Topics

46

Kegging and Bottling / Keg posts that don't fit

« on: February 10, 2012, 01:55:50 PM »

Hey all,

I just recently got a new keg and finally got around to filling it with beer last night. as I was sanitizing it I noticed that the beer out QD did not want to go on, it fits over the post and opens the port as it is supposed to but doesn't lock down. It's a ball lock post and a ball lock QD but it's like the post is just a little too long to fit the QD. I finally managed to get it to latch by pushing down on the QD hard and then pushing the flange on the flange on the QD down with the other hand till it clicked but it's super tight.

Could this be caused by some kind of blockage in the post inself? or are there different models of ball lock posts?

The beer is in it now and I can get the cobra tap to attach so I am okay for now but after this keg kicks I want to figure out how to make it work right.

47

Kegging and Bottling / temp adjustment to priming level with bottles

« on: February 08, 2012, 10:36:03 AM »

So I am getting ready to bottle part of a batch of beer (scottish 60/-) and I started to wonder. The carb calculator in beersmith accepts a temp for adjustment based on disolved co2 already present. But when I rack to the bottling bucket and give a gentle stir some of that co2 is coming out of solution. does that really matter? is it insignificant compared to the amount still disolved?

details
the beer fermented at ~62 and has been ~55 since fermentation was more or less complete. I aim for a farily low carb level maybe 1.9 volumes. so I plug all this into beer smith, give 62 as the temp and it gives me x oz sugar to prime. but I will lose y co2 in transfer and stirring. will my bottles be undercarbed? it's low enough carb level that just a little off will be noticable I would think.

thoughts?

48

General Homebrew Discussion / Is it just me?

« on: February 07, 2012, 11:12:04 AM »

Or do bananas taste just like hefeweizen?

I _might be getting a little to focused on brewing

49

The Pub / slightly disturbing statistics

« on: January 27, 2012, 04:55:28 PM »

So I was poking around looking at my user profile and I noticed the general statistics tab. I know I spend alot of time on this forum but it is slightly disturbing to discover that since I joined back in late 2010 I have spent...

17 days, 23 hours and 37 minutes

on this forum. I guess it could be worse and I would hate to see Denny's stats but it is still crazy to think that I have spent just about 18 days of the last 1.5 years right here bsing with all yous guys.

Ahh well, I enjoy it so why make moral judgements.

50

Homebrewer Bios / MorticaiXavier AKA Jonathan Fuller AKA Jonathan Vittum

« on: January 16, 2012, 11:17:53 AM »

I have been on here for a couple years now so this is pretty belated but I couldn't think of a clever and pithy way to put it till now. so here goes

Definitions
   Jonathan Fuller = "Computer programmer"
   Redefine Jonathan Fuller AS Jonathan Vittum = "Actor/Director/Writer"
   Redefine Jonathan Vittum AS MorticaiXavier = "Brewer/crazy person"

Initialize
   Set Year = 1996
   Set Location = "Starksboro, VT"
   Set Extract Kit Count = 0
   Try to brew mead = "Fail"
   Give up
   Wait 7 Years
   Set Location = "Burlington, VT"

   Fall in love
   Set Location = "Dorchester, MA"
   Set Married = "1"
   Decide beer might be easier
   Brew Alton Brown Pale ale recipe
   Impression = "LIKE!!"

   Do While Imression = "LIKE!!"
    and Satisfaction = high value
       Brew more kits
       Add 1 to Extract Kits Count
       Drink more beers
       Work too much
       If Extract Kits Count = 3
         Set Satisfaction With Extract Kits = Satisfaction With Extract Kits - 1
       If Satisfaction With Extract Kits = Satisfaction - 1
          Set Satisfaction = Satisfaction With Extract Kits
       Wait 2 Months
   End Do

   Set Location = "Oakland, CA"
   Set Extract = "0"
   Set All Grain = "1"
   Year = 2009
   Brew Belgian Pale Ale
   Impression = "OKAY"
   Set All Grain Count = 1

   Set Location = "Vacaville, CA"
   Set Wife = "Pregnant"
   Year = 2010
   Set Jonathan Fuller = Jonathan Fuller || "Member AHA"
   Set All Grain Count = 2
   Set Club = "Green Belt Brewers Association"
   Join Club

   Set Wife = "Giving Birth"
   Set Baby = "Donald William Dean Fuller"
   Set Sleep Hours = 3
   Wait 3 Months
  
   Set Equipment = "Plastic Bucket + Grain Bag"
   Brew Lagunitas IPA Clone
      Redefine Lagunitas IPA Clone AS Midwifes IPA
   Impression = "LIKE"

   Set Equipment = "Denny Tun"

   Set Annual = 1
   Brew Annual||"st" Sweet William Barley Wine
   Impression = "NEEDS TIME"

   Set Location = "Davis, CA"
   Do While Impression <> "CAN NEVER DO BETTER THAN THIS"
      Watch Baby
      Baby Impression = "Amazing"
      Work
      Plan more brews
      If Big Beer Bug = "Biting"
         Brew Parti Gyle
      Else
         Brew
      Wait 1 month
      Set Satisfaction= "Could Do Better"
   End Do.


Baby Impression = "Amazing"
Wife = "Beautiful" || "Understanding" || "Love of my life"
Brewing Impression = "Best Hobby Ever"

Well there it is, clear as Russian Imperial Stout.

