Homebrewers - What’s on Tap?

[deft 6828]

So I feel like my summer is slipping past me and I haven't even brewed once.  Tomorrow, I'm brewing with whatever I've got laying around and I think i've got enough to make a tasty ipa.
 
grains: Plenty of 2 row, some rye malt, some crystal 60, some carared and maybe even some flaked oats from the pantry.
yeast: us05 packet, 34/70 packet, washed denny's fav
hops: half ounce of apollo and brewers gold, plenty of cascade and citra
 
I'm thinking 12 lbs of 2 row, 1 lb of carared, and .5 of c60.
Bitter with the apollo and BG to get around 35 ibu, and then start hopping the shit out of it at 10 minutes including some hefty dry hop charges with both cascade and citra.  Probably use the 05.
 
Thoughts?  Is the carared and c60 combined (right around 10-11%) too high?

Brewed on Tuesday. Just about the same grain bill as posted but added 1.5 lbs of oats. Did just the Apollo and brewers gold at 60 to get my bittering. Ounce of citra at 10 and then a 30 minute hopstand with no cooling of 2 ounce each of citra and cascade. Once fermentation dies down, I’ve got 2 ounces of each ready to go for dry hopping.

I brewed ahs Mexican Pilsner this morning. I decided to focus on my efficiency which has struggled lately. I readjusted my mill by sight (no depth gauges) as tight as it would go and then double milled. According to the brew house efficiency calculator online, I got 85%! The wlp940 starter had been spinning for about 36 hours so I just dumped in the whole thing versus decanting and pitching.

[LosIllini 91]

Time to get this thread going again...

Brewing a German Pilsner today- 10 lb German Pils, Perle, Tettnang, Hallertau Mittelfruh hops/ 940 Mexican Lager yeast (fantastic yeast).  Going to keep it a little bit dryer, and lighter on the IBUs.

Hot as hell outside, but, worth it!  Should be ready to go around CFB conference schedule kick-off time.

[PvilleStang 2875]

Well, baby shower brew was a success.  Keg was toast after about 3-4 hours.  Never though the Mosaic hops would stand out in such little quantity, but definitely had a few people call it out.  Will have to do that again in the near future, along with another Yellow Rose clone (wife wants one of the two on tap very soon after the baby arrives).

[deft 6828]

Double batch of boring ass blonde coming up now. Gonna split it on two yeasts. The first is going into a glass carboy with wlp644 to sit in my by bedroom for the next few months. Some fruit and atrial dregs later....perhaps.

The other batch is going on a 05 cake that I still need to rack (two hearted clone) and after primary will be going into a 30g barrel with 5 other guys batches of the same beer. We got a barrel from 4th tap that they had an undesirable infection in. Hence us testing it with something basic.

[Continental Op 3934]

Did an amber ale yesterday.  Maris otter, amber, 20L crystal, carared, rye malt, a little bit of rice hulls, and a very small amount of chocolate malt for color.  Northern Brewer and cascade hops.  American ale II yeast.  

[deft 6828]

Sounds delicious. I probably need to make one for fall and forgetting our mediocrity.

[Damor 1236]

Ok, made my first foray today. An AHB American IPA my BIL and I brewed a few weeks ago, after having the equipment for years and not ever using it. My wife ordered the kit, so I can be held blameless in all regards.

It turned out drinkable, which I'll take as a victory for my first batch. Got a stout kit or on order for round 2 to prep for Thanksgiving.

Nothing heroic, but it was fun to get started .

[deft 6828]

Pretty dark looking ipa. What’s in the grist?

[Damor 1236]

Indeed it is. It's an extract kit from Austin Homebrew (Rushmore). Had 8lb extra pale, 1lb Munich, and a 1/2lb grain bag of Crystal 40. There's also likely to be some user error in there, too.

[deft 6828]

Welp I decided I wanted to experiment with kveik yeast and ordered some though norther brewer. Between them not sending it out expediently and USPS, it sat in an Austin postal warehouse all day Sunday and Monday.

