663 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

A couple years ago I made some pale ales where I paired Cascade with a few different hops:  Stryrian Goldings, Crystal, Santiam maybe...  they all came out good.  In my early days of brewing I may have avoided Cascade in favor of hops that were cleaner, more herbal & noble, etc.  Eventually I got into things like Amarillo, Citra and Galaxy and realized the Cascade was the older generation citrus hop only not as in-your-face as the newer hops.  Turns out Lagunitas IPA is Willamette and Cascade so every once in awhile I'll make a 35-40 IBU pale ale with Cascades... yum.  

[Big Nake]

Making a version of MLPA on Saturday.  I keep pushing this beer towards the more pale & crisp side but it's still a recipe I like.

 

[HVB]

Making a version of MLPA on Saturday. I keep pushing this beer towards the more pale & crisp side but it's still a recipe I like.

One of these days I will brew it and have it come out right. I always have some problem with this beer!

[Big Nake]

It's a highly-editable recipe and it's easy for people to bend it to how they would like to see it.  Originally I used a pound of C60 in 5 gallons and the IBUs were lower.  At some point I'll go back and make the "original" but I'm liking this version lately.  It's possible that the original version got a little close to the "too malty" zone for some people... all that crystal plus IBUs only in the mid-20s and then you could have some variable issues: older, non-fresh hops, high chloride, a lower-attenuating yeast like a 1968 or something... any of those could make the beer sweeter/maltier than many people care for.  Once I did a Google search for MLPA and found a bunch of results from people all over the web who make it... I was surprised.  The changes I made move the beer further away from that spot.  I'm really looking forward to making it today... gray and drizzle today so not much else going on.  

[HVB]

Every time I try it something goes wrong... Infection... Brewing issues etc... MLPA is doomed at my house!

Sunday I am brewing a rye pilsner with sterling hopbursted from 15-0.

[Mike Green]

That's why I have a 5-pound bag of flaked wheat in my stash. I brewed this beer a couple of times but it always had an off flavor.I tried brewing a few other beers and the funk carried over to the other beers. Turns out I was using inferior transfer hoses that left behind a bad taste.I need to hop back on the MLPA train and brew this beer this summer.

[Bklmt2000]

Looks like brewday tomorrow, an IPA featuring Columbus and Mosaic.

[Big Nake]

Looks like brewday tomorrow, an IPA featuring Columbus and Mosaic.

Brew it.

 

I considered a weekday brew session this week but since starting to use this one small fridge as my only fermentation chamber, I can't brew at the same pace anymore.  I have a dark lager in primary that's done and MLPA in primary that is fermenting like crazy at 60° (1056).  On Thursday I'm moving the dark lager to a keg and on Friday I'll take the MLPA out of the fridge to let it finish and then make a 2124 Helles.  

[Bklmt2000]

I need to start turning over my hop inventory; too many getting a little long in the tooth, hanging out in the freezer.

 

They're vac-sealed, but I want to get them used up while they still have some game.

[Big Nake]

I need to start turning over my hop inventory; too many getting a little long in the tooth, hanging out in the freezer.

 

They're vac-sealed, but I want to get them used up while they still have some game.

This seems like a never-ending homebrewer struggle.  You hear about new hops so you buy them.  You see huge deals on hops so you buy them.  Then you remember old favorites that you haven't used in years so you buy them.  Next thing you know you're drowning in hops.  In some cases I will buy hops because you just can't beat the price... $5 for a pound of hops you know you like.  You just can't beat that.  But I stopped buying large quantities of hops I don't know much about and I still go to the local supplier and buy 1oz bags of hops for when I know I just want to make this one beer and I need these hops and I don't want a bunch of them left.  That said, I have way, way too many hops in my freezer. 

[HVB]

I need to start turning over my hop inventory; too many getting a little long in the tooth, hanging out in the freezer.

 

They're vac-sealed, but I want to get them used up while they still have some game.

I hear you!  I just said I would not get anymore and since then I bought 6 pounds and looking at 2 more .. HELP!

[Big Nake]

Does anyone have a feel for how well the vac-sealing works to keep hops at their best?  With all of the changes I have made I keep forgetting that all of my hops are either unopened (1, 2 or 4oz bags) or they're vac-sealed.  I can't really tell how good my Magnum, Styrian Goldings, Crystal or Hallertau hops are (all vac-sealed) but they seem very fresh and aromatic when I open a pack and measure them out.  In the old days I would take leftover pellets and just put them in a ziploc bag or fold over the package and tape it shut.  It seems like a good way to keep them if you choose to have 94 pounds of hops on hand at all times. 

[positiveContact]

Does anyone have a feel for how well the vac-sealing works to keep hops at their best? With all of the changes I have made I keep forgetting that all of my hops are either unopened (1, 2 or 4oz bags) or they're vac-sealed. I can't really tell how good my Magnum, Styrian Goldings, Crystal or Hallertau hops are (all vac-sealed) but they seem very fresh and aromatic when I open a pack and measure them out. In the old days I would take leftover pellets and just put them in a ziploc bag or fold over the package and tape it shut. It seems like a good way to keep them if you choose to have 94 pounds of hops on hand at all times.

I've used vac sealed hops that are years old and they still seemed good.

[Poptop]

This Sunday aka the only other day of the year besides my birthday when my peeps are nice to me, I'm brewing a Belgian Amber.

Then, in the weeks to follow I'll be setting up the tee with batch 98; Cake Maker Blonde (1450) followed by Cake Maker Pale Ale (1450) then batch 100; American Barleywine with, you guessed it.... 1450.

[neddles]

I've used vac sealed hops that are years old and they still seemed good.

This. Frozen and vac sealed I’ve never noticed a problem at 3-4 yrs old.

[HVB]

This. Frozen and vac sealed I’ve never noticed a problem at 3-4 yrs old.

I would say the same but I have had some even older.  At some point though I can not justify using 4-5 year old CTZ when I can grab a new pound for less than 10 bucks.

[Poptop]

Re: Hops storage. I kryo all of mine. Each time I open and weigh out I re-kryo. Within a few minutes of opening them it's easy to smell whether they're good or not. In all my batches, the only bag I've pitched because of off smell (cheese) was some CZ Saaz.

[Big Nake]

Re: Hops storage. I kryo all of mine. Each time I open and weigh out I re-kryo. Within a few minutes of opening them it's easy to smell whether they're good or not. In all my batches, the only bag I've pitched because of off smell (cheese) was some CZ Saaz.

Yeah, I've had some stinky gym socks hallertau, tettnanger and saaz.  In the old days I wouldn't be able to tell if hops that smelled that way would ruin the beer or not.  Now if I open hops and get even the faintest whiff of stinky gym socks... they're in the trash.  

[Bklmt2000]

I've used vac sealed hops that are years old and they still seemed good.

 

Same. 

 

Making sure the bag doesn't lose its seal is critical; can't count how many times I'd seal a bag of hops on brewday, thinking it was sealed (visually looked ok), only to find later that there was a breach somewhere.

[Big Nake]

Same. 

 

Making sure the bag doesn't lose its seal is critical; can't count how many times I'd seal a bag of hops on brewday, thinking it was sealed (visually looked ok), only to find later that there was a breach somewhere.

Me too.  My guess is that some hop pellet debris gets in the way of the seal.  Lately I've been triple sealing both ends of the bag.