Intermediate Brewing

1. I need a new hole

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   First post by nigel55555, 13 years ago

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   Hi there,
   
   I've decided to upscale and add another corny to my set up. There's just never enough is there. Anyway, to do this, the Co2's going to have to get relegated to outside of the fridge meaning I'm going to need to drill another hole in my beloved kegorator.
   
   I'd rather drill through the side but this scares the sh*t out of me. I can't find a schematic so wondered if anyone could tell me to stop being so soft and get my drill out. I'd drill through the metal skin & probe before going...

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   :argh: My wife took mine away. :blush:
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   Last post by Lylo
   13 years ago
2. BIAB MLT hybrid

   18 Replies 22582 Views

   First post by kartoffel, 13 years ago

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   Another idea poped into my head today. Suppose you get a 5 or 10 gal circular cooler like the ones they use to make fancy false bottom stainless steel ball valve having MLTs. Scrap the expensive stainless false bottom and get anything that will hold the BIAB bag off of the bottom creating a few CM of dead space. The bag will act like a manifold and if the bag is made right for the cooler should provide minimal channeling of wort. Then you could use the built in spigot instead of removing that...

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   Traditional BIAB is great - but in Nova Scotia it gets pretty cold and makes it hard to maintain temps. If it wasn't for that I'd still be doing the traditional method. Agree completely about difficulty in maintaining temps in cold weather. I would much prefer to hit mash temps and forget about it for the duration of the mash. Not always possible though, and I think this is a nice alternative for the outside brewers in cold environments.
   
   As for the bucket heater; no I haven't. I'm honestly...
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   Last post by BrickBrewHaus
   13 years ago
3. help with a recipe

   6 Replies 8009 Views

   First post by alanem, 13 years ago

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   I'm not sure I am in the right Forum here but I need a little bit of advice with forming a recipe from my bits and pieces if that's possible? What I have in my stock cupboard is the following....
   Pilsener Malt x 2500g
   Caramunich1 x 400g
   Caramunich2 x 1090g
   Choc malt x 1000g
   Carapils x 1090g
   Munich2 x 800g
   70gms or so of Amarillo.
   can anyone fathom out a drinkable brew from that?? I would be very grateful for any ideas or any help given.
   Also I know this is a dumb question but regarding the...

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   There'll often be a small amount of variation between different recipe calculators (although I don't know how no chill could increase efficiency). 1.048 is good, it just means you'll be getting slightly more alcohol. The balance of malt flavour is more important than the exact OG. Anything between 30-35 IBU should be fine for an American Pale with that OG, it just depends on how much bitterness you like but the hop bill I posted before should still be fine.
   
   The easiest way to modify the...
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   Last post by alanem
   13 years ago
4. finings in the fermenter

   8 Replies 9057 Views

   First post by 2trout, 13 years ago

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   Its my brew season again here in Colorado, and one of my goals this season is to improve the clarity of my beer. I just did my first brew of the season.
   
   I'm a simple brewer. I mash, squeeze, boil, whirlfoc at 5 min, cool overnight (with a lid on my pot and plastic wrap wrapped around the pot/lid joint), siphon carefully into bucket, pitch and wait 2 weeks, bottle. Sometimes I rack to secondary bucket. I try to practice good to excellent cleaning and sanitation, and try to use yeast that...

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   Hey Aces,
   
   I did find a bit of sediment movement when I transferred to the bottling bucket, but it was fairly minimal for me. In fact I was really rushed for time when bottling so instead of siphoning carefully as usual, I poured from the secondary into my bottling bucket :o . That move cost me about a 1/2 gallon of beer initially (I stopped pouring when I noticed sediment just begin to hit the rim of the secondary)
   
   I tried an experiment and later poured the now settled out 1/2 gallon of wort...
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   Last post by 2trout
   13 years ago
5. Bottling English Barleywine

   17 Replies 17094 Views

   First post by Valvefan, 13 years ago

   

   Hi All,
   
   I just brewed an English Barleywine and I have a question about bottle conditioning.
   
