast will be plenty healthy.  Even from a high gravity wort when the yeast are a little beat up, you can baby them with low OG wort and nutrients and they'll generally recover pretty well.

7144

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Minimum time needed for a starter

« on: September 15, 2010, 10:08:09 AM »

I've always thought that pitching a start that is still "active" is the best way to go and that brewers let the starter finish so they don't have the bland starter wort/beer diluting the batch...

Yes

That's why some people will save some of a batch for the next time they brew a similar beer, so they can use it to make a starter and then just add the whole thing to the beer.

7145

The Pub / Re: Does every state poke sport at the state to the south?

« on: September 15, 2010, 09:43:28 AM »

We moved a lot.

No kidding. 

Kind of like your posting a lot.   

It is what it is 

7146

The Pub / Re: Does every state poke sport at the state to the south?

« on: September 15, 2010, 09:37:01 AM »

This applies to other countries as well. Italy and Germany come to mind.

I wonder if southern Australians look down on northern Australians?

The ones I know do.  I think it's because the north tends to be more sparsely populated.  Of course they still make fun of the Taswegians.  

Speaking of, never ask an Aussie woman about her map of Tasmania.  I tricked a friend of mine into doing that once, if she'd been closer she would have smacked him.  

7147

The Pub / Re: Why Grammar is Important

« on: September 15, 2010, 09:28:01 AM »

That, and a verb construction that I've only heard in Indiana, and which is incredibly common here: [noun] needs [past participle]. As in, "My car needs cleaned." Doing it without the passive voice ("to be") just sounds incredibly wrong to me.

Not just Indiana.  I hear it in Ohio too.  Typically from people who also insist that our nation's capital is "Warshington."

I dated a girl in college who used to say that - she was from Eastern PA, near Allentown.  More Pennsylvania Dutch country than Philly-style.

The one that bugs me is "anyways" instead of just saying "anyway".  Seriously annoying.

I met a guy in Yreka once who referred to AAA, what everyone else I've ever met called Triple-A, as AAA, saying each letter like he was saying FBI.  Strange guy.  Replaced my transmission in less than a day though, so that was good.

7148

Beer Recipes / Re: Halloween beers

« on: September 15, 2010, 09:09:03 AM »

I haven't made it, but there was an article in BYO a while back where James Spencer (I think) used Frankenberry to make a Weiss beer.  May/June issue maybe?  Or you could add Count Chocula to a porter   You can just add the cereal to the mash.

7149

Equipment and Software / Re: dead mouse in my carboy

« on: September 15, 2010, 09:03:22 AM »

Take a brand new, fresh out of the package toilet brush, wash it, then use it to stir a pot of chili.  Then see how many people who saw you do that want to eat the chili.

I adopted a new one and use it for reaching into the bottom of my cornie kegs to swish em out....

That's a really good idea.  When I need to really scrub my cornies (which isn't that often) I usually end up with my arm as far into the keg as I can shove it (which isn't that far) and my carboy brush isn't really stiff enough to get good scrubbing.  I'll have to get one - and clearly label it

7150

Ingredients / Re: Starbucks' syrup

« on: September 15, 2010, 08:57:16 AM »

1/2 cup seems like a lot, but it depends on your tastes.  I would get a commercial example of the base style you plan to make and dose it in a glass to give yourself a feel for it.  If you plan to ferment the syrup then it won't be exactly the same, but it will give you some idea at least.  Aim low, you can always add more.  The spices should last through fermentation just fine.

7151

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Minimum time needed for a starter

« on: September 15, 2010, 08:51:20 AM »

How do you make your starters Denny?  That's a really long time to finish fermenting, do you check the gravity?  It could be done before 4 days but just not flocculated yet.  I'm guessing you don't use a stirplate since you're talking about the yeast dropping?

7152

All Grain Brewing / Re: umami water treatment

« on: September 15, 2010, 08:40:34 AM »

My first "experimental" beer is going to be a fish sauce and peanut stout, for the same reason as Guinness sometimes has that soy-y flavor.

Sounds gross   Let us know how you like it.

7153

All Grain Brewing / Re: umami water treatment

« on: September 15, 2010, 01:03:47 AM »

I'm pretty sure Randy Mosher has a recipe for a mushroom beer in Radical Brewing.

7154

The Pub / Re: Does every state poke sport at the state to the south?

« on: September 14, 2010, 10:32:41 PM »

im from joisey, you from joisey?

no...which exit? 

Yeah, 63.  Suck it.

We never had the Jersey accent, I think because we lived far enough from NYC and Philly.  I was on LBI for highschool - Surf City.  But I was born in Queens, lived on Governor's Island, then moved to Plainfield, Lavallette, North Brunswick, Huegenot NY, and Surf City.  We moved a lot.

7155

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Minimum time needed for a starter

« on: September 14, 2010, 10:18:53 PM »

Yeah, if you make a 2.5 liter 1.030-1.040 starter with a smack pack, it should be done fermenting overnight, especially if you are using a stir plate.  So letting it go 36-48 hours is plenty of time, just cool it overnight (or during your brew day) and you should be good to go.  If you're not using a stir plate it will still go quickly, just give the starter a swirl whenever you walk by.