Messages

1

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Domaine Dupage

« on: September 09, 2010, 07:37:49 AM »

I don't post here often because I don't really feel I have a lot to contribute.  I've only done a few batches myself and am still learning.  That said, I hope to learn more and eventually be able to contribute.

I recently tried the Two Brothers Domaine Dupage and it was just ridiculously good.  I'm still an extract brewer (I've steeped grains and stuff) and don't really have the time or money to dive into all grain brewing.  But I really want to clone this Domaine Dupage but I can only find all grain recipes.  Does anyone have any idea how I might go about brewing this one in extract (I'm willing to steep grains, I just don't know how to mash or have the tools to do it).  Thanks.

If it helps this is the grain recipe I found:

7.25 lbs pale ale malt
4 lbs vienna malt
2 lbs munich malt
.75 lbs Weyermann CaraWheat Malt
.25 lbs Weyermann CaraMunich Malt
.25 lbs melanoidin malt

1.75 AAU Northern Brewer hops (60 min.) 9% AA
3.3 AAU Mt. Hood (25 min.) 5% AA
4.4 AAU Mt. Hood (10 min.) 5% AA

1 tsp gypsum and acid to lower ph to 6.5 prior to mash-in.

Mash 15 min. 155 F and raise to 168 F for 10 min. (this looks strange to me, but that is what the recipe calls for...)

Sparge with 164 F water and collect 6.5 gal. Boil 120 min. Begin hop additions with 60 min left in boil.

White Labs WLP550 Belgian Ale Yeast

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General Homebrew Discussion / Got the refrigerator thermostate, now 3 (quickish) questions

« on: May 19, 2010, 01:48:30 PM »

I'm about as unhandy as they come so I had a couple of questions.

1) Ok, got this thing in and I know that somehow this copper wire goes into the fridge to take a reading on the temperature.  So, do I just uncoil it and wind it around through the door and let it just sit anywhere in there? Or is there a back way I need to put it in, or does it go in the freezer, or what?  Anyone have pics of their own?


2) If the optimal fermenting temperature of a yeast is say 68-73F do I need to keep the fridge at like 70F or will the internal temp of the fermenter (carboy) be warmer than the temp of the fridge?

3) Last.  So, even though this is a 6.5gal I've needed a blow off hose for every batch (just for the first 2 or 3 days).  Could it be because I haven't been regulating temperature before this, or do I just need to have one anyway?

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General Homebrew Discussion / Whole leaf hops versus pellet hops? (It's not the question you think)

« on: May 15, 2010, 07:37:19 PM »

Ok, so I'm not here to ask which is better.  I'm pretty sure that's been done before.  My question has probably been done before, but after a little searching I couldn't find anything.  So, here it goes.

In the Papazian book he says "One-quarter ounce of whole hops contrast with three ounces of hop pellets" (p64).  And he never mentions it again, but right before the recipes section he does specify that all hops used in his recipes are whole hops.  What's weirder is that in How to Brew by John Palmer he mentions no weight/ratio distinction that I could find and never specifies which he uses in his recipes except to say that he recommends switching it up for different parts of the brewing process and even goes so far as to show two pictures side by side of whole and pellet hops demonstrating the brewing process (p82) indicating it doesn't matter.

If a recipe calls for 1oz of cascade hops I could choose either 1oz pellet or 1oz whole leaf depending on my preference?  Or as according to Papazian if it calls for hops do I just assume it's whole hops and if I opt for pellet get 12 times more in pellet?  That sounds nuts and expensive.

PS.  I'm simply using pellets because I'm still new and whole hops seem pricey and hard to get your hands on.

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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Three questions about yeasts and honey and stuff...

« on: May 15, 2010, 07:26:37 PM »

Thanks to all for replies.  Just wanted to let you know where I stand now.

I do have a refrigerator that I loaned to a friend.  It's one of those glass gas-station types.  The problem is, it may not be big enough and I'm waiting for him to measure it out and let me know if it will fit.

Of course, if it does fit that does still poses a couple of problems
1) Though it's a 6.5 gallon carboy I've had to do a blow off hose the first couple days for my last 2 batches.  I'm pretty sure this fridge doesn't have room for that.
2) It's all glass, so I'll have to work hard to keep light out.

If the refrigerator isn't big enough, I'll definitely opt for the swamp cooler method.