But it’s kveik?! Doesn’t it ferment well at 90 degrees plus? I think I’ll spin up a starred and see if it takes.

[LosIllini 91]

The Kveik will be fine.  You'll see some crazy yeast chunks in your starter when it gets going.  Kveik is a beast.

Brewed a blonde ale, using a Kolsch grain bill, and Kveik Hothead from a starter.  Think it fermented out in 2-3 days at 72F.  Would have finished even quicker at 90F.   Turned out fine- Definitely an ale.  But, didn't get some of the fruit esters at the low end of its temperature range.

Brewshops should stock this yeast for new brewers. 

[deft 6828]

Well it did end up krausening 3 days after I got the starter going. I’m assuming it’s kveik in there because I usually have good sanitation practices. I bottled it up and they sent me another pouch anyway so awesome on northern brewer.

Just finished brewing a Flanders red that will get out in a 30g barrel with batches from a few friends. Just using London ale yeast for now and we’ll spin up some big ass Lambiscus starters for racking to the barrel.

Enjoying a glass of two hearted clone now.

[deft 6828]

Sexy lacing

[Damor 1236]

Your words frighten and confuse me.  I salute you and hope one day to understand them; for now, I'm still working through Palmer's 'How to Brew.'

I'm going to do another kit from Austin Homebrew today.  Planning on having family for Thanksgiving, so making a simple-appearing stout.  We'll see if I continue the family tradition of ruining Thanksgiving.

[deft 6828]

Throw a can of pumpkin pie filler in the mash.

[Damor 1236]

Fuck, too late.

Hopefully it'll be marginally adequate anyway.

[deft 6828]

Any temperature control?

[LosIllini 91]

Brewed up an Oktoberfest/ Marzen this weekend.  Hersbrucker and Saaz hops.  K97 yeast.  Fermenting cool.

Would normally use a lager yeast, but, on the rec of Dan at Homebrew HQ, tried K97, which I think is actually a Kolsch yeast.   Turned out great last year. 

...Fingers crossed I can duplicate.

[Damor 1236]

6 hours ago, deft said:

Any temperature control?

Unfortunately, my current temperature control consists of the darkest-coolest-interior-closet system.  That's going to put me at about 71-72*, but aside from destroying my electric bill for the next couple weeks, I'm not sure how to mitigate that until I can get a fridge to modify (which I can see will need to be my next investment).  Any recommendations to get this batch by?

[dcbc 14464]

On 9/16/2018 at 5:23 PM, Damor said:

Unfortunately, my current temperature control consists of the darkest-coolest-interior-closet system.  That's going to put me at about 71-72*, but aside from destroying my electric bill for the next couple weeks, I'm not sure how to mitigate that until I can get a fridge to modify (which I can see will need to be my next investment).  Any recommendations to get this batch by?

Google Swamp Cooler.  Basically a tub of water with a tshirt around the carboy to wick up the water from the tub.  You have a fan blowing across it.  Never used it, but apparently it works pretty well.

[Continental Op 3934]

On 9/2/2018 at 1:36 PM, Continental Op said:

Did an amber ale yesterday.  Maris otter, amber, 20L crystal, carared, rye malt, a little bit of rice hulls, and a very small amount of chocolate malt for color.  Northern Brewer and cascade hops.  American ale II yeast.  

This turned out off style af but whatever it is will be pretty good after some more time in the keg.  The "very small amount" of chocolate malt came through way stronger than we thought it would.  

[deft 6828]

Hey kids let’s make a starter for the barrel

[deft 6828]

Ok I’ll stop posting this in the beer thread.

Myself and 6 others brewed up a basic blonde. That’s a 33 gallon bourbon barrel from 4th tap. We’re adding in all of our primaried beer along with that lambiscus blend as well as someone’s slurry of London ale and 3278 lambic.


Oh yeah and somebody fermented theirs with sach trois.

[deft 6828]

Needs brazzers logo

[deft 6828]

Now a Flanders style red

[Continental Op 3934]

Time to boil a porter. Maris otter, brown malt, crystal 60l, some chocolate malt, and Carafa I. Fuggles. British ale yeast.

