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1. Topics

   1. Keezer

      by iijakii, 14 years ago in Kegging

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      Pretty much done with my keezer, I'm proud of 'er. My first time doing any woodworking or even manly and crafty stuff :p. Still need to decide on a drip-tray, and do some final tubing-management on the inside. I'll take more pictures later.
      
      Racked over a doppelbock I've been lagering for 5 months, damn is it good. I drank an entire glass of it uncarbonated. Also put an IPA on gas. Can't wait until they're carbonated!
      
      I have room inside for 5 kegs, or four and a carboy or some bottles. My...

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      Ahh my files are too big...I will have to have a jiggle around and get this sorted.
      
      Sorry won't get onto it today but will show completed keezer and my new brew bench ...new boiler etc!
      
      Have a good day guys
      K
      12 Replies
      21889 Views
      kmmacker
      10 years ago
   2. Apartment brewing

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      by iijakii, 15 years ago in Stove-top BIAB (also known as Mini-BIAB)

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      I have a cheap 20L SS pot and just do half batch stovetop brewing, been wondering if there's any cheap/easy methods I could supplement this. I am debating buying a big 8gallon pot and creating a heatstick.
      
      Wondering what you gents do that don't have a patio/garage.

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      I brew 5 gallon biab batches in my apartment using a regular coil stove.
      
      I upgraded the coils to canning elements and use 2x 5 gallon aluminum posts. elements were like 15 each, pots like 20$ each.
      25 Replies
      28564 Views
      odi3
      14 years ago
   3. Well I figured since I'm making liquid bread

      by iijakii, 14 years ago in General Chit-Chat, Nonsense & Rambles

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      That I might as well learn how to do real bread. Let me tell you guys, IPA and some bread makes for a damn nice evening.

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      I've been adding spent grain to my bread, very tasty. Amounts added from 150g to 250g for a kilo loaf. keep flour same as normal recipe but cut water back a little because of moisture in grain.
      cheers
      sean
      2 Replies
      5404 Views
      sean
      14 years ago
   4. Problems with gravity readings at different temperatures.

      by iijakii, 14 years ago in Bags, Mashers, Thermometers, Kettles etc.

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      I've been using my hydrometer with use of a temperature adjust chart, but I guess that's still wildly inaccurate. Pre-boil gravity: Right on the mark. Post-boil gravity: Boom, good. Then I put it in my nochill cubes and the next day what do I notice? Massively far off from the gravity. Yay, I just made 9 gallons of water-beer.
      
      So, got a refractometer with auto-temp correction. Hope this helps my recent bad streak, depressing.

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      :argh: I just had a quick scroll through my last post here and nearly broke my mouse wheel :lol:. It's not hard to tell when I have had a hard, long day at work - just look for posts like that :P.
      
      I'm too scared to read or edit what I wrote but hopefully some of it made some sense jak.
      
      Regarding your thermometer problem, make sure you have one of the ones pictured in this post. These are cheap and their accuracy at all temperatures including mash temperatures has always been within one...
      15 Replies
      17762 Views
      PistolPatch
      14 years ago
   5. Open Fermentation

      by iijakii, 15 years ago in Fermentation (Wort to Still Beer)

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      Do any of you practice open fermentation?
      
      I recently made a hefeweizen and had way too much volume, so I just left the bung/airlocks off to allow for overflow (I knew my tiny blowoff wouldn't be adequate).
      
      That batch came out simply divine. I wasn't really worried about infection due to a few reasons
      1. airborne contamination is far less likey than a dirty vessel.
      2. During ferm you're producing bucketloads of C02, so I wasn't worried about oxidation.
      3. I ferment in a chest freezer, so the...

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      My buddy did an open ferment. He modeled it after Samuel Smith's Yorkshire squares, except in mini. He dug up some slate tiles from his back yard (buried there by previous owners), made a wood frame, cleaned and sanitized the slates, and used food safe caulking to make the square. He then pitched his yeast and left it uncovered. It made a big, puffy krausen that protected the beer during active fermentation. I think he covered it loosely when the krausen fell. It was very good beer.
      8 Replies
      10118 Views
      Two If By Sea
      14 years ago
   6. DME vs Dextrose for priming bottles

      by iijakii, 15 years ago in Bottling

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      Used DME on a stout this weekend instead of the usual corn sugar since I was out. I've heard a lot of debate on pros and cons, curious if you gents have any experience.
      
