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=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on December 02, 2016, 04:11:56 pm

Title: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on December 02, 2016, 04:11:56 pm
  maybe we should start a homebrewing thread?



check out homebrewtalk (http://www.homebrewtalk.com/), a great online community for homebrewers.  best part is the forum (http://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum.php) where you'll get an answer to any question you might have.  check out the Beginners Beer Brewing Forum (http://www.homebrewtalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=39) thread for "brewing 101" discussions.


excellent idea!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on December 02, 2016, 04:12:39 pm
Also name me the best one or two beginners homebrewing books.

The Complete Joy of Homebrewing (https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Joy-Homebrewing-Fourth-Revised/dp/0062215752/): this book is the equivalent of your goofy uncle teaching you to brew.  the science/techiness is kept in check (not to say that there isn't any science, just not as much as other books).  the emphasis is on getting you brewing, vs. making you a theoretical expert.  this book is the origin of the expression "relax, don't worry, have a homebrew" - the author's advice to brewers who get hung up on small details.

How to Brew (https://www.amazon.com/How-Brew-Everything-Right-First/dp/0937381888/): aka "The Bible."  the tagline says it all: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time.  it starts off slow, but does eventually get into the scientific details.  the author does a great job explaining to you why you should care about those details.  current edition is the 3rd, the author has been working on the 4th for some time now but no publication date yet.  the first edition is online (http://howtobrew.com/), but it's dated.  i would invest in the newest edition.

my suggestion: start with the joy of homebrewing.  that will keep you happy for many months, then you can get how to brew to answer the questions you will inevitably build up.  i started off with the joy, but i haven't touched that book since my 3rd or 4th months of brewing.  how to brew, however, is a reference book you go back to no matter how long you've been brewing.

and if you're more visual/less literate: consider these DVDs (http://beersmith.com/dvd/) (or online video rentals).  get the "with extract" version first.

and looks like there are some simple videos in YT like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgPdttvbhU4.  they seem to only cover the mechanics ("add X to Y, stir, then pour") and provide little explanation as to why you're doing something. 

i'll answer pasteurization=improved? later...
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: walkie,talkie on December 02, 2016, 04:16:15 pm
Really, queen? 
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI on December 02, 2016, 04:17:22 pm
Really, queen? 
Don't feel bad: the thread title also led me to believe this thread was going to be latently homoerotic.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on December 02, 2016, 06:07:53 pm
for the uninitiated: a hydrometer is a tool used to determine how much sugar is in a liquid solution, AKA its specific gravity (SG).
Quote
A hydrometer or areometer is an instrument that measures the specific gravity (relative density) of liquids?the ratio of the density of the liquid to the density of water. A hydrometer is usually made of glass, and consists of a cylindrical stem and a bulb weighted with mercury or lead shot to make it float upright.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrometer

wort (aka unfermented beer) contains sugar which makes it denser than water.  yeast ferment the sugar and turn it into alcohol which is less dense than the original wort, so there is a drop in the SG. 

the starting gravity is called original gravity (OG) and once fermentation is done you have reached your final gravity (FG).  there is a fairly linear relationship between the drop in gravity and the amount of alcohol created by the yeast: OG - FV = ABV.  one uses a calculator like this one (http://www.brewersfriend.com/abv-calculator/) to determine the ABV. 

ex: OG = 1.050, FG = 1.010, plugged into that calculator yields ABV = 5.25%.

specific gravity is measure in relative units, with 1.000 being pure water (at sea level, at a certain temperature, blah blah).  professional brewers tend to use a different scale called Brix, or Plato.  you can easily convert SG to brix/plato and vice-versa using online calculators.

some beers indicate what their starting gravities are.  if you have the OG and the ABV, you can determine the FG.  this is useful info if you're trying to clone that beer.

and that's your brewing 101 lesson for today.  have a great weekend!

(http://labns.com/Termometri_areometri_files/image011.gif) (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Hydrometer6455.png)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: vansmack on December 02, 2016, 06:09:38 pm
for the uninitiated: a hydrometer is a tool used to determine how much sugar is in a liquid solution, AKA its specific gravity (SG).

Nope.  I'm just happy to see you....
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on December 04, 2016, 12:29:36 am
this thread is becoming the equivalent of having relaxer teaching you to brew
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: walkie,talkie on December 04, 2016, 08:17:05 pm
I knew, this thread,
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on December 04, 2016, 10:39:34 pm
so what's the best step in strategic purchasing on going to 5 Gal all grain brew

do I get a 8 gal pot with a spigot and a "igloo" mash tun

Or is is better to go BIAB and focus on making a temperature controlled fermentation chamber with a mini fridge


Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on December 05, 2016, 01:07:08 pm
so what's the best step in strategic purchasing on going to 5 Gal all grain brew

do I get a 8 gal pot with a spigot and a "igloo" mash tun

Or is is better to go BIAB and focus on making a temperature controlled fermentation chamber with a mini fridge

100% option B: temp controlled fermentation.

fermentation is where beer is made.  the two main causes of bad beer are poor sanitation and uncontrolled (too warm) fermentation.  yeast pitching rate, aka making sure you pitch enough yeast, is next in line.  tackle those three before worrying too much about recipe, mashing technique, etc.

(aside: brewers tend to over-emphasize the importance of the recipe and the brew day because they have direct control over it, they are actively involved in it, etc.  but truth is that these are secondary to the more boring aspects of sanitary equipment and correct temps - but you can't brag about how constant your fermentation is...)

i did BIAB (brew in a bag) for a good while and made good (occasionally great) beer.  don't believe the full-volume hype: you don't need to mash your bag of grains in all your water.  you'll get better efficiency if you mash in some of the water (1.5 quarts/pound) and save the rest to rinse (sparge) with.  you can pull up the bag and pour the sparge water through it, so that it drips directly down into your main pot (need someone's help, or some way of suspending the bag above the pot - a large colander could work, or tying the bag to a hook above the pot, etc.) or you can use a second pot: pull bag up from first pot, let drain, then move into second pot with pre-heated sparge water- let soak for a few mins, pull bag out and add that wort to the main pot.  if your second pot isn't big enough to contain all your sparge water, repeat the side-pot procedure until you have your desired volume in the main boil pot.

my trick with BIAB was to use a digital thermometer (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0021AEAG2/) to monitor the temp of the mash on the stove-top/burner, and turn on the heat when you drop below your desired temps & mix.  insulating the pot (i put an old sleeping bag over it) helps keep things stable.  it's not perfect, temps will swing a bit, it won't affect your beer (proof one (http://brulosophy.com/2015/10/12/the-mash-high-vs-low-temperature-exbeeriment-results/), proof two (http://brulosophy.com/2016/08/22/the-mash-pt-2-testing-a-less-extreme-temperature-variance-exbeeriment-results/), proof three (http://brulosophy.com/2016/04/11/sparge-temperature-pt-1-standard-vs-cool-exbeeriment-results/).  obviously a HUGE difference in mash temps will impact the beer, but oscillating 5 degrees certainly won't.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on December 20, 2016, 12:34:12 pm
When we are home three days a week, we keep the temperature at 68. It's probably slightly colder (65? most likely not below 64) downstairs where the beer will be kept.


However, when we are at work/sxhool four days a week, or when we go somewhere, we turn the heat completely off. So by the time we return home, the house could anywhere down to 50 degrees, depending on how cold it is outside.


So the question is...is there a problem if the temperature dips down into the 50's like that, which is frequently does?

When in the fermenting stage (I'm talking about the ales, not lagers), do I need to keep a very consistent temperature? How low can I let the house temperature dip to? And if it goes below that point, what happens to my fermentation?

And how about the reverse? In the summer, the house is at 74-76 when we are home, but much warmer when we're gone.

Note: I haven't brewed anything yet, just planning ahead.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on December 22, 2016, 07:23:01 pm
When we are home three days a week, we keep the temperature at 68. It's probably slightly colder (65? most likely not below 64) downstairs where the beer will be kept.


However, when we are at work/sxhool four days a week, or when we go somewhere, we turn the heat completely off. So by the time we return home, the house could anywhere down to 50 degrees, depending on how cold it is outside.


So the question is...is there a problem if the temperature dips down into the 50's like that, which is frequently does?

When in the fermenting stage (I'm talking about the ales, not lagers), do I need to keep a very consistent temperature? How low can I let the house temperature dip to? And if it goes below that point, what happens to my fermentation?

And how about the reverse? In the summer, the house is at 74-76 when we are home, but much warmer when we're gone.

Note: I haven't brewed anything yet, just planning ahead.

consistent temperature for the beer is indeed important - see my previous post ("100% option B...")

when an actively fermenting beer is cooled, the yeast will become dormant - it's a defense, they're all like "WINTER IS COMING!!!".  they will stop fermenting, drop to the bottom ("flocculate"), and the beer will be sweet and under-attenuated with off-flavors left behind.  once beer has started fermenting and stopped, it is difficult to get it going again. 

on the flip side, yeast like warmth and they'll go bonkers in high heat.  your beer will ferment fully, unfortunately the yeast will create a lot of unpleasant off-flavors - mostly fusels, which give beers that "hot alcohol" flavor.  other possible off-flavors include bubblegum and obnoxious fruity (over-driven esters).

that being said, it's not the temp of the surrounding air that is important, it's the temp of the beer inside the fermenter that is.  so, the question is: how will the beer's temp react to the ambient changes? 

personally, i wouldn't feel comfortable with that big of a swing.  first thing i would do is increase the mass of the liquid, by putting my carboy/bucket in a big tub of water.  the extra water in the "water bath" would help stabilize the temps - it would take that much longer for ambient temps to affect the beer's temp.  target/walmart/etc sell 18 to 20 gallon tubs meant for icing kegs - they work perfectly for this.  in addition, you could get a cheap aquarium heater and stick that in the water around the carboy/bucket and use its temp controller to keep the water at a (relatively) constant temp.

you can use that same "water bath" technique for warmer temps, but instead of an aquarium heater use ice packs or bottles of frozen water to regulate the temp.  this is a manual process, but you'll quickly get the hang of how much ice to add & how often to maintain temps.  if you don't/can't use a stick-on thermometer (see below) then use a regular thermometer to take the temperature of the water bath several hours after you've added ice and assume that the bath's temp is the same as the beer's.

if you use a carboy: plan on adding a stick-on thermometer (https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermometer-adhesive-thermometer.html?site_id=5) and place it below of the level of the liquid in the carboy.  then be sure that the water bath doesn't cover the thermometer, AKA keep it above the external water level.  i don't know if those things work on plastic buckets, since plastic is a pretty good thermal insulator.

merry christmas!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 05, 2017, 01:24:24 pm
sooooo, without outing anyone, i know of a certain boardee who recently brewed... what did you make?  how's the fermentation coming along?  did you do anything to manage temp swings?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI on January 05, 2017, 01:32:18 pm
sooooo, without outing anyone, i know of a certain boardee who recently brewed... what did you make? 
Lipton Iced Tea.

how's the fermentation coming along? 
I didn't let it sit that long.

did you do anything to manage temp swings?
I added a little more ice once it started to come back up to room temperature.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: vansmack on January 05, 2017, 02:03:42 pm
sooooo, without outing anyone, i know of a certain boardee who recently brewed... what did you make? 

Bone Broth.

how's the fermentation coming along? 

Ah, you know, it did it's thing in about 36 hours.

did you do anything to manage temp swings?

The WeMo Crock Pot really did all the work.  I checked the app a few times, but it adjusted accordingly on it's own.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 05, 2017, 02:06:43 pm
on monday, january 16 (president's day martin luther the king day), i will be brewing up 10 gallons of DIPA on my single-tier brew stand.  if anyone wants to drop by and see how it's done just send me a PM.  homebrew will be available ;D   this is likely to be the last time i brew at this house, we're selling in the spring... so, last call.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on March 22, 2017, 11:14:44 am
a homebrew amber ale

so it's ready - congrats!  how did it turn out?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on March 23, 2017, 12:24:47 pm
a homebrew amber ale

so it's ready - congrats!  how did it turn out?

Um, it's top shelf. I'll let you taste it April Fool's Day. J/K.

I wasn't expecting anything great given the recipe, and indeed it isn't great compared to the other beer I currently have from Richmond, Brooklyn, Queens, and Herndon. But it's not terrible. My wife actually liked it better than Nugget Nectar when we did a side by side.

One of the bottles was a complete gusher. Wonder why? That was weird, because the other's have all seemed sort of (but not completely) flat.

Looking forward to doing a batch of something a bit more hop-forward, probably next month.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on March 23, 2017, 01:56:55 pm
Um, it's top shelf. I'll let you taste it April Fool's Day. J/K.

i want to taste it, please bring a bottle!

One of the bottles was a complete gusher. Wonder why? That was weird, because the other's have all seemed sort of (but not completely) flat.

how did you prime the bottles - add sugar to a bottling bucket?  or did you use carb drops (sugar "pills" added to each individual bottle)?

if you added sugar to the entire batch in a bucket, i strongly suspect that the sugar wasn't evenly distributed.  that gusher would be one of the last bottles you filled, i.e. from the bottom of the bottling bucket where all the sugar was.  the majority of bottles would be under-carbed because their contents came from above the sugar sludge and had less (insufficient) sugar in them.  implication: you may yet have other late-filled gushers.  solution to this problem, for next time: 1) boil the sugar in little water first (sanitizes it and gets it liquefied) and add it to the bucket before you rack (transfer) the beer in, and 2) when you rack in, get a swirl/whirlpool going by putting the end of the tube along the edge of the bucket's wall.  that should get things mixed up nice and even.  to be extra-certain, sanitize a stainless spoon and give the beer a very gentle mix once it's full, or mostly full. 

aside: avoid splashing the finished beer.  keep the end of the tube below the surface of the beer, fill from below.  after fermentation is done, you want to limit oxygen exposure as much as possible.

the other reason why you might have only one gusher (or just a few) out of an entire batch is that there was some source of infection inside that bottle, it wasn't sanitized properly, etc.  if this is what happened to you here, then you under-primed all the bottles (hence general flatness) but the one bottle with an infection got extra carbonation from a bug (brett, wild yeast, etc) that fermented the long-chain sugars that the brewer's yeast (sacc) didn't.  did you taste the gusher?  infected beers often taste very thin and/or phenolic (spicy) if not out-right bad.

now if every bottle is a gusher, then your issue is either infection acquired before bottling, or premature bottling - fermentation wasn't complete and it finished in the bottle,

and yes, i'm aware of the potential sexual innuendo here.

Looking forward to doing a batch of something a bit more hop-forward, probably next month.

cool, let me know if i can help :)  protip: if you get a kit, buy some extra hops.  add an additional ounce or two at the end of the boil, and another 1-2 extra ounces to the dry-hop.  adds to the cost but it's worth it  ;D
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on March 26, 2017, 08:50:02 pm
Look at this cool guy. Word is he makes some great sours!




https://tinyurl.com/kt7ugjm
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on March 26, 2017, 09:24:49 pm
how did you prime the bottles - add sugar to a bottling bucket?  or did you use carb drops (sugar "pills" added to each individual bottle)?

answer to this question is the former...thanks for the detailed reply, will noe for next time!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: vansmack on March 27, 2017, 12:14:25 pm
Look at this cool guy. Word is he makes some great sours!

I've heard he's got a great wine collection....
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on October 16, 2017, 07:02:19 pm
in case anyone here is looking to get into homebrewing, wants to see what the local club is about, or just drink some (and possibly a lot) of homebrew.  free!

DC Homebrewers
Are you ready? Our October meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 17 at WeWork Wonder Bread in Shaw. This is for all our usual meeting attendees -- but also the perfect month to join us if you've been thinking about coming but haven't made it yet or are considering starting to homebrew. We'll have food, beer, educational info aimed at new brewers and a raffle for some beginning brewing books and supplies!
WHEN: 6:00-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17 (Note: This one starts earlier than usual)
WHERE: WeWork Wonder Bread Factory (641 S St. NW) in Shaw
SPECIAL NOTES: We're focusing on new members and new brewers for this meeting -- but we want all the regulars to come too! We'll have finger foods and a keg provided by WeWork in addition to the homebrew and commercial beer you all bring to share. Special educational information for new brewers -- plus you'll be entered into a raffle for some beginning brewer basics just for showing up!
PLEASE RSVP: https://dchomebrewerstakeoverevent.splashthat.com/ (https://dchomebrewerstakeoverevent.splashthat.com/)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on October 16, 2018, 02:04:47 am
in case anyone here is looking to get into homebrewing, wants to see what the local club is about, or just drink some (and possibly a lot) of homebrew.  free!

another opportunity to check out the local club, meet some really nice people, and drink a ton of free and creative beer (do NOT drive to this ;D).  i seriously can't think of a better way of spending a wednesday night.

