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Author Topic: Newbie hooked on real brew  (Read 6260 times)

Offline 69franx

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #15 on: February 04, 2016, 06:59:45 pm »
Freeze it, but I usually don't break up manufacturer packs until I need some. The less exposure to air the better. Then I usually break into 4oz wt in quart bags and vac seal
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline Scratch66

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #16 on: February 04, 2016, 07:08:37 pm »
Thanks Frank. Have you got a recommendation for a vac-sealer?

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #17 on: February 04, 2016, 07:25:18 pm »
Thanks Frank. Have you got a recommendation for a vac-sealer?


This is the one I have. It's fairly entry level and works wonderfully. Highly recommend it :

http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-FM2100-000-Vacuum-Sealing-System/dp/B00LUGK5QW
Jon H.

Offline Scratch66

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2016, 07:36:37 pm »
Looks good, Jon. I can use it for packaging sausage too. Maybe some venison if I get lucky next fall.

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #19 on: February 04, 2016, 07:38:07 pm »
Looks good, Jon. I can use it for packaging sausage too. Maybe some venison if I get lucky next fall.


Yep. I've used the hell out of mine and it's still going strong.
Jon H.

Offline 69franx

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #20 on: February 04, 2016, 08:26:29 pm »
Not sure of the brand. I know I found it through either here on the forum or on homebrewfinds.com. Either way, been very happy with it for keeping my hops fresh. Just brewed my ipa with 2013 centennial, simcoe, columbus, amarillo and citra. They all smelled wonderful as I portioned them up and then in the boil
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline leprecaunjon

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #21 on: February 04, 2016, 08:50:18 pm »
Thanks Jon
I just bottled a kit from Jasper's. Its STFU ale (yeah, I know :o). That's the batch that I where I made so many mistakes. It bottled at 1.014 if I read that correctly. Looked pretty good and had a nice aroma. The trub however had just a whif of skunky odor. It didn't show up in the beer itself. Anybody got a suggestion?
After I finished that I boiled another kit: Zombie Apocalypse Double Red Bloodbath Ale (yeah, yeah ::)). Fewer mistakes and the timing was pretty close. Pitched at the high end of the yeast profile. I just took delivery of three pounds of hops with a fourth in the fridge. I think I'll use a vacuum style food sealer and break up those packages. Should I freeze it or just refrigerate?

well i will warn you from freezing, i had a bag of galaxy hops stick up the whole freezer and it made everything in there taste like hops, but i had vacuum sealed cascade in there with no problems, just make sure they are sealed up real well, but from my experience they last just as long in the fridge.

Offline Scratch66

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #22 on: February 04, 2016, 09:34:25 pm »
I'll take that seriously, Jon, thanks. I can't imagine hops-flavored bratwurst. If I decide to freeze them, I'll keep them separated in the small freezer in the garage.

Offline Frankenbrew

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #23 on: February 05, 2016, 04:29:03 pm »
Thanks Jon
I just bottled a kit from Jasper's. Its STFU ale (yeah, I know :o). That's the batch that I where I made so many mistakes. It bottled at 1.014 if I read that correctly. Looked pretty good and had a nice aroma. The trub however had just a whif of skunky odor. It didn't show up in the beer itself. Anybody got a suggestion?
After I finished that I boiled another kit: Zombie Apocalypse Double Red Bloodbath Ale (yeah, yeah ::)). Fewer mistakes and the timing was pretty close. Pitched at the high end of the yeast profile. I just took delivery of three pounds of hops with a fourth in the fridge. I think I'll use a vacuum style food sealer and break up those packages. Should I freeze it or just refrigerate?

well i will warn you from freezing, i had a bag of galaxy hops stick up the whole freezer and it made everything in there taste like hops, but i had vacuum sealed cascade in there with no problems, just make sure they are sealed up real well, but from my experience they last just as long in the fridge.

^^^This happened to me with a lb. of Citra that I had in the freezer in a Zip Lock bag. It affected much of the food in the fridge, but especially the butter. It may sound good, but Citra toast in the morning is NOT that good.
Frank C.

And thereof comes the proverb: 'Blessing of your
heart, you brew good ale.'

Offline Scratch66

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #24 on: February 05, 2016, 06:33:53 pm »
One of the bags of hops I got from Yakima was compromised. Lost the vacuum. They apologized but that didn't replace that bag. Imagine a freezer full of Tahoma-flavored food.
I order the Foodsaver vac sealer last night.

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #25 on: February 05, 2016, 06:36:46 pm »
One of the bags of hops I got from Yakima was compromised. Lost the vacuum. They apologized but that didn't replace that bag. Imagine a freezer full of Tahoma-flavored food.
I order the Foodsaver vac sealer last night.


Good for you - you'll love it. And by the way, their vacuum bags allow Zero hop flavor into your food. Which also means zero air getting in. Win-win.
Jon H.

Offline 69franx

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #26 on: February 05, 2016, 10:59:13 pm »
One of the bags of hops I got from Yakima was compromised. Lost the vacuum. They apologized but that didn't replace that bag. Imagine a freezer full of Tahoma-flavored food.
I order the Foodsaver vac sealer last night.


Good for you - you'll love it. And by the way, their vacuum bags allow Zero hop flavor into your food. Which also means zero air getting in. Win-win.
+1
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline santoch

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #27 on: February 08, 2016, 08:21:29 pm »
Denny, just as a quick aside, anything really special or significant scheduled for batch #500? I'm sure several on here would be interested in also possibly making it as a sort of tribute

Not yet, but I'm thinking about it.  I did a quad for batch #400.  I don't think I want to do a quintuple!

Can you say "Imperial Barleywine"?
Looking for a club near my new house
BJCP GM3/Mead Judge

Offline 69franx

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #28 on: February 08, 2016, 08:29:19 pm »
I like that santoch
Frank L.
Fermenting: Nothing (ugh!)
Conditioning: Nothing (UGH!)
In keg: Nothing (Double UGH!)
In the works:  House IPA, Dark Mild, Ballantine Ale clone(still trying to work this one into the schedule)

Offline JT

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Re: Newbie hooked on real brew
« Reply #29 on: February 09, 2016, 04:00:34 am »
the mistakes are welcome, a critical part of learning. my first batch of beer i did by the book as close as i could, came out ok, but not my style. my second batch i made the rookie mistake of never removing the hops, so they stayed in for the full boil and through fermentation we dubbed the supposed to be APA "ABA" for american bitter ale because it tasted very light and had little to no hop profile just the bitterness. still enjoyable somehow though.
I don't see the mistake here.  Removing hops through use of a muslin bag, hop spider, etc simply isn't necessary, evidenced by the pile of green sludge in the bottom of my kettle after transferring.  Did you mean that you added all the hops for the recipe at 60 minutes instead of staggering?