The Beer Thread

[Yada]

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/08/blind-tasting-115-of-the-best-american-dipa-and-im.html?a=1

[Space Freely]

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/08/blind-tasting-115-of-the-best-american-dipa-and-im.html?a=1

One sentence gives away the experience of the panel.

This was the first time most of us had tasted The Alchemist?s much sought-after DIPA,

[sweetcell]

refractometer vs Hydrometer
Cracked my Hydro (it's only $5) but was thinking I might upgrade to Refrac?

refractometer is only dependable before fermentation (i.e. before there is alcohol). there are calculators that estimate what the "true" gravity is after fermentation but this is an average... not a true reading.  so the answer is: use both.  refracts are incredibly useful on brew day, totally worth the investment (get one on amazon or eBay, like $25).  for determining your FG, use a hydro.  and don't take a thousand readings during fermentation.  wait for 14 days or more, make sure everything has quietened down, then measure.

Carbonation drops vs Dextrose vs Priming sugar vs Honey
I keep having issues with carbonation/feel of the beer.   the Carbonation drops have helped is seems, but not every time

i generally use dextrose, and i use this calculator to determine how much to use.  along with hops, priming sugar measurements is when i use my high precision ("drug") scale.  the calculator says "Current temperature of beer" - don't use current temp, use the temp the beer was at at the end of fermentation. so if you start at 68, let the beer rise to 72 to finish out, then it cooled off to 65 while you waited to bottle/keg, use 72.

i've never used carb drops, but they seem like a great way to ensure consistent carbonation.  however, you don't have control over how carbonated the beer is - your stout will be as carbed as your IPA and your saison.  personally i like to have a little more control. 

Sanitizing/cleaning
most dreaded part...what is your technique?

sanitizing: star san, star san, star san.  anything that touches the beer after the boil is star san'ed for at least 30 seconds.  i mix up 2.5 gallons of the solution (a half batch) and use it until it gets slightly cloudy.  i have a dedicated contained for the stuff, and keep it covered when not in use.  star san seems expensive at first (i paid around $25 for my bottle) but i've been using that same bottle for 4 years now - that's pennies a batch.

cleaning: it's all about the PBW.  OxiClean (scent-free) is an ok substitute but PBW is better, IMO.  after a brew day, i run a solution of hot water (140*F) and 1 tablespoon of PBW/gallon through the system.  that and a little scrubbing gets rid of everything.  for carboys, same solution is put in the carboy, it's then turned upside down so the ring of crud is submerged, and given 24 hours.  rinse with hot water, and you're done.  no need for brushes.  in extreme cases a second round of PBW might be needed, but that's happened to me maybe twice.  hot PBW solution is also great for cleaning out bottles and kegs, after they've been used.  if you re-use bottles, since them out immediately after you've served your beer - don't let any gunk dry inside the bottle.

cleaning and sanitizing is a pretty broad topic, lemme know if you have any specific questions...

happy brewing!

[Space Freely]

Nice little article on aging beers. Remember, drink your IPA's fresh.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/stop-aging-that-hoppy-beer-its-only-getting-worse/2015/08/29/811b4348-4c45-11e5-902f-39e9219e574b_story.html

[Dejecty-hatch lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

Carbonation drops vs Dextrose vs Priming sugar vs Honey
I keep having issues with carbonation/feel of the beer.   the Carbonation drops have helped is seems, but not every time

- don't use current temp, use the temp the beer was at at the end of fermentation. so if you start at 68, let the beer rise to 72 to finish out, then it cooled off to 65 while you waited to bottle/keg, use 72.

i've never used carb drops, but they seem like a great way to ensure consistent carbonation.  however, you don't have control over how carbonated the beer is - your stout will be as carbed as your IPA and your saison.  personally i like to have a little more control. 

Temp?....

let the beer rise to 72 to finish out

you have that much variation on temp after you are in the carboy to the bottle?
not sure what you mean 'rise' or 'finish out'

i like to have a little more control.

Exactly...and a part I feel I need control on as the bubbles are just off


So I guess this isn't the kind of drug scale you were thinking about

[Space Freely]

We were going to drink a bottle of New Glarus Raspberry Tart at Woftrap Saturday night, but the sho sold out and we didn't go.

Instead, we had it at home. This was my wife's review:

"Ewww, I would have been so pissed if you had made me drink this disgusting shit at a concert."

I guess I'll be drinking the last eight beers of New Glarus fruit beers by myself. Good think they're 4% abv.

[Dejecty-hatch lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

I guess I'll be drinking the last eight beers of New Glarus fruit beers by myself. Good think they're 4% abv.

hopefully not in one sitting!

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

I guess I'll be drinking the last eight beers of New Glarus fruit beers by myself. Good think they're 4% abv.

hopefully not in one sitting!

His binge drinking will take decades off his life yet!

[Space Freely]

I guess I'll be drinking the last eight beers of New Glarus fruit beers by myself. Good think they're 4% abv.

hopefully not in one sitting!

Drink haif, drainpour the rest. For health reasons.

[Yada]

I've been drinking a lot of these lately (quanity but not quality approved by Space).

[Space Freely]

Hey, you're a PA native,so you get a pass on the Rolling Rock.

Just like I'm a Florida native who grew up on New York State. So i get a pass on Cigar City and Ommegang.

[walk,on,by]

just had a ballast point pumpkin down.  it was good, but nothing to write home to grandma about.

[Yada]

just had a ballast point pumpkin down.  it was good, but nothing to write home to grandma about.

There isn't a pumpkin beer on earth to write to grandma about.

[Space Freely]

just had a ballast point pumpkin down.  it was good, but nothing to write home to grandma about.

There isn't a pumpkin beer on earth to write to grandma about.

My mother is a grandmother who likes pumpkin beers. Perhaps grandma is the perfect person to write to about a pumpkin beer.

[walk,on,by]

had this other beer, and didn't know it was "local"

not bad, pretty good

called obh  busthead