DCHB OCTOBER MEETING -- FOCUS ON NEW MEMBERS
This is our meeting focused on welcoming new members. That means everyone should come! If you're on the email list and have been seeking the right time to finally show your face, join us in October! If you have friends who might be interested in the club, invite them! If you already come every month, don't miss this one!

Plus, we'll have a bit of education from Michael Tonsmeire (DCHB member, Mad Fermentationist blogger, Sapwood Cellars co-owner, and genuinely nice guy)! (also author of "American Sour Beer", AKA the sour beer bible)

Our beer theme is autumn beers, but all homebrews (and ciders and meads) are welcome!

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Iron Horse Tap Room -- downstairs (507 7th St. NW, Washington, DC)


If this is your first meeting, our meetings typically go like this: Please buy stuff (food/beer) from our hosts for the first 30 minutes or so of the meeting until we make announcements, and then we'll open up the homebrews. Please do not bring in outside commercial beer or food, and please tip your servers. Most people bring anywhere from two bottles to a growler of homebrew to the meetings. But even if you don't have beer that's ready to bring this time, you're welcome to come. Once homebrew tasting is open, it's pretty casual -- just meet and greet and sip. If you have specific questions about brewing or about your beer, just ask! Members are glad to give feedback and suggestions. We have many BJCP judges among the membership if you're looking for a critical evaluation as well.

LEARN TO HOMEBREW DAY
The American Homebrewer Association's Learn to Homebrew Day will be celebrated on Saturday, Nov. 3 this year. We're set to do a brew demo at Atlas Brew Works in DC




More info about DC Homebrewers Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DCHomebrewers/
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on October 23, 2018, 12:32:41 pm
^ tomorrow night.  go drink some homebrew.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on October 23, 2018, 01:21:51 pm
^ tomorrow night.  go drink some homebrew.

If I weren't coughing my lungs up and I didn't have homework and cooking duty and if it didn't mean a second trip into the city....ah, someday I'll go.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on January 31, 2019, 02:06:06 pm
sous vide brewing!
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/51260302_2273090576034385_2887598880667467776_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=5020c9dd458534b2ffd1f4e3563ef28f&oe=5CBF4CE0)

So this is different...
Brewing beer tomorrow and I need to propagate 186 billion yeast cells for fermentation. This strain of yeast has to maintain 75 degrees minimum for 24 hours to get to that number of cells. I believe this would be much like creating a sponge for bread making. My Joule saves the day!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 31, 2019, 07:57:10 pm
nice! 

some homebrewers are even using sous vide to mash (specifically, to maintain mash temps).  it can be rough on the - what do you call that contraption?  whatever the generic name for a Joule is... anyhoo, can be rough on it because mash liquid (liquor) contains sugars and proteins that can accumulate in the device.   they were designed for water, only, but some folks still use then in this off-label fashion with success.  personally, i would be sleeping on the couch for a week if the missus discovered that i dunked our Joule into wort...
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 17, 2019, 04:37:37 pm
ok sweets...looking to get back into homebrewing after taking some time off.

I really need to invest in some equipment, but not sure where best to focus my meager funds

What is your opinion of the BrewJacket (https://brewjacket.com/) could help a lot during fermentation
Saw this on CL for $100 https://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/app/d/fredericksburg-chest-freezer/6865472867.html

Also looking at some conical options for the fermentor

Or should I be looking at an Electric kettle

If you were to invest in 5-10 gallon brewing where would you find the most bang for the buck
and then what should be the on-deck purchase that I should be saving up for next
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 17, 2019, 07:24:48 pm
What is your opinion of the BrewJacket (https://brewjacket.com/) could help a lot during fermentation

if you need both heating and cooling, brewjacket is an excellent investment.  i was about to purchase some myself, until i figured out that i don't need cooling (my basement is a large walk-in fridge, year-round).  will definitely improve your beer.  an issue to keep in mind is that the brewjacket isn't compatible with all fermentors - glass carboys are a no-go.

Saw this on CL for $100 https://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/app/d/fredericksburg-chest-freezer/6865472867.html (https://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/app/d/fredericksburg-chest-freezer/6865472867.html)

that's also a good setup.  however, it doesn't provide heat, and you want to be able to warm your beer in a controlled fashion:
- when fermentation starts, the beer heats up due to yeast activity (this is when you want cooling).  but as fermentation peaks and starts to wind down, you want to maintain temps lest the yeast go dormant prematurely - so you need to add a little heat.
- some beers, like belgians, benefit from slowly ramp fermentation temps (start normal/cool, then ramp up a few degrees a day starting on day 3, until you hit your target temp and hold there).  actually, i do a version of this for all my beers.  daily ferm temps might look like 66, 66, 66, 68, 70, 72, hold until end of fermentation.

solution in this case is pretty easy: get a heating belt (ex1 (https://www.amazon.com/Porpoise-Brewing-Fermentation-Heater-Thermometer/dp/B0719WSY3B/), ex2 (https://www.amazon.com/Fermentation-Power-Heating-Thermometer-Kombucha/dp/B076MFXXTV/)) and a two-stage controller (https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Max-1200W-Temperature-Controller-Greenhouse/dp/B01HXM5UAC/) that does both heating and cooling.  plug fridge into cooling control, plug heat belt into heating control, and put fermentor in fridge.

the ability to add heat is a nice-to-have, so not a deal-breaker.  you can also "manually" add heat by opening up the fridge and letting warm air in, but air isn't the best transmitter of heat.  also requires staying in top of it, regularly checking temps to determine if more warm air is needed, etc. 

Also looking at some conical options for the fermentor

then maybe your funds are so meager after all... ;D

conicals are amazing, but get expensive fast - especially when you factor in heating and cooling.  but they are the cadillacs of fermentation... some day i'll win the lottery and get myself some.  until then, i'm really happy with these (https://www.anvilbrewing.com/product-p/anv-fv-7.5gal.htm) (which in turn are a cheaper version of these (https://www.ssbrewtech.com/pages/brew-bucket)).

Or should I be looking at an Electric kettle

i'd get temp control first.

If you were to invest in 5-10 gallon brewing where would you find the most bang for the buck and then what should be the on-deck purchase that I should be saving up for next

top 3 priorities should be: sanitation, temp control and pitch rate.  i assume you have sanitation under control (all hail Star San), and you're working on temp control, so next up is pitch rate - which means getting an erlenmeyer flask (https://www.amazon.com/Brewmaster-Y430-Erlenmeyer-Flask-2000/dp/B074DB1S5H) and a stir plate (https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-stirrer-magnetic-Stirring-Capacity/dp/B072K24X5P/).  then use a pitch rate calculator (http://www.yeastcalculator.com/yeastcalc.html).
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 18, 2019, 08:35:57 am
good stuff man...knew I came to the right place
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 18, 2019, 02:12:22 pm
in case anyone is looking for a kettle: this 14 gallon badboy (https://www.morebeer.com/products/14-gallon-brewmaster-stainless-steel-brew-kettle.html) is on sale today, $120 (instead of $150) with coupon code "BEERDEAL".  this is their deal-of-the-day, limited quantities, so jump on it not now, but RIGHT NOW.  great value.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 18, 2019, 02:21:07 pm
What is your opinion of the BrewJacket (https://brewjacket.com/) could help a lot during fermentation

if you need both heating and cooling, brewjacket is an excellent investment.  i was about to purchase some myself, until i figured out that i don't need cooling (my basement is a large walk-in fridge, year-round).  will definitely improve your beer.  an issue to keep in mind is that the brewjacket isn't compatible with all fermentors - glass carboys are a no-go.


sidehatch, if you're serious about the brewjacket, here's a very rare opportunity to save:

"As of this posting AHS is discounting most orders based on order size (http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2019/04/austin-homebrew-supply-sale-brew-more-save-more-up-to-20-off-updated-application-ideas.html). Spend $50, get $10 off. Spend $150, get $30 off. Spend $250, get $50 off.  No coupon code is required, savings will be automatically reflected at checkout.  The BrewJacket qualifies for the full $50 off."

brewjackets never go on sale, it's one of those deals where the manufacturer makes retailers all sell at the same set price.  as i said, i seriously considered these devices and tracked their price for a while - never saw a sale.

another AHS deal to jump in is their Cereal Killer grain mill, if you're looking to get into all-grain. 
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 18, 2019, 02:21:20 pm
see this is why I'm broke...I let impulse take my credit card and swipe away
but free shipping and that beerdeal coupon made it feel like an offer I couldn't refuse

I've been looking for a decent kettle for a while....so this was coming regardless
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 18, 2019, 02:30:46 pm
"As of this posting AHS is discounting most orders based on order size (http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2019/04/austin-homebrew-supply-sale-brew-more-save-more-up-to-20-off-updated-application-ideas.html)The BrewJacket qualifies for the full $50 off."
Welp...I had a $500 budget...and I pretty much just blew it
Hope I actually start brewing again!

the LHBS by me has a grain mill you can use after you buy your grain...

Damn you Sweets!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 18, 2019, 02:58:43 pm
so..the Anvil fermetor...not out of the box compatible with brewjacket ;(

They make a lid for the SS one
https://brewjacket.com/collections/immersion-pro-for-flat-bottomed-fermenters/products/ss-brewing-technologies-flat-lid-7-gallons

So think I'm going to go with the
Big Mouth Bubbler® EVO 2 - Siphonless 6.5 Gallon Glass Fermentor
Brewjacket makes one that works with the Glass one

https://brewjacket.com/products/big-mouth-bubbler-lid-universal-glass-and-plastic

that anvil one was sexy tho...

So all said and done....
Brewmaster Brewing Kettle - 14 Gallon
Big Mouth Bubbler® EVO 2 - Siphonless 6.5 Gallon Glass Fermentor  (w/ carrying harness)
The BrewJacket Immersion Pro Temperature Control System  (w/insulator for carboy)
Big Mouth Bubbler adapter from BJ

I had a $500 budget on this project...came in at $465....almost enough to by one batch of grain and hops for 5 gallon batch
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 18, 2019, 08:13:33 pm
see this is why I'm broke...I let impulse take my credit card and swipe away
but free shipping and that beerdeal coupon made it feel like an offer I couldn't refuse

I've been looking for a decent kettle for a while....so this was coming regardless

you got a great deal on that kettle.  at it's full price it's a good deal.  and with a little help from FermCap (https://www.morebeer.com/products/foam-control-fermcap.html), you can do 10 gallon batches.

the LHBS by me has a grain mill you can use after you buy your grain...

if you want to drive down the cost of a batch, you buy your grains in bulk (50 or 55 lbs sacks).  you can pay well below $1 for basic base malts, fancy stuff like marris otter might cost you ~$1.40.  to do that, you need your own mill, and enough space to store the grain.

easy savings to get into are bulk hops (source1 (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/), source2 (https://hopsdirect.com/), source3 (https://www.farmhousebrewingsupply.com/hops/), plenty of others).  use a vacuum sealer (which you already have for sous vide, right?) to store them without air, and keep in freezer.


so..the Anvil fermetor...not out of the box compatible with brewjacket ;(

sucks indeed.  i have a neighbor who's a metalsmith, he's got a damn foundry in his shed.  he had offered to cut my anvil tops while i was still considering the BJ.  ended up going the heat-only route.

Damn you Sweets!

just tryin' to help.


happy brewing, you definitely stepped up your equipment!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 24, 2019, 12:50:18 pm
top 3 priorities should be: sanitation, temp control and pitch rate.  i assume you have sanitation under control (all hail Star San), and you're working on temp control, so next up is pitch rate - which means getting an erlenmeyer flask (https://www.amazon.com/Brewmaster-Y430-Erlenmeyer-Flask-2000/dp/B074DB1S5H) and a stir plate (https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-stirrer-magnetic-Stirring-Capacity/dp/B072K24X5P/).  then use a pitch rate calculator (http://www.yeastcalculator.com/yeastcalc.html).
So I'd like to work on my pitch....

What is your opinion of these fast pitch options?
(https://i2.wp.com/www.homebrewfinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/4-Pack-Propper-Starter-Cans.jpg?resize=257%2C300)
Been hearing good things on quality, time savings and cost
So can I do this with out and Flask and stir plate? (eventually, I'll get there)

Can't I just put it in a sanitized container and then just give it a good shake it for 5 mins?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI on April 24, 2019, 12:55:32 pm
What is your opinion of these fast pitch options?
I still think more people have a problem hitting a good slider, to be honest.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 24, 2019, 05:31:39 pm
So I'd like to work on my pitch....

What is your opinion of these fast pitch options?
(https://i2.wp.com/www.homebrewfinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/4-Pack-Propper-Starter-Cans.jpg?resize=257%2C300)
Been hearing good things on quality, time savings and cost

i haven't used those (https://propperstarter.com/), but
- quality: they look good.  be sure to sanitize the tops before popping 'em open so you only get the goodness inside.
- time savings: definitely.  between boiling and then cooling my own starter liquid, it can take 30 minutes or more (but i multitask, it's not 30+ minutes of constant work.  i will typically cook dinner or wash the dishes while making a starter).
- cost: eh, doesn't win this one.  looks like these cans come in at $13/4-pack, and allow you to make 4 liters of starter.  for the same price,  you can buy DME to make 15 liters (or more, if you buy it in bulk).

depending how often you brew, what your budget is, and how valuable your time is, these things can (!) make a lot of sense.

you need to add sterilized water to these cans (i wouldn't use direct from the tap).  cheap solution: if you have an electric kettle, put half a liter of water in there, boil it in advance, let it cool, mix with room-temp can, and boom.

So can I do this with out and Flask and stir plate? (eventually, I'll get there)

Can't I just put it in a sanitized container and then just give it a good shake it for 5 mins?

yes indeed, you can do that.  a step up would be the "intermittent shaking" method: shake it as often as you can (not just the first 5 minutes, but ideally many times, say once an hour, the more the better).  i have an old growler that i use for this method when my stir plates are full.  everyone in the house knows the drill: if the growler is on the kitchen counter, pick it up and give it a shake every time you walk on by.

the more you shake/agitate the starter, the more cell growth you'll get.  on that pitch rate calculator (http://www.yeastcalculator.com/yeastcalc.html), there is a drop-down for Method of Aeration: none, intermittent, and stir-plate.  you'll note how when you shift between these methods, you'll get more cells for the same amount of starter.  essentially, shaking makes you more efficient, and stir plates are the most efficient (since it's continuous stirring).

so stir plate = need less starter.  depending on the beer and the age of the yeast, you might need more than one can to get the right cell count.  so you can save money by making sure your yeast is fresh = need less starter.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 24, 2019, 05:32:09 pm
What is your opinion of these fast pitch options?
I still think more people have a problem hitting a good slider, to be honest.

i generally try not to encourage such outbursts, but that gave me a chuckle.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 25, 2019, 04:36:16 pm
this 14 gallon badboy (https://www.morebeer.com/products/14-gallon-brewmaster-stainless-steel-brew-kettle.html)
So since I'm using the brewjacket to cool my wort to optimum pitch temp

can I just use the  1/2" Full Port Ball Valve & nipple for bottom Coupler with some tubing into my Fermentation bucket?
seem like a simple no mess solution
maybe pick up one of these
(https://morebeer-web-8-pavinthewaysoftw.netdna-ssl.com/product_image/morebeer/500x500/8068.jpg)

Also I have a nice digital Thermapen...should I just skip a thermometer in that top port?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 25, 2019, 07:05:03 pm
this 14 gallon badboy (https://www.morebeer.com/products/14-gallon-brewmaster-stainless-steel-brew-kettle.html)
So since I'm using the brewjacket to cool my wort to optimum pitch temp

can I just use the  1/2" Full Port Ball Valve & nipple for bottom Coupler with some tubing into my Fermentation bucket?
seem like a simple no mess solution

if your plan is to turn off the burner and transfer near-boiling wort into your glass fermetor, the answer is a firm NO.  boiling liquid + room-temp glass = shattered glass.  you need to cool that wort until you're at least close to pitching temps.  asking the brewjacket to do all that cooling would require many hours...

make yourself an immersion chiller (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ldxDGzcCJE) with some copper pipe.

maybe pick up one of these
(https://morebeer-web-8-pavinthewaysoftw.netdna-ssl.com/product_image/morebeer/500x500/8068.jpg)

you certainly could, but what are you hoping to do with it? kettle valve screens (bazooka filter) are generally used in mash tuns, to separate the grain from the wort.  if you use whole leaf hops, then that thing will filter out a good portion of the hop leaves.  if you use pellets, then that thing will be mostly useless - hop pellets disintegrate into fine particles, they'll straight through that thing.  and it won't prevent break material from making it into your kettle.  and ideally, you want to leave the hops and break material in the kettle.  look up "whirlpooling" (essentially after you've cooled the wort, you mix it up as fast as you can to get it spinning, put a lid on the pot and let it be for 15+ minutes.  all the gunk in the kettle should form a cone in the center of the kettle.  drain kettle from the edge, where there is no gunk, with a valve or auto-siphon).