   I don't have a kegging system so I bottle condition everything. My english ale yeast (Wyeast 1318) was a fresh smack pack and I made a 1.5 litre starter and had it on a stir plate for 44 hours before pitching. The OG of the wort was 1.106. The fermentation was very quick to start and the kreusen was 30 cm (1 foot) high in 12 hours. I think that I had healthy yeast.
   
   Do I need to pitch more yeast prior...
   17 Replies
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   Last post by jrodie
   13 years ago
6. possible infection

   9 Replies 9693 Views

   First post by jrodie, 13 years ago

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   i recently made a gratzer ale using wyeast 1007. Tastes great but after about 6 says of cold crashing at 34F the beer is still very hazy. I think it could be a wild yeast infection. If so is the beer still safe to drink. I am attaching a pic.

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   I read reviews on wyeast 1007 saying they were able to get clear beers out of it. Then I read that cloudy beers can be caused by wild yeast so that is what prompted the question. I guess there is no real problem though if it tastes good.
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   Last post by jrodie
   13 years ago
7. Process improvements - feedback needed

   26 Replies 25315 Views

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   First post by natept, 13 years ago

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   Good day all,
   
   I've been BIAB brewing for about a year and a half and have done about 25 batches. I'm happy with the beer I'm brewing, but I've decided it may be time to tweak a few things. I am not really sure if it would be worth the trouble/expense - so I'm looking for some feedback. I'm a bit anal so it's important to me that I hit my numbers, both OG, FG and volume (consistency is real important to me). I have a 15 gallon kettle and do 5 gallon batches. I line my bag around a basket so I...

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   I'm so glad you all talked me out of walking down that path I was headed...I've brewed a lot lately (before last week I had brewed 7 batches in 6 weeks) and have made some fantastic beers - I can't help but think I'd still be dialing things in had I bought a pump and a controller and everything. Great post natept. Thanks a heap for getting back to us.
   
   I reckon there are a few people like thughes, crusty, myself etc who have learned the hard way that simplicity is often the winner when it comes...
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   Last post by PistolPatch
   13 years ago
8. Excessive TRUB from BIAB

   10 Replies 18347 Views

   First post by ArcLight, 13 years ago

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   Some BIAB brewers said they get up to a gallon (almost 4 liters) of Trub for a 5 gallon (20 liter) batch. That seems like a lot.
   
   How much Trub do you get when using BIAB compared to traditional mashing?
   
   Is it because we can crush finer? Maybe the mag weave is too coarse?

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   There's a fair bit of mythology about on BIAB trub. There are many things to consider when 'lautering' and most of these things are actually irrelevant to BIAB.
   
   Here's a few things off the top of my head...
   
   Preventing Trub into the Boil
   
   1. Is a bit of trub/cloudiness bad in the boil? - No.
   2. If you want to reduce it, in traditional batch-sparging, you drain from the mash tun tap until the wort rund clear and pour that wort back into the top of the mash tun. If you have a tap on your...
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   Last post by PistolPatch
   13 years ago
9. Salts and distilled H2O

   23 Replies 24472 Views

   First post by kartoffel, 13 years ago

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   So I'm going to make A Bell's two heart clone. I bought enough distilled h2o to do the whole brew but I picked up some brewcraft burton water salts. I have had awkward bitterness in my other high ibu beers using my tap water, which being from milwaukee should be good enough for a pale ale. Any one got any opinions about my idea to add 5tsp to all my water (5tsp since that's what I'm planning to end up with is 5 gallons.) The instructions say 1 teaspoon in 1 gallon adds 889ppm hardness being...

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   does anyone have any RO + salts water recipes they'd like to share? I follow the guidelines laid out here , keeping everything very simple. I do ~3gal batches and keep things simple (no calculating ratios or ion concentrations): 2 tsps of salt (calcium chloride + gypsum = 2tsp). For hoppy beers more gypsum, for malty beers more/all CaCl, for most other beers roughly equal parts CaCl and gypsum. Usually using 100% RO water.
   
