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#1 MolBasser

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 05:21 PM

Yo,So a member asked me if I would host a monthly technical topic of discussion on this board. For some dumb reason he thought I knew something about brewing....... :devil: Mtn. Brewer gave it a go so imma do it.Since this is a new board there are a few things I need to get out of the way, please bear with me.1. I tend to be pretty up front about my ideas, but I am not a know it all. I don't know it all. I know some, like very little, but I like my opinions. Please don't get too worked up reading what I write, as you get to know me it will make sense. That said, lots of people know more than me. Especially homebrewing. However, I do know quite a bit of biochemisty, that is what will make this thread series cool. the comparison of ideas. I especially like the thought of comparing contrasting large scale brewing to homebrewing.2. I tend to lean towards a very scientific approach to brewing, I am, after all, a biochemist by training. This sometimes clashes with the anecdotal nature of homebrewing. Personally, I think it makes for lively threads and discussions.3. And most importantly. As some/most of you know I brew proffessionally for Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. This leads to some things I have to say. A) I do not speak for, nor do I represent in any way, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. :) I am bound by several confidentiallity agreements with SNBC. Feel free to ask any question regarding commercial brewing but I may not be able to answer. I'm not being a dick, I'm protecting my job.4. Let's have fun and learn about brewing together. We will all learn more by the exchange of ideas.phew! Now that that is out of the way, lets decide on a topic this weekend for the month of april. Until April fools day we will just try to decide on the topic. That gives me a couple of days to track down literature and such to get things going.My nomination for the first months topic is:"How what I do in the mashtun effects my beer."It is pretty broad, and we may want to whittle it down a bit.Brew on Brothers!BrewBasser

#2 chuck_d

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 05:30 PM

If we're going to keep it broad I'd rephrase it as "How mashing affects your finished beer." Alternatively, mashing could potentially be several different topics, Decoction Mashing, Infusion Mashing, One on the various rests that can be used, etc.I'm excited for the OTM threads to get going again.

#3 Kunsan90

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 05:32 PM

Yo,So a member asked me if I would host a monthly technical topic of discussion on this board. For some dumb reason he thought I knew something about brewing....... :devil: Mtn. Brewer gave it a go so imma do it.Since this is a new board there are a few things I need to get out of the way, please bear with me.1. I tend to be pretty up front about my ideas, but I am not a know it all. I don't know it all. I know some, like very little, but I like my opinions. Please don't get too worked up reading what I write, as you get to know me it will make sense. That said, lots of people know more than me. Especially homebrewing. However, I do know quite a bit of biochemisty, that is what will make this thread series cool. the comparison of ideas. I especially like the thought of comparing contrasting large scale brewing to homebrewing.2. I tend to lean towards a very scientific approach to brewing, I am, after all, a biochemist by training. This sometimes clashes with the anecdotal nature of homebrewing. Personally, I think it makes for lively threads and discussions.3. And most importantly. As some/most of you know I brew proffessionally for Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. This leads to some things I have to say. A) I do not speak for, nor do I represent in any way, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. :) I am bound by several confidentiallity agreements with SNBC. Feel free to ask any question regarding commercial brewing but I may not be able to answer. I'm not being a dick, I'm protecting my job.4. Let's have fun and learn about brewing together. We will all learn more by the exchange of ideas.phew! Now that that is out of the way, lets decide on a topic this weekend for the month of april. Until April fools day we will just try to decide on the topic. That gives me a couple of days to track down literature and such to get things going.My nomination for the first months topic is:"How what I do in the mashtun effects my beer."It is pretty broad, and we may want to whittle it down a bit.Brew on Brothers!BrewBasser

Sounds like a great topic. Does adding the dark grains at different times during the mash make a difference? How about in a decoction mash? Should one add the dark grains at the beginning, or wait to add them when the last decoction is added back to the main mash?Just throwing it out there.Phil

#4 MolBasser

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 05:48 PM

We are deciding on the topic now. Questions regarding a specific topic should wait till it is decided.I'm still formulating this in my mind and you all should too. How do we want this thread to go.I'm thinking pinned thread and the topic dies cold hard at the end of the month for the new topic.Let's flesh it out.BrewBasser

#5 cj in j

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 05:56 PM

Rather than specific types of mashing, how about focusing on temperature and water:grain ratio? Maybe throw "do a mashout vs don't do a mashout" in there, and you have a pretty full topic.

#6 chuck_d

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 05:56 PM

I'm thinking pinned thread and the topic dies cold hard at the end of the month for the new topic.Let's flesh it out.BrewBasser

I think it should be pinned during the month, then unpinned when the new one is pinned. Then we just let the previous TTOTM run its course, people will post a new question whenever it comes up, possibly years down the line.