Also I have a nice digital Thermapen...should I just skip a thermometer in that top port?

yup, you certainly could.  personally, i like having a permanent thermo on the kettle: temp info is always available, no need to whip out the thermapen from your pocket, or worry if the thermapen is sanitized (if wort isn't hot, like during chilling), etc.  it's a nice convenience. 

what are you using as a mash tun?  or are you BIAB'ing?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 25, 2019, 11:34:43 pm
this 14 gallon badboy (https://www.morebeer.com/products/14-gallon-brewmaster-stainless-steel-brew-kettle.html)

if your plan is to turn off the burner and transfer near-boiling wort into your glass fermetor, the answer is a firm NO.  boiling liquid + room-temp glass = shattered glass.  you need to cool that wort until you're at least close to pitching temps.  asking the brewjacket to do all that cooling would require many hours...

Ok...glad I asked.  I thought part of the point of the brewjacket was not needing and immersion cooler.  But hot liquid->glass=danger makes sense.  Guess that's an advantage the Anvil has.
So leave on stove for 30-45 mins with the top on and keep and eye on the temp gauge so when it gets below 90ish I can transfer.  Then set the brew jacket to the desired temp and come back a few hours/a day later to pitch
[/quote]
Quote
what are you using as a mash tun?  or are you BIAB'ing?
Don't judge, but went straight extract kit/dry yeast packet for this first brew
wanted to get a feel for all the equipment

Already finding out weird things that I need to be prepared for brew day
The brewjacket should be sanitized in an iodine based sanitizer...so no star-san
can ruin the element

Once I feel comfortable, I'll be BAIB'ing for a while
I'm not ready to set up the mash tun and such yet
I know that is the advantage of the two ports on the kettle...but for now I'm trying a little to future proof my equipment

On that note.  I got the Big Mouth Bubbler with the spigiot at the bottome
Didn't think about how that's kind of a liability in the brewjacket
 
I was thinking that I could easily take it from the fermentor to a sanizied brew kettle to add the priming sugars
then use the ball valve to connect a tube to bottle
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 26, 2019, 12:46:59 am
Ok...glad I asked.  I thought part of the point of the brewjacket was not needing and immersion cooler. 

no, the brewjacket isn't meant to cool from 212 down to 68... i'd be afraid of blowing it due to the demand (thing would have to run on max for hours and hours).  it's meant to keep the beer at a desired temp, but only once you're already there (or close).
 

Guess that's an advantage the Anvil has.

i suppose one could do that... but i wouldn't.  when you cool wort quickly, you get something called the cold break: proteins that coagulate and form a sludge.  there are differing opinions about how desirable it is to not transfer the break material (there is also hot break, which forms when you first hit boiling), personally i prefer to leave it behind.  what i definitely don't want is hop material in my fermenter (at least not until i dry-hop) because leaving plant matter in your beer for the duration of fermentation can result in vegetal, grassy flavors.  if you transfer hot wort, break material and the hops will end up in your fermenter.  by cooling in the kettle, you allow the break material and hops to fall out.

So leave on stove for 30-45 mins with the top on and keep and eye on the temp gauge so when it gets below 90ish I can transfer.  Then set the brew jacket to the desired temp and come back a few hours/a day later to pitch

you can get slightly faster cooling by leaving the top off until you get to around 140*F.  until then, you have little risk. 

just leaving the pot on the stove to cool in the air is likely to take overnight.  not sure how viable that is...

something i did was to carry the pot to the bathroom and put it in a tub filled with cold water.  obviously you need to be very, very careful when carrying a pot with 5-6 gallons of recently boiled liquid, and it's pretty heavy (around 60 lbs in my case) but it really cuts down on the cooling time.  i would dump out the first tub-full of water once it absorbed all the heat and refill with fresh cold water, sometimes adding ice to the second bath.

a buddy of mine would take half-gallon milk or OJ cartons, clean the hell outta them, sanitize, then fill with previously boiled water, and freeze to make a giant ice cube.  he would then carefully cut open the carton and dump in the ice cube.  you need to modify you recipe/process a big to accommodate that extra half or full gallon of water you're adding at the end.

but really, an immersion chiller that you hook up to your sink or garden spigot is the way to go.

Don't judge, but went straight extract kit/dry yeast packet for this first brew
wanted to get a feel for all the equipment

do0d, that's exactly what you should be doing.  if you're figuring with new equipment, you don't want to deal with anything else.  simplifying ingredients/recipe is a pro move.  congrats!
 

Once I feel comfortable, I'll be BAIB'ing for a while
I'm not ready to set up the mash tun and such yet
I know that is the advantage of the two ports on the kettle...

sorry, i don't quite follow the "advantage of the two ports"... please explain :)
 

but for now I'm trying a little to future proof my equipment

you'll thank yourself later.  trust me.

On that note.  I got the Big Mouth Bubbler with the spigiot at the bottome
Didn't think about how that's kind of a liability in the brewjacket

how is it a liability?  does it get in the way of the BJ?

I was thinking that I could easily take it from the fermentor to a sanizied brew kettle to add the priming sugars
then use the ball valve to connect a tube to bottle

that's a great idea, never thought of using a kettle for bottling!

i highly recommend getting a bottling wand (https://www.morebeer.com/search?search=bottling+wand).  makes bottling soooo much easier.  you might need to mcguyver some way to attach it to your spigot.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 26, 2019, 09:35:13 am
Ok...glad I asked.  I thought part of the point of the brewjacket was not needing and immersion cooler. 
  it's meant to keep the beer at a desired temp, but only once you're already there (or close).
drats...it was much easier to chill 1 gallon of wort in the sink with a ice bath (other than getting yelled at for using all the ice in the freezer)
was really hoping to not to have to deal with an immersion chiller
What about plate chillers?
So leave on stove for xxxx mins
  just leaving the pot on the stove to cool in the air is likely to take overnight.  not sure how viable that is...

bummer...was part of my plan
something i did was to carry the pot to the bathroom and put it in a tub filled with cold water. 
dude...not doing that
but really, an immersion chiller that you hook up to your sink or garden spigot is the way to go.
sounds like it
I'm not ready to set up the mash tun and such yet
I know that is the advantage of the two ports on the kettle...
sorry, i don't quite follow the "advantage of the two ports"... please explain :)
I thought I could get a false bottom in there and some tubing and a pump to do the sparge/mash in the kettle...was that wishful thinking?

So top one for temp...bottom one for spigot
what should my expectations of the versatility of having two ports on a kettle
On that note.  I got the Big Mouth Bubbler with the spigiot at the bottom  Didn't think about how that's kind of a liability in the brewjacket
how is it a liability?  does it get in the way of the BJ?
I find it hard not to think of Space when someone mentions BJ's on this board...kinda wish that wasn't the case as it's starting to ruin it for me ;)

what I was getting at is that little spigot on the bottom of the BMB is sticking out and you have to insert it in and out of the BJ jacket while it's full of 5 gallons of liquid.  Seems like it's going to get caught or break because of some weird pressure
Should be fine, just seemed like it'd be easier to get in and out of the BJ with nothing protruding on the bottom

On that note...the expectation is I can use that spigot on the BMB to transfer to my Kettle to add the priming sugar prior to bottling
I have a strong desire to get away from the siphon...but is the problem that I'm going to pull in all the crap at the bottom of the fermentor?  also will I be aerating my beer too much
I could probably use a tube to stop excess aeration
I was thinking that I could easily take it from the fermentor to a sanizied brew kettle to add the priming sugars then use the ball valve to connect a tube to bottle
that's a great idea, never thought of using a kettle for bottling!

i highly recommend getting a bottling wand (https://www.morebeer.com/search?search=bottling+wand).  makes bottling soooo much easier.  you might need to mcguyver some way to attach it to your spigot.
I have a siphon with a tube and a clamp...hate it
and with the mess that has created in the past ...that I had sworn would be my first purchase
Luckily a cheap purchase

only headache is I was hoping to brew this weekend...so no online ordering and slimmed to selection/price of my LHBS
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 26, 2019, 09:59:28 am
man...need to pony up some more bucks to make this happen
1 bottle of IO Star Iodophor
1 Copper Immersion Wort Chiller
some tubing
bottling wand
put this protect over budget!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 29, 2019, 11:46:56 am
Made it through my first batch. It's all in the fermentor happily bubbling away at a constant 70 degrees
The Immersion chillier was purchased and really worked out great, wastes a lot of water tho.
It was hotish in the house on brew day (almost 80) so it was nice to add to the brewjacket and come back the next morning to pitch the yeast at the perfect temp


They should really make a door on the BrewJacket so you can easily check activity...but that would have added to the cost

Man that kettle is HUGE...wont even fit in my fairly large kitchen sink ;(
Thinking I might need to eventually get an outdoor burner and do this outside
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on May 01, 2019, 08:40:04 am
What is your opinion of the BrewJacket (https://brewjacket.com/) could help a lot during fermentation

if you need both heating and cooling, brewjacket is an excellent investment.  i was about to purchase some myself, until i figured out that i don't need cooling (my basement is a large walk-in fridge, year-round).  will definitely improve your beer.  an issue to keep in mind is that the brewjacket isn't compatible with all fermentors - glass carboys are a no-go.

So far been very happy with this purchase.
Yesterday got home and the room the fermentor was in was clocking in at 83 degrees!
but the Brewjacket was humming away at 70 degrees and the yeast was happy

I do think the BrewJ may have caused the heat to rise a little in the room, but just a few degrees
I'm happy to have temp undercontrol with very little effort

my only gripe would be I can't see what's going on or access the spigot to get a sample for gravity readings
on that note, been reading mixed reviews on going the refractometer...
the good: only a few drops are needed to keep taps on gravity
the bad: complicated with conversion charts and temp (how come they all come in Celsius...)
was reading that the good old hydro is the best bet for accuracy and simplicity
If I had a spare $150...might consider the Tilt Hydrometer (https://tilthydrometer.com/products/copy-of-tilt-floating-wireless-hydrometer-and-thermometer-for-brewing)...pretty darn cool


 in typical US fashion...we are like the only one in the world not using metric
(http://www.us-metric.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/metric-map.jpg)
well we have good company with Liberia and Myanmar

Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on May 01, 2019, 05:49:27 pm
The Immersion chillier was purchased and really worked out great, wastes a lot of water tho.

i collect some of the water in homer buckets and use it later.  the "first runnings" are pretty hot, so i save that for cleaning my mash tun and kettle (if my picnic cooler is available, i sometimes put the hot water in there to keep it hot).  water that isn't so hot, or has had time to cool, is used for watering plants, washing brewing equipment (or anything, really), soaking labels off of bottles, etc.

tip for improving efficiency of an immersion chiller: create movement within the kettle.  if you don't mix the wort during chilling, only the stuff close to the chiller will cool quickly.  by slowly mixing the wort with the chiller itself, you'll help spread out the cooling.  if you have a pump, you can "automate" this: pull wort out through your ball valve, go through pump, and return the wort to the center of the immersion chiller.  this will force the liquid to go from the cooler center of the chiller, through/around the chiller, and to the warmer edge (where the valve is).  the logical extension of this technique is the whirlpool immersion chiller (http://www.mrmalty.com/chiller.php).

Thinking I might need to eventually get an outdoor burner and do this outside

yeah ya do.  a propane burner can pump out a lot more heat than a stove-top so you get to boil faster.  also gets you out of the kitchen, so others can't complain about the smells (if they aren't into them) or your hogging of the space.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on May 01, 2019, 07:15:17 pm
I do think the BrewJ may have caused the heat to rise a little in the room, but just a few degrees

it most likely did.  a brew j is a heat pump, so it cools the beer by kicking out the heat into its surrounding enviro, i.e. the room.

my only gripe would be I can't see what's going on or access the spigot to get a sample for gravity readings

if it's important to you, i bet you could figure out a way to cut open the cover, sew up the edges and create a flap.

however: please consider making it not important to you, AKA stop taking (constant) samples.  wait for visible activity to die down completely (no more air lock bubbles, krausen gone, etc.), wait another 3 days, then take your first, and ideally only, sample.  what's the point of knowing that yesterday you were at 1.042, and today you're at 1.038?  are you going to do anything differently?  the yeast know what they're doing, let 'em finish their work.  each sample taking = risk of oxidation and/or infection (small risk, but risk nonetheless). 

i mean i get it, it's fun to interact with the brew as it's developing, but i compare constant sampling to helicopter parenting: it makes the parent (brewer) feel more at ease, but isn't in the child's (beer's) best interest.  let go...

on that note, been reading mixed reviews on going the refractometer...
the good: only a few drops are needed to keep taps on gravity
the bad: complicated with conversion charts and temp (how come they all come in Celsius...)
was reading that the good old hydro is the best bet for accuracy and simplicity

i love my refractometer on brew day - so quick and easy to get OG, no wasted wort, etc.  i also take gravity on first runnings, lets me know how my mash went.

where have you read about temp affecting a refractometer?  most nowadays have auto temp compensation (ATC), even the cheap ones (https://www.amazon.com/Brix-Refractometer-Handheld-Scale-Specific-1-000-1-130/dp/B0716HRSL7).

refractometers become complicated once alcohol is present.  you need to use a calculator (http://seanterrill.com/2012/01/06/refractometer-calculator/) to correct your readings, and even then it's only a best-fit estimate.  so being lazy i don't bother and just use a hydrometer - when i bother taking FG at all.  i often skip it if the fermentation went as expected, i'm pretty confident that the beer ended where it should.  the difference between 1.10 and 1.012 is imperceptible to me, so...

If I had a spare $150...might consider the Tilt Hydrometer (https://tilthydrometer.com/products/copy-of-tilt-floating-wireless-hydrometer-and-thermometer-for-brewing)...pretty darn cool

looks cool indeed.  can't say it's at the top of my gadget shopping list, but i certainly wouldn't throw it away if it was given to me.  i've been reading that krausen can cause readings to be off.  i think the main value of the tilt isn't to get exact gravity readings, but rather to see the trend.  once it shows several days with no change in gravity, your beer is ready to package.

unrelated, a cheap stir plate: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072K24X5P/ (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072K24X5P/).  If you're a DYI kinda guy and are handy assembling simple devices, you can build a stir plate quite easily using a computer fan, a potentiometer and a case of some sort (like a cigar box).
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on May 01, 2019, 07:56:52 pm
new book about to be published: Simple Homebrewing: Great Beer, Less Work, More Fun (https://www.brewerspublications.com/products/simple-homebrewing-great-beer-less-work-more-fun)

haven't read it yet, but the authors are well-known and dispense very practical advice. 
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on May 07, 2019, 11:45:51 am
saw this book just was released by your buds at Sapwood
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/60059443_2305657019492979_5688287723710840832_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=b91959f5ff986f0515472c8e79401e46&oe=5D699633)
Scott has been reading papers on hop chemistry, and interviewing hazy-IPA brewers since well before we opened. Finally his book, The New IPA: A Scientific Guide to Hop Aroma and Flavor is almost here! We've already put many of the things he's learned into practice. It'll be available as an eBook or paperback, and of course you'll be able to get a copy at the brewery!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on May 07, 2019, 01:02:33 pm
saw this book just was released by your buds at Sapwood
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/60059443_2305657019492979_5688287723710840832_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=b91959f5ff986f0515472c8e79401e46&oe=5D699633)
Scott has been reading papers on hop chemistry, and interviewing hazy-IPA brewers since well before we opened. Finally his book, The New IPA: A Scientific Guide to Hop Aroma and Flavor is almost here! We've already put many of the things he's learned into practice. It'll be available as an eBook or paperback, and of course you'll be able to get a copy at the brewery!

been waiting on this one for a while.  scott is about to drop some SCIENCE.

his blog, where a lot of the book's content can be found (but spread across a multitude of blog posts): http://scottjanish.com/ (http://scottjanish.com/)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on May 09, 2019, 11:42:01 am
since this is kind of the 'sweets' tread

Sweets....Your state has your back (and front:) ) for the hard work you do day in and day out

Washington State Strippers Are Officially Getting Workplace Protections (https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2019/05/08/40131691/washington-state-strippers-are-officially-getting-workplace-protections)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on June 27, 2019, 09:21:10 am
so far so good on the new equipment.
Did an extract oaked Imperial stout that came out great...still a little young, but definitely a brew I can be proud of


saw this and drooled a little The Stasis  (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/craftabrew/the-stasis-craft-brewing-technology-for-homebrewers)
An "affordable", compact temperature control solution for homebrewers that harnesses the power of glycol.
can do two fermenters at the same time with different temps
fast chilling...reduce temps 30degres in 1 hour

(https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/025/597/174/fea4abdec459457a37e631a911ad08e3_original.gif?ixlib=rb-2.1.0&w=680&fit=max&v=1561404215&auto=format&gif-q=50&q=92&s=2eaa0d0072b50bd340c6882df3f0ee08)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on July 28, 2019, 10:22:45 am
Takin' it outdoors for brew day now!

