Topics

1

Other Fermentables / DAP, Go-Ferm, Fermai-K, Oh My!

« on: March 14, 2015, 05:39:48 PM »

Trying a mead again but got myself confused on all the additions that are used.

I have lots of DAP and Go-Ferm but only a little Fermaid-K left. Thought I had more.

Searched for what is in Go-Ferm and Fermaid-K only to be more confused than at the beginning. Maybe it is still too early on a Saturday morning.

My mead is under way at 24 hours. Plan was to add .25g/L of each DAP and Fermaid-K today, again tomorrow and then again on Monday. Then again at 2/3 drop of sugar.

Can I substitute Go-Ferm in any way for Fermaid-K?

2

Questions about the forum? / Yellow Profile Blocks

« on: March 02, 2015, 06:25:50 PM »

I noticed on the left side every post has the user name and a set of yellow blocks. I thought the blocks related to the number of posts until recently. I see some that have less then 100 posts that have two or three blocks and others that have more than 3000 posts that only have one.
What do the yellow blocks represent?

3

The Pub / Doctors Orders. Now what?

« on: February 24, 2015, 05:55:24 AM »

Got some very unhappy news today. Doctor wants me to abstain from alcohol use. I KNOW! I haven't had any for the last month (OK, almost none) and he again confirmed the request.
I don't want to get into the whole medical reason here on line. So please don't ask.
I plan to continue brewing. The tasting part of it will need to be practiced as I have never spit out beer before. I am not sure I can. But I will see how it goes until the orders are changed.

Just curious, does anyone else taste but not drink?

4

The Pub / Newly unemployed and want to brew

« on: January 05, 2015, 11:48:03 PM »

So I am out of a job. Layoff notice was unexpected. But I have a severance to keep me going for a little bit.

But I was thinking that now that I have some days open I would like to "work" in a brewery. Not full time mind you, just to get a feel for it. I would be able to learn some stuff that would support my home brewing knowledge.

I will have to get a "real" job that will pay the bills and I know a rookie won't make but maybe minimum wage. And that will not pay the mortgage or the utilities for that matter.

So for all you pros out there, how should I approach this? Just walk into a place and say put me to work for one or two weeks? What you you say if I came up to you and asked you that?
 

5

Ingredients / What is the most hops you have ever used in a batch?

« on: December 23, 2014, 03:27:39 PM »

I have a friend that loves very high IBU beers. So I decided to see to what end. I made a SMaSH with NW Pale Ale and Cascade.
The hops were year old back yard grown and fresh.
This is a 2.5g batch
1 oz 60 min
1 oz 30 min
1 oz 20 min
1 oz 10 min
2 oz flame out. This is an estimate as they where fresh just picked off the plant. I counted how many cones were in .25 oz and picked to match the count for the total. If I had thought about it, I would have weighed them out for my record.
Assuming 5.5AA Beersmith says it should have been about 110 IBU
To me it had a nice smell. And the first sip was good too. But I tell you that the finish was like a kick in the mouth.

So, what is the most you have ever used in a batch?

6

General Homebrew Discussion / Barley wine too old?

« on: November 12, 2014, 02:38:37 AM »

I did a barley wine back in 2008. I would sample a glass or two every few months. It was really good for a time but now it seems like the good times have passed. It has what I would call a sherry taste to it. I like a little bit of that but I think the flavor now is way over powering now.
What is the longest you have kept a barley wine? This batch is in a keg and I don't know what to do with what is left. I remember reading that you can blend multiple years of barley wine. But I don't have any examples to go off of.
So fellow brewers, what do you recommend? I am open to anything.

7

The Pub / Hops, not just for your breakfast brew

« on: August 12, 2014, 08:16:26 PM »

This is an interesting page. Learned a few things about hops.

http://www.betatechopproducts.com/

8

Questions about the forum? / Most ever on line

« on: November 17, 2013, 08:48:56 PM »

So for some reason I scrolled all the way to the bottom of the forum listing and saw the static of

Most Online Today: 44. Most Online Ever: 406 (February 20, 2013, 12:43:17 PM)

So I gotta know, what in the world was going on on Feb 20 that so many people were on line?

9

Other Fermentables / First Mead

« on: September 29, 2013, 11:32:55 PM »

So I am doing a trial batch of mead. Nothing big. #5 clover honey with about 5 quarts of water. I added water to get to 1.112.
Just did my second add of yeast energizer. I was surprised that after two days it had only dropped to 1.108. Does that seem about right?
I will check again in a few days.

10

Hop Growing / Got to love hops...

« on: September 24, 2013, 12:46:58 AM »

So Short story. I was on Craig's list and found a posting that a new home owner had a Nugget plant out back and wasn't able to use the hops so said anyone who wanted could come over and pick. So I inquired and said I would trade for some and he said he would make sure there was some left for me on Sunday to pick.
Picked enough to fill a four gallon bucket (just enough to fill my dehydrator) and placed the bucket in my car. They were in the car for about three hours before I got home to put them in the dehydrator.
This morning, open the care and greeted by the smell of fresh hops. Got back in the car about noon and again greeted with the smell of fresh hops. One last time to come home and guess what? Fresh hops. 
My Monday started out a little rough. That was a great surprise aroma therapy.
I love fresh hops.
 

11

Hop Growing / Hop Seeds?

« on: August 11, 2013, 09:56:00 PM »

I have been growing Centennial and Cascade hops in my back yard for a few years. Last year I noticed what I thought were seeds on the Cascade. This year I find them on the Centennial and the Cascade.
I am wondering if I should remove them or harvest them? My instinct is to remove them so production goes to the cones.

Here is a pic of the Centennial

12

Yeast and Fermentation / Yeast separates

« on: July 16, 2013, 12:24:20 AM »

I have been reusing my yeast for some time now. But I have never had a jar do this. It is WLP028. Nothing special as I have made this before. Only change was Magnum hopes in place of Centennial. Fermentation stopped at 1.016. Removed the beer and collected the cake off the bottom. Shook it hard and refrigerated to what you see here.
What half do I save?

13

General Homebrew Discussion / Brewing over Two days

« on: March 18, 2013, 09:09:39 PM »

I "need" to brew a pale ale that I do on a regular basis. I don't have the time to do it all in one day as I normally would. So I am thinking of breaking it up over two days. First day get through the sparge and hold the the wert in a couple of containers until I can do the boil. The next day or two later.
My question is, can you think of any reason this should not be done?
For some reason I need to validate the process to be sure I am not over looking something.
Thanks.
John