Topics

1

Equipment and Software / Adding Oxygen to Wort

« on: April 28, 2013, 07:29:48 am »

So, I want to get a diffusion stone to add oxygen to my wort.  I'm hoping this will start fermentation quicker and result in a lower final gravity (?).  I have two main questions and if I'm missing anything else, I'd like some pointers.  Here it goes:

1.  Do I need to sanitize the gas line prior to each use?  ( I know I need to sanitize the stone)

2.  How long should I blast the wort with oxygen and is the time going to be gravity specific? (IE, higher gravity, more oxygen?)

I'm looking at taking my brewing to the next level, I feel this is the next step for me.  Water testing and treatment is next.

2

Ingredients / Vitners Harvest Apricot Puree Gravity

« on: January 28, 2013, 05:47:06 pm »

A friend and I are going to brew an Apricot IPA soon, I was wondering what numbers to punch into Beersmith for the gravity.  I ordered two, three pound containers.  So one container will infuse app. 5 gallons of beer.

3

Kegging and Bottling / Commercial keg reimbursement

« on: January 26, 2013, 09:08:33 am »

So, I have this "friend" who acquired two kegs from a fairly well known brewery.  Not BMC but not so widely known as a craft brewery either, even though they technically are.  He feels bad about not returning the kegs, as they are unusable to the brewery now,  and is considering contacting the brewery and asking if he can pay for two 15.5 gallon sanke kegs.  Being a homebrewer he realizes how much is involved even on a small scale, and if any of his equipment came up missing, it would be a great loss.

Should he proceed with trying to contact them?  Or would this just open a can of worms he's not ready for?

4

Ingredients / All Zythos APA or IPA

« on: January 04, 2013, 03:26:56 pm »

Anyone ever made an all Zythos beer?  I've got a pound unopened in the fridge, trying to figure out what I wanna try first with them.

5

All Grain Brewing / Pests in brew house/ Need storage suggestions!

« on: November 27, 2012, 02:18:32 pm »

So, I been dealing with a mice problem for a while now.  I store my base malt, in my garage,  in 5 gallon buckets and just noticed today that the remainder of my base malt has been totally compromised.  I'm ready to just toss all of the malt, about 30 pounds.     That's probably the only solution, right?  I didn't know mice could chew through plastic like that.

Any suggestions of how to store my grain?  I have no room to keep it inside our little apartment.  I'm thinking some sort of metal containers.   Please help!

6

All Grain Brewing / Drink IPA's Fresh!

« on: November 26, 2012, 04:20:54 pm »

I just wanted to briefly post this.  To anyone that thinks you can age IPA's.  I recently purchased some Two Hearted Ale, that was bottled in July.  It did not taste like the Two Hearted I know.  I know all about drinking IPA's fresh, this info is mainly for newer brewers and whoever else would like to know...

At a club function recently a friend and fellow brewer brought a bottle of Hopslam that he had left.  Nothing like the Hopslam I had in January.

Plus, the last 120 Minute I had was so cloyingly sweet, I vowed never to pay the $10 / bottle again for this reason.  I assume this was not a bottle from this year.

Lastly, this sounds like sacrilege, another friend invited us over for dinner and had a bottle of Pliny, that had been bottled about 9-10 months prior.  Honestly, nothing if not terrible, knowing how it should taste, that is.

The main reason I wanted to share this with everyone is to spread the word, Drink your IPA's fresh!  I consider all the above beers in my favorite IPA's category, but time is only detrimental to them and other IPA's.

7

Yeast and Fermentation / West Coast Ale dry yeast

« on: November 16, 2012, 06:41:09 am »

I picked up a few of these when I made my hop order.  Who's used it? 

http://www.danstaryeast.com/products/bry-97-american-west-coast-yeast

8

Equipment and Software / Sanke tap / Ball lock gas line adapter

« on: October 24, 2012, 03:34:02 pm »

So I brewed a Stout for a friend of mine, I basically need an adapter for his gas line from his regulator, that fits a standard Sanke tap, to fit my homebrew ball lock quick disconnect.  I already have the liquid covered.  I found this thing: 

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BALL-LOCK-KEGERATOR-HOMEBREW-CONVERSION-KIT-P1701.aspx

Fyi, they normally have commercial kegs, but every now and then I'll brew em some.  That's probably their best bet.  But, I hate to spend $30+ just to attach his gas line.

9

Ingredients / 2012 Hop Crop?

« on: October 16, 2012, 06:45:56 am »

I was just wondering if anyone knew when this year's crop would be coming in for purchase?  I usually order certain varieties from Hops Direct and some from Northern, I haven't found any Simcoe.  Even think I'll get any Simcoe this year?

10

General Homebrew Discussion / Is this beer still good?

« on: September 21, 2012, 12:05:19 pm »

My in laws just moved a few months ago, and we went to move some of there things this afternoon and I realized my mother in law had a bottle of Lindemans Framboise.  I immediately put it in the fridge, hoping to drink it soon.  Do you think it's still good?  I know it's a lambic, right, do they go bad?  It's probably 4-5 years old.

I guess just chill it and try it!

11

Ingredients / Columbus hop / funk

« on: August 20, 2012, 04:40:14 pm »

I've used Columbus hops a lot.  However the last couple brews when I bitter with them, they give me a fruity-ish flavor that I really don't like at all.  I purchased two pounds last year and just recently opened the second pound.  It seems every beer that I use them in, I find a disagreeable taste in it.   I only use us-05 or nottingham in these beers and they ferment at app. 60 degrees.

Could there be something in the hops themselves that are causing this?

12

General Homebrew Discussion / What was your last change in your procedure that you feel was beneficial?

« on: August 19, 2012, 03:42:56 pm »

It's not a major change, but the last thing I've done is only using distilled water for my sanitizer.  I know this is not a big thing, but I was wondering what the last thing big/small, that you guys did that you feel helped your brewing. 

Sound off!

13

Ingredients / Ordered 2-row got Maris Otter

« on: August 13, 2012, 03:37:42 pm »

So, I ordered some grain last week.  I just picked it up today, it turned out to be Maris Otter, after I got it home and started distributing it into my buckets.   I normally get just 2-row pale ale malt from them.  I paid the same price for the M.O.  Anything I need to adjust for my recipes?  Isn't M.O. usually more than two row?

Btw it's Crisp Malting. 

14

Ingredients / Canned blackberries / gravity?

« on: August 07, 2012, 12:00:39 pm »

I just brewed a wheat that I want to add some Oregon blackberries to.  How do I find out the specific gravity of the 15 oz can I'm going to add?

15

General Homebrew Discussion / I would be totally pissed...

« on: July 11, 2012, 05:26:34 pm »

Found this picture today.  Several years before I started brewing.  I broke my cousin's airlock!  Then tried to fix it with duct tape.  I would be totally pissed if someone did this to me!  I talked to him about it recently, the batch was ruined, he said he didn't care, but now that I brew,  I'm forever mad at myself for however this happened.  I'm pretty sure this was the first night I ever had Arrogant Bastard.  I'm pretty sure the two are unrelated...



I just realized I think I'm giving a thumbs up too, slightly out of camera range.  This is not a thumbs up situation!!