Borrowed a propane burner from a co-worker who 'used to homebrew'
Picked up a nice BAIB
and DIY made a pulley system with an A frame ladder to lift the bag at the end of the mash

brewing an Oatmeal Stout

Grain bill

10 lbs Pale Malt
12 oz Biscuit
12 oz Crystal 60
12 oz Chocolate
12 oz Roasted Barley

2oz fuggel hops at 60min  (recipe called for Willamette...but they were out)
60 min mash at 148 and 60 min boil
US 04 Dry yeast

First
There was 1 lb 8 oz Flaked Oats...but the instructions I had were super brief and didn't mention when they are added...so I didn't add them (now it seems like they should have just gone in the Bag with all the other gains during the mash)

In my internet search, seems this won't really make a big deal in flavor, more mouth feel. 

The other thing
The OG was supposed to be 1.062 and came out at 1.050
Does that have to do with the lower efficiency of BAIB?
Should I be concerned
If done again, how can I ensure I get to the OG?

I tried to keep the temp during the mash around 148...but it ended up varying between 140 to 160 due to my trying to figure out the new equipment

Also loving the brew jacket as I can only get it so cool with my immersion chiller
So put it in the fermetor and throw the brew jacket in to get it to 67degrees before adding the yeast

Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on July 29, 2019, 12:37:36 am

Takin' it outdoors for brew day now!

nice :)  it's the next natural step  in your evolution...



2oz fuggel hops at 60min  (recipe called for Willamette...but they were out)

your choice of 60 minute (bittering) hops doesn't matter much, since it won't add much taste - so good substitution.  you could even same some money next time by getting one ounce of something with twice as much AA% as the quoted fuggles.  in the end, you mostly care about IBUs.


brewing an Oatmeal Stout
(...)
There was 1 lb 8 oz Flaked Oats...but the instructions I had were super brief and didn't mention when they are added...so I didn't add them

then you're not brewing an oatmeal stout, are you? ;D


(now it seems like they should have just gone in the Bag with all the other gains during the mash)

yup.  no need to crush (mill) them, just add 'em whole.

In my internet search, seems this won't really make a big deal in flavor, more mouth feel. 

yes, they contribute that silky, almost oily mouthfeel you get with certain stouts. not sure about the flavor contribution, because i can't remember the last time i made a stout without oatmeal - so i have nothing to compare it to.


The OG was supposed to be 1.062 and came out at 1.050Does that have to do with the lower efficiency of BAIB?Should I be concernedIf done again, how can I ensure I get to the OG?

BIAB can be very efficient, especially if you sparge.  but the thing about efficiency is that everybody's is different - so you have to adjust recipes according to your efficiency. a recipe is essentially saying "i took this amount of grain, and got this OG".  if you want to hit that same OG, you need to reverse-engineer it: "for my setup, with my efficiency, how much grain do i need to achieve that OG?"  leave the specialty grains alone, and vary only the base malts.  you need to do several brews to determine your efficiency, given that this was your first one

alternately, have some DME extract on hand.  if you miss the OG, dump some in until you hit your numbers.



Also loving the brew jacket as I can only get it so cool with my immersion chiller
So put it in the fermetor and throw the brew jacket in to get it to 67degrees before adding the yeast

water temps in the DC area is an issue... comes out too damn warm in the summer.  brew jacket does indeed sound like a great solution.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on July 29, 2019, 08:51:19 am
brewing collected the ingredients for an Oatmeal Stout
(...)
There was 1 lb 8 oz Flaked Oats...but the instructions I had were super brief and didn't mention when they are added...so I didn't add them
FTFMe
Quote
then you're not brewing an oatmeal stout, are you? ;D
was intended, but not actualized...

In my internet search, seems this won't really make a big deal in flavor, more mouth feel. 

Quote
yes, they contribute that silky, almost oily mouthfeel you get with certain stouts. not sure about the flavor contribution, because i can't remember the last time i made a stout without oatmeal - so i have nothing to compare it to.


although this is one of the things I like about stouts...but the ingredients are sealed and will use them for the next stout batch (or maybe breakfast :)

The OG was supposed to be 1.062 and came out at 1.050Does that have to do with the lower efficiency of BAIB?Should I be concernedIf done again, how can I ensure I get to the OG?

Quote
BIAB can be very efficient, especially if you sparge. 
So didn't do a sparge...read a bunch of pros and cons and decided to just let the bag hang for 10-15 and give it a few good squeezes
mostly as I was trying to keep it simple, not sure I'm up for the reverse engineering
Quote
alternately, have some DME extract on hand.  if you miss the OG, dump some in until you hit your numbers.
This idea I like.  So are you doing a Hydro reading pre-boil to determine this?
then you'd add a cup, stir real well and do another hydro reading until you get the desired OG?

[/font]

Also loving the brew jacket as I can only get it so cool with my immersion chiller
So put it in the fermetor and throw the brew jacket in to get it to 67degrees before adding the yeast

Quote
water temps in the DC area is an issue... comes out too damn warm in the summer.  brew jacket does indeed sound like a great solution.
[/font]
I had a though here. 
What if you got a second immersion cooler and threw that in a cooler with ice and connected it in front of the other brew kettle immersion cooler?

It really took a long time and about 30 gallons of water (I did collect it and give it to the plants and trees at least) to cool my batch to 100
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on July 29, 2019, 02:39:00 pm
but the ingredients are sealed and will use them for the next stout batch (or maybe breakfast :)

FYI you can use oats from the grocery store.  "instant oats" are preferable, but just about any will work as long as they look flattened (don't use steel-cut oats).

So didn't do a sparge...read a bunch of pros and cons and decided to just let the bag hang for 10-15 and give it a few good squeezes
mostly as I was trying to keep it simple, not sure I'm up for the reverse engineering

do whatever works best for you.  originally that was the main appeal of BIAB - easier and faster, at the expense of a little lower efficiency.  a perfectly reasonable trade-off: i'll buy an extra 2 pounds of malt, in exchange for cutting an hour off my brew day.

This idea I like.  So are you doing a Hydro reading pre-boil to determine this?

this is the part where you invest in a refractometer (https://www.amazon.com/Refractometer-Smarthome-SH-Temperature-Compensation/dp/B0791GFF59/). no need to wait for cooling!  otherwise, you need to cool the wort to a reasonable temp before measuring, and even then you'll need to use a converter/calculator to compensate for temperature unless you cool the sample to under 70*F.

then you'd add a cup, stir real well and do another hydro reading until you get the desired OG?

exactly.  i like to mix in cool water first, dissolves easier, then dump in.  one pound of DME into 5 gallons of wort should raise gravity by about 8 points, and 6-7 points if thrown into 6 gallons (1.040-1.044 PPG, points per gallon).  if you're going to do this, you really need a refractometer.  cooling a sample each time you've added some extract gets old real fast.


What if you got a second immersion cooler and threw that in a cooler with ice and connected it in front of the other brew kettle immersion cooler?

serious question: did you think of that all by yourself?  'cause if so, that's impressive - you've just described a pre-chiller.  it's totally a thing that people do in hot climates: link1 (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/media/pre-chiller.8262/), link2 (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/wort-chiller-and-pre-chiller.350201/), more (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/search/4852047/?q=pre-chiller&o=relevance).  apparently adding salt to the water/ice around the pre-chiller increases efficiency.

It really took a long time and about 30 gallons of water (I did collect it and give it to the plants and trees at least) to cool my batch to 100

yeah, i save as much of that water as i can.  some goes into my HTL for cleaning my equipment after the brew day.  rest stays in buckets until cooled and then goes to the plants & trees (like my sour cherry trees - hope to make kriek some day).
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on August 15, 2019, 09:40:46 pm
Ok, I need to know if this is doomed

I'd really like to do a  Schwarzbier

I've got the Immersion chiller so I can keep it at 50~ degrees for the fermentation for two weeks, but I don't have any place to lager' two cases of beer at 34 degrees for 4-6 weeks

I did see that I could use the Wyeast 2112 California Lager yeast or Imperial Organic Imperial L05 Cablecar Lager Yeast to do a psuedo lager

Thoughts...am attempting master's level courses with a high school level background?

Also...priming sugar
All the 'pro' recipes don't even mention this as it's assumed you know
I was told to use a chart, but why wouldn't they list how much is used for an 'optimal' batch
It's like that annoying note in cooking recipies...'salt to taste'
I always hate that...just tell me how much you use and I'll adjust from there

I know I'm supposed to use this chart
(http://howtobrew.com/assets/img/assets/f65.gif)
but I wish they'd tell you in the recipe what the target Volumes of CO2 for that beer
seems like an important thing

also should I just get priming sugar in bulk an use my 'drug scale' to measure
if so is there one all purpose sugar you recommend?
or should you have a different sugar for different beers


serious question: did you think of that all by yourself?  'cause if so, that's impressive - you've just described a pre-chiller.

Since this post, I've seen these....but I did feel like at the time that it was an original thought out of my brain trying to think of ways to improve the process (and shorten the time and waste water)

some goes into my HTL for cleaning
Ok…what is an HTL?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on August 16, 2019, 03:59:00 pm
Ok, I need to know if this is doomed

I'd really like to do a  Schwarzbier

I've got the Immersion chiller so I can keep it at 50~ degrees for the fermentation for two weeks, but I don't have any place to lager' two cases of beer at 34 degrees for 4-6 weeks

I did see that I could use the Wyeast 2112 California Lager yeast or Imperial Organic Imperial L05 Cablecar Lager Yeast to do a psuedo lager

Thoughts...am attempting master's level courses with a high school level background?

if the brew jacket can hold at 50*F, you're good to go on fermenting a lager. 

the standard, traditional way of making a lager is to do primary fermentation at 45-50*F, then ramp up at the very end (diacetyl rest) in the mid-60's for a few days, then crash down to 32*F for 4-6 weeks.

a modern approach that you should consider is to start at 45-50, wait for your fermentation to be about half over, and start slowly ramping then until you hit 68-70, hold there until complete, then crash.  the idea here is that almost all yeast flavor is developed in the early phases of fermentation.  lagers are not supposed to have yeast character.  so by being careful early on, you're getting the main benefit of a lager without all the effort.  this method has the benefit of being less dependent on cold fermentation temps for such a long time, and speed: fermentation time is cut down because warmer temps = faster fermentation.  some reading: link 1 (http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/) (good explanation, including proposed timeline), and link 2 (https://www.bayareamashers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/HomebrewCon16-Fast-Lager-Yeast-Fermentations.pdf).

another traditional characteristic of lager is that it should be crystal clear.  this is what those 4-6 weeks of cold storage (AKA lagering) are giving you.  also cleans up unwanted flavors caused by stuff in suspension - after weeks of cold temps, that stuff will drop out and settle at the bottom of your carboy or keg.  but this is an ideal.  if you can't get down to 32, get down to whatever you can - set the brew jacket to max cold, wrap that baby up in an extra sleeping bag and let it ride.  after finishing up at 68-70, a few weeks at 45 will help a lot with clearing.  and you don't want to do this in the bottle, because then the crap will just settle to the bottom of the bottle and will get kicked up as soon as you pour.  better to bulk-age in the carboy/bucket/whatever, then bottle after clearing is complete.  and if you can't do 4-6 weeks, do as long as you can.

finally, clarity isn't as important on a schwarzbier depending how dark you make it.  can't see through black ;D

Also...priming sugar
All the 'pro' recipes don't even mention this as it's assumed you know
I was told to use a chart, but why wouldn't they list how much is used for an 'optimal' batch
It's like that annoying note in cooking recipies...'salt to taste'
I always hate that...just tell me how much you use and I'll adjust from there

I know I'm supposed to use this chart
http://howtobrew.com/assets/img/assets/f65.gif
but I wish they'd tell you in the recipe what the target Volumes of CO2 for that beer
seems like an important thing

first off, forget that graph from How To Brew.  that's old school.  we got the internet now, and there are plenty online priming calculators.  i like this one (https://www.northernbrewer.com/pages/priming-sugar-calculator).  note that there is a drop-down to select your beer style, with suggested carbonation levels.  boom.

regarding the "temperature" input on brewing calculators: do not use the current temp of the beer, as the calculator might indicate.  rather, use the temp at which the beer finished fermenting at.  in the above example of starting at 50*F, ramping up to 70*F until fermentation is over, then crashed down to 45 - you would use 70 as the beer temp since that is where fermentation ended.  if you use 45, AKA the current temp of the beer at bottling time, you beer will be over-carb'ed.  lemme know if you want to hear about the science behind it, it boils down to warm liquids holding less gas than cold liquid, so you need to pick when the gas was last replenished by fermentation...

regular beer bottles can typically tolerate up to 3.0 vols CO2.  if you want to go higher than that (belgian styles, hefewiezen, sours, etc) you need to use thick glass bottles, like what duvel and la chouffe comes in, founder's 750ml bottles, champagne bottles (need to use larger caps), etc. 

also should I just get priming sugar in bulk an use my 'drug scale' to measure
if so is there one all purpose sugar you recommend?
or should you have a different sugar for different beers

unless i'm trying to add a flavor with my bottling sugar (ex: using brown sugar in a stout to add some caramel notes), i use regular ol' white table sugar from the grocery store.  in priming calculators, table sugar is often called sucrose.  that fancy corn sugar you might have bought from the homebrew shop is called dextrose.

always, always measure your priming sugar  by weight.  drug scales are perfect for this. don't go by cups or other volume measurements.  tip: boil your priming sugar in a little water to make a syrup, and prime with that.  boiling it sanitizes it and gets it into solution.  no more worries about having sugar not dissolving and just sitting at the bottom of your bottling bucket.

Ok…what is an HTL?

HLT: hot liquor tank.  it's where you hold and heat your pre-mash water, and your sparging water.
MLT: mash liquor tun (or just MT, mash tun).  where you mix grain and water, and the starches are converted into sugars.
BK: boil kettle.
FV: fermentation vessel.

so the liquid moves from HLT --> MLT --> BK --> FV.
in the case of traditional BIAB, your HLT, MLT and BK are the same vessel.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on October 14, 2019, 10:37:38 am
Wimped out on the  Schwarzbier, really didn't want to have my chiller out of commission for 6 weeks
Sticking with Black IPA for now

Question...The spigot on the my fermentor

What situations would you use this

 get a sample to check the Final Gravity?

Is this just easier to get it to your bottling bucket?

It seems to pull a lot of trub and making me want to pull the liquid out with my racking cane
I was hoping to avoid the bottling bucket, but that doesn't seem to be an option unless I'm kegging
I guess I could use those carbonation drops, but that seems more expensive and much less accurate

just seems like a big liability (eventually leaking or breaking) for very little benefit
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on October 14, 2019, 02:02:17 pm
Question...The spigot on the my fermentor

What situations would you use this

get a sample to check the Final Gravity?

Is this just easier to get it to your bottling bucket?

