663 replies to this topic

[HVB]

96 here but 68 in the brewery. Sterling rye pilsner in the fridge coming down to pitching temps. Easy brewday and the wort smelled awesome.

[LeftyMPfrmDE]

Going to brew a humble Irish Dry Stout during the overnight hours- its feeling like a 100*F today, bright sun and humid. Sunday is my reset day; i work overnights Monday-Thursday, switch to daytime hours on Friday-Saturday, take a nap Saturday afternoon, then wake up late Sunday night, brew in the twilight hours, then pass out when finished. In the summer, its the only way to brew to avoid the awful summer heat in the mid-Atlantic.  

[Seven]

I'm planning on making a Belgian blonde on the 4th for a friendly homebrew club contest. It's not a style I've made before but it's what came up on the randomizer app. Maybe 1.050-55 with Belgian pils (75%) Belgian pale (25%) and some cane sugar, possibly a dry yeast (BE-256?) and heavier hopping than traditional. I have a bunch of hops in my freezer but most are typical "American" style hops. How would Mandarina Bavaria or Edelweiss do in this beer?

[Seven]

Just doughed in on my Belgian blonde. My first step mash ever. I decided to use the Mandarina hops and Imperial B45 Gnome yeast, which I think is Achouffe's yeast.

[Steve Urquell]

Done brewing my Cz session lager. Very smooth brewday

[Big Nake]

Probably brewing Saturday... a pale ale bittered with Apollo and then late additions of El Dorado, Lemon Drop, Simcoe and Amarillo.  1056 for the yeast.  After that there may be one more ale along the lines of MLPA and then it's going to be all-lagers-all-the-time. 

[Seven]

Ken, I just kicked a keg of Vienna based off of your recipe. Think I used S189 for that one.

[Big Nake]

Ken, I just kicked a keg of Vienna based off of your recipe. Think I used S189 for that one.

Nice.  That Vienna probably originated as Jamil's recipe and may or may not be the exact recipe... either way I really like it.  I have a more pale version of it coming up next week with Omega Bayern (basically just half of the normal Carafa for an SRM around 10) and I may have to make it twice because it goes fast. 

[Big Nake]

Probably brewing Saturday... a pale ale bittered with Apollo and then late additions of El Dorado, Lemon Drop, Simcoe and Amarillo.  1056 for the yeast.  After that there may be one more ale along the lines of MLPA and then it's going to be all-lagers-all-the-time. 

I'm switching gears and making a blonde ale this weekend instead.  I just made a Cascade Pale Ale last weekend so I figured I would stagger hoppy & smooth and then make the above pale ale next time.  Water has been filtered and grains have been weighed out for this beer and I'm brewing it Saturday morning.

 

 

Ordinarily when I make a blonde I hop it late with something American and clean (Ultra, Crystal, Liberty, Santiam, etc) but I decided to do a version where all the IBUs come at the start of the boil.  Should be refreshing.  Cheers.

[pkrone]

Looks great.

[Area Man]

I'm probably doing the blandest brewday tomorrow that I've ever done:

 

First, it's the third brew on my Grainfather.

 

Second, I'm doing a cream ale. This is a first.

 

From a  kit.

 

And I had the grains milled. This is another first.

 

I got volunteered to provide beer for a wedding in about three weeks, so it all just made sense.

[Big Nake]

Boiling now.  Smooth brewday and a beautiful day to brew overall... high of about 80°, sunny, blue skies, etc.  Cheers brewers.

[Big Nake]

An FYI:  I just recently started fermenting ales in my "primary fridge" that used to only ferment lagers.  Ales used to be fermented in a swamp cooler on the basement floor.  I used to leave the temp controller on the fridge around 50° all the time but now I jump back and forth between the low 60s and around 50.  I set the controller (an old analog Johnson controller) for this ale on Friday and I have a cup of water in there so I can check the temp.  This blonde ale is CRUISING with a 4th generation of 1056... really bubbling away and I just checked the temp and it's at 57°.     I typically try to ferment low with 1056 just to keep it clean but I I'm new at adjusting this controller and I'm not sure the dial is accurate.  So if you ever want to use 1056 at 57°... it's apparently possible.    

[LeftyMPfrmDE]

An FYI: I just recently started fermenting ales in my "primary fridge" that used to only ferment lagers. Ales used to be fermented in a swamp cooler on the basement floor. I used to leave the temp controller on the fridge around 50° all the time but now I jump back and forth between the low 60s and around 50. I set the controller (an old analog Johnson controller) for this ale on Friday and I have a cup of water in there so I can check the temp. This blonde ale is CRUISING with a 4th generation of 1056... really bubbling away and I just checked the temp and it's at 57°. I typically try to ferment low with 1056 just to keep it clean but I I'm new at adjusting this controller and I'm not sure the dial is accurate. So if you ever want to use 1056 at 57°... it's apparently possible.

Does it throw any sulfur fermenting that low? I've taken wlp001/us 05 to 57-59 degrees, and its a slightly smelly primary. Never ended up in the final beer.

[Bklmt2000]

Wednesday is IPA day.

 

Mostly Pils, plus some Munich, and a bit of wheat, C-40, and Special Roast to ~1.070, for 5.5 gal in the primary.

 

Magnum to bitter, then remainder of last year's homegrown Cascade (10 oz total):  2 oz for FWH, then 2 oz @ 15, 10, 5, and 1 min.

 

US-05 will handle the heavy lifting in the primary.

[Big Nake]

Does it throw any sulfur fermenting that low? I've taken wlp001/us 05 to 57-59 degrees, and its a slightly smelly primary. Never ended up in the final beer.

At this point, no.  I would take it out of the fridge and let it finish at closer to room temp so I wouldn't expect anything problematic.  That said, the low-O2 (or maybe I should call my process 'lower-O2') does create some fermentation-derived sulfites (coming across as sulfury aromas) so it may be tough to tell.  These sulfites are supposed to add to the character of the beer, not detract from it.  If they're at too high of a level, you think you're drinking a glass of farts.  It's not supposed to be like that and it's more common with lagers (which are going to throw some sulfur anyway) as opposed to ales.  Now that you've mentioned it I'll be on the lookout for it.  

[EnkAMania]

Brewing the last of my summer fruit beers.  This time, watermelon

[Big Nake]

I went to the LHBS this week for Munich 1, Munich 2, some hops, some CO2 tanks were filled and I picked up some 1028.  I have used this 1056 four times now and I'm going to retire it once I get my latest blonde ale out of there.  I'm finally getting caught up and there is no need to push this 1056 again and risk a funky batch.  I have the 1028 in the fridge (fresh, a date of late June) and when I'm ready to fire up more ales, I'll use it.  I figure there is no style I make with 1056 that can't be made with 1028 and I have some pale ales coming up anyway so it should work.  Meanwhile I'll slow the pace a little bit and use this Bayern another 2-3 times (the pale vienna is in primary now).  So... no brewing this weekend for the first time in awhile. 

[HVB]

Kegged my Rye Pilsner last night and saved 2 jars of 2124 slurry for a "Vacation Lager" next week.  That will be a simple beer of 10# Pils and 1# Munich hopped late with Edelweiss.  That one will sit and do its thing while I am away on vacation.  This weekend I am thinking of doing an all Simcoe APA/IPA.  Plan to go more of a west coast style with a higher sulfate and crisp dry finish.  I need a change from the NE style beers.  Of course I am already thinking of adding in some mosaic or Amarillo or both to go with that simcoe.

[Big Nake]

I love making a beer right before going on vacation... I'm leaving for awhile.  You stay here and turn into beer for when I get back.