   Unfortunately I haven't had an opportunity to experiment with different...
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   Last post by BrickBrewHaus
   13 years ago
10. bugs in homegrown hops

    12 Replies 12131 Views

    First post by Lylo, 13 years ago

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    I decided to maybe try to harvest some of my homegrown hops this year.I am not sure what I have,I think Fuggles,cluster,and cascade.However the are grown more as a privacy screen that a beer additive.
    Anyway last weekend I picked them and figured I would just freeze them in ziplocks.My plan was to try some generic pale ale recipe and just start pitching handfuls in every time I go by the kettle.Maybe 250 grams total. :think:
    During the bagging process I noticed a lot of spiders of different...

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    Squared,I was just thinking about you.Haven't seen you on the forum for a while.
    Yeah I just picked a few ziplocks full of them and will give them a try this winter.
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    Last post by Lylo
    13 years ago
11. Oat meal Stout EBE

    6 Replies 7491 Views

    First post by pkearney, 13 years ago

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    I have made the OM stout a few times now BIAB and my EBE is well below the 79.0% in the calculator best is 68 % should I worry ? I am not sure how to improve , but could I just add more grain ? Cheers .

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    Hi PK
    
    When I mash out I just apply heat after the 90min is up, leaving the bag in place but stirring all the time till the temp hits 76c. I then put the lid on and leave it for 10-15 minutes, after that its bag out as normal.
    Some guys lift there bag off the bottom of there kettle with a pulley system and tie it off so they don't have to stir.
    
    Yeasty
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    Last post by Yeasty
    13 years ago
12. Stuck Fermentation

    18 Replies 20064 Views

    First post by paulnwright, 13 years ago

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    Sorry, I am sure there has been a load of similar stuff already, but nothing totally answers my question.
    
    Been BIABing for about a year, rarely without an issue. A week ago, brewed a porter, and, although I was predicted an OG of 1.059, I hit 1.055. That's fine.
    
    I did mash at a higher temperature than usual, as I wanted something with a bit more body and residual sweetness. I pitched a vial of White Labs English Ale yeast on 2 gallons of wort.
    
    Predictions at 63% attenuation are a FG of...

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    Yes, definitely gone....just made a saison ( and not a trace :thumbs:
    
    The dark beer in the thread above turned out ok - it was a kind of alcoholic cough syrup - you know those dark, tar looking ones? Not for a session, mind...
    
    Thanks to all for helpful comments
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    Last post by paulnwright
    13 years ago
13. No-Chill Hop Schedule

    15 Replies 29590 Views

    First post by kzimmer0817, 13 years ago

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    As I mentioned on another thread, I hope to do my first BIAB brew within the next 2 weeks. I plan to go all out and brew a Pumpkin Ale recipe I found on the HBT Forum: .
    
    There has been a good bit of discussion of No-Chill on the HBT Forum, and a suggested change to the hop schedule was posted - it seemed that hops were delayed about 20 minutes with the last addition going into the cube.
    
    Anyway, I would greatly appreciate it if you could explain how you change your hop additions when you're...

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    Hey Keith,
    
    You've probably just found the best advice there is:
    Make it and see how it turns out!
    I NC (in a cube) and when I brew a beer for the first time, I make no changes to the grain or hop schedule other than scaling the recipe to my batch size. When I try the beer, I then decide if I want to make any changes pending on how it turned out.
    At the end of the day, you'll make beer so it's all good :P
    
    HC
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    Last post by housecat
    13 years ago
14. Stirring after dough in

    9 Replies 10940 Views

    First post by ArcLight, 13 years ago

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    When I add the grains, I stir them in well. Then close up the pot for an hour.
    
    How much does stirring every so often, say every 15 minutes, affect efficiency compared to no stirring for the full hour?
    (No stir doesnt mean dump the grains in and dont stir, they have to be stirred in. Instead it means leaving the mash alone after a few minutes)

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    I posted the same question back in February. You may want to look at that thread, as well.
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    Last post by smyrnaquince
    13 years ago
15. First Wort Hopping / during mashing

    4 Replies 5951 Views

    First post by ArcLight, 13 years ago

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    How well would this variation of First Wort Hopping work?
    
    If I place my flavor hops (15 minute addition) into a hops bag, and add the bag to my mash, keep the hops bag in the kettle while I bring it to boiling, and then remove it at boil time, will i get similar flavor to those who do a first wort hopping while sparging?