It seems to pull a lot of trub and making me want to pull the liquid out with my racking cane
I was hoping to avoid the bottling bucket, but that doesn't seem to be an option unless I'm kegging

just seems like a big liability (eventually leaking or breaking) for very little benefit

i've never used a fermenter with a spigot so no experience there.  checking final gravity would be a valid use, but personally i don't do that until i'm packaging - i've already decided the beer is done so it's more of a post-facto "where did we end" type of inquiry, not a "what is the current state" decision-making point.  give the beer 14+ days to ferment, raise the temps a few degrees as active fermentation tappers off, wait for the air lock to stop and for no visible signs of fermentation, give it a few last days to clean up, and you can assume you're done.  and really, if you're at 1.015 instead of your desired 1.012 - what are you going to do?  nothing much to be done!  commercial brewers need to track gravity they need consistency and they're under time pressure (move the beer out as soon as it's done, time is money).  i'd rather take my time and skip constant gravity sample.  also, when you remove beer for gravity samples you're sucking in air to replace the volume you've pulled.  you want to avoid exposure to air as much as possible, for as long as possible.

bottling directly from the fermentor could be another good use - if it works well.  the fact that you're pulling in trub tells me that it doesn't work that great.  a racking arm (https://www.anvilbrewing.com/-p/anv-fv-7.5gal.htm) would be great benefit, but i'm just dreaming here...

i've never been a fan of plastic spigots on fermentors.  my concern is cleaning them - there are a lot of nooks and crannies for nasties to hid in, most spigots can't be disassembled to clean inside them, etc.  my bottling bucket has a spigot on it, but you're a little safer there because you're bottling fermented beer = lower pH + alcohol.  i still clean the hell outta it, and have one for clean beer and another for sour beer.

I guess I could use those carbonation drops, but that seems more expensive and much less accurate

the one-per-bottle drops are indeed inaccurate.  i use these drops (https://www.homebrewing.org/Brewers-Best-Conditioning-Tablets-5-oz_p_2444.html) that you use 3-5 tabs per 12 oz bottle, and 7-9 per 22oz.  gives you a lot more control over carbonation.  after i fill my keg, i typically have a little beer left over in the fermentor - so i'll dump that into a bottling bucket and fill a few bottles (which i typically bring to the office so workmates can have a taste).  given how variable that amount of beer is, it would be very hard to get the amount of sugar right (needs to be boiled and cooled in advance).  these carb drops have worked great for me.  3 tabs for a stout, 4 or 5 for an average beer, maybe 6 for a fizzy belgian (in a thick glass bottle).
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on February 26, 2020, 06:56:38 pm
Thanks Vansmack, moving this here:

I can't remember what the homebrewing thread is so I'll put this here.

Brewed a gose from a kit the other day. Did a five minute boil with malts, yada yada, and added lactobacillus after it cooled down to room temp. aiming to add fruit puree during the secondary to maked it a fruited gose.

The directions say to leave it on the kettle for up to 72 hours. If you want a mild sour, shoot for PH of 3.7-3.9. For a more tart sour, shoot for 3.2-3.4.

Well after 72 hours, the best I've gotten is 4.01 PH. I even read that putting some CaCL will lower the PH. Tried that and didn't work (how soon should it work?)

Should i try to add more lactobacillus, or just give up and continue on the the full brew?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: vansmack on February 26, 2020, 07:01:15 pm
No problem.  I'm pretty sure Sweetcell gets like 17 notifications and the lights in his house flicker when someone posts in here...
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Yada on February 26, 2020, 07:20:20 pm
Thanks Vansmack, moving this here:

I can't remember what the homebrewing thread is so I'll put this here.

Brewed a gose from a kit the other day. Did a five minute boil with malts, yada yada, and added lactobacillus after it cooled down to room temp. aiming to add fruit puree during the secondary to maked it a fruited gose.

The directions say to leave it on the kettle for up to 72 hours. If you want a mild sour, shoot for PH of 3.7-3.9. For a more tart sour, shoot for 3.2-3.4.

Well after 72 hours, the best I've gotten is 4.01 PH. I even read that putting some CaCL will lower the PH. Tried that and didn't work (how soon should it work?)

Should i try to add more lactobacillus, or just give up and continue on the the full brew?

For your time, effort, and savings you could've driven to Richmond and bought answer crowlers (that are probably the wrong abv) instead of being stuck with five gallons of undrinkable beer.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on February 26, 2020, 07:39:37 pm
Thanks Vansmack, moving this here:

I can't remember what the homebrewing thread is so I'll put this here.

Brewed a gose from a kit the other day. Did a five minute boil with malts, yada yada, and added lactobacillus after it cooled down to room temp. aiming to add fruit puree during the secondary to maked it a fruited gose.

The directions say to leave it on the kettle for up to 72 hours. If you want a mild sour, shoot for PH of 3.7-3.9. For a more tart sour, shoot for 3.2-3.4.

Well after 72 hours, the best I've gotten is 4.01 PH. I even read that putting some CaCL will lower the PH. Tried that and didn't work (how soon should it work?)

Should i try to add more lactobacillus, or just give up and continue on the the full brew?

For your time, effort, and savings you could've driven to Richmond and bought answer crowlers (that are probably the wrong abv) instead of being stuck with five gallons of undrinkable beer.

Where's the fun in that? I95 sucks.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on February 26, 2020, 07:50:42 pm
Thanks Vansmack, moving this here:

I can't remember what the homebrewing thread is so I'll put this here.

Brewed a gose from a kit the other day. Did a five minute boil with malts, yada yada, and added lactobacillus after it cooled down to room temp. aiming to add fruit puree during the secondary to maked it a fruited gose.

The directions say to leave it on the kettle for up to 72 hours. If you want a mild sour, shoot for PH of 3.7-3.9. For a more tart sour, shoot for 3.2-3.4.

Well after 72 hours, the best I've gotten is 4.01 PH. I even read that putting some CaCL will lower the PH. Tried that and didn't work (how soon should it work?)

Should i try to add more lactobacillus, or just give up and continue on the the full brew?
 
ok, there is some information missing here so i'll do what i can with what i've got:

- how confident are you in your pH reading?  i assume you're using a meter, given the precision of the reading you quoted (4.01).  perchance do you have any calibration solution (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ph+calibration+solution)?  pH meters are notorious for wandering, so you need to re-calibrate often.  many pros re-calibrate every time they use a pH meter.
- what kind of lacto did you use?  some work OK at room temp, others need more warmth.  typically folks hold the liquid around 100*F for 24-48 hours to get fast souring.  if you use that same lacto at room temps, could take longer.  do you have anywhere that is warmer?  on top of the furnace or water heater, maybe a closet or cabinet that gets warm due to a heating duct, etc?  maybe wrap it in an electric blanket, or a plant heat mat?
- CaCl will lower pH some, but lacto is doing the heavy lifting here.  it shouldn't be used to adjust pH, you should use it to add calcium which is essential for yeast health.  that it lowers pH is an unavoidable side-effect.  adding too much calcium chloride in an attempt to lower in pH could result in some weird flavors due to too much of the salt.  how much did you add?
- did add any hops to the boil, or is it currently un-hopped?  most lacto is extremely sensitive to hops.  a few IBUs and most lactos won't do diddly squat (incidentally, this is why hops became so popular a few hundred years ago: it prevented one of the main souring agents from souring beer).

i would suggest doing one of the following, in order of preference:
1. keep the beer warm and give it a few more days.  bacteria like lacto are very temp-sensitive.  mo' heat = mo' action. 
2. leave it as-is, but give it more time.  since you're at 4.01, that should keep most nasties at bay.  but i'd only give it another 2 days before re-boiling.
3. Declare defeat, reboil now, and possibly take the beer in a different direction: hop it up like an american pale ale.


No problem.  I'm pretty sure Sweetcell gets like 17 notifications and the lights in his house flicker when someone posts in here...

LOL.  i have a new weekend project!

Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on February 26, 2020, 08:07:49 pm
Thanks.

The CaCL took it down to 3.97. I used one teaspoon. That was the recommended amount on the package for five gallon batch.

At this point I'm at 96 hours. PH was stuck on 4.01 for the last 48, didn't measure it before then. I did calibrate before using and all was fine. Don't have any more solution.

It's currently unhopped.

I'll look for a warmer place in the house. Bringing it to a slightly higher temp won't have any adverse affects?

By reboiling, do you mean just for five minutes (and obviously without hops). Will that possibly reactivate the lacto?

So don't run to the homebrew store tmorrow and buy more lacto to add (I used all that came with the kit.)?

This was the lacto:

Lactobacillus:
· Omega OYL - 605 Lactobacillus Blend. Optimum temp: 75°-
95°F


Thanks Vansmack, moving this here:

I can't remember what the homebrewing thread is so I'll put this here.

Brewed a gose from a kit the other day. Did a five minute boil with malts, yada yada, and added lactobacillus after it cooled down to room temp. aiming to add fruit puree during the secondary to maked it a fruited gose.

The directions say to leave it on the kettle for up to 72 hours. If you want a mild sour, shoot for PH of 3.7-3.9. For a more tart sour, shoot for 3.2-3.4.

Well after 72 hours, the best I've gotten is 4.01 PH. I even read that putting some CaCL will lower the PH. Tried that and didn't work (how soon should it work?)

Should i try to add more lactobacillus, or just give up and continue on the the full brew?
 
ok, there is some information missing here so i'll do what i can with what i've got:

- how confident are you in your pH reading?  i assume you're using a meter, given the precision of the reading you quoted (4.01).  perchance do you have any calibration solution (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ph+calibration+solution)?  pH meters are notorious for wandering, so you need to re-calibrate often.  many pros re-calibrate every time they use a pH meter.
- what kind of lacto did you use?  some work OK at room temp, others need more warmth.  typically folks hold the liquid around 100*F for 24-48 hours to get fast souring.  if you use that same lacto at room temps, could take longer.  do you have anywhere that is warmer?  on top of the furnace or water heater, maybe a closet or cabinet that gets warm due to a heating duct, etc?  maybe wrap it in an electric blanket, or a plant heat mat?
- CaCl will lower pH some, but lacto is doing the heavy lifting here.  it shouldn't be used to adjust pH, you should use it to add calcium which is essential for yeast health.  that it lowers pH is an unavoidable side-effect.  adding too much calcium chloride in an attempt to lower in pH could result in some weird flavors due to too much of the salt.  how much did you add?
- did add any hops to the boil, or is it currently un-hopped?  most lacto is extremely sensitive to hops.  a few IBUs and most lactos won't do diddly squat (incidentally, this is why hops became so popular a few hundred years ago: it prevented one of the main souring agents from souring beer).

i would suggest doing one of the following, in order of preference:
1. keep the beer warm and give it a few more days.  bacteria like lacto are very temp-sensitive.  mo' heat = mo' action. 
2. leave it as-is, but give it more time.  since you're at 4.01, that should keep most nasties at bay.  but i'd only give it another 2 days before re-boiling.
3. Declare defeat, reboil now, and possibly take the beer in a different direction: hop it up like an american pale ale.


No problem.  I'm pretty sure Sweetcell gets like 17 notifications and the lights in his house flicker when someone posts in here...

LOL.  i have a new weekend project!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on February 27, 2020, 04:08:37 am
The CaCL took it down to 3.97. I used one teaspoon. That was the recommended amount on the package for five gallon batch.

so this is a discussion for another time, but blanket recommendations about water chemistry are almost always wrong.  no one starts with the same water, so how can there be a one-size-fits-all answer?  but adding a teaspoon isn't going to hurt anything.  anyways...

I'll look for a warmer place in the house. Bringing it to a slightly higher temp won't have any adverse affects?

it might, but probably won't.  warming up the brew will encourage the lacto, along with anything else that might have gotten in there, but your large population of lacto should quickly out-compete any other stray cells that might have fallen in.  more on that in a second...

By reboiling, do you mean just for five minutes (and obviously without hops).

the typical process for making a kettle sour is to mash, then boil quickly to kill anything in the wort, then inoculate with lacto, keep warm and wait for 24-48'ish hours until desired degree of sourness is achieved, then lock in the sourness by boiling a second time to killing the lacto, add hops if desired, and finally ferment with yeast.

some recipes don't call for the second boil, but that defeats the main benefit of kettle sours (other than their quick turn-around) - the fact that bacteria isn't spread threw the brewing process.  instead, the bacteria (lacto) is limit to the kettle, which is easy to clean and sanitize.  hoses and fermentors are hard to impossible to clean if they get infected with bacteria - thus risking infection for any future brews on the system.

does your process/recipe call for a second boil?

By reboiling (...) Will that possibly reactivate the lacto?

it will for a very short moment, but lacto isn't THAT fast... if you warm the been up to boiling again, the lacto will pick for however many minutes the beer is under ~120*F.  above that, the heat will start to kill it.  and it won't spend enough time in the "danger zone" of 90-110*F to have an impact.   now if you could raise it to 100 and keep it there for a few hours, that could have an impact.

So don't run to the homebrew store tmorrow and buy more lacto to add (I used all that came with the kit.)?

This was the lacto:

Lactobacillus:
· Omega OYL - 605 Lactobacillus Blend. Optimum temp: 75°-
95°F

ahh, OYL-605 - that's the good stuff.  it's the one of, if not THE, most popular strain of lacto for kettle sours  -especially for using at lower-than-typical temps.  it's renown for souring a room temp, so the fact that it didn't work leads me to think that your problem is cell count.  depending on the state of the pouch of lacto (how old it was, how it was stored, refrigerated or not, etc.)  there might have been insufficient cells to get the job done.  here is a post from the founder of Omega Labs (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/omega-oyl-605-lacto-blend-experiences.520554/#post-6773414) where he describes the supposedly bullet-proof way to sour with it: make a small starter 24 hours in advance and don't hop the beer before souring, at all. 

at this point you're at 96+ hours, it would be another 36+ before you could get the new lacto in there... personally i'd drop the kettle sour attempt and do something else with this beer.  get some tasty hops and turn this into a non-sour pale ale.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on February 27, 2020, 09:43:49 am
Yes, the recipe calls for a second boil, with the hops.

Before seeing your reply, I did heat it back up on the stove, but only to about 105 F. I'm doing it again this morning. This has seemingly helped at least in some part to reactivate the lacto. The PH is down to 3.77, which appears to fall into the "mild sour" category.

Unrelated question: I also brewed a quad in the Fall, which I just bottled 1.5 weeks ago. How long should I give the bottle conditioning? I tried one after nine days, tasted fine but wasn't carbonated enough yet.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on February 27, 2020, 01:30:20 pm
Before seeing your reply, I did heat it back up on the stove, but only to about 105 F. I'm doing it again this morning. This has seemingly helped at least in some part to reactivate the lacto. The PH is down to 3.77, which appears to fall into the "mild sour" category.

nice!  bacteria are very sensitive to temps, so that's not a surprising result.  should you do this again, after getting the brew in the low hundreds, take it off the stove and insulate it with towels, sleeping bag, cooler, etc. 

Unrelated question: I also brewed a quad in the Fall, which I just bottled 1.5 weeks ago. How long should I give the bottle conditioning? I tried one after nine days, tasted fine but wasn't carbonated enough yet.

typical waiting time is 2 weeks, but with a big beer like a quad i could easily a month or longer.

did you add some fresh (and/or active) yeast at bottling?  for big beers, especially ones that have been sitting around for a few months, can benefit from the injection of some fresh cells upon bottling.  but the fact that your beers are at least partially carbonated means that there is something in there putting up a fight.  probably a very low population of yeast cells at this point, so it'll take a little longer than usual for them to get the job done.  store the bottles in the warmest part of the house, and maybe give them a light jiggle every week or so to encourage mixing and circulation within the bottle.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on February 27, 2020, 01:42:32 pm
store ...in the warmest part of the house, and maybe give them a light jiggle every week or so to encourage mixing and circulation...
This is good marriage advice as well
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on February 27, 2020, 01:54:04 pm
ok, i admit it - i LOL'ed.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on February 27, 2020, 09:23:41 pm
So the best the PH did was 3.77, then it actually went up to 3.87.
So i said fuck it, I'll just boil and hop it and move on.
But for kicks and giggles, I took the PH as i boiled it. And the PH kept going down. I think it ended up at 3.34 or something like that right before i put the hops in.
So we'll see how it works out.
I'll also hold off on drinking the quads for a while, following some of the advice.
Thanks for all the advice
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on February 28, 2020, 03:12:23 am
But for kicks and giggles, I took the PH as i boiled it. And the PH kept going down. I think it ended up at 3.34 or something like that right before i put the hops in.

pH is temperature-dependent.  need to take it at room temps, always.  the pH of your beer did no drop to 3.34, it's still at 3.7/3.8'ish.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on February 28, 2020, 09:10:02 am
But for kicks and giggles, I took the PH as i boiled it. And the PH kept going down. I think it ended up at 3.34 or something like that right before i put the hops in.

pH is temperature-dependent.  need to take it at room temps, always.  the pH of your beer did no drop to 3.34, it's still at 3.7/3.8'ish.

