Messages

1

The Pub / Re: West Sixth vs Magic Hat

« on: Today at 03:17:06 pm »

Full disclosure:

I grew up in Vermont but I was never terribly fond of Magic Hat beers.

Now that that's out of the way, I couldn't get to west sixths site but I found this article with a picture
http://www.kentucky.com/2013/05/21/2648036/vermont-craft-brewer-files-federal.html


looking pretty similar to me.

**EDIT** Modified to add, I can't imagine why you would want someone to potentially mistake your beer for a #9. that stuff is nasty.

2

Going Pro / Re: Fermentation Temperature Control

« on: Today at 12:18:25 pm »

It's probably way over complicated but I have considered a zoned temp controlled area accomplished by putting 'gates' or dividers in at various points each with it's own temp controller which would actually trigger a little servo to open or close a vent and/or turn on a ventilator fan.

So your zones would go from;

coldest=closest to cooling or farthest from heating
to
warmest=closest to heating or farthest from cooling.

just a thought I had.

3

Equipment and Software / Re: New MT ordered

« on: Today at 10:47:39 am »

That is SO going in my imaginary brew pub. thanks hopfen.

4

Equipment and Software / Re: New MT ordered

« on: Today at 08:01:49 am »

[...]

the third type is counter flow by the way.

Just to be an OCD engineer, a plate chiller is a type of counter flow chiller, at least the ones I know. The plates can give high area in a small package.

Never apologize for being an engineer! that's absolutely true.

dr. tom once described a old school chiller at a brewery that I can't recall just now that was essentially a sheet of copper that the wort sheeted down with counterflow cold on the opposing side.

That image stuck in my head and I sort of want to build something like that. It seems very willy wonka to me

5

All Grain Brewing / Re: Collecting Cooling Water for Future Brews

« on: May 20, 2013, 01:01:48 pm »

It's never a bad idea to have 10-15 gallons of drinking water available.

Are you prepping, Mort?

 

Nah, Really it's just because I live in earthquake country. Not to say the apocalypse isn't coming, I'm just not specifically preparing for THAT.

6

The Pub / Re: 2nd Gourmets & Growlers pairing event

« on: May 20, 2013, 11:42:52 am »

sounds delic!

7

Beer Recipes / Re: Amarillo IPA

« on: May 20, 2013, 09:45:28 am »

I'll just throw this in, in a recent issue of Zymurgy they have a recipe for testing single hops and the author makes a point to say that Amarillo was not good for the 60 minute addition.

That was a statement of opinion. granted from Vinnie at Russian river but still. Try it. Maybe YOU would like it as a 60 minute addition. I find Columbus to be really oniony but others love it.

8

Beer Recipes / Re: Lavender in a Dubbel?

« on: May 19, 2013, 09:14:58 pm »

Lavender is a very strong herb. Add to that there are different varieties and only some are really appropriate for eating. Nothing dangerous, just taste/smell more soapy than flowery/yummy.

I would probably have started in the <5 GRAMS range rather than the .5 ounce range. or even made a tea and dosed at packaging.

anyway, the lavender will fade in a bit over the next couple years and it might end up quite nice, so if you have the space I would bottle it up and stick it in a corner.

9

Equipment and Software / Re: New MT ordered

« on: May 19, 2013, 11:27:35 am »

http://morebeer.com/products/wort-chiller-superchiller-recirculation.html

http://www.mrmalty.com/chiller.php

like I said, don't know if it's any better, but it's the tool I wanted to try. I also have read a good bit about plate chillers and cleaning issues. anyway, just the direction I went.

cheers

yeav ive also ready about some of the issues with plate chillers holding hop gunk in them, thats why i bought a stainless steel hopspider from stainlessbrewing to put my hops in while boiling. when the boils over i can just pull all of it out and nothings going in my plate chiller:) also in regards to said cleaning issues, since the wart will be boiled when it first hits the plate chiller, anything in it will be eradicated:)

the boiling wort sanitization only works if you recirc for a bit with no water running. Remember if your plate chiller is working the wort should be below 'safe' temps by the time it's 10% of the way through the chiller.

I don't think that plate chillers are inherently better than IC's on the home scale. Pro scale I think plate becomes the only choice just because it's impractical to have a IC that big.

The advantages to IC include dropping the temp of the entire mass of wort quicker thus reducing isomerization and volatilization of flame out hops.

the third type is counter flow by the way.

10

All Grain Brewing / Re: Collecting Cooling Water for Future Brews

« on: May 19, 2013, 11:21:39 am »

some pro brewers run the hot chilling water right into the tun for the next mash. Why waste the heat? but your' just talking about saving it till you brew again some other day. Get some big 5 gallon jugs if you want. It's never a bad idea to have 10-15 gallons of drinking water available.

11

Homebrew Clubs / Re: Newbie Here

« on: May 18, 2013, 04:04:16 pm »

according to the Brewers Best description that kit does use a lager yeast but one selected to perform 'well' at ale temps.

12

Ingredients / Re: 3 hour dry hop?

« on: May 17, 2013, 01:05:36 pm »

I have kegged hopped in concert with speed carbing. So I added the hops in a hop bag to the keg, wracked the beer on top, put it under pressure and shook the bee-jee-zus out of it for 10 minutes or so. Other than the cloudy yeast mess on the first couple pours it was perfect. I don't think the hop presence was ever any better than in the first day or two.

13

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing this Weekend - 5/18 edition?

« on: May 17, 2013, 10:52:36 am »

I am going to do another batch of California farmhouse. This time with flaked Kamut maybe, or something else from the bulk section. Pitching half with slurry from the last batch (a mix of three different whitelabs vials, Belgian ale blend, Belgian ale and American farmhouse blend) the other half with cultured bottle dregs from Almanac Farm to Barrel Brewers Reserve # 1

14

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: 1968 in No-Crystal AIPA (Mash Temp Help)

« on: May 16, 2013, 11:12:11 am »

you might want to include a little sugar if your after that high attenuation with 1968 and a 1.070 OG. could be wrong though. and yeah mash 148 for 90 minutes.

I wouldn't bother with the wheat either but that's just me. you've got a pretty good pallet so if you notice a big dfference from including it go for it.

15

The Pub / Re: NTSB Recommends 0.05% BAC Limit

« on: May 16, 2013, 11:05:04 am »

you can't legislate safety.... its all about control/money.

'If the self-driving car isn't safe enough, set it up like a drone where someone somewhere else could take control if needed or the whole time if required.'

That is a seriously scary response/suggestion... There are already WAY to many 'things' controling us... we don't need any more!

of course you can legislate safety. you can't force everyone to listen. It is a legal requirement that all cars have seatbelts. seatbelts save lives.