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    I leave the FWH hops in for the entire duration.....
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    Last post by thughes
    13 years ago
16. No-Chill Cube Storage

    7 Replies 9434 Views

    First post by grogmonster, 13 years ago

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    How long can you store wort in an airtight NC cube prior to commencing fermentation? I'm realtively conscious of removing just about all of the air prior to sealing the cube.
    
    Does storing wort this way at fluctuating or high temperatures have any negative effects of the wort quality?
    
    Im thinking of storing a variety of worts in NC cubes in a non temp controlled environment (ie a garage).
    
    Many thanks again,
    
    Grogmonster.

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    Yeh I'll leave mine in the cube for months at a time with no problems.I've still got some cubes of APA sitting on the shed floor from when Aces High was here a couple of weeks ago and they'll be there for a couple more weeks before I have time to pitch yeast .
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    Last post by Hippy
    13 years ago
17. ETC 200+ Temperature Control Unit Wiring HELP!

    3 Replies 6793 Views

    First post by nigel55555, 13 years ago

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    Hi,
    
    Love beer, Love brewing beer, love this forum, HATE WIRING.
    
    Anyone got one of these little ETC 200+'s?
    
    The wiring is a bit of a mystery to me but I'm determined to do it myself. Not keen on killing myself so thought I'd draw a diagram and see if any of you could confirm or correct what I'm doing?
    
    Really appreciate your help!
    
    Oh, I'm plugging it into a UK mains supply.
    
    Nigel

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    Gday Nigel,
    
    I think you're way off the mark with that wiring. Here's a diagram that might help
    Google ETC and you'll find a few references to it, most of us in australia use the STC1000, they're a cheap and easy solution with lots of wiring threads around the forums. I haven't had any experience with the ETC, but it seem like a similar concept
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    Last post by Aces high
    13 years ago
18. Very active primary fermentation

    8 Replies 10367 Views

    First post by grogmonster, 13 years ago

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    I have just brewed my first Robust Porter and have pitched Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale. 24 hours since pitching, the primary fermentation is the most active I have ever seen - Its about to blow the airlock! The krausen is being forced up through, and out of, the airlock
    
    Has anyone else experienced an overly active primary fermentation using this yeast strain? If so, would a carboy fitted with a blowoff tube be more appropriate? Its currently in a plastic bucked with an 'S' bend airlock and isnt...

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    Or, you can take the opportunity to top crop (harvest) yeast. eg.
    
    onclick= window.open(this.href);return false; ... arboy.html
    
    I am currently attempting the same with a WLP565 saison.
    
    Cheers
    8 Replies
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    Last post by thylacine
    13 years ago
19. Mash temp spiked accidentally. Is my brew lost?

    3 Replies 5614 Views

    First post by thefrothologist, 13 years ago

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    Hi,
    
    I am doing a brew in a 40L urn. I had added my grain, hit my mash temp of 68˚C and left it to do it's thing.
    
    After 15 minutes I gave it a stir and the temp was still holding steady. When I came back at 30 minutes the temp was at 89˚C! The thermostat knob must've been knocked when I pulled the sleeping back over it.
    
    Is there anyway that this can be saved or is it a matter of me starting all over again? Once those enzymes are exposed to that temperature is that the end of them? Right now...

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    been there, done that.
    don't sweat it. the beer will be fine. most of the starch conversion happens in the first 15-30 minutes of the mash anyway.
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    Last post by shibolet
    13 years ago
20. Useful Brewing Gloves, and this is the bag I bought

    9 Replies 22056 Views

    First post by ArcLight, 13 years ago

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    These glove ($6 USD) enabled me to directly hold the hot wort bag and squeeze it. After a number of seconds I would have to shift hands. But they still did a very good job of protecting my hands while allowing me enough dexterity to brew.
    
    This is the bag I used for brewing. It worked well.
    
    It was $8 , and its cotton, and it shrank (from 24 to 21 ) but it was all I could find in New Jersey.