Yeah, that was my thought. The PH is probably 3.87, which was what it went up to overnight after it returned to room temperature. So it won't be anything mouth puckering, but I can hope for a nice mildly sour summer session beer.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on March 13, 2020, 07:36:59 pm
so i'm now the proud owner of a 15-gallon Whiskey Delbac (https://www.whiskeydelbac.com/) barrel.  planning to brew an imperial stout this weekend, to be followed by an english barleywine.  then it'll spend the rest of its life aging sour/funky stuff.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on March 13, 2020, 07:43:08 pm
so i'm now the proud owner of a 15-gallon Whiskey Delbac (https://www.whiskeydelbac.com/) barrel.  planning to brew an imperial stout this weekend, to be followed by an english barleywine.  then it'll spend the rest of its life aging sour/funky stuff.

I want to try them! I'll be out your way Summer 2021.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on March 13, 2020, 08:05:05 pm
Very cool
Currently enjoying a tasty Black IPA I cooked up last month
Just put a Dry Irish Stout in the fermenter yesterday (whilst listening to the Pogues of course)

Can't tell you how much this brewjacket has upped by brew game
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on March 17, 2020, 04:53:39 pm
so i'm now the proud owner of a 15-gallon Whiskey Delbac (https://www.whiskeydelbac.com/) barrel.  planning to brew an imperial stout this weekend, to be followed by an english barleywine.  then it'll spend the rest of its life aging sour/funky stuff.

I want to try them! I'll be out your way Summer 2021.

dude, we're only going to have 16.5 gallons of each... but i'll try to save you a taste ;D

seriously tho, i'll have a bottle of each waiting in the guest room for you.


Very cool
Currently enjoying a tasty Black IPA I cooked up last month
Just put a Dry Irish Stout in the fermenter yesterday (whilst listening to the Pogues of course)

Can't tell you how much this brewjacket has upped by brew game

should have brewed that stout a month ago, could have been drinking it today for st paddy's ;D

temp control is everything... there's a very good reason why it's in any "top 3 things to improve your homebrewing" list.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on March 17, 2020, 05:00:44 pm

Very cool
Currently enjoying a tasty Black IPA I cooked up last month
Just put a Dry Irish Stout in the fermenter yesterday (whilst listening to the Pogues of course)

Can't tell you how much this brewjacket has upped by brew game

should have brewed that stout a month ago, could have been drinking it today for st paddy's ;D

temp control is everything... there's a very good reason why it's in any "top 3 things to improve your homebrewing" list.

What I didn't share is I DID try to brew this a month ago
While tryin to get the Brewjacket rod into the top of the fermenter...well I guess I don't know my own strength
cracked the Glass Big mouth bubbler :(
luckily for the one piece jacket ...the 5 gallons were not spilled all over my room

This Black IPA and the cans of Guinness Draft I got as a part of my Covid supply run, will have to suffice for this STay patties day
May be it's just me or has something to do with Guinness in Balt now...but these cans are awesome and think they are much better than I remember it a decade ago=
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on August 01, 2020, 08:14:29 am
Welp they finally did it...sous vide brewing

BrewVide
https://www.getvessi.com/pages/brewvide-2
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on August 05, 2020, 02:34:14 pm
Welp they finally did it...sous vide brewing

BrewVide
https://www.getvessi.com/pages/brewvide-2 (https://www.getvessi.com/pages/brewvide-2)

this product is intriguing to me and i have subscribed to their newsletter... depending on the price, this could save me the trouble of building an external RIMS heating system (http://beersmith.com/blog/2011/08/11/rims-and-herms-recirculating-infusion-mash-systems-for-beer/) - sweet!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on August 11, 2020, 06:46:06 pm
so i'm now the proud owner of a 15-gallon Whiskey Delbac (https://www.whiskeydelbac.com/) barrel.  planning to brew an imperial stout this weekend, to be followed by an english barleywine.  then it'll spend the rest of its life aging sour/funky stuff.

bottled 15 gallons of barrel-aged imperial milk stout this past weekend.  took over 5 gawdam hours.  barrel now full of the above-mentioned english barleywine.  glad that i've got 8 to 12 months before i have to repeat that exercise again.
 

(https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/s960x960/116900380_10158301367250071_3739350365345615178_o.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=UjdQ-YcUNr0AX-XGQt6&_nc_ht=scontent-sea1-1.xx&_nc_tp=7&oh=9494879d3551caace3af7c6fa9b50c43&oe=5F5893F0)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on January 04, 2021, 03:09:00 pm
So Sweets...thinking 2021 is the year of the keg in the hatchhold.
I am trying to do this on the cheap as parts and things come up on Craig's list often
There are people selling completes, but seems like I can put together a lot of the components on the cheap and just buy some new tubing

What would be some recommendations and absolute musts when it comes to starting out kegging your homebrew

As long as I get a fridge that will fit this...is this all I need
https://beveragelements.com/beverage_elements_shop/kits/keg-kits/kegging-kit-reconditioned-5-gallon-ball-lock-keg-5-lb-co2-cylinder-all-accessories/
I think the goal is to have two kegs, so manifold, another keg and some more tubing
Seems like a no brainer to go quick connect too

Obvisouly no tap out the top, but that adds a lot to the cost/complexity and maybe that's a 2022 goal
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 11, 2021, 09:02:43 pm
apologies for the delayed response.  lots of distractions recently...

So Sweets...thinking 2021 is the year of the keg in the hatchhold.

you'll be thanksful you made the jump.  kegging is easier than bottling, but it's not effort-free.. still plenty of cleaning and sanitizing to do, but you're only doing it to one large vessel instead of 50 small ones (although kegs needs to be periodically taken apart, inspected and have the rubber seals replaced - called "rebuilding a keg").

one advantage or disadvantage of kegging, depending on your personality, is that your beer is no longer quantized.  with a bottle, you're committing to those 12 ounces.  if it's midnight and you should be going to bed, you may logically tell yourself "i'm not going to open a whole bottle, so i'll skip it."  kegged beer is continuous: you can serve yourself as much, or as little, as you want.  so you can go for that midnight half-pour... which sometimes turns into another... then a three-quarters pour... then...

I am trying to do this on the cheap as parts and things come up on Craig's list often. There are people selling completes, but seems like I can put together a lot of the components on the cheap and just buy some new tubing.

yup, that's the way to do it. another source of deals (sometimes even free stuff - someone gave away 2 kegs last week) is the DC Homebrewers FB page.  join it, you'll like it.

What would be some recommendations and absolute musts when it comes to starting out kegging your homebrew

As long as I get a fridge that will fit this...is this all I need
https://beveragelements.com/beverage_elements_shop/kits/keg-kits/kegging-kit-reconditioned-5-gallon-ball-lock-keg-5-lb-co2-cylinder-all-accessories/ (https://beveragelements.com/beverage_elements_shop/kits/keg-kits/kegging-kit-reconditioned-5-gallon-ball-lock-keg-5-lb-co2-cylinder-all-accessories/)

yup, that's what you need.  hopefully you're not considering that specific package, pretty sure you can get those parts cheaper.

I think the goal is to have two kegs, so manifold, another keg and some more tubing
Seems like a no brainer to go quick connect too

you must use quick disconnects but something to keep in mind is that at the homebrew level, kegs come in two flavors:  pin-lock and ball-lock.  pin-lock connectors will not fit on ball-lock kegs, and vice-versa. so when you start your journey, you need to choose one format or the other.  pin-locks are generally cheaper, but not always.  ball-lock have the advantage of their lids having pressure release valves (PRVs).  it's a nice-to-have, but you can release pressure in pin-locks via the gas-in post. you just need to use something like a screwdriver, a screw, or anything else hard and pointed to depress the middle of the gas-in post.

Obvisouly no tap out the top, but that adds a lot to the cost/complexity and maybe that's a 2022 goal

if you don't want to go the whole tower-on-top route, you can potentially mount the taps on the front and/or side of the kegerator: pic 1 (https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.shopify.com%2Fs%2Ffiles%2F1%2F1069%2F4800%2Farticles%2Fikegger-mini-kegerator-closed.jpg%3Fv%3D1504839051&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ikegger.com%2Fblogs%2Fikeggerworld%2Fhow-to-build-a-4-tap-mini-kegerator-yourself-in-one-hour&tbnid=CPUE0XN2t6rJ-M&vet=12ahUKEwiw9-36lJXuAhVbBjQIHefPCJ8QMygUegUIARCpAw..i&docid=gXgbxQn4POmurM&w=1024&h=1024&q=kegerator&ved=2ahUKEwiw9-36lJXuAhVbBjQIHefPCJ8QMygUegUIARCpAw), pic 2 (https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F5d%2F27%2Fd6%2F5d27d606adb9d9d1df98d34e04d57072.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F473863192023464805%2F&tbnid=TK1ybky8OYxK8M&vet=12ahUKEwiw9-36lJXuAhVbBjQIHefPCJ8QMyggegUIARCXBA..i&docid=WLFembY7pssX2M&w=1944&h=2592&q=kegerator&ved=2ahUKEwiw9-36lJXuAhVbBjQIHefPCJ8QMyggegUIARCXBA) (not not freeze your glassware!)

depending how DYI you wanna get, you may want to consider building a keezer instead: pic 1 (https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Frogueengineer.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F06%2FKeezer-Build-Rogue-Engineer-5-730x548.jpeg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Frogueengineer.com%2Fdiy-keezer-plans-chest-freezer-kegerator%2F&tbnid=Hq05jMoAq7BHkM&vet=12ahUKEwj8ttePlZXuAhUABjQIHT_UCGkQMygHegUIARD2Ag..i&docid=jPuPIsrsmRBRJM&w=730&h=548&q=kegerator%20diy&hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwj8ttePlZXuAhUABjQIHT_UCGkQMygHegUIARD2Ag), pic 2 (https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Ftopfamilyzone.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F08%2Fhome-made-kegerators.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Ftopfamilyzone.com%2Fdiy-kegerator-step-step-part-2.html&tbnid=USl8cycw5oft7M&vet=12ahUKEwj8ttePlZXuAhUABjQIHT_UCGkQMygSegUIARCNAw..i&docid=cO5GQeapk0JCRM&w=640&h=480&q=kegerator%20diy&hl=en&ved=2ahUKEwj8ttePlZXuAhUABjQIHT_UCGkQMygSegUIARCNAw).  you use a freezer instead of a fridge.  the benefit is that freezers can be bigger, and generally are better shaped fo holding more kegs. i can only fit 2 kegs in my fridge, but could easily fit 3 or 4 in the same-sized freezer because of the collar you need to build.

last thing to be aware of: cornelius kegs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_keg), AKA "cornies", AKA 5-gallon homebrew kegs, are a slowly disappearing breed.  the big soda companies used to distribute their concentrated syrup in them, so they were manufactured by the boatload.  they switched to plastic containers in the late 90's IIRC and haven't been produced on a mass scale since.  you can buy new kegs but they're expensive, easily over $100 each whereas you can get a used one for under $50 if you shop around and/or are patient.

just realized that the above-linked wikipedia article contains pretty much all the info i typed above.  yeay.

lemme know if you have any other questions (or, just ask wikipedia i guess...)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on January 11, 2021, 11:13:14 pm
Excellent...Keezer seems the way to go
Bottling is just taking forever and I'm so sick of that
I'm on the  DC Homebrewers FB page and they are plenty nice, but still haven't really caught my groove with them, why go there when I can get the milk for free ;)


sorry, a little frazzled today
Starter arrived and kinda felt like the home wasn't ready
then I tried to go with a 1:1:1 first feeding and quickly overshot the water and now it's a 1:4:4
So needless to say it's going to be a rough night
I did save 6 g, so cloning can happen if she doesn't pull through



Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on January 11, 2021, 11:20:36 pm
so i'm now the proud owner of a 15-gallon Whiskey Delbac (https://www.whiskeydelbac.com/) barrel.  planning to brew an imperial stout this weekend, to be followed by an english barleywine.  then it'll spend the rest of its life aging sour/funky stuff.

I want to try them! I'll be out your way Summer 2021.

Trip up in the air....
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on January 13, 2021, 10:22:10 pm
Quote
depending how DYI you wanna get, you may want to consider building a keezer instead
had given some serious thought to this Keezer.  It really couldn't be simpler, even I could build it!
 
but as luck should have it,  I may soon be the owner of a kegerator for about the price of one TreeHouse six pack
It's only got one tap up top, but I saw how you can turn it into a three-tap one with a little adaptor
I think it can fit 3 corny kegs. comes with tank, regulator and tubes.

Since there is no bread thread and beer is just liquid bread.
I just wanted to let you know that the starter yeast colony is thriving after a rough few days in the USPS
but...
(https://media.giphy.com/media/vmv47p4zksWDC/giphy.gif)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 17, 2021, 07:14:21 pm
It's only got one tap up top, but I saw how you can turn it into a three-tap one with a little adaptor

of you can rip out the one-tap tower and replace it with a 3-tap tower. 

another mod you should consider is putting a small fan, like a computer fan, to occasionally circulate cold air into the tower.  because the tower is metal and it sticking out into the room, it'll warm up - and the tubing inside the tower can end up closer in temp to the room than the fridge below it.  warm tubing = foaming.  the idea is to build a box with a computer fan forcing air in, and the only output is a little bit of tubing.  you shove the end of the tubing up into the tower, and have the fan (AKA the intake) lower down in the main part of the fridge.  so when the fan is running, it pulls in cool air from below and spits it up in the tower.  fan can either run all the time, or put it on a cheap timer that turns it on and off every X minutes.  a few pointers:
https://www.kegerators.com/articles/computer-cooling-fan/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxQSBmxThxY
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/how-to-add-a-circulating-pc-fan-to-my-kegerator.239528/
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on January 17, 2021, 07:33:19 pm
Excellent advice, just pulled said 1 tap tower kegerator out of the car

I think I may keep it as a single for the short term
I still need to get a keg and connections...can't decide to go ball or pin?


But looking forward to getting into kegging, I've really had it with bottling...
If I can get back two hours ever brew, that will encourage me to brew more
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 18, 2021, 01:41:22 am
I think I may keep it as a single for the short term

multi-tap is only useful if you have multiple beers to tap :D

I still need to get a keg and connections...can't decide to go ball or pin?

pins are a little cheaper and easier to find, ball comes with pressure release valves which are a nice convenience... but either is fine.

check out this page for deals, eventually something good will pop up: https://www.homebrewfinds.com/homebrew-keg-deals-roundup

If I can get back two hours ever brew, that will encourage me to brew more

this.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on March 06, 2021, 03:59:03 am
Though I'm about the homebrew a maibock, which I'm hoping will be at least half as good.

ha!  i'm currently fermenting my first two lagers.  i was going for something in the vein of a german pilsner or helles, but it took an american turn: gravity was higher than those styles allow, and i added a bunch of hops at the end of the boil.  so if i had to attribute a style to these beers, it would be "american maibock" (not that that style actually exists).  once its done i'll be dumping doppelbock on top of the yeast cakes.

what yeast are you going to use?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 08, 2021, 08:55:42 pm
this really isn't a good idea, but there is a market
A Homebrewing Videogame Is Coming to Xbox, (https://www.foodandwine.com/news/brewmaster-beer-brewing-video-game-xbox-playstation-switch?)

in related news, enjoying my first kegged beer through my reconditioned kegerator
a pretty tasty low tide session IPA.  First keg and I am hooked.  Don't think I'll ever bottle again

and in other related news
Quote
I just wanted to let you know that the starter yeast colony is thriving after a rough few days in the USPS
been baking loafs almost weekly, also have made bagels and german style pretzels (which the dog ate half of!)...
Seems to be pretty easy to keep the starter in the fridge and just take a scoop out the day before to make an aggressive, bubbly starter
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 24, 2021, 10:56:24 am
Picked up some hop rhizomes this year and going to try it out

Any advice for growing hops, not sure I'm going to get a tractor, but I'm prepared for 12 feet of growth
(https://media0.giphy.com/media/l1J9Lsw0lFUBBxLgY/giphy.gif)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: hutch on April 24, 2021, 03:07:46 pm
I have yet to have one of your home brews?

