663 replies to this topic

[Bklmt2000]

Brewday postponed until tomorrow; had to get a propane tank swapped out.

 

I might've (might've) had enough for today's session, but I'd rather not run out in the middle of brewday.

 

Especially when I'm marooned at home (we have 2 cars; wife and son each drive one to work, leaving me sans wheels during the workday until one of them gets home).

[Big Nake]

Brewday postponed until tomorrow; had to get a propane tank swapped out.

 

I might've (might've) had enough for today's session, but I'd rather not run out in the middle of brewday.

 

Especially when I'm marooned at home (we have 2 cars; wife and son each drive one to work, leaving me sans wheels during the workday until one of them gets home).

The solution:  Extra propane tank.  I have one for the grill and one for brewing.  Running out in the middle of either is a huge problem so then I just steal the other one.  Have fun with the brewday tomorrow.

[Bklmt2000]

The solution:  Extra propane tank.  I have one for the grill and one for brewing.  Running out in the middle of either is a huge problem so then I just steal the other one.  Have fun with the brewday tomorrow.

 

Agreed; I have 2 tanks.  One was totally empty, and I think the other had just enough fuel for a brewday.  But, being unsure, a quick run to Kroger solved that problem.

 

Gotta get the supply line back up to snuff; my consumption has been outpacing my production lately.

[Big Nake]

Gotta get the supply line back up to snuff; my consumption has been outpacing my production lately.

Preach!

 

I've been brewing like I'm getting paid for it and I'm brewing again on Friday.  May the brewing mojo be with you... and also with you. 

[positiveContact]

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.

 

a good way to avoid this is to keep the hops in an inner bag inside the vacuum bag.  then don't pour directly out of the vacuum bag so you don't get hop dust all over the area where the seal will occur.  I've had pretty good luck doing this.

[Bklmt2000]

IPA is now in the fermenter.

 

A fresh slurry of 1469 is handling the heavy lifting in the primary.

 

FYI - for those who don't already know, Columbus and Mosaic play real nice together. 

[Big Nake]

IPA is now in the fermenter.

 

A fresh slurry of 1469 is handling the heavy lifting in the primary.

 

FYI - for those who don't already know, Columbus and Mosaic play real nice together. 

Nice work.  I'm currently preparing for my brewday tomorrow.  Filtering water, measuring out grains, etc.  I'm making the helles I mentioned over HERE.

[HVB]

Taking friday off to do some things around the house and I hope to sneak in a simple Rye Pilsner with Sterling and 2124.

[neddles]

Taking friday off to do some things around the house and I hope to sneak in a simple Rye Pilsner with Sterling and 2124.

Sign me up.

[jayb151]

Ugh, I got my hop and yeast order in from Ritebrew, but now I gotta scrounge up the cash to buy a sack of grain. and my next two weekends are busy. not sure when I'll get to brewing!

[Big Nake]

Ugh, I got my hop and yeast order in from Ritebrew, but now I gotta scrounge up the cash to buy a sack of grain. and my next two weekends are busy. not sure when I'll get to brewing!

Have you checked out Label Peelers for grain?  I can order 50 or 55 lb sacks of grain from them and have it shipped to me for less than I can pick it up locally.  I have ordered 3-4 sacks from them in the past year.  $36 for a sack of Swaen Pilsner malt plus about $15 shipping (I think).  There is nowhere I know locally where I can get a sack of pilsner malt for $51.  I was at Brew & Grow in Roselle recently and got a sack of Rahr Pale Ale malt... $68.  I know it seems weird to order something that big and pay the shipping but it's cheaper and they're quick to ship too.  They have sales often so buy it when it's as low as it can get.  Check it out.  

[Big Nake]

I also just sent my dark lager to a keg and harvested the 940 for one more run.  My brew bunker and now my kitchen smell so unbelievably good right now from that yeast aroma.  I can't imagine it's got more than one more run in it but I also have this harvested 2124 so I'm going to ride that for one or two more, one more for the 940 and then switch to Bayern.  

[Poptop]

What do you's guys think about a 4th run of the Bayerns? Good, no bueno?

[Big Nake]

What do you's guys think about a 4th run of the Bayerns? Good, no bueno?

The number of batches is always in my head but how the yeast is behaving, looking and smelling is part of it too.  I think my last run of Bayern was either 6 or an incredible (for me) 7 batches.  I just didn't want to see it go.  But if you have the chance to taste the latest batch (even flat and warm) that should give you an idea of how to proceed.  For example, this 940 sat for a bit between batches 1,2,3 and batch 4.  It looked and smelled fine and I used it in another pale lager.  A whiff of the slurry told me that the yeast was fine and batch 4 has been sampled and it's good.  I just got a big whiff of batch 5 (the dark lager) and it also seems to be okay.  All of that plus the length of time in between batches.  There was some talk recently about 3 weeks being a good timeline for using a slurry straight-up, no starter.  If it's longer than three weeks you can do a "vitality starter" (never done this) where you send some of your first runnings into the flask with the yeast to give it a bit of a head start assuming that you won't be pitching for another 2 hours or whatever.  if it seems VERY long between uses then a full-blown starter might be good.   

[Poptop]

Once again, it’s the feeling you and me and everyone else gets about their ingredients. Just gotta rely on the brewing senses.

[Big Nake]

Once again, it’s the feeling you and me and everyone else gets about their ingredients. Just gotta rely on the brewing senses.

I think so.  I've had yeast go one run and then after I used it a second time I got a whiff of something I didn't like.  Down the drain it goes.  If it seems good, use it.  

[Poptop]

Amen

[jayb151]

Have you checked out Label Peelers for grain?    

 

damn! that's a new one for me. Looks like a sack of Pils would be 58.19 shipped to my door. Pretty good price, but I think it would still be cheaper for me to go to my guy in St.charles. 

 

Though...my LHBS doesn't take paypal lol. Thanks for the heads up Ken. 

 

Holy shiz. I checked what it would cost to ship two sacks of grain...free shipping. So, one sack for 58, or two for 80.

 

Man, I really need to get a mill. 

[HVB]

 

 

Holy shiz. I checked what it would cost to ship two sacks of grain...free shipping. So, one sack for 58, or two for 80.

 

Man, I really need to get a mill. 

 

Damn .. that is not bad!

 

ETA:  $44 for shipping to me 

Edited by drez77, 15 June 2018 - 11:18 AM.

[Big Nake]

damn! that's a new one for me. Looks like a sack of Pils would be 58.19 shipped to my door. Pretty good price, but I think it would still be cheaper for me to go to my guy in St.charles. 

 

Though...my LHBS doesn't take paypal lol. Thanks for the heads up Ken. 

 

Holy shiz. I checked what it would cost to ship two sacks of grain...free shipping. So, one sack for 58, or two for 80.

 

Man, I really need to get a mill. 

If you have a local source that's cheaper, of course that's the play.

 

I seem to have all kinds of experiences:  B&G in Roselle sells sacks of grain but you can't be sure what you'll get and the prices fluctuate wildly.  Some places simply don't sell full sacks... period.  Other places go back and forth like Well, if I sell you my last sack of [whatever] then I won't have any left for other customers so I don't know... maybe I could sell it to you and then other places are like "WHAT!?  You want a full sack?  I'll have to ask Mike if we do that!".  So the local thing is really up for grabs.  The Label Peelers thing works for me and thanks to CHILS for suggesting it.