Messages

61

Equipment and Software / Re: Re-Circulating Water Pump for Immersion Chiller

« on: May 02, 2011, 05:39:14 AM »

After reading this thread it got me thinking, scary i know, but i wonder how much more efficient using 2 immersion chillers in-line  ould be? One inside the wort and another in a cooler full of ice water with the pump. A garden hose doesn't seem too efficient at heat transfer. anyone ever try it?

Tony

I've placed my old immersion chiller in a bucket of ice water to pre chill water going into my counter flow chiller. Works OK, but I still waste lots of water. I would like to go the pump route and keep a closed circuit system because the lawn doesn't always need watering.

62

Equipment and Software / Re: Finally bought a ph meter

« on: April 26, 2011, 04:52:33 AM »

Not a bad idea to contact them since their manuals vary a bit. I'm guessing they want some salts in the storage media, even if very small amounts. Let us know what they say.

63

Equipment and Software / Re: Finally bought a ph meter

« on: April 24, 2011, 06:32:26 PM »

I recently purchased the same meter. The probe ideally should be stored in the "storage solution" at all times. I use distilled water. I am planning to store the probe in a small water bottle with a hole and slot cut into the cap to accomodate the wire.

Here's a video on calibration I got from the Milwaulee website..

http://www.milwaukeetesters.com/video-cal-pH55.html

My pH56 manual (very similar to your pH55) says: "NEVER USE DISTILLED OR DEIONIZED WATER
FOR STORAGE PURPOSE."

From the quick guide: "STORAGE OF THE PH55 – PH56:
Leave the protective cap off and put the unit back in a cup or jar that has 1” to 1.5” of either bottle drinking water, or 4.01 calibration solution, or MA9015 storage solution."

From the less quick, quick guide: "After use always turn the meter OFF, rinse
the electrode with water to minimize contamination
and store it with a few drops of storage
(MA9015) or pH7 (M10007) solution in the
protective cap."

___________________________________________

64

Equipment and Software / Re: Growlers

« on: April 24, 2011, 06:28:04 PM »

The 2 liter growler is called a "siphon" in Germany.
Like these: http://www.wassmann.com/index.php?lang=en

65

Equipment and Software / Re: Storing fermenters and kegs in sanitizer (starsan) Should you?

« on: April 13, 2011, 12:43:25 PM »

I store some kegs filled with StarSan. I typically only have two or three filled and I do it not for the sanitizing of kegs, but long term storage of sanitizer. My water is very low in salts and minerals and still maintains the proper pH after several months. After a soak in PBW, I rinse, push the StarSan over with CO2, then seal the old storage kegs.
But I would like to know if it causes long term damage.

66

Equipment and Software / Re: Tasting arm questions

« on: April 12, 2011, 05:32:35 AM »

Are these TC fittings? If so you'll want to use a white Teflon gasket, not the black rubber ones.

What's your source for the Teflon gasket?

67

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Kolsch question

« on: April 05, 2011, 10:17:00 AM »

How would Sterling be?

68

Ingredients / Re: Hops for Colorado

« on: April 05, 2011, 08:34:48 AM »

Had great luck in Monument ~7200' with Cascade. Just depend on the usual summer hail storms to do some end shoot pruning for you.

69

Equipment and Software / Re: Does anyone know the company in Italy that makes glass carboys?

« on: March 01, 2011, 06:06:23 AM »

What about demijohns? They are often used for bulk wine transport and some even come with a basket for transportation. Besides they look cool.

70

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Question for you keggers

« on: February 20, 2011, 01:33:37 PM »

You could always use threaded connectors v.s. barbed so it is a snap to switch out keg connectors between ball and pin. It gives you more options as the two types start to get rare.

71

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: how do you make a yeast starter?

« on: February 13, 2011, 10:33:04 AM »

100g to 1L is the Wyeast recipe for 1.040. I get good results with 65g to 1L for an SOG in the mid twenties. Supposedly higher gravity can cause the yeast to work harder producing alcohol instead of biomass. Without an accurate means of cell count, I can only observe the slurry thickness appears the same between starters of 1.040 and 1.025.

72

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Hopstand Flame out hops - IBU contributions

« on: January 23, 2011, 12:17:49 PM »

The essential oils can combine to form the flavor compounds.  The essential oils are in the beer if you dry hop.  I have aded hops at 180F to keep some in the beer, or let it combine.
Flash points for the essential oils.
Caryophyllene=200F
Humulene=110F
Myrcene=103F
Farnesene=79F

I think you see which aroma oils ones are had by dry hopping.
[/quote]

I'm not sure I understand, are you saying that hops high in low temp flash points of essential oils make good candidates for dry hopping? I see some of my favorites on the Hopunion data page are high in Farnesene:
Amarillo 2-4%
Cascade 4-8%
Saaz (US) 9-13%
Sterling 11-17%
Some I don't like for dry hop, but do like for late or whirlpool hopping are low in Farnesene:
Chinook <1%
Columbus <1%
Hallertau <1%
Simcoe <1%

73

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 2007 Magnums...Still good?

« on: January 18, 2011, 04:53:59 PM »

Plug the AA into ProMash or BeerSmith's hop age tabs to get the bittering potential. Hop Union lists this variety as "very good" storageability. Using 13 AA, 40 months of vacuum seal, refer temp, ProMash says 8.23 AA, BeerSmith says 9.98 AA.
I buy bulk, vacuum seal, freeze and as long as I adjust for hop age, I get easily a couple of years worth of use. I do notice a small amount of aroma loss on the oldest though so I try to use up aroma hops first.

74

Ingredients / Re: Hop recommendations for a light ale

« on: January 07, 2011, 07:40:17 AM »

Sterling? Supposedly a Mt Hood, Saaz profile with low cohumulone.

75

All Grain Brewing / Re: Adding minerals to reverse osmosis water for a strong stout

« on: January 07, 2011, 07:25:31 AM »

wamalle, Nov '97 - Nov '98 as an instructor pilot. Did manage brew a bit in the BOQ though.