Is this just a figment of your imagination?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 24, 2021, 04:01:03 pm


Well,  I drink them all myself

Can confirm, pretty sure you have never had one

keggging is a game changing
Before bringing a six pack required you to have separate glassware and instructions for pouring
as you cannot drink from the bottle

Now I can just fill up a growler or a six of bottles on the way out and you don’t need a glass or instructions

I typically don’t make light beers so most people are not interested
and before this year and my new equipment... the beers at best were mediocre
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 24, 2021, 05:27:07 pm
lol.  tractor definitely not needed ;D

i had 7 plants going in MD, and have given a talk on how to grow hops, so i should be able to give you a few pointers.  in fact if you PM me your email, i could probably dig up the PPT of my how-to-grow-hops presentation.

a few random thoughts:
- hops need full sun and southern exposure.  they can't get too much direct sun, and they love the hot noon sun.
- hops don't really start producing until their 3rd year.  you'll get some cones in year 1 and 2, but don't despair about low production until you're on year 3 or 4.
- hops send up many, many bines (stalks) but you don't want to keep them all.  in the first year you can let 6 to8 of them go up, but after that you only want to grow 4 bines. 
- what will your bines be growing up?  do you have a trellis, or will you be dropping ropes from upon high?  12 feet is a decent height.
- be aware that hops can spread like weeds and can be hard to kill off.  so when you plant your rhizomes be sure it's in a spot that you're OK being taken over by hops.  they will eventually start popping up several feet away from where you initially planted them.

what varieties did you get?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: hutch on April 24, 2021, 07:12:49 pm
I would think with homebrew part of the fun would be sharing....

One year I was visiting my sister in TX and for thanksgiving we went to a friend of hers place and her friend was a big home brewer and the stuff was fantastic

He seemed to really enjoy sharing his beer... 
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 25, 2021, 09:17:10 pm
Hutch, you are true.  I love sharing my homebrew.
 But since I've changed my style of brewing, I think I've seen you at maybe one party where that would have worked.
I"ve shared a few in the past, but usually, just a bomber that I split in a few glasses.

But as I said, I'll be more likely to bring beer because of the volume and ease now...
We just need to get back to having parties and I'll put a keg of whatever you like, on ice and tap it on your back porch.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 25, 2021, 09:27:03 pm
a talk
is there video evidence?


- hops need full sun and southern exposure.  they can't get too much direct sun, and they love the hot noon sun.
Check
Quote
- hops don't really start producing until their 3rd year. 
So my plan is to grow them in 2-gallon containers and there is a place where my airstream is that has tons of sun and land to grow on that I will take them to next season
Quote
- what will your bines be growing up? 
Going up to a solid wood kids play structure that is about 12 feet high
Quote
what varieties did you get?
Chinook (used in Stout, Porter and IPAs) and Willamette (Pale Ales, Amber Ales. Porters, Irish Red Ale.)
Didn't really have too many options, plus it's more for the aroma and not the bittering

there is a part of me that is just fine growing them for fun
Didn't realize it would be three seasons until I can use them :(

I just got into fig cuttings too and will be 2024 before I can eat the things
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: hutch on April 25, 2021, 09:53:46 pm
That’s true..can’t drink homebrew at shows I guess
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 26, 2021, 04:20:21 pm
a talk
is there video evidence?

yes, there is.  if you're a member of the AHA, all talks from past HomeBrewCons (formerly national homebrewers conference, NHC) are available on the AHA website.  my talk was in philly in 2013.

what varieties did you get?
Chinook (used in Stout, Porter and IPAs) and Willamette (Pale Ales, Amber Ales. Porters, Irish Red Ale.)
Didn't really have too many options, plus it's more for the aroma and not the bittering

chinook is a great choice - good solid grower, nice hop for APA/IPA.  willamette i'm personally less excited by, it's more on the noble hop/british hop end of things.  for a while Budweiser was using it in their beers (not that they use very much...).  if ever you're looking for plant #3, consider cascade.  another strong grower that is great in APA/IPA.

you should only plan on using homegrown hops of flavor/aroma.  there is no way of knowing what the AA% of your homegrown hops will be, thus impossible to estimate how much bittering you'll get out of them.  homegrown always have lower AA% than commercial, but how much less is anyone's guess... 20% less?  half as much?  more?

the best use of homegrown hops, IMO, is a fresh-hopped/wet-hopped beer.  make a standard APA or IPA wort, bitter using a commercial hop with known AA%, then at flame-out dunk a mesh bag (like a BIAB bag if you have one) with 3 to 5 pounds of fresh hops that you picked that same day.  let them steep for a while, pull 'em out and let them drain into the kettle, then cool as normal.  dry-hop with more fresh hops if they are still available.

there is a part of me that is just fine growing them for fun
Didn't realize it would be three seasons until I can use them :(

no no - you'll be able to use them this year, it's just that the yield will be low.  by your third harvest, the plants should be at full strength and producing their full output.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on July 15, 2021, 04:33:34 pm
hmmm, sounds intriguing!
https://www.brewerspublications.com/products/brewing-with-cannabis?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on July 16, 2021, 04:05:18 am
hmmm, sounds intriguing!
https://www.brewerspublications.com/products/brewing-with-cannabis? (https://www.brewerspublications.com/products/brewing-with-cannabis?)

personally, it's not that intriguing.  unless you're sitting on a lot of weed, or are ok with making a single gallon of the stuff, making pot beer isn't practical.  also, i like to control my dosage separately - mixing the two means you're locked in to a fixed ratio of THC:alcohol.  finally, alcohol kicks in a lot fast than mary jane when ingested through the stomach, so unless you put a crap ton of bud in the beer you'll be really buzzed on alcohol before the THC kicks in. 

the one thing that is appealing is the aroma impacts of marijuana on beer.  last year i tasted a beer spike with marijuana terpenes - so no buzz but all the aroma - and it smelled heavenly.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on October 14, 2021, 04:56:20 pm
43 years ago today, President Carter legalized homebrewing in all 50 states!
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on October 14, 2021, 07:40:04 pm
true, but states then had to pass regulations legalizing it, so it took a while before folks could legally make bad beer at home.  the last two states, Mississippi and Alabama, didn't pass legalization laws until 2013... way to be slow, Deep South.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on October 14, 2021, 07:48:30 pm
prior to Carter's legalization, the number of breweries in the US has been steadily declining.  in 1978, the year that Carter allowed homebrewing, there were only 89 breweries in the entire country - the lowest number since the first settlers arrived on american shores.  as we all (should) know, the vast, vast majority of craft brewers started off in their garages - so ol' jimmy is, in a way, the godfather of the craft beer industry.

(https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/breweries.png?x91208)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on October 22, 2021, 04:48:30 pm
house with a brewery set up for sale in bosie
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3880-N-Payson-Ave-Boise-ID-83704/79694618_zpid/
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on October 22, 2021, 05:58:37 pm
house with a brewery set up for sale in bosie
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3880-N-Payson-Ave-Boise-ID-83704/79694618_zpid/ (https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3880-N-Payson-Ave-Boise-ID-83704/79694618_zpid/)

wow, this has been on offer for a while now.  obviously price is way too high.  also, there is something amiss with their statement "The home also has a full Commercial Grade and licensed Brewery set up built into the garage."  licensed means a commercial license, and those cannot be given to a residentially zones building.  so unless this house is in an industrial park or some such, the next owner will not be able to brew beer at home and then sell it.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: vansmack on October 22, 2021, 06:24:05 pm
wow, this has been on offer for a while now.  obviously price is way too high.

It's also in fucking Boise.

 
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI on October 22, 2021, 06:28:04 pm
wow, this has been on offer for a while now.  obviously price is way too high.

It's also in fucking Boise.
I have a cousin who moved to Boise and while I wouldn’t want to live there, Boise is kind of great. Sweetcell would love living in Boise.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on October 22, 2021, 06:30:11 pm
wow, this has been on offer for a while now.  obviously price is way too high.

It's also in fucking Boise.
yeah....that was the deal breaker for me
If you are going to move to Idaho...why on earth would you live in a city
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on January 14, 2022, 07:44:05 pm
of course sweets will be the only one who understands more than 30% of this

So took my brewing up a notch this weekend 
Brewed an ESB using a BIAB method, but this time used a Sous Vide that I dropped in a hop spider to keep my mash at a consistent 154 temp.  So far I'm loving it.  I've read, getting a recirculating pump is the way to go to improve my efficiency . But I'm happy as a clam to keep it at a consistent temp. Was 40 degrees out and no thermal wrap/sleeping bag could keep that temp
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 19, 2022, 01:25:25 am
of course sweets will be the only one who understands more than 30% of this

So took my brewing up a notch this weekend 
Brewed an ESB using a BIAB method, but this time used a Sous Vide that I dropped in a hop spider to keep my mash at a consistent 154 temp.  So far I'm loving it.  I've read, getting a recirculating pump is the way to go to improve my efficiency . But I'm happy as a clam to keep it at a consistent temp. Was 40 degrees out and no thermal wrap/sleeping bag could keep that temp
of course sweets will be the only one who understands more than 30% of this

So took my brewing up a notch this weekend 
Brewed an ESB using a BIAB method, but this time used a Sous Vide that I dropped in a hop spider to keep my mash at a consistent 154 temp.  So far I'm loving it.  I've read, getting a recirculating pump is the way to go to improve my efficiency . But I'm happy as a clam to keep it at a consistent temp. Was 40 degrees out and no thermal wrap/sleeping bag could keep that temp

eff eff eff eff eff.  i typed out a long response last night, but the fact that it isn't here means i screwed up and closed the tab/moved to another page before hitting "post".  ugh.  i'll try to get the energy to re-do.  frustrated with myself.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: grateful on January 19, 2022, 10:08:51 am
Ctrl-Shift-T is your friend, my man.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on January 19, 2022, 10:20:26 am
Ctrl-Shift-T is your friend, my man.

It's rare when I write something long here, but when i do, I always try to remember to type it on Notepad first, then copy and paste.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 19, 2022, 01:28:08 pm
Ctrl-Shift-T is your friend, my man.

tried that.  only works if you've recently closed the tab.  i tried almost 24 hours later... and many, many tabs later.  t'was gone.

Ctrl-Shift-T is your friend, my man.


It's rare when I write something long here, but when i do, I always try to remember to type it on Notepad first, then copy and paste.

yeah, i do that if i'm going to come back to a reply.  after some amount of time, a token expires and the bboard won't let you post your reply.  i've lost them that way too.


i appreciate everyone's concern, but don't worry about me.  even all-star boardees like yours truly have an off day.  neither brady, rodgers nor mahomes have gone 17-0...
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on February 16, 2022, 05:41:42 pm
of course sweets will be the only one who understands more than 30% of this

So took my brewing up a notch this weekend 
Brewed an ESB using a BIAB method, but this time used a Sous Vide that I dropped in a hop spider to keep my mash at a consistent 154 temp.  So far I'm loving it.  I've read, getting a recirculating pump is the way to go to improve my efficiency . But I'm happy as a clam to keep it at a consistent temp. Was 40 degrees out and no thermal wrap/sleeping bag could keep that temp

ok, take two... won't be as long, i'll go bullet-point stylee:

- some folks definitely love using a sous-vide for keeping mash temps.  seems to work great, only complaint i've seen is that not all sous-vide sticks are made to heat sticky, sugary wort - these devices can get gummed up, burn the sugar, etc.  keep on eye out for that.
- i recirculate today using a pump to gently pull wort from the bottom of my mash tun and dump it back on top.  i manually control temps by adjusting the speed of the pump and the amount of flame i apply to the bottom of my MT.  it's a manual process but i've gotten pretty comfortable with it.  i have most of the parts to make a proper RIMS (http://beersmith.com/blog/2011/08/11/rims-and-herms-recirculating-infusion-mash-systems-for-beer/) but have been too lazy to jump into the project... luckily:

- i'm waiting on the delivery of a Brew Vide (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brewvide-homebrewing/brewvidetm-the-sous-vide-for-brewing) (april they say), which is designed for mashing.
- best thing i've found for insulating a stainless MT or boil kettle is Reflectix (https://www.reflectixinc.com/products/double-reflective-insulation/).  slapping some of this stuff on your SS pot will speed up your brew day: losing less heat = heats up faster.  use their metal tape to attach. 
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on February 16, 2022, 10:39:02 pm
- some folks definitely love using a sous-vide for keeping mash temps.  seems to work great, only complaint i've seen is that not all sous-vide sticks are made to heat sticky, sugary wort - these devices can get gummed up, burn the sugar, etc.  keep on eye out for that.
Yeah I can see that being an issue.  I stick it in PBW and run it for 15 mins at the end and seems to keep that from happening, but I will surely keep an eye on it as I'd hate to break my SV.  most of it comes apart so I can get in there and clean pretty well
Quote
- i recirculate today using a pump to gently pull wort from the bottom of my mash tun and dump it back on top.
I want to do something like this, but can I do that with a $60 pump, or do I need to get a $300 pump?
Quote
- i'm waiting on the delivery of a Brew Vide
sweet!
Knowing what I know today, would have gone for the BrewVide™ All-In-One Kit in a heart beat
who needs a grainfather or Herms set up...that's all you need in my eyes

Quote
Reflectix
got this from home depot already
although don't use it when a flame is involved, only the sous vide

Last two batches I did half indoors...as it was 20 some degrees out
then Move the kettle to the burner outside for the hop boil
My hoses outside are frozen, so used a small recirculating pump I used for my keg washer to sit in a bucket filled with cold water and do the immersion chiller that way.  I still think I need one more chiller in the cold water for this to work in the hotter temps outside
Has worked out really well and I get it to sub 90 degrees in under 1 hour

First time I used the SV I got the water to 160 with the flame and didn't take that long
if you use the SV to get 6 gals from room temp to 160...it takes close to 2 hours
but since there is no flame, you can kind of set it and forget it.
which has really been the best part of getting it to temp and stay at temp for the entire Mash
Before that, 90 mins was spent pretty close to the kettle monitoring everything and being aware there is a live flame going on
and I almost never could keep a good constant mash temp, end up getting it too hot trying to get it back to temp

I think your advice on getting fermentation temp control was a big step into making consistent quality beer
but the Sous Vide, BAIB and Kegging have just made the whole process easier, shorter and the end result is very dependable
I finally feel like I've dialed in this process...after about 50 batches later (over a long period of time and sub par components)
so that's progress in my eyes

I did pick up a Ukeg (https://www.growlerwerks.com/collections/ukeg-pro-carbonated-growlers/products/ukeg-64-pressurized-growler) used and for less than 3 beers at the anthem and I LOVE IT
I've not yet done the force carb from out of the fermenter, but I will
I can just pour from my keg into this and bring my homebrew anywhere
I just hated dealing with the bottles in the past and always having to worry about the crap at the bottom
this makes it soo much easier to share
I really do wish I had the 128oz one, but that's not what was available for that price
I just love the look and the gauge on it.  I know there are cheaper pressurized growlers out there, but this one is steampunk
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on November 03, 2022, 08:04:58 am
So has that BrewVide shipped yet?
Seems you can't even pre-order one now and they are still updating and modifying the product
so my guess is no, you haven't received it yet

My current Sous Vide I think may have died last night
I'm hooked and have made about 10 batches at this point and will never go back
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on November 03, 2022, 12:44:59 pm
haven't received anything, other than email updates.  at this point i've written off the BrewVide, so if it does come through i'll be pleasantly surprised.  for the past (6 months?  more?), they have been spinning a twin narrative:
1) parts have become too expensive due to covid/supply chain issues.  they can't build the device at current prices.  there was talk of finding a new partner to co-develop, or bring in a/several new investor(s), etc.  at this point they're waaaaay behind schedule, and they haven't brought in more money as far as i know, so they're running on the initial kickstarter money... this is why i'm thinking this ship will sink at some point.
2) "the above doesn't matter, because we want to improve it anyways!  we need the extra time!!!"  the vaporware looks and sounds AWESOME <insert eyeroll>. 

they seem dedicated, said they won't give up, etc... i wish them the best but i'm not holding out much hope.  investing in someone's dream involves risk.  they offered refunds a while back but my heart won out over my mind and i decided to stay in.

in the meantime, i continue to manually adjust the flame under my MT as i recirculate.  i have most of the parts to build a RIMS.  i had abandoned that project when the brewvide came along but might need to resurrect that.  dammit.   
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on November 03, 2022, 12:50:03 pm
they seem dedicated, said they won't give up, etc... i wish them the best but i'm not holding out much hope.  investing in someone's dream involves risk.  they offered refunds a while back but my heart won out over my mind and i decided to stay in.
as the saying goes....so goes sweets, so goes the country

this doesn't bode well for them

Weird as it's somewhat of a simple product, but it's obviously costing more to make it than they can sell for $3xx
I don't think I'd pay $500 for this, but I'm hooked on SV brewing so looking into more of a DIY

I like that the BV can do the boil too, that's what I can't do and have to turn on the propane and be out doors for
And the built in pump, but that I can DIY kinda easy
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 11, 2023, 06:48:06 pm
So I brewed a clone of this, no fresh wet hops

so in essence you brewed a hoppy red ale ;D  not my fav style but can be very tasty... hope someone takes you up on your offer, so we can get a second opinion.

what hops did you use?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on January 11, 2023, 06:52:14 pm
So I brewed a clone of this, no fresh wet hops

so in essence you brewed a hoppy red ale ;D  not my fav style but can be very tasty... hope someone takes you up on your offer, so we can get a second opinion.

what hops did you use?
Chinook      
Centennial

I didn't dry hop (I forgot ...but still came out delish)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 11, 2023, 07:02:53 pm
my brewing update, for an audience of 1:
 
- got myself an Anvil Foundry (https://www.anvilbrewing.com/foundry-10-5) during the holiday sales, still haven't unpacked it.  i love using my single-tier system, but brewing 15 gal is a full-day affair.  i got the Foundry so i can whip up a 5 gal batch any time i want, since i don't have to babysit the batch.  i spent some time this year with nothing in my kegs because i couldn't pull off a full brew day.  hopefully this gizmo will remedy that.  just gotta get around to unboxing it...