One great idea I'm probably going to invest in in the future is a wine cooler than can do red and white temps.

I canned the honey ginger lager idea.  My wife and I tried various beers that seemed close to it and we just didn't like them.  We can't seem to like pilsners or wheat beers or anything like them.  What can I say? We are hopheads.  So far I've done an amber ale (which turned out really well), an IPA that was right up our alley, and an Imperial Stout which is promising.    I went ahead and put together a pale ale that I think will promise a nice summery and balanced hop-malt flavors.

Thanks for all your help.  I hope to learn enough in the next while to be able to contribute to this forum.  Thanks.

Also, picked up How to Brew on someone's recommendation.  What a life-saver!  Answered most of my questions.

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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Three questions about yeasts and honey and stuff...

« on: May 08, 2010, 07:07:15 AM »

I'll look into the Ice Cube for now.

What would a cooler setup with a Ranco or Johnson run me?  Sounds like $200+ and is it pretty technical to get together?  Is there a well known web site that sells these things or does home depot have them?

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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Three questions about yeasts and honey and stuff...

« on: May 08, 2010, 06:46:52 AM »

Thanks to all for the replies:

On temps:
Yikes!  I had sort of just thought "Plenty of guys do this in their basement without regulation" and considering my last couple of batches turned out fine I wasn't worried.  Looks like it was more important than I thought.

I've heard of carboy jackets that help with temperature control and also provide a safe barrier in the case of carboy breakage.  Anyone have one of these and know where I can find one?  Is it worth it?


On Honey:
These guys are our local honey supplier and even though it's not clover that sourwood honey sure does look about right.  Any thoughts?

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General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Three questions about yeasts and honey and stuff...

« on: May 07, 2010, 06:18:21 AM »

That helps.  I'm not too worried about the temp.  I keep it in a dark closet and my house is probably the warmest it will be all day and it's 73.8 degrees in there (I know that's pushing the 60 to 75 range).

The book doesn't even say to keep it cold at all.  Is he just assuming that since it's a lager we'll know to do so based on other parts of the book, or is this thing meant to keep room temp?

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General Homebrew Discussion / Three questions about yeasts and honey and stuff...

« on: May 07, 2010, 05:57:47 AM »

Hi all,

New to homebrewing and deciding on what to do with batch number four.  So far my first 2 turned out well and my 3rd is due for bottling, so I'm pretty optimistic.  With summer coming up I really wanted something nice and refreshing so I was thinking about the Papazian Linda's Lovely Light Honey Ginger Lager which is based on his Rocky Racoon's Crystal Honey Lager (p210-211). A few questions going into it:

What kind of yeast to use?
I don't have refrigeration for my carboy so I will be fermenting at room temps.  Also, I tend to like the flavor profiles of ales more so than lagers.  The recipe calls for American lager or Pilsener-type yeast.  I was thinking that since I will be doing this at ale temps I should just go ahead and use an ale yeast, but I'm afraid it will come out funky.  Any thoughts?  And if you recommend against going with ale yeast, do you have any thoughts on the lager or the Pilsener for room temp fermentation?

What kind of honey?
The recipe calls for "light clover honey" but instead of ordering that from a homebrew supply I was thinking of going to my local grocery store and getting the honey from the bulk section.  I believe it is clover, organic, and local to my area which I prefer.  I know certain honeys can impart off-flavors, so what might I need to know about buying the local honey?

Other ingredients:
Since I'm new to this I'm a little pessimistic about experimenting, but I was seriously thinking of adding blueberries and/or juniper to this.  I was just going to get any thoughts.

I know it's longwinded.  Thanks in advance for your patience.

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Extract/Partial Mash Brewing / Plain Light Malt Extract Syrup?

« on: April 07, 2010, 08:04:03 AM »

Hello all,

I was hoping to deviate from kits and move on to using recipes.  I found the recipe for an Armenian Imperial Stout in the Papazian book (page 209).

It calls for Plain Light Malt Extract syrup.  I'm having a hard time finding this specifically.  Is light the same as "pale"?  Also is "extra" pale/light that different? I'd like to get everything from one place, and the recipe also calls for a Muntons Old Ale Kit which seems to limit where I can buy stuff from.  I was looking at Austin Homebrew Supply because they have the kit, but they don't seem to have the malt extract.

Thanks.