Messages

1

The Pub / Re: Tipping ettiquite

« on: July 21, 2017, 03:48:11 PM »

There is very small brewery near me . Basically a big homebrew setup. Tasting room only. Often the owner is tending bar. I usually don't leave him a tip. I figured he owns the place and tips are for workers not bosses.
Is this a violation?

2

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I have a couple of questions about Dry Lager Yeast

« on: July 12, 2017, 04:33:43 PM »

Good idea - your cross section of tasters may prove to you that it is worth using again, but ultimately, every person tastes things somewhat differently and you may get a mixed result with some folks loving it and others hating it.  For example, some people love 34/70, while I have encountered a few folks who claim it has too much lemon flavor.

Mixed results to say the least
"It's infected."
"It's not infected it tastes pastey from to much calcium in the water"
"It just needs to lager a bit more tastes kind of yeasty"
Me, "I thought it be a little fruity from the yeast?"
Replies,
"No"
"No"
"No"
The yeasty taste from not a long enough lagering is what I'm going with.
or maybe it's all three and my beer really sucks.

3

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I have a couple of questions about Dry Lager Yeast

« on: July 11, 2017, 03:58:18 AM »

To follow up on this. I think the beer turned out pretty well.
It might be a little bit fruity tasting , but maybe I'm just looking for it.
Club meeting tonight maybe I'll bring a bottle and see what others think.

4

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Two fermenters one temp. probe?

« on: June 26, 2017, 04:28:34 PM »

I've been using these thermowells that your probe sits in so you're getting actual internal core temperature of your fermenting wort. and I think it's much more accurate than taping a probe to the outside.  You can buy them at Maryland homebrew and they ship for free so long as you can wait in the future it might be better.


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I've seen those and considered getting one.
But still doesn't help with the two fermenters.

5

Yeast and Fermentation / White Labs Pure Pitch, I didn't know there was an inner pouch?

« on: June 26, 2017, 04:25:12 PM »

My second time using the White Labs pouch.
I cut the top off, and when I went to dump it into the
fermenter the inner pouch slid out, and sunk to the bottom.
At the time I didn't realize that there was an inner pouch.
I took a peak today when I got home from work and it's floating on top.
What's curious is it looks like it's starting to ferment. Maybe I cut it open.
Now I'm off to sanitize a spoon and some scissors.
Maybe I'll email White Labs and let them know.
Has this happened to anyone else?

6

Yeast and Fermentation / Two fermenters one temp. probe?

« on: June 24, 2017, 02:56:51 PM »

I'm planning on doing two batches tomorrow.
Any ideas on what to do with the temp. controller probe?
Usually I just tape it to the fermenter with a dishtowel covering it.

7

All Grain Brewing / Re: No sparge brewing

« on: June 24, 2017, 05:49:39 AM »

     Do you add all the water to the mash tun at once?   Or do you dough in with a lesser amount to keep the ratio reasonable and then add the remainder before recirculating and draining to the kettle?
The recipe I'm looking at if added the total water volume it would be 3.8 quarts per lb. I assumed that would be too high? 8 gallons in 8.3 lbs of grain.

Lower gravity beers are tricky with no-sparge. The concept is as you described though: full volume at mash in.

Some sort of session beer I take it? My SWAG says between 1.028-1.032...

Yes it's a session beer
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/san-diego-dark-session-ale/
I'll probably just do my usual batch sparge.

8

All Grain Brewing / Re: No sparge brewing

« on: June 23, 2017, 05:09:33 PM »

     Do you add all the water to the mash tun at once?   Or do you dough in with a lesser amount to keep the ratio reasonable and then add the remainder before recirculating and draining to the kettle?
The recipe I'm looking at if added the total water volume it would be 3.8 quarts per lb. I assumed that would be too high? 8 gallons in 8.3 lbs of grain.

9

The Pub / Re: What is the Purpose of this Forum?

« on: June 11, 2017, 05:24:59 AM »

  I thought the purpose of the forum was pretty simple, a way to let home brewers communicate whether asking questions or sharing new brewing techniques. It seems to do that well in my opinion. New ideas are debated and that's a good thing.
  I don't contribute much except to ask questions. And I post my questions here because I trust the answers I get. Much of the highly technical stuff I have a general understanding of but I haven't fully delved into or applied.
However I know if I ever want to get into low oxy brewing, decoctions, or other "advanced" topics I have a place to do research and ask questions. I check the forum regularly and once in a while I learn something useful,(ie shaken starters").
   You can take what you want and leave the rest.

Dan
 

10

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I have a couple of questions about Dry Lager Yeast

« on: May 21, 2017, 01:12:35 PM »

I've use S-23 many times for California Commons.I ferment around 60 F, and I love it. For lagers I prefer S-189.

I have it set at 55, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

11

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: I have a couple of questions about Dry Lager Yeast

« on: May 20, 2017, 06:05:10 PM »

Thanks for tips, I pitched both packs didn't rehydrate.
I'll try and remember to post the results .


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12

Yeast and Fermentation / I have a couple of questions about Dry Lager Yeast

« on: May 20, 2017, 01:50:30 PM »

       Today I brewed an OctoberFest, with an OG of 1.059. I chilled to about 70 and transfered to the fermenter and put in the fridge with a controller set at 55. I have 2 packs of S-23 Saflager.
       I was going to wait till it got to 55 and then pitch hopefully later this evening.
I usually just sprinkle dry ale yeast but I'm wondering if I should rehydrate the yeast since it's a lager.
I also am not sure if I need to aerate the wort, since from what I've read it's not needed with dry yeast.
The only aeration was splashing while draining to the fermenter.  I don't have any way to aerate other then shaking.
      I've read different opinions of the S-23 yeast and didn't really want to use but it was the only dry lager yeast at the shop. If anyone has any first hand tips for this yeast I'd appreciate it. ( And I already know that Denny hates it)

Thanks
Dan
 

13

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: It begins...

« on: March 19, 2017, 06:02:00 AM »

   I was curious , so I went to the Goose Island web site to see what I could find out about the Milk Porter, it isn't listed amoung the other beers.
  But they do give some recipe info about the beers so if one really wanted to one could probably get pretty close with some trial and error.
http://www.gooseisland.com/our-beers/goose-honkers-ale

14

The Pub / Re: Brewers Association Top 50 Breweries 2016

« on: March 19, 2017, 05:43:48 AM »

I remember when Yuengling lager launched in 1987.  By the time I turned 21, about 3 years later, you could walk into any bar and ask for a "Lager" and you got a Yuengling. Now that's pretty much all they are known for, but I remember them having a pretty decent porter back in the day.

It's still around, though harder to find. Usually I'll just have the liquor store special order it for me. (shops around here stock Yuengling, Light, and Black and Tan.) The Lord Chesterfield Ale is really good too, though even harder to find. (and not really an ale...)

    I buy the the Yuengling porter quite often, $6 a six pack is a real good price. I've never seen it in a bar. I only bought the Chesterfield Ale once and it was badly skunked so I never bought it again, if I could be sure it was fresh I would love to give it another try. The Black and Tan is OK but I do prefer the porter.
   They also brewed a seasonal bock that I enjoyed. Just did a search to for it and it appears they are no longer brewing it.
    Around here "lager" sold at nearly every bar.  They also brew something called "Premium Beer" that is a good, by my taste I think it has less of corn taste them the lager.

15

Ingredients / Re: HSI

« on: March 10, 2017, 12:20:39 PM »

What's HSI?
Hop storage ?