- got in a surprise brew day in early december thanks to the missus, and use Helio Gazer (https://omegayeast.com/news/introducing-helio-gazer) yeast along with Phantasm... dude.  the result is intense hoppiness along with a note of jolly rancher/fruity pebbles.  it's delicious but almost too much.  i'll definitely be using that yeast again, but might dial back the thiol precursors a bit.

- i still have a bit of the blond lager and the dopplebock'ish thing i brewed last spring, and they're still tasting great (yeay for free refrigeration in the cold river!).  would be something to be drinking last year's batch while brewing this year's.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 11, 2023, 07:04:09 pm
Chinook      
Centennial

nice, my two favorite classic american "C" hops.  can't go wrong with that combo.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on January 11, 2023, 07:39:25 pm
Quote
- got in a surprise brew day in early december thanks to the missus, and use Helio Gazer (https://omegayeast.com/news/introducing-helio-gazer) yeast along with Phantasm... dude.  the result is intense hoppiness along with a note of jolly rancher/fruity pebbles.  it's delicious but almost too much.
Sounds interesting. Although the candy note is odd
I did some 85 degree kiveik batches of a “lawnmower” style… was done and ready to keg in 3 days
Was good,  it did have some off flavors, but that may just be me

I’m loving my sous vide brewing
On my 12th batch and never looking back
Although I really need to get a recirculating pump as I am pretty sure my efficiency is pretty low (I just add more grains:))

I am torn on the next purchase
Grain mill or the Tilt
I really should get the mill, but love getting the guesswork out of the fermentation

Right  now I am doing my first lager: Schwartzbier.  Can’t believe I’m going to have to wait 4 more weeks to try it, but very much looking forward to it
 

Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Starsky on January 11, 2023, 09:43:28 pm
I don’t believe it…sidehatch has been talking about his home brew as long as I have known him and never have I sampled any….it’s always “oh the kegerator just broke….” Or some such


It’s el dorado
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on January 11, 2023, 11:48:39 pm
I don’t believe it…sidehatch has been talking about his home brew as long as I have known him and never have I sampled any….it’s always “oh the kegerator just broke….” Or some such

REEEEEEALLY?!?

<looks accusingly at sidehatch> HOW DO YOU PLEAD?!?

It’s el dorado

indeed, el dorado (https://learn.kegerator.com/el-dorado-hops/) is another excellent hop.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Space Freely on January 12, 2023, 09:08:38 am
I have a batch of schwarzbier homebrew we're drinking now.

If anyone wants to meet me at my car before/after the Hold Steady show, I'm happy to share a bottle or two. (to be drank at home, not in my car, on the street, or at the show....though i guess if you can sneak it into the show, that seems like something Space should approve of.)

Caveat: It's from a the extract kit from Northern Brewer, so nothing fancy or innovative. It tastes ok. Not great, but ok. Better than the swill I shared with a couple other boardies a few years ago.

And schwarzbier has no "t" in it.

Maybe Side and I could compare my schwarzbier and his scwartzbier when his is ready.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on January 12, 2023, 09:41:07 am
I don’t believe it…sidehatch has been talking about his home brew as long as I have known him and never have I sampled any….it’s always “oh the kegerator just broke….” Or some such

REEEEEEALLY?!?

<looks accusingly at sidehatch> HOW DO YOU PLEAD?!?

It’s el dorado
Guilty
Hutch has not been inside my house (nor I in his) in over 3 years (while my home brewing has been having a renaissance)
So while we’ve met up many times for shows, not a good opportunity to drink my homebrew
The one time there was an option (my 50th redo at colonial beach) the kegerator there was in fact not working (broken regulator)

But I’ll be filling up a growler this week and will hand deliver to the hutch-hold make up for this great disservice
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI on January 12, 2023, 10:12:02 am
Hutch has not been inside my house (nor I in his) in over 3 years (while my home brewing has been having a renaissance)
Good move. Whenever I consider a real estate transaction, I ask for confirmation of whether or not Hutch has been in the property recently.

"Lead paint? Asbestos? Has Hutch been here?"
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on January 12, 2023, 10:15:19 am
Hutch has not been inside my house (nor I in his) in over 3 years (while my home brewing has been having a renaissance)
Good move. Whenever I consider a real estate transaction, I ask for confirmation of whether or not Hutch has been in the property recently.

"Lead paint? Asbestos? Has Hutch been here?"
Definitely has an impact on the resale value, but not required to disclose in the State of VA
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Yada on January 12, 2023, 10:28:25 am
I don’t believe it…sidehatch has been talking about his home brew as long as I have known him and never have I sampled any….it’s always “oh the kegerator just broke….” Or some such

REEEEEEALLY?!?

<looks accusingly at sidehatch> HOW DO YOU PLEAD?!?

It’s el dorado
Guilty
Hutch has not been inside my house (nor I in his) in over 3 years (while my home brewing has been having a renaissance)
So while we’ve met up many times for shows, not a good opportunity to drink my homebrew
The one time there was an option (my 50th redo at colonial beach) the kegerator there was in fact not working (broken regulator)

But I’ll be filling up a growler this week and will hand deliver to the hutch-hold make up for this great disservice

Thanks for doing your part in stopping the spread.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: shemptiness on February 18, 2023, 11:58:12 am
A native Maryland hop hints at new possibilities for local brewers (https://www.baltimoresun.com/food-drink/bs-fo-maryland-native-monocacy-hops-20230218-ckj32fjz75hmtmcyvhizqnd7xu-story.html)

The University of Maryland Extension, with help from farm brewers in the state, is testing whether a native Maryland hop plant discovered on a Frederick County farm can be grown at commercial scale. If successful, the project could be a game changer for Maryland craft brewers and other breweries up and down the East Coast, industry experts say.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on February 18, 2023, 01:45:06 pm
Very cool
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on February 19, 2023, 01:07:49 am
If successful, the project could be a game changer for Maryland craft brewers and other breweries up and down the East Coast, industry experts say.

i'm struggling with how this hop would be a "game changer."  do these industry experts think that the "MD native" labelling will somehow change the game?  that residents of the mid-atlantic will flock to their breweries because they've started making beer with a local hop?  i'd be shocked if it resulted in anything more than a temporary blip in demand, vast majority of beer drinkers don't care where their hops come from.  michigan has been trying to push their in-state hop production as a differentiator for years now, impact has been minimal).  it's described as a noble-like hop... well, we already have noble hops.  also, if you want a hop to go supernova it needs to be an IPA hop, not something spicy and floral.

so yeah, cool, local hops yeay.  TBD if it has any legs.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on February 19, 2023, 06:57:10 am
Agreed, little hyperbolic

But might help locals with some supply chain issues regarding getting hops

But, no one is going to get excited about a locally grown hops (well, I might)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on February 22, 2023, 01:21:36 am
But might help locals with some supply chain issues regarding getting hops

when it comes to hop supply, there are two issues:

1. there used to be cyclical and systemic hop shortages due to the fact that hops take at least 3 years to reach maturity, which resulted in supply corrections being delayed.  when there is a glut in the market, prices drop, and farmers rip up the plants to move on to something more profitable.  then supply drops, prices rise, so growers plant new hops - but it'll be 3 years before new fields come online to meet the demand = hop shortage. 

2. for certain highly desirable hops (AKA "ipa hops" like citra, mosaic, galaxy, simcoe, sabro, etc.) demand outstrips supply.  citra and mosaic are the most planted hops in terms of acreage but it's still not enough to satisfy craft breweries.  these hops are available, but at prices that a multiples of lesser-desired hops (which are slowly being phased out).  when brewers say "i can't get citra", they dont' mean it's not available, they mean they can't get it at a reasonable/viable price.

issue #1 has become less of an issue as the hop industry has matured and has moved to long-term contracts.  breweries project their needs 3 to 5 years out, sign contract for these amounts, and growers have some demand stability... hence the use of the past tense when i described the issue.  there hasn't been a significant hop shortage in over a decade.

issues #2 is irrelevant to a MD-sourced noble-like hop that isn't useful for IPAs.  locally-produced, small-scale farmed hops like those from a nascent MD industry are bound to be more expensive than equivalents grown on large, highly-productive farms in WA, OR and ID.

so MD hops will undoubtedly find a niche for themselves among locavorians, and they'll keep the MD farmers employed, but again... i question the game-changingness of this development.  i'd be most happy to be proven wrong ;D
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Starsky on February 22, 2023, 01:28:08 am
I want to run the table but got nothing other than CVS is charging $12.99 for a six pack of that premium Mexican beer Corona in all their NOVA stores. I spent eight hours on Monday driving around in my Prius whose check engine light your warranty is way over went on.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on February 22, 2023, 01:34:01 am
CVS is charging $12.99 for a six pack of that premium Mexican beer Corona in all their NOVA stores.

da fuq?  you could buy yourself a craft mexican lager for that price... unless beer prices in MD have gone redonk since i left.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Starsky on February 22, 2023, 01:41:03 am
What ha talkies about!? I thought Corina  was premium

Tecate is worse and so is midelozzz….not a fan of 2XX
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on February 23, 2023, 01:05:20 am
haven't received anything, other than email updates.  at this point i've written off the BrewVide, so if it does come through i'll be pleasantly surprised. 

We asked for patience at the time while we explored alternate manufacturing strategies and/or additional synergistic investors that would allow us better economies of scale, and you, our community, have been extremely gracious with us during this period.

Despite our best efforts and several promising discussions, this has not happened. It is therefore with extremely heavy hearts that we must announce now that we have to cease our efforts to commercialize BrewVide.


they'll be issuing refunds for 65% of whatever backers put in.  after so many years of work, i'm surprised they have that much money left.  to their credit, the BV folks didn't take a dime for themselves, hence the leftover cash. 

i have most of the parts to build a RIMS.  i had abandoned that project when the brewvide came along but might need to resurrect that.  dammit.   

yeah, guess it's time to dust off those parts... ugh, i was hoping to sub-contract this project.  since i can't buy, guess i'm going to have to build...
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on February 23, 2023, 06:38:23 am
That sucks, was really looking forward to a review as that would have been my next purchase
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 27, 2023, 10:31:09 am
ok, now it really looks like New District is going under as all their equipment is up for auction
https://rasmus.com/auctions/gVLrSlOONYL4c75qsApa/a/Complete-Brewery-Line-And-Tap-Room-Auction--Arlington--VA?
all the makings to start your brewery

Sweets, any chance you wanna move back and open a brewery?
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 27, 2023, 12:06:06 pm
Sweets, any chance you wanna move back and open a brewery?

thanks! but i don't want to move back.  don't want to move, at all - dang happy here, doubtful i could be this happy anywhere else.

wanna open a brewery?  sure, under one of two conditions:
- i win the lottery, so the brewery is my play-thing and not a must-be-successful business concern.  making a profit would be nice, but no need to work 20 hours a day for years under threat of losing everything.  essentially, it would be my vanity project.
- a rich benefactor bankrolls the brewery and stays out of the day-to-day operations.  i'll get him/her to profitability... eventually.  essentially, it would be someone else's vanity project and i would be its caretaker/mad scientist.

both of these scenarios are equally likely, i.e. not at all.  might help if i actually played the lottery.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on April 27, 2023, 12:16:42 pm
Sweets, any chance you wanna move back and open a brewery?

thanks! but i don't want to move back.  don't want to move, at all - dang happy here, doubtful i could be this happy anywhere else.

wanna open a brewery?  sure, under one of two conditions:
- i win the lottery, so the brewery is my play-thing and not a must-be-successful business concern.  making a profit would be nice, but no need to work 20 hours a day for years under threat of losing everything.  essentially, it would be my vanity project.
- a rich benefactor bankrolls the brewery and stays out of the day-to-day operations.  i'll get him/her to profitability... eventually.  essentially, it would be someone else's vanity project and i would be its caretaker/mad scientist.

both of these scenarios are equally likely, i.e. not at all.  might help if i actually played the lottery.
what ever happened to GGW
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 27, 2023, 12:18:29 pm
brewing a doppelbock today.  an amazing craft maltster in central oregon, Mecca Grade (https://www.meccagrade.com/), is shutting down their operations so i recently snagged several sacs of their grains.  already brewed a classic pilsner with their pils malt (100% pils, only Saaz hops - SMaSH!).  using the yeast cakes from those for the doppel which will be 50% pils & 50% munich malt, all Saaz.  not often that i brew with such simple grain bills, it's a tad unnerving... must resist temptation to add anything else.  maybe i should name one of these beers "death to tweakers".
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI on April 27, 2023, 12:22:45 pm
- a rich benefactor bankrolls the brewery and stays out of the day-to-day operations.  i'll get him/her to profitability... eventually.  essentially, it would be someone else's vanity project and i would be its caretaker/mad scientist.
What advantages would Julian’s America receive from this “brewery” over, say, a train? Which we could also afford.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on April 27, 2023, 12:25:54 pm
- a rich benefactor bankrolls the brewery and stays out of the day-to-day operations.  i'll get him/her to profitability... eventually.  essentially, it would be someone else's vanity project and i would be its caretaker/mad scientist.
What would be the advantage to Julian’s America funding a brewery over, say, buying a railroad, which we could also afford?

while vanity vineyards are much more common among the JA set, there are a few vanity breweries out there as well. 

advantage?  you get beer out of it instead of wine or a smelly locomotive, i suppose... ;-D
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on September 27, 2023, 06:38:34 pm
Welp, I'm now registered in U of Richmond's Professional Beer Brewer Certificate Program.
(although classes are in Manassas)
I'm a spider baby!

on a related note, a person I know has a winery (where my airstream currently resides as an Airbnb (https://airbnb.com/h/circetheairstream)) and wants me to help her start brewing beer to serve at her winery 


Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI on September 27, 2023, 07:40:42 pm
Welp, I'm now registered in U of Richmond's Professional Beer Brewer Certificate Program.
(although classes are in Manassas)
I'm a spider baby!
This is Hutch’s bad influence at work.
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on September 28, 2023, 02:56:11 pm
Welp, I'm now registered in U of Richmond's Professional Beer Brewer Certificate Program.

CONGRATS!!!  exciting development... once you learn everything about brewing, imma hit you up with some Q's ;D
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: methylene blue-hatch ıll|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl on October 27, 2023, 09:36:29 am
Seriously...this was the best part of my Homebrew set up

Brewjacket has been discontinued


I think I'm going to make a fermentation chamber soon anyway, but I've recommended this product to so many new brewers.
They even repaired my unit twice since I've owned it...guess that won't happen again


This guy came up with a great solution
https://ballandkeg.com/products/temperature-control-coil
at $60 a great alternative for 5 Gal homebrewers (still have to buy inkbird)
Title: Re: Is that a hydrometer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me
Post by: sweetcell on October 31, 2023, 08:14:36 pm
Seriously...this was the best part of my Homebrew set up

Brewjacket has been discontinued


like craft brewing, homebrewing is on the downswing... :(

(still have to buy inkbird)

if you wanna save a few pennies, keep an eye on https://www.homebrewfinds.com/ (or sign up for their newsletter, or follow them on X) - inkbirds go on sale a few times a year. 

also, you'll need a small submersible pump.  harbor freight has them for cheap.