Topics

121

Equipment and Software / Malt Mill

« on: December 13, 2010, 07:31:45 PM »

Looking at mills.....

After a lot of reading it seems that the JSP Maltmill is a very nice piece of equipment that just plops down on a 5 gallon bucket and does the business, after which you can dump the content of the bucket where you need it..... no muss, no fuss. I like it.

But there are (always) choices. The pre-set, the one side adjustable and the two sides adjustable..... Any experience out there? Is it necessary to spend the extra moulah for the adjustability? Or does the preset one work good, last a long time?

122

General Homebrew Discussion / Boil....hard or slow.....

« on: December 13, 2010, 06:29:31 PM »

Intuitively I have been boiling gently. Just that little thermal in the center of the pot, no foam fest, just 212º.

Some people I read say they boil hard.....

Is there science to support one or the other?

123

General Homebrew Discussion / Beer as percussion instrument.....

« on: December 10, 2010, 07:46:18 PM »

There are three fermenters sitting next to my desk.... An APA, Belgian IPA on day two....chacka ckacka pop chacka pop, and a Kölsch on day 5, a bit more laid back... blup. Between the three of them its a drum solo..... Being a very part time musician I'm trying to discern patterns, you know new beats..... the rhythm of the beer....(sorry Paul).....

124

Equipment and Software / On a mission from beer......

« on: December 10, 2010, 09:10:04 AM »

About to load up a Honda generator and an angle grinder...... Going deep in to Amish country where I have a lead on a metal scrap yard where they don't give you the "insurance rules" crap and just let you go in there and have fun..... Bud of mine was there a few weeks ago and the pictures were blinding.......

"Doesn't have a name yet" is morphing from the mental to the metal stage.......

125

Yeast and Fermentation / What's the record?

« on: December 09, 2010, 05:57:29 PM »

Active fermentation in 4.5 hours......

126

Kegging and Bottling / Drilling more holes in the fridge......

« on: December 09, 2010, 05:49:54 PM »

OK, the bottle is going outside the fridge, taking up too much room. Not so much the bottle, but the regulators etc etc. Plus all the hose..... Too messy. And there's some other reasons.

Sooo, I want to put it off to the side. Drill holes JUST smaller than the diameter of the CO2 hoses, nice tight fit.

Has anyone EVER heard of freon lines in the sidewall of a fridge? It's a Kenmore fridge up/freezer down.

127

Kegging and Bottling / nothing but foam.....

« on: December 09, 2010, 05:43:05 PM »

splat splat burp gurgle......nothing but foam and not a lot of it.....just hissing CO2..... I don't understand, it was beautiful an hour ago..... I mean, it's only a week old and I only served....(one, two three.......35, 36, 39)......eh, never mind. I think I figured it out.

Bad news is nothing will be ready for another 10 days or so....... I have to work on this inventory control mangament program.....

128

Equipment and Software / How many BTU's?

« on: December 08, 2010, 09:32:30 PM »

OK, the FrankenBrewer is starting to take shape in my mind......

Lets assume I use 1/2 barrels as HLT and brew pot...AG, 5 g batches... how many BTU's do the burners need to be to make things "move along"?
There's a lot in the 30.000 range for not too much money, but then there are also 70K and more burners..... "MORE POWER SCOTTY!!!!" So... how much do I need.... and:

These suckers are not cheap......does anyone know where the best drag down knock out burner deals are right now?

I don't care about height/legs......Said burner will be de-legged and mounted under a welded rack that the barrels sit on.....

129

All Grain Brewing / About being fresh.....

« on: December 07, 2010, 09:29:57 PM »

The calculator in the back of my head figures the first glass of home brew I had was about 20 dollars.....lol. And yes, that will go down as I brew more. Kegging right off the bat didn't help there.

So anyway, AG is right around the corner, and research reveals that 50# bags are a LOT better deal than the by the pound approach.

BUT, quality is important. So the question is, how long does the grain keep?

130

Equipment and Software / Working with half barrels....

« on: December 06, 2010, 08:25:21 PM »

OK, these five gallon kegs are moving quickly. So, I am now working on an AG system, 50 lb bags, 10G batches, fill two kegs . Have the basic infrastructure figgered out, will report on that when it starts happening.

HLT is most likely ($$$) going to be a half barrel, with the lid removed, a thermometer bolted in and a sight gauge on the side....

QUESTION: How to best remove the top. I have a plasma cutter, a grinder and most things in between.... Stainless steel gets VERY hard when heated. What is the best way to cut the lid and then smooth the edge? Looking for people that have done this, and know how to do it WELL.

131

General Homebrew Discussion / Not getting a lot of head....

« on: December 05, 2010, 06:57:23 PM »

STOP IT RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!  

But now that I have your attention...... First brew in the keg, taste is great. Keg "balanced" at 10 psi...... 5 feet of 3/16" id hose.... pouring nicely, every thing hunky dory.... just not a lot of head.......

Not THAT important, taste and drinkability first and I'm not unhappy, but a little more foam wouldn't hurt,,,,

Not sure what to try.... up the pressure? Cut another foot of the hose?

Anyone?

132

The Pub / I am a rich man......

« on: December 05, 2010, 05:37:51 PM »

Today was brew day..... My bud Dave and his wife came over at 1, while the girls hung out inside, we got brewing in the barn. Wood stove going (30º outside but inside 60º from the stove plus the brew burners was plenty) XM channel 56 on the stereo, steaming up the windows flinging our malts and hops..... Two other friends stopped over to "observe".... all got to have a nice mug of Wooden Shoe APA out of the keggerator.... After the brew was done I served the Belgian beer soup witch chorizo and home made bread.....

There are people with more money than I have, but today I got to share my music, building, brewing and cooking with good friends, and I was a richer man for it.

I will now go to sleep with a smile on my face.

133

General Homebrew Discussion / STAT Fermentation temp question......

« on: December 05, 2010, 06:18:54 AM »

Doing this today...... "Beer Captured" page 132, the Kölsch........No fermentation temperatures are mentioned. My gut feeling is to treat this as an ale, which with todays weather would put me at +/-64º for the entire fermentation......

Anyone brewed this?

134

The Pub / Problems with heights.....??

« on: December 04, 2010, 05:24:43 AM »

Do not watch this unless seated in a chair equipped with a restraining device. If you have been drinking you may want to have a small bucket nearby........

Long linky shortened.

135

Equipment and Software / Bolt in thermometer.....

« on: December 03, 2010, 07:12:15 PM »

For a brew kettle, water kettle or lauter/mash tun....

I've seen the ones on the Gucci/Fendi brew stuf sites. $60 + if you order WITH your $700 tub. Ain't happening. So, where does one find a nice cheap but reasonably accurate thermometer I can mount on a kettle, cooler.... etc.