[LosIllini 91]

How did your Porter turn out?

Have an Oktoberfest and Kolsch ready to get the gas.

Lagers next brewing day...

Edited October 19, 2018 by LosIllini

[Damor 1236]

Ignoramus question amnesty, plz:

Y'all inspired me to get a fermentation chamber setup (chest freezer with Ranco thermostat, going to tape the probe to the side of the carboy and cover with bubble wrap for some insulation). Brewing an ESB tomorrow with wyeast London ale, with a fermentation temp range of 60-72*.

Where would you set the thermostat? Try to account for heat from fermentation at 55 or so, or just go at 60 since that should stay in range regardless? Or should I quit overthinking this since anything is better than my previous unfrozen caveman efforts without temperature control?

[dcbc 14464]

Ignoramus question amnesty, plz:

Y'all inspired me to get a fermentation chamber setup (chest freezer with Ranco thermostat, going to tape the probe to the side of the carboy and cover with bubble wrap for some insulation). Brewing an ESB tomorrow with wyeast London ale, with a fermentation temp range of 60-72*.

Where would you set the thermostat? Try to account for heat from fermentation at 55 or so, or just go at 60 since that should stay in range regardless? Or should I quit overthinking this since anything is better than my previous unfrozen caveman efforts without temperature control?

Set it at your desired fermentation temp.

[deft 6828]

Edworts bee cave porter

[PvilleStang 2875]

[deft 6828]

Fuck you.....I was flexing for the photo lol

[deft 6828]

Red x centennial smash fermented with voss kveik. It fermented at 95 degrees in my chest freezer and was done in less than 3 days time.

[LosIllini 91]

80F here, but, brewing an Irish Stout for the winter today.

Going to use some Kveik Hothead slurry I saved from a starter last spring.  D/K if I have enough, but, we'll find out...

[Dark Horse 2279]

I’ve been working a lot of overtime lately and haven’t brewed in months. I’m fuckin bummed. 

[deft 6828]

Sounds like your priorities aren’t square right now. Have you tried offering your boss a homebrew?

[deft 6828]

Nice day for some porter.

[LosIllini 91]

Very Nice!  Going to put my Irish Stout on gas this week- haven't brewed a stout before.  What kind of pressure you running? 

(I force carb, then turn down to 13-15psi for my ales/ lagers. assuming that should work...)

[Damor 1236]

The noob should never pipe up, but...
I've had my first stout on at 11 like the charts say, but in sampling it before its intended Thanksgiving purpose, I'm going up to 13 or so to see how that works. But I'm trying to cover for a lot of flaws I don't even understand yet.

Edited November 14, 2018 by Damor

[Damor 1236]

Stout and Fuller's ESB clone were well received at Thanksgiving. I think the 8.5% stout helped cover my cooking flaws, another unexpected benefit.

Still experimenting with carbonation balance, but it's been nice to be able to cheat with Perlick creamer faucets.

Am I right to think that head retention and lacing will improve when I graduate to all-grain? Because so far neither are as good as your mom's.

[deft 6828]

[Continental Op 3934]

Porter turned out well.

[Dark Horse 2279]

Hefe yeast? That shit is violent.

[deft 6828]

Voss kveik slurry I n the left and wlp644 cake on the right.

[Druggist 303]

Brewing today for the first time since summer while the kids are at school.  I'm making a ~6% citra-cascade pale ale on the back porch, watching the train go by, and listening to the Grateful Dead.  I worked the last 10 days, so this is a nice day off.  Hope it's a good batch!

[Damor 1236]

Mind if I bombard y'all with some questions?  Okay, then.

I'd been talking about going all-grain one of these days, and my darling wife went a little nuts at Austin Homebrew for Christmas.  She got me their upgrade kit (igloo cooler mash tun, 8gal brewpot etc.) but also a Brewer's Edge Mash & Boil electric doohickey.  I'm trying to figure out which way to go and I'll return the other system.  The Mash & Boil seems to be pretty well received despite some idiosyncrasies, but do any of y'all have experience with these kind of things?  It kind of weirded me out thinking about brewing inside and not on a propane burner, since I kind of figured that's the way I'd always be doing it.