51

Commercial Beer Reviews / Scottish 60/- us availability

« on: January 13, 2012, 02:22:56 PM »

So, this is not a review perse so much as a request for reviews

I am doing a presentation in a couple months on the Scottish and Irish ale category for my brew club and was going through the BJCP guidlines. I think I can find at least one from 70/-, 80/-, wee heavy and irish but according to the BJCP all the commercial examples of 60/- are cask only. Doesn't really work for a club meeting. so do any of you know of a to style 60/- that I might be able find in northern california? we have a good beer store and I might be able to order something if they don't actually carry it so if you have found it anywhere in California or surrounding states let's hear it!

52

All Grain Brewing / Lessons learned

« on: January 09, 2012, 07:38:02 AM »

I learned this week that a hefewezen is not a good candidate for partigyle. perhaps it would have been better if I did a multi step or decoction mash but the idea of doing a decoction with 20 lbs of grain just turned me off. It's not bad, just not a hefeweizen.

53

The Pub / What should I buy?

« on: January 07, 2012, 12:57:30 AM »

So the rebate fairies visited my home today. waited 13 weeks instead of the 6-8 they said but hey... I didn't pay quite as much for my contacts in the long run.

I get to spend part of the booty on new brew stuff so here is my current wishlist what do you think?

54

All Things Food / shelf stable eggs

« on: January 05, 2012, 12:27:07 PM »

If one were to hard boil an egg, lets say even in a pressure cooker at 240*, then immediatly dip it in wax at a similar temp do you suppose that egg would be shelf stable?

Just purely out of curiosity, I am not going to try it.

55

Beer Recipes / belgians for ageing

« on: January 05, 2012, 11:14:18 AM »

So I am getting ready to brew the second of an annual big beer to celebrate my sons birth. First year was a barley wine with maple syrup and it is ageing well. this year I think I want to do a belgian but I wonder what style will best lend itself to long ageing. The idea is to keep it around for years, maybe even long enough for him to try some when he's old enough. I also try to include ingredients with meaningful origins.

last year was maple syrup cause my wife and I are from Vermont and strongly associate ourselves as Vermonters still, even though we live in california. and Ivanhoe hops which are a heirloom california hop variety as he is a native born Californian.

This year I want to use some honey from my wife's uncle in VT and some meyer lemon from California and possibly some blue berries to bring in my heritage as a Maineiac. I was also thinking of ginger as it super yummy with both lemon and blueberries.

I generally try to keep my recipes pretty simple but given these three (or four) ingredients that might already be out the window. I was thinknig belgian quad or, just now, a lambic which should lend itself to long ageing but I don't know how it holds up once in the bottle.

so the field is pretty wide open. I am not married to the style guidlines either but it seems like a belgian yeast or yeast/bug combo would match well with the other ingedients I want to use.

So let's hear it. ideas?

56

The Pub / un-bifurcated garments

« on: December 29, 2011, 01:57:33 PM »

I am joining weazletoe's team and will be wearing an un-bifurcated garment on, if not the next, then the brew day after that. That's right, you heard me. NO PANTS!!!!

My sweet and loving and extremely understanding wife got me a utilikilt for xmas. I wait with baited breath for it's arrival!

what did y'all get that you were really hoping for?

57

Yeast and Fermentation / Saison in 2 weeks?

« on: December 03, 2011, 02:27:14 PM »

So i have a party to go to on the 17th. I am bringing a keg and the recipe I have ingredients for is as follows

6lb Munich 10L
1lb Crystal 40L
.5 oz Beligan goldings @ 7%
2.00 oz american Fuggles @ 6%

Gravity should hit around 1.032

I currently have a tube of white labs 565 Saison and a saved yeast cake of Wyeast 1968 ESB (I think, haven't checked on it in a while but it should still be good)

So do y'all think I could brew tomorrow and pitch the saison and be done, kegged and carbed by the 17th? or should I go with the 1968 which I know I can have done and ready to drink in ~7 days?

The reason i want to use the saison is cause I have a brew day planned for a 'super saison' 1.100 in a couple of weeks and I need the yeast.

58

General Homebrew Discussion / I just have to pat myself on the back for a moment...

« on: December 02, 2011, 11:30:10 PM »

Tonight I pulled a sample of the all munich barley wine I brewed nearly 2 months ago. It has been sitting in the Rumble barrel that I got from Balcones distillery for 3 weeks and it is friggin awesome. I think this may be the best beer I have brewed. certainly the best barley wine.

ok enough of that.

59

Equipment and Software / grain mill advice with a slight new twist

« on: November 30, 2011, 12:31:35 PM »

So my wife and I are buying ourselves a grain mill for xmas. We will use it not just for brewing grsit but also for making flour so an adjustable gap is a must.

any ideas on adjustable gap mills?

60

Beer Recipes / wheat wine

« on: November 26, 2011, 12:20:47 PM »

I am planing what to put in my rum barrel with the barley wine that's in there now comes out and that thought combined with plans to brew a hefe with/for my wife. The synthesis being a wheat wine/hefeweizen partigyle brew day. something along the lines of...

12 lbs munich 10L (Great western)
20 lbs malted wheat (I would use raw but I don't want to have to cereal mash 20 lbs of wheat)
Mash this at 148 for 90 minutes

Cap the mash with 1 lb crystal malt for body and add 'sparge' water to hit 160 for 20 minutes

So my question to you all is what hops should I use for this? I imagine using something like a hallertauer for the hefe, although I would love a domestic option as, like I said, I like to keep it local as much as possible.

What for the wheat wine? What's a good domestic alternate for hallertauer?

Thoughts?