19 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

I have brewed the last 7 weekends.      Summer Pale Ale, Dark Lager, MLPA, Helles, Cascade Pale Ale, American Lager and a Blonde Ale.  The draft fridges are full (the Summer Pale Ale will be the next keg to kick) and the on-deck fridge has three full kegs in it.  I'm brewing this pale Vienna this weekend and then I'll coast a little bit.  I don't want this Bayern yeast to sit around idle for very long so I will brew another 2 beers with it over the next month or so and then retire it.  I stopped brewing for about 2 months and ended up with a high-consumption, low-production stretch but finally the supply is coming back.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I have yet to brew since january. My garage is still a mess.

[Steve Urquell]

I'm in brew mode now too wanting to brew often. I want my current batch kegged and out of the way but am being patient as I don't like moving fermented beer in the fermenter.

 

It's strange when you haven't done it in awhile and the thought of it is like "Ugh, that's a lot of work" Then you brew and you want to keep doing it.

[Big Nake]

I'm in brew mode now too wanting to brew often. I want my current batch kegged and out of the way but am being patient as I don't like moving fermented beer in the fermenter.

 

It's strange when you haven't done it in awhile and the thought of it is like "Ugh, that's a lot of work" Then you brew and you want to keep doing it.

It really is weird.  I'll get into a rut where brewing seems tedious but that's rare.  I'll have my normal brewing cycles and occasionally I'll want to go into brewing overdrive.  

[Steve Urquell]

It really is weird.  I'll get into a rut where brewing seems tedious but that's rare.  I'll have my normal brewing cycles and occasionally I'll want to go into brewing overdrive.  

I usually prepare for my brewday the evening before crushing grain, bagging hops, water additions and measuring water out and putting it on the stovetop (I mash in the house). This doesn't save much time on brewday but it makes it easier on me.

 

My "restart" brew was on a whim and I weighed everything out while heating water and washing eqpt. It was a freaking 5hr grind, 2/10, did not enjoy. This last one was my usual system and much more enjoyable, probably 4hrs.

[Big Nake]

I usually prepare for my brewday the evening before crushing grain, bagging hops, water additions and measuring water out and putting it on the stovetop (I mash in the house). This doesn't save much time on brewday but it makes it easier on me.

 

My "restart" brew was on a whim and I weighed everything out while heating water and washing eqpt. It was a freaking 5hr grind, 2/10, did not enjoy. This last one was my usual system and much more enjoyable, probably 4hrs.

Yeah, I do everything the day before so brewday goes smoother.  I just always want to have my four taps going and I also want backup. 

[Bklmt2000]

I'm in power-brewing mode. My summer schedule got a lot freer recently, which means more brewdays.

 

Which is good, b/c I have 3 taps to feed, and hot weather creates a mighty thirst.

[neddles]

I have not brewed since... I’m not sure, late March or early April, maybe? I really need to get one done pretty soon.

[Poptop]

Good on you Ken and others. I have a Belgian Amber just starting to smooth out that should be spot on in another couple weeks. I have Bayern 4 which is an Amber Lager of sorts bittered with Chinook and finished with Mt. Hood. I'm set to do my standard Vienna next weekend and then it's time to make batch 100. After that I got a pack of 1450 that needs attention. Prolly a summer type ale.

[jayb151]

Everytime I brew I"m streaming it on Twitch. I'm only brewing every month or so...though I went almost 2 months recently. I just brewed up a batch on Saturday, and I'm so happy I did cause my last keg kicked on Sunday!

 

Now that I made the small investment in a sack of Pils, 2lbs of hops, and I''ll reuse yeast, I can pretty much brew whenever I want!

[Big Nake]

Everytime I brew I"m streaming it on Twitch. I'm only brewing every month or so...though I went almost 2 months recently. I just brewed up a batch on Saturday, and I'm so happy I did cause my last keg kicked on Sunday!
 
Now that I made the small investment in a sack of Pils, 2lbs of hops, and I''ll reuse yeast, I can pretty much brew whenever I want!

Yeah man, that's big. Not only the malt and hops but dry yeast seems to be getting better and better and if you can keep dry ale and lager yeast on hand... there's no stopping you!

[jayb151]

Ken, I've been a Safale/lager kind of guy since I started using dry yeast, but I recently tried the Mangrove Jack Triple. I'm going to be doing a run of belgian inspired beers. I'm looking forward to seeing how it differs!

 

Now if only I could find a great Kolsch yeast that's dry. The Wyeast is just so good.

[Hines]

I found a friend that brewed "back in the day."  We've ordered a few kits and hope to brew within the next 2 weeks!

[HVB]

I found a friend that brewed "back in the day."  We've ordered a few kits and hope to brew within the next 2 weeks!

Nice!  I was wondering if you were going to get brewing again.

[Hines]

hard to get motivated when i feel like all of my beers aren't that great.   At least with a second set of eyes and hands going through the process it will help confirm or disprove some things.

[Steve Urquell]

Ken, I've been a Safale/lager kind of guy since I started using dry yeast, but I recently tried the Mangrove Jack Triple. I'm going to be doing a run of belgian inspired beers. I'm looking forward to seeing how it differs!
 
Now if only I could find a great Kolsch yeast that's dry. The Wyeast is just so good.

S-23 is rumored to be kolsch. I used it for around a year and made some good lagers with it. I feel it has been wrongfully condemned over the years due to some issues with a certain batch of it. I never did a kolsch with it but did brew one of my house gold lagers with it and recall it being a good beer.

I do remember S23 as being better on 2nd and later gens than 1st pitch.

[jayb151]

S-23 is rumored to be kolsch. I used it for around a year and made some good lagers with it. I feel it has been wrongfully condemned over the years due to some issues with a certain batch of it. I never did a kolsch with it but did brew one of my house gold lagers with it and recall it being a good beer.

I do remember S23 as being better on 2nd and later gens than 1st pitch.

 

Hmmm..

 

I'll have to look into it. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Big Nake]

I remember once making a pale English Ale (pale ale malt, a bit of British Crystal, Torrified Wheat, Goldings hops) and when I went to grab the previous batch out of primary so I could get the 1028... that batch was infected and smelled bad so now I was in the middle of a brewday and didn't have the 1028 I needed so I looked into the fridge and the only dry yeast I had was S23.  I used it and made a British lager.    The beer turned out just fine.  I wouldn't say it was the most inspired beer I ever made but the S23 came through in a pinch.  Never heard it was a kolsch yeast but I thought I had heard of a dry kolsch yeast somewhere.  

 

A quick Google search tells me that Fermentis SafAle K97 is kolsch.  S23 is described as a dry lager yeast that is "popular among western European breweries".  

[jayb151]

I remember once making a pale English Ale (pale ale malt, a bit of British Crystal, Torrified Wheat, Goldings hops) and when I went to grab the previous batch out of primary so I could get the 1028... that batch was infected and smelled bad so now I was in the middle of a brewday and didn't have the 1028 I needed so I looked into the fridge and the only dry yeast I had was S23.  I used it and made a British lager.    The beer turned out just fine.  I wouldn't say it was the most inspired beer I ever made but the S23 came through in a pinch.  Never heard it was a kolsch yeast but I thought I had heard of a dry kolsch yeast somewhere.  

 

A quick Google search tells me that Fermentis SafAle K97 is kolsch.  S23 is described as a dry lager yeast that is "popular among western European breweries".  

 

Ah! German Ale, yep. that sounds right. Thanks for the heads up Ken!

[Big Nake]

Ah! German Ale, yep. that sounds right. Thanks for the heads up Ken!

Cheers friend.