I also wanted to ask about wort chilling.  So far, I'd been just using an ice water bath, but that obviously won't work for either full-volume boils or the electric system.  I'd read that it's ideal to chill to just under planned fermentation temp, but I don't see that happening with a tap water immersion chiller in the summer.  How low do y'all find you can get with an immersion chiller, and do you do anything else to drop the temp before pitching?  Or is that not as big a deal as I'm thinking?  I'm just trying to figure out the best way to do this, as I don't have a garden hose attachment on my sink, so I'm going to have to get a little creative one way or another.

Thanks!

[PvilleStang 2875]

In this part of the country, use a pre-chiller.  I use my old submersion chiller, put it in a bucket full of ice water, then run through the prechiller into a counterflow chiller.  Water is usually in the 50s or 60s at the cold side of the chiller, and up in the 100s at the exit.  Now, the tricky part is getting the flow right to get the beer under the temp threshold (I shoot for under 78 or so to be safe) and do it in under 15 minutes.This time of year is not a big deal, tap water is cold enough to run it almost full flow and chill it under 10 minutes.  But in the summer, you've got to use flow control and possibly some re-circulation to get the wort cool enough.

[gyroprotagonist 2592]

On 1/19/2019 at 4:56 PM, Damor said:

Mind if I bombard y'all with some questions?  Okay, then.

I'd been talking about going all-grain one of these days, and my darling wife went a little nuts at Austin Homebrew for Christmas.  She got me their upgrade kit (igloo cooler mash tun, 8gal brewpot etc.) but also a Brewer's Edge Mash & Boil electric doohickey.  I'm trying to figure out which way to go and I'll return the other system.  The Mash & Boil seems to be pretty well received despite some idiosyncrasies, but do any of y'all have experience with these kind of things?  It kind of weirded me out thinking about brewing inside and not on a propane burner, since I kind of figured that's the way I'd always be doing it.

I also wanted to ask about wort chilling.  So far, I'd been just using an ice water bath, but that obviously won't work for either full-volume boils or the electric system.  I'd read that it's ideal to chill to just under planned fermentation temp, but I don't see that happening with a tap water immersion chiller in the summer.  How low do y'all find you can get with an immersion chiller, and do you do anything else to drop the temp before pitching?  Or is that not as big a deal as I'm thinking?  I'm just trying to figure out the best way to do this, as I don't have a garden hose attachment on my sink, so I'm going to have to get a little creative one way or another.

Thanks!

I set up something like this:  http://www.mrmalty.com/chiller.php when i brew 10 gallon batches and especially lagers

you need two pumps, but it works really well. 

- using pump 1, you recirculate your hot wort from kettle spigot to back into the bottom of the kettle. position the hose to that it flows and makes a whirpool around the immersion chiller

- the immersion chiller starts off using faucet water to get the wort down to around 100F.  Then switch to using pump 2 which takes in water from a cooler filled with ice/water.  Move the return/drain hose to send the water back into the cooler.

it's does not take too long to get the temp down to 60-65F.

In place of pump 2, you could just use a (clean) big spoon/paddle to keep the wort moving around the coils.

Edited January 22, 2019 by gyroprotagonist

[LosIllini 91]

First brew of the new year--- Kolsch going today.  Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops and WLP029 yeast.

Going to ferment this one a little bit cooler than usual and see how it turns out.

[Damor 1236]

Thanks for the chiller advice.  I think I'm going to start simple, since I'm just trying to figure out this Mash & Boil thing.  I ordered a longer immersion chiller (50') and a cheap pump.  Since I don't have a garden hose attachment for my sink, I figure I'll fill a bucket with tap water and pump from that first, then add some ice later to drop the temperature more.  There seems to be a popular mod to the M&B to recirculate, but I think I'll hold off on that until I better understand how the thing works.

I also figured I'd graduate from just adding liquid yeast directly, but I'm still lazy short on time, so I ordered some Propper Starter to try out.

This is the beginning of the end for my liver.