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#1 Beejus McReejus

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Posted 14 July 2024 - 08:04 AM

It's been seven years since my last brew day, but I jumped back in the saddle this weekend.  Brewed what I'm calling a Belgian Golden Ale, but it's only 1.057 so I guess it qualifies as Belgian Single and not a Golden Strong Ale.  I mentioned in another thread that my neighbor gave me a kegerator, so it inspired me to get off my ass and just do it.  I went through my old equipment and made a few changes, threw some busted stuff out, and improvised a few steps until I can get some new equipment.

 

I kept the old Cube mash tun, but swapped out the manifold.  My old setup was just a piece of bent copper, but I scrapped that and built a CPVC manifold.

 

QywTHOE.jpg

 

 

Here's what the old one looked like, for comparison:

 

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Still got the old Corona mill.  Couldn't find a bolt to put into it to use a drill, so I hand-cranked out 20# of grain through it.  She ain't pretty, but I ended up with 78% efficiency, so it works.

 

RRQ3u1K.jpg

 

 

Years ago I had built a brew stand, had two keggles (HLT and boil kettle).  I didn't want to mess around with the big HLT and didn't have an easy way to get 9 gallons of water heated to batch sparge once I filled the kettle with the first runnings, so I improvised and used some Cambro coffee containers.  It actually worked out pretty well, but did take some running around as they only hold 3 gallons.  I guess that was a good amount to be able to lug around and lift up though.

 

OcKUD8N.jpg

 

 

I ended up doing the no-chill method since my fermentation buckets are HDPE.  I finished up around 9PM last night, and got the yeast pictched this morning around 7:30AM.  I sure hope it turns out well going that route.  What I was reading about no-chill involved using 5 gallon "cubes" to store the hot wort before transferring into primary, but I didn't have enough time to get those delivered.  So my concern is the headspace in the buckets turning my beer into creamed corn, but either way it'll make beer (I just may not share htis one :P).  I had to toss out my old CFC, so I'll probably get another one built before the next brew.

 

 

My brew buddy this time wasn't even born when I did my last batch:

 

anwxZVA.jpg

 

 

Last time her big brother helped me out (he's 10 now):

 

QSdiJVQ.jpeg

 

 

All in all it was a great time and I had a lot of fun doing it again. Life is stressful and this was a great distraction, just what I needed right now!  :)



#2 MyaCullen

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Posted 14 July 2024 - 01:05 PM

Congrats!

 

3 kids now? 4?

 

Where is the dress sock though?



#3 Big Nake

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Posted 14 July 2024 - 03:01 PM

HEYO!  Congrats on getting back on it.  I brewed today as well .. made a Mexican Amber Lager.  Warm day to brew.  



#4 Beejus McReejus

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Posted 15 July 2024 - 06:07 AM

Congrats!

 

3 kids now? 4?

 

Where is the dress sock though?

 

Three.  I don't know how people have more than three.  :P

 

I'm not following the dress sock reference.  Did I do something embarrassing with a dress sock at one point?  lol



#5 MyaCullen

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Posted 15 July 2024 - 06:46 PM

Three.  I don't know how people have more than three.  :P

 

I'm not following the dress sock reference.  Did I do something embarrassing with a dress sock at one point?  lol

you used one as a mash runoff filter :D



#6 Beejus McReejus

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Posted 16 July 2024 - 05:17 AM

Ah yeah!  lol  I'm all about MacGyver brewing!



#7 Gusso

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Posted 16 July 2024 - 03:36 PM

Welcome back! I took a 5-6 year hiatus myself.

#8 Hines

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Posted 05 August 2024 - 06:06 AM

hmm.  Maybe this will give me the nudge to do another brew.   Nice to see you back in action!

 

Maybe i'll dust off Ken's Memory Lapse Pale Ale recipe.



#9 Beejus McReejus

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Posted 06 August 2024 - 04:32 PM

I got another brew in on my bday,a week ago. Reused the same yeast to do a dubbel. Still haven't built a new chiller, so did another no-chill and it tasted great checking the gravity today.


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