Messages

1471

The Pub / Re: Just sayin

« on: June 01, 2012, 01:33:44 PM »

Being the volcano groupie that I am, I've spent quite a bit of time studying the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius.  Pliny the Younger gives an eyewitness account of the eruption, which includes a description of the death of his uncle, Pliny the Elder.

Until today, I never have heard of it being pronounced "ply knee."  I've always heard it spoken as rhyming with Vinnie.   

I mean, come on guys...  Can you really hear some Italian guy saying, "Yo, Ply Knee!"

I'm with you Carl.

Shin, win, fin, thin. Logically, the pronunciation of Plin follows.

It's not spelled Pliney, after all.

And Vesuvius erupted on August 24th, which just happens to be my birthday.  So I've spent a bit of time reading about it, too.

1472

The Pub / Re: Just sayin

« on: June 01, 2012, 10:14:29 AM »

Accent on which syllable?

I've heard it both ways.  Due-VEL and DUE-vel.

I tend to go for Due-VEL.  For no particular reason...  But I always feel like maybe I'm wrong.

1473

The Pub / Re: Just sayin

« on: June 01, 2012, 09:25:43 AM »

I never even would have thought to call it "Ply-knee."  But since you can't get it here, it's never been an issue.

What I would like to know is how are you supposed to pronounce Duvel?

1474

Beer Recipes / Re: Scaling up a stout to an imperial stout

« on: June 01, 2012, 07:31:42 AM »

Followup question: with an FG of 1.029 is this going to be like syrup? The biggest problem I have with imperial stouts I've tried is they are too sweet for my taste. Should I use a more attenuative yeast like WLP007 (Dry English Ale)?

I think 1.029 will taste sweet, but maybe not like syrup.

I have a quad fermenting right now with a similar OG to your recipe that stalled at about 1.025 and it was very sweet.  Too sweet, for me.  But I like my beers strong and dry.

My old ale also starts around the same OG and tends to finish around 1.015.  Definitely not overly sweet at that FG.

The alcohol should offset some of the sweetness, but I'd go for something a bit more attenuative.

1475

The Pub / Re: R.I.P Doc Watson

« on: May 30, 2012, 07:36:10 PM »

http://m.npr.org/story/13?url=/programs/fresh-air/

Listening to this Fresh Air broadcast right now. Mostly a 1989 interview.

Damn. What a loss.

1476

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Rookie Needs A Lil Help

« on: May 30, 2012, 06:42:03 PM »

In that case, I may have botulism...

1477

The Pub / Re: R.I.P Doc Watson

« on: May 30, 2012, 02:26:54 PM »

Just found out my wife was pricing flights yesterday to fly out for his concert on July 14th.

Would have been an awesome 40th birthday present.

1478

The Pub / Re: R.I.P Doc Watson

« on: May 30, 2012, 12:17:55 PM »

Seeing him play was on my bucket list.

I missed him the last time he came through (ages ago) and have been kicking myself ever since.

My wife even suggested a couple weeks ago that we would have to travel out east to see him.

At least I still have tons of recordings to listen to.

Damn.  RIP.

1479

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Pitching dry yeast without rehydrating

« on: May 25, 2012, 11:18:42 AM »

So, I'm trying to draw Mr. Denny Conn out here.  Have you noticed any thing different (off flavors, etc...) just pitching the dry yeast pack without rehydrating?  Anything over 1.060 I just pitch two packs, but is the rumor true that if you pitch dry yeast, without rehydrating,  it kills half the cells instantly?  This doesn't really make any sense to me, as I usually rehydrate in around 85 degree water.  Wouldn't that kill some cells too?  Why does it make a difference when you pitch into wort, is it because of the sugar content, like it's such a shock to the yeast?  Just need a little food for thought.

I use 1 pack, not rehydrated, for beers up to 1.070ish.  I have not had any off flavors or fermentation problems from doing that.  Until I do, I'm sticking with my procedure.

Just curious as to what dry yeasts you use with regularity.

As of this moment, I'm quite disappointed in Nottingham and US-05.  I think I can add Windsor to that list, but I'm not as certain as I haven't done side by side fermentations with it yet.

This means that my back-up-plan stash of dry yeasts is predominantly yeast I know I don't really want to use, but I suppose that's why it's a back-up plan.

1480

All Things Food / Re: growing pineapples

« on: May 25, 2012, 11:11:32 AM »

Avacado, mango, guava, papaya, lilikoi (passion fruit) grow wild all over Puna and are free for the taking.

Crab grass and mulberry trees seem to grow wild over by here.

Those, and silver maples.  Filthiest tree ever.

1481

All Things Food / Re: growing pineapples

« on: May 25, 2012, 08:27:51 AM »

This reminds me of all of the avocado seeds we sprouted that never turned into trees.

This is exactly what I was thinking when I read the original post.

I can't tell you how many pits we sprouted in glasses of water.

As a kid, though, I wasn't all that interested in plants.  More into bugs, snakes, etc.

1482

All Things Food / Re: growing pineapples

« on: May 25, 2012, 07:47:23 AM »

Why must you post stuff like this?

I now have a pineapple top in a vase of water in my kitchen.

I have other things to do, people!!!

But, I suppose the kids will love it. 

Supposing it grows, I doubt this thing will survive inside through a Chicago winter.

1483

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: White Labs San Diego Superyeast!

« on: May 24, 2012, 11:43:15 AM »

You make me smile, Denny.

In 20 years or so, I've never actually used a White Labs yeast.

I guess I'm brand-loyal.

1484

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: White Labs San Diego Superyeast!

« on: May 24, 2012, 11:28:08 AM »

OK so many of the White Labs vials have been a hassle to open without spraying everywhere and it's always a challenge to do it without making a mess. I am familiar with that procedure. My experience has been if it doesn't want to spray, the yeast is probably not at it's optimum. Every batch I ever made with their yeast where the vial didn't give me a nice blast of CO2 while opening it was a slow ferment or was so bad it didn't fully ferment. Checking dates is a good idea I guess.

Starters....thought about making one. Was trying to decide what to do since I have S05 packets and two vials of this White Labs and I'm brewing ten gallons.

• I either need to make two starters using the white labs, or use both vials in one batch and use rehydrated S05 in the other as a comparison for flavor etc. That might be interesting.
• Or make a starter with one vial, pitch it with the other vial straight away into one batch, and use S05 in the other batch again for comparison.
• Or mix the two yeasts! Put a vial and a rehydrated packet of S05 in each batch.

Just checked and the vials are both dated for Jul 11th 2012.....definitely need to make starters with them.

Looking to brew a mid 60's OG IPA which warrants a bit more pitch than one packet or vial per batch particularly if this stuff is getting a bit old, which has tripped me up in the past.

Hmmmm.........

Definitely make a starter with the vials.

I'd pitch both batches with different yeasts and see what you think on a side by side comparison.  I've done this recently with a couple different strains and it has helped me to rule out certain yeast for certain styles and some yeast altogether.

The differences between two batches of the same recipe pitched with different strains can be eye-opening, even if your pitching two similar strains.

1485

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 5/25 Edition

« on: May 24, 2012, 08:47:33 AM »

Wish I was brewing.  I'll be painting the garage.

Perhaps I'll tap a new keg to go with the bbq on Monday.