      Pros I have heard:
      Creamier/frothier head.
      
      Cons:
      Longer to carbonate
      Uneven carbonation (although I think this is a user mistake from not mixing properly)
      Effects the taste while dextrose wouldnt (I'm not worried about a tiny amount in a stout though, maybe a clean lager I would be weary of)
      Corn sugar is cheaper.

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      I was really intrigued by a podcast where a guy used fruit juices for priming. Not bad for a fruity beer. I usually use priming sugar as it is cheap and reliable.
      14 Replies
      27172 Views
      Two If By Sea
      14 years ago
   7. Bag request

      by iijakii, 14 years ago in Bags, Mashers, Thermometers, Kettles etc.

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      So my cheap nylon bag started ripping last brew, I'm ready for a quality voile bag. Does anyone here know their way around a sewing machine? I've exhausted all of my resources -- no one knows how to sew! If so, let me know how much it'd run me.
      
      /desperation.

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      That looks quality.
      
      I do not have an electric setup (unfortunately) so it won't have any special stuff like that. I just need a big bag that can take the weight required for an 8 gallon batch! I'll try to get the pot dimensions to you later tonight -- it's a fairly large 62 quart kettle.
      
      My own kettle is 75l and I've done numerous batches with 11-12kg dry grain bills, about US 15 gallon batches, so no issue on the strength at all.
      11 Replies
      13269 Views
      EoinMag
      14 years ago
   8. Marking Kettle

      by iijakii, 15 years ago in Bags, Mashers, Thermometers, Kettles etc.

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      Curious if anyone has marked some volume lines on their kettle and how they went about it.
      
      Think an industrial sharpie would do the trick? Resistant up to 500C it says.

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      Yeah I realize that marking a dipstick or mash paddle would be easier, but I'd really prefer marking the outside of my kettle. Thinking about buying one of those industrial sharpies and testing it out.
      4 Replies
      6667 Views
      iijakii
      15 years ago
   9. Accidentally got a little bit of trub...

      by iijakii, 15 years ago in Bottling

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      ... with my auto siphon when transferring to my bottling bucket. What effects will this have on my bottled beer?
      
      I'm expecting just to have some gunk at the bottom of my bottles, but can this cause any nasty side-effects?

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      Mark the cap of any really bad bottles so that you don't serve them to beer snobs. Drink them yourself and pour slowly. My family would freak out when they saw a little sediment in a glass! The sediment is high in vitamin B and is better than the pills people take for their health. I looks like crap so they think that's what your serving!
      3 Replies
      6966 Views
      BobBrews
      15 years ago
   10. My Girlfriend thinks I'm crazy

       by iijakii, 15 years ago in General Chit-Chat, Nonsense & Rambles

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       She caught me squeezing my grain bag, nearly burning my hands, hooping and hollering over sweet delicious sugars. Tannins my ass, I need my efficiency and every drop of that delicious nectar I can manage :p

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       There will be in approx 7 1/2 months honey bunny!!!!
       
       What :shock:? You can't pin this next one on me. The only contact we had six weeks ago was by phone?
       
       If you'd written the above post in February, I would have got my cheque book out straight away, no worries, but forcing paternity on me after an hour of phone sex six weeks ago is ludicrous.
       
       Nice try darling, nice first post and congratulations to you (and possibly your husband) on your upcoming fourth child. Great news!
       
       Lots of love and...
       9 Replies
       12177 Views
       PistolPatch
       15 years ago
   11. How do you cleaning and maintain your BIAB bag?

       by iijakii, 15 years ago in Bags, Mashers, Thermometers, Kettles etc.

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       How do you guys care for your bags? I sprayed it out real good, now wondering if I should just boil it a little or use a mild soap and let it soak.

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       I give it a good spray with the garden hose while it's still hot and wet from the brew. The grain comes off easiest this way. I hang it up to dry, and usually by the end of the brew its dry enough to put away. I don't have a proper bag but rather 2 meters of voille. I just drop it in the kettle.
       11 Replies
       14956 Views
       bigjoe
       15 years ago

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