663 replies to this topic

[Bklmt2000]

I agree and if there can be a beer called "Boston Lager" then I think there's room for Cincinnati Pilsner.    Cheers and I hope the beer comes out stellar.

 

Thanks Ken.  Pics will follow.

[djinkc]

1272 spinning again since the fruit fly attack.  Not sure what exactly but it will be a 60 minute Gr Magnum addition for bittering and another lower temp hopstand/whirlpool.

Some El Dorado showed up a few days ago.  I have never used it but the descriptions sound interesting.

[Big Nake]

I think you'll like El Dorado, DJ.

[Dave McG]

I just set up a brew for tomorrow (looking at the clock, it will actually be today). It's my first batch since early spring. Robust Porter. It's mostly a scaled version of Tasty's Can You Brew It clone of Black Butte, but I got carried away while measuring grains and added a touch too much chocolate malt and CaraPils. I'm not off by a ton, but I'm anal about precise measurements so I'm pissed before I even start. On the good side, I do have precise measurements of how much I actually added (1lb of each instead of 0.6 lbs).

15lbs, 0.5 oz US pale malt
1 lb 15.5 oz Wheat malt
15.9 oz Crystal (80L)
15.9 oz CaraPils
1lb US Chocolate malt (350L)
1lb 0.2 oz UK Chocolate malt (415-490L)

0.86 oz Galena 13% 60min
0.36 oz Cascade 5.75% 30min
0.36 oz Mt. Hood 5.2%

WLP002, mash at 153, shooting for 1.054

[Poptop]

^^^ looks fantastic.  

[Big Nake]

^^^ looks fantastic.  

Yep, that will be great, Dave.  It will be nice to get back into the swing of things.  Welcome back.  

[Dave McG]

I just set up a brew for tomorrow (looking at the clock, it will actually be today). It's my first batch since early spring. Robust Porter. It's mostly a scaled version of Tasty's Can You Brew It clone of Black Butte, but I got carried away while measuring grains and added a touch too much chocolate malt and CaraPils. I'm not off by a ton, but I'm anal about precise measurements so I'm pissed before I even start. On the good side, I do have precise measurements of how much I actually added (1lb of each instead of 0.6 lbs).
 

The brew went smooth. The biggest thing is that I took my time and went slow and deliberate. On my 5 gallon system I used to be able to knock a batch out in under 5 hours if I prepared the night before. With the ten gallon rig I don't have things dialed in. Since it's hard for me to find time to brew, I don't feel like rushing it when I do have a day wide open. The exact recipe and brew notes are in the recipe section now.

[jayb151]

Very nice! I was doing 10 gallon batches when I didn't have much time to brew. Now that I've got my own space, I'm back to 5 gallon batches so I can brew more often!

[armagh]

Well, technically it isn't brewing, but I managed to wrestle a six-gallon carboy of wheat beer on to a surface so I could rack it on to 10 lbs of peaches that were previously blanched, stoned, frozen and thawed.  Compared to the way things were five weeks ago, I am ecstatic.

[Big Nake]

Glad to hear this. Soon you'll be juggling oranges on a unicycle.

[armagh]

Glad to hear this. Soon you'll be juggling oranges on a unicycle.

 

Actually, I can juggle three objects, sometimes four, but the unicycle is no bueno.

[Big Nake]

Actually, I can juggle three objects, sometimes four, but the unicycle is no bueno.

[Poptop]

I'm going to try and juggle a busy week and begin mis en place for a Saturday pale ale.  

[HVB]

I got a batch of hoppy pils brewed on Saturday.  First batch in a while and I also did a test run with the canner using water.  Both seemed like a success!

[Big Nake]

I got a batch of hoppy pils brewed on Saturday.  First batch in a while and I also did a test run with the canner using water.  Both seemed like a success!

Keep us posted on the canning.  I'm curious to see how it goes.

 

I have a Munich helles that I will be kegging at the end of this week.  The yeast was Omega Bayern and the helles was batch #6 with it.  I have been looking for ways to get less hop & break material into the fermenter and on this helles I actually got 5.25 gallons of ultra clear wort into the fermenter with maybe just a smidge of trub at the end.  It was probably the first time I was able to get that much clear wort into primary and earlier batches with this yeast have been similar.  As a result, this is the cleanest, whitest yeast slurry I have seen (especially with that many batches fermented already).  So I'm wringing my hands over doing one more lager with it or ditching it for some 1028 that I have in the pack and in the fridge.  If I make another lager with Bayern it might be some kind of hoppy red lager or maybe a dunkel.  Seven batches with the same yeast would be a bit of a stretch for me but the yeast seems to be in very good shape and the beers it has produced have been dynamite.  

[jayb151]

I can't comment from personal experience, but I had heard that a best practice would be to dump a yeast after 6 generations. I've never actually held on to a yeast that long, but I've gotten close. 

 

I say if it still smells good, use it!

[Big Nake]

I can't comment from personal experience, but I had heard that a best practice would be to dump a yeast after 6 generations. I've never actually held on to a yeast that long, but I've gotten close. 

 

I say if it still smells good, use it!

I'm leaning towards going for another batch.  On Thursday or Friday I'll transfer this helles to the keg and I'll try to get a sample to taste and I'll also get a good look (and whiff) of the yeast to see what the senses tell me.  I can reverse course if necessary.  

[positiveContact]

When did life get so busy? Finding it hard to find time to Brew.

[HVB]

When did life get so busy? Finding it hard to find time to Brew.

I feel your pain.  I forced myself to brew this weekend instead of doing other things.  I hope to sneak in another beer this week.

[Big Nake]

I feel your pain.  I forced myself to brew this weekend instead of doing other things.  I hope to sneak in another beer this week.

When my kids were younger I would get up at 4 or 5am to brew. Take the kids to school at 8am or whatever and finish when I got back and then start work. In those days weekends were crazier than weekdays so I brewed during the week.  There are any number of negatives about having all of your kids out of the house but there are some positives.