Messages

3451

The Pub / Re: Springtime Mushrooms anyone finding them?

« on: April 27, 2011, 07:55:08 AM »

morels are a good one for begininers, if you can find them! the false morel doesn't look that much like a true morel. A couple of years ago I found a bunch in the red mulch around my apartment complex. I didn't know what they sprayed on that mulch so I didn't eat them but it was cool to find 20 bucks worth of morels none the less. +1 on getting a really good book and a knowledgable guide. I have a book that I think it called mushroom hunting without fear that goes thorugh all the hard to mistake ones. chanterells are another hard one to mess up. There is a false chanterelle (jack-o-lantern) which causes stomach upset if eaten but the chanterelles have fat little ridges that run down the stock a little way instead of gills that stop at the edge of the stalk so they can be picked out fairly easily. Shaggy manes are easy to spot once you know what you are looking for. puff balls can be nice but the little ones should be cut open to ensure they are not unopened death angels. get someone who knows

3452

Other Fermentables / Re: 'Best' method for adding herbs/spices to mead

« on: April 27, 2011, 07:48:38 AM »

I believe that you use sorbate to 'kill' the yeast but someone else can check me on that. It should be available at your LHBS. I would make a tisane and add to taste at bottling/kegging time. that way you can dial it in exactly.

3453

Ingredients / Re: Nelson Sauvin hops

« on: April 27, 2011, 07:41:48 AM »

Somkeone posted the link to seven bridges already and they do have the NS for sale. I have noticed it and wondered. What is the flavour profile like?

3454

All Grain Brewing / Re: Mashing for high gravity

« on: April 27, 2011, 07:39:25 AM »

Using more water and boiling longer does make sense... However, with a 7 month old baby, I count my lucky stars when I'm able to take up an entire morning to brew, so I'm not sure that prolonging my brew time is in the cards .  I've used LME to augment second running beers, and I never notice negative results, quite the opposite really.  When I do have more time, I'll definitely use your method.
Thanks for the info!

A couple of others have mentioned this but I thought I would highlight it. You might want to use DME instead of LME and the lightest you can get as well. when doing a high gravity the LME can add a lot of unfermentables that can result in an overly sweet beer IMO. Sugar works to. I often bump the gravity with plain table sugar or honey for higher gravity beers

3455

All Things Food / Re: Radishes

« on: April 26, 2011, 03:25:06 PM »

From what I've seen, maybe just a bit larger than normal.  I think I'm gonna try to grow some this year.  I LOVE radishes!

What kind of spacing requirements are there? I've perhaps got some room next to my carrots...

Never having grown them, I really don't know.  I'd say you just plant them like other radishes, then thin as necessary.

I got some of these in my CSA box a few weeks ago. They ranged from slightly larger than a 'normal' radish to the size of a pool ball. Sliced them thin and did a quick pickle. yum. also if you slice them thin and float them on cold water they fold up into little rosets. pretty

3456

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Getting started with kegging

« on: April 26, 2011, 02:58:52 PM »

Another guy in my brew club is going to mentor me on all that jazz. I imagine I could figure it out myself but it is nice to have someone with the expertise already to help out.

3457

All Grain Brewing / Re: Maintaining water temperature...

« on: April 26, 2011, 02:54:37 PM »

I don't THINK so, but I am not a physisist (hell I can even spell it!)

What I think is that more liquid has more thermal mass and so should actually slow the loss of heat.

3458

Beer Recipes / Re: Anchor Steam Clone?

« on: April 26, 2011, 10:08:18 AM »

I use C-40 and a little bit of victory.  US 2-row, for sure.  Three hop additions.

Yeah I do three hop additions as well. 60, 15 and 0 1.25oz, .75 and 1 I think. I don't have my notes with me. I have been thinking about tweaking it but this weekend will be my first go with this as an all grain recipe

3459

All Grain Brewing / Re: Forgot mash-out

« on: April 26, 2011, 10:01:15 AM »

Given plenty of time for complete conversion, a mash out would only improve lauter efficiency.

Assuming 100% conversion before beginning lautering, wouldn't the lauter efficiency depend only on how much water is run off, and in what increments?

That's what I have understood to this point. That's why batch sparging results in small loss of efficiency isn't it?

3460

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: cirrhosis

« on: April 26, 2011, 09:59:01 AM »

I can only imagine how hard it is to be a doctor. Particularly if you actually care about your patients. and it sounds like you do. Hang in there and remember that we need people like you. I promise to be moderate in my drinking and never take tylenol in temporal proximity of alcahol (I honestly just don't take tylenol to be on the safe side anyway). My grandmother died from cirhosis after many years of destructive drinking habits. Although I suspect had she had a doctor like you she might have held on a bit longer as the doctor she had gave her high doses of tylenol for paid when she was in the hospital before they identified the liver damage.

3461

Beer Recipes / Re: Anchor Steam Clone?

« on: April 26, 2011, 07:59:38 AM »

my Cali common recipe is 9# 2 row 1.25 # crystal 60L. I use cascade hops in mine cause I'm a rebel  It's pretty close except for the hops. It's a simple beer.

3462

Ingredients / Re: playing with birch sap

« on: April 26, 2011, 07:55:13 AM »

sounds like fun! I miss vermont. going to be back there this summer for a couple of weeks though. Get a beer at the Needs. have some proper chinese food at single pebble. watch a thunderstorm.

3463

Kegging and Bottling / Re: Getting started with kegging

« on: April 26, 2011, 07:47:24 AM »

yes indeedy. unfortunatly the free shipping was too good to be true but still 269 shipped is okay by me. I brew my first batch destined for keg this weekend if all goes well. 5 gallon cali common with new zealand cascade. Gonna be a starter for a ten gallon batch in  a couple of weeks.

3464

Kegging and Bottling / Re: pitching yeast before bottling

« on: April 25, 2011, 01:14:48 PM »

Good point on the bottles.  I do have quite a lot of Belgian bottles on hand.

Also - is it possible to get the same results by just bumping up the priming sugar?

the amount of priming sugar is what will determine your carbonation level. The reason to add more yeast is because with higher gravity beers the remaining yeast can be stressed and weak. The amount of yeast does not affect the carbonation levels except if there isn't enough there to do the job. It will affect the speed at which the carbonation happens though.

3465

Kegging and Bottling / Re: priming with Fruit

« on: April 25, 2011, 08:19:40 AM »

Also it would be really hard to gauge how much to use. Sugar content of fruit is variable.