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    All these ideas get a prost from me! Great info to save my hands and too much fatigue when all is said and done.
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    Last post by djbradle
    13 years ago
21. Regular recipes .... what do you brew?

    11 Replies 13089 Views

    First post by Adman1966, 13 years ago

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    This morning I'm revisiting my first BIAB recipe as it went down so well last time.
    
    I haven't been brewing for very long (only since March) but I have so far brewed a chocolate stout, a wheat beer, a porter, a ruby honey ale, 3 bitters and a pils.
    
    I am now, as previously mentioned, brewing my first beer again.
    
    Although I have enjoyed all the beers I've brewed, my favourite is the first. I guess that was why I chose that recipe to brew before any others.
    
    It got me thinking how many people...

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    Every second brew is a nice and simple Coopers PA copy. Drinks really easily and popular with the guests.
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    Last post by Lemon
    13 years ago
22. Poor head retention :(

    63 Replies 56015 Views

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    First post by dicko, 14 years ago

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    Folks,
    
    Not sure what has happened but my last 6 brews have had poor head retention.
    Head is good on initial poor, but drops off over the space of a couple of minutes.
    1cm of foam stays around the edge of the glass with nothing in the centre.
    
    I only have 12 BIAB brews under my belt.
    
    I cube my wort and generally pitch within a few days.
    
    Things that have changed in my process are:
    Introduction of Mash Out (Eff ave now is 84%)
    Filtering beer
    Mash time now 60 mins (boil remains at 90 min)...

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    The above statement set off an alarm bell with me. How fine are you filtering?
    Hi thughes, My filter is 1 micron. Brings the beer up shiny!
    
    There is no reason to filter homebrew! The ladies don't like to hear *this part but *Time and Gravity clear's the beer naturally. What are you doing? Please explain!
    Hi BobBrews, The waiting game is fun if you have plenty of beer on tap! Fortunately I do... phew..
    
    With respect to my head retention issue I have tried filtering vs gravity.
    Unfortunately...
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    Last post by dicko
    13 years ago
23. Sharp's Doom Bar Clone

    1 Replies 5138 Views

    First post by Valvefan, 13 years ago

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    Sharp's Doom Bar Clone
    
    So I'm in England and I tried Sharp's Doom Bar bitter. It's amazing!!
    
    I'd like to make a similar ale. Looking at old posts and using Beersmith 2 I have come up with the following grain bill:
    Marris Otter 3.8 kg
    Crystal 60 0.3 kg
    Roasted barley 0.15 kg
    
    Wyeast Whitbread 1099
    
    The hops could be Northdown, Northern Brewer and Perle.
    
    Can anyone advise on the timing of hops additions in a 90 min boil?
    
    Goals
    OG 1.040
    FG 1.009
    IBU 22
    ABV 3.8
    colour 24 EBC
    
    Thanks
    
    Valvfan

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    Hi Valvefan
    I've been keeping my eye on this thread but I doubt that you will get any meaningful feedback! Unfortunately I haven't tasted Sharp's Doom Bar bitter and even if I did I doubt that I would have been able to even come close to guessing a the composition of the hops additions.
    
    That being said, I've attached a calculator that should provide you with a starting point in playing around with getting a recipe together. The hops additions are pure guesswork, but the IBU's are in the...
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    Last post by lambert
    13 years ago
24. Oat meal Stout stalled

    4 Replies 5731 Views

    First post by pkearney, 13 years ago

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    My Oat meal Stout has Stalled at 1024 after 9 days at 20 C SG was 1060 suposed to be 1018 , what should I do ?

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    if you where shooting for 1018 and hit 1024, i would not worry about ti too much. let it sit another week and package it. it should be fine.
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    Last post by shibolet
    13 years ago
25. Building a Stirplat with 110V Fan

    9 Replies 10031 Views

    First post by BrickBrewHaus, 14 years ago

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    I have access to a 110V muffin fan and I'd like to build a stir plate with it. Has anyone done this? I can't find much on the internet regarding 110V AC fans, just DC powered fans. Anything to watch out for (ie, improper wiring that'll kill me?).

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    This is what I use:
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    Last post by ArcLight
    13 years ago