96 replies to this topic

[HVB]

i will say that while ritebrews prices are good once you factor in shipping it's not substantially different than buying stuff from the LHBS.

 

At the LHBS I would expect to pay $10 for the yeast, $2*17=$34 and not sure for the yeast nutrient so lets say $6.  grand total: $50.  I guess at least I didn't have to drive anywhere!

 

 

 

If you LHBS has that yeast.  I did order grain too that I could have got locally but these days it is hard to do what I want when I am home so I would rather pay and have it delivered then drive around to a LHBS.  

[positiveContact]

If you LHBS has that yeast.  I did order grain too that I could have got locally but these days it is hard to do what I want when I am home so I would rather pay and have it delivered then drive around to a LHBS.  

 

oh yeah - I would have called him first and made sure he either had it or would order it for me (I think he would have but obviously this would have taken longer and been more of a hassle).  convenience wins this time!

[neddles]

Mine arrived this morning while I was in town.

 

Where the hell is chils? We all just put a run on some Czech yeast... this is right in his wheelhouse.

[positiveContact]

so what to make?  I have some saaz (2.8oz) but it's pretty old so I'm not sure how it's going to smell when I crack it open.  I have some motueka (3.7oz) that is a couple of years old so probably still okay.  I have a decent amount of hallertau (28oz!!) and mt. hood (8.4oz).

[Poptop]

My. Hood to bitter, Hallertau and the Saaz to finish

[Big Nake]

I'm trying to collect some recipes.  Czech Pils with five ounces of Saaz will be first.  This vision that I have of the Live Oak amber lager is another... 50/50 pils, munich 2, Magnum to bitter and then late Hallertau.  I know it's not "Czech" but it will be dynamite with the Staro yeast.  Probably something dark-amber and hoppier (one of Chils' Czech amber lagers) and possibly that U Fleku-style dark lager.  I would want to use it in a couple of beers that are not quite as hoppy so the character will come across.  Too many late hops scrub out the yeast character.  

[positiveContact]

I also have some perle i can use for bittering.  I just used it in a stout.

[neddles]

Czech Pils with five ounces of Saaz will be first.

Im asking out of ignorance because Ive never had a fresh czech pils. Is that hopping rate going to give you what you expect from a good fresh example of the style?

[Big Nake]

Im asking out of ignorance because Ive never had a fresh czech pils. Is that hopping rate going to give you what you expect from a good fresh example of the style?

It's strange because if you have a fresh example, it doesn't SCREAM hops but I think that's because of the ultra-soft water... hops don't come across as strong so more hops are necessary to balance things.  The other part is that the hopping schedule I'm using here is not only foreign to me (1 oz FWH, 2 oz for 30, 2 oz into the WP) but calculators won't tell you what the real IBUs are.  A lot of Czech Pilsner recipes will come to 35-40 IBUs.  My recipe right now comes to 16-17 IBUs because the calculator treats the FWH as ZERO and treats the WP as zero as well.  In the old days I would have skipped the FWH, used enough Saaz at 30 to get to 20 IBUs and then drop the rest of the hops into the boil in the last 10 minutes.  But I got this hop schedule from an award-winning Czech Pils recipe on AHA.  So... the answer to your question is... NO FECKING CLUE. 

[Big Nake]

This is why we need Chils. He'd set me straight on the hop schedule.

[neddles]

Ok thanks for that. Do we know that “ultra soft” water is still used by czech breweries?

[Big Nake]

Ok thanks for that. Do we know that “ultra soft” water is still used by czech breweries?

My guess is that only Czech brewers know that. Czech beers are known for being made with very soft water but other than that, I'm just a humble beermaker from the Midwest.

[neddles]

Da fuq. Youre the lager king of Chicago, YOURE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THIS STUFF!!!

I’d probably go pretty soft anyhow with just a little CaCl

[Big Nake]

Da fuq. Youre the lager king of Chicago, YOURE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THIS STUFF!!!

I’d probably go pretty soft anyhow with just a little CaCl

When I retire I plan to visit breweries all over Europe and take painstaking notes. Until then, I'm just a humble beermaker from the Midwest.

[Big Nake]

I have to restrain myself to not go straight for this Staro yeast and make a starter with it.  I have beers planned with 1028 but I'm much more excited to start brewing with the Staro.  Many times I've thought of going all-lagers-all-the-time because I get much more amped up to make lagers than I do ales.  It's like I have a new convertible in the garage but I'm forced to drive my 1992 Ford Escort.  But I must persevere... I must go smack that pack of 1028.  

[positiveContact]

I have to restrain myself to not go straight for this Staro yeast and make a starter with it.  I have beers planned with 1028 but I'm much more excited to start brewing with the Staro.  Many times I've thought of going all-lagers-all-the-time because I get much more amped up to make lagers than I do ales.  It's like I have a new convertible in the garage but I'm forced to drive my 1992 Ford Escort.  But I must persevere... I must go smack that pack of 1028.  

 

certain lager yeasts would def work for a lot of the beers you make.  W-34/70 is pretty versatile.

[Poptop]

certain lager yeasts would def work for a lot of the beers you make.  W-34/70 is pretty versatile.

 

Yes.  There's a lot of good reading about pitch and temp at Brulosophy using the 34/70.

[Big Nake]

Yes.  There's a lot of good reading about pitch and temp at Brulosophy using the 34/70.

I think it's just temporary.  In the past I've gotten some off-the-map lager yeast that I've never tried and I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve wanting to try it.  With this extended run of Bayern coming to an end, I was perfectly content to get started on a run of ales with 1028 and I have the recipes all ready to go and I have all of the ingredients.  But then that Staro showed up and changed everything. 

[Poptop]

So I went to my current favorite online store, Stubby's Texas Brewing and asked the status of the 2782.  Came back saying they typically don't grab too many seasonals but they have 2 packs heading their way this Thursday.  I've got one earmarked, so there's gonna be one up for grabs.  

[Big Nake]

So I went to my current favorite online store, Stubby's Texas Brewing and asked the status of the 2782.  Came back saying they typically don't grab too many seasonals but they have 2 packs heading their way this Thursday.  I've got one earmarked, so there's gonna be one up for grabs.  

Congrats on getting a pack.  I often wonder what happens to outdated packs... whether Wyeast took them back or stores sold them at a discount or whatever.  I used to be tight with a guy who worked at a supply store and he would let me go into the fridge and look through the box of yeast that was no longer fresh enough to sell (but you KNEW you could make a starter for and use without issue).  He said, "Take whatever you want.  Take as many as you want.  You;d be doing me a favor".  I got a lot of good liquid yeast that way and I used a lot of strains I may not have bought because I wasn't sure about them.  I don't blame the stores for buying smaller numbers of packs knowing they may get stuck with them.  Also, I need to go peruse Chils' Czech lager recipes so I have more options.