#7 MolBasser

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:03 PM

Yes it would be a new topic every month in my mind.newest topic pinned, old topic left to die or survive on its on in the forum. Personally, I will be focusing on the new topic.Since it is a monthlong topic, we can get away with some broadness, I think.BrewBasser

#8 dagomike

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:27 PM

Mashing: Crush grain. Add hot water. Wait. Drain .Next topic.:)I think of all the things one can do to make great beer or really screw up a beer, 90% comes after mashing. Lets get to the juicy stuff.

#9 cj in j

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:32 PM

Mashing: Crush grain. Add hot water. Wait. Drain .Next topic.:devil:I think of all the things one can do to make great beer or really screw up a beer, 90% comes after mashing. Lets get to the juicy stuff.

But, what you do in the mash can have a major impact on your beer -- so starting at the beginning makes sense. I'm sure the juicy stuff will come soon enough! :)

#10 chuck_d

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:42 PM

Mashing: Crush grain. Add hot water. Wait. Drain .Next topic.:)I think of all the things one can do to make great beer or really screw up a beer, 90% comes after mashing. Lets get to the juicy stuff.

Mashing - Crushing GrainsMashing - Doughing InMashing - RestsMashing - The Sparge4 Topics.

#11 MolBasser

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:47 PM

Mashing: Crush grain. Add hot water. Wait. Drain .Next topic.:)I think of all the things one can do to make great beer or really screw up a beer, 90% comes after mashing. Lets get to the juicy stuff.

LOL!FAIL!Back of the class!!!BrewBasser

#12 EWW

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:49 PM

That's a pretty broad topic, but at some time can we pay some attention to the effects of water chemistry on the mash? I reread G. Fix's book lately and I think it confused me more then it helped. I basically know what I need to do to control things, but the why behind it gets kind of blurry.

#13 BeerMaker

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:49 PM

But, what you do in the mash can have a major impact on your beer -- so starting at the beginning makes sense. I'm sure the juicy stuff will come soon enough! :)

+1, Mashing is probably the one area where I have most question marks. I look forward to following this!

#14 MolBasser

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:51 PM

We can narrow the topic and work over the mash over several months.We can start with water chemistry if people are into it, but that tends to be a dry subject. Still, an important one.BrewBasser

#15 MolBasser

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:52 PM

Heck, we can start with malting if we want to work the process end to end, which might be cool.Malting is a very under discussed topic on homebrew forums.BrewBasser

#16 chuck_d

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:55 PM

That's a pretty broad topic, but at some time can we pay some attention to the effects of water chemistry on the mash? I reread G. Fix's book lately and I think it confused me more then it helped. I basically know what I need to do to control things, but the why behind it gets kind of blurry.

Agreed. I've got a basic understanding from Palmer's book, spreadsheet & A Handbook of Basic Brewing Calculations. One of my regrets was not taking organic or p-chem in college, so I find I'm weaker on chemistry that I want to be. I'm hoping BrewBasser will point us to some good hardcore chem references online during the discussion. :)

#17 zymot

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 06:59 PM

I recommend that we take advantage of brewbasser's kind offer to share his knowledge. By this I mean brewbasser has a degree from one the top zymurgy schools (UC Davis) in the country. His job is brewing at a world class brewery. If basser is generous enough to contribute, we should take full but respectful advantage of the resource.I am interested in learning established, conventional and proven practices. What do the engineers, scientists and professionals do? What did basser learn at school? What has he learned at Sierra Nevada? (that isn't proprietary) Then we can explore how it applies to homebrewing.As homebrewers we all have practices and short cuts that may not pass muster at AB or Sierra Nevada. I suggest the contradictory ". . . but I XYZ", ". . . . works for me!" and "I never/always _____ and never had a problem" type comments from us in the peanut gallery be kept to a minimum. Honest and thought questions are fine, but we should listen and learn first.How about an approach of something like a professor-lecture & student-listen? This will allow us homebrewers to maximize what we can learn from the unique source.Just my 2 cents,zymot

#18 EWW

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 07:05 PM

I recommend that we take advantage of brewbasser's kind offer to share his knowledge. By this I mean brewbasser has a degree from one the top zymurgy schools (UC Davis) in the country. His job is brewing at a world class brewery. If basser is generous enough to contribute, we should take full but respectful advantage of the resource.I am interested in learning established, conventional and proven practices. What do the engineers, scientists and professionals do? What did basser learn at school? What has he learned at Sierra Nevada? (that isn't proprietary) Then we can explore how it applies to homebrewing.As homebrewers we all have practices and short cuts that may not pass muster at AB or Sierra Nevada. I suggest the contradictory ". . . but I XYZ", ". . . . works for me!" and "I never/always _____ and never had a problem" type comments from us in the peanut gallery be kept to a minimum. Honest and thought questions are fine, but we should listen and learn first.How about an approach of something like a professor-lecture & student-listen? This will allow us homebrewers to maximize what we can learn from the unique source.Just my 2 cents,zymot

I expect homework! Seriously along the way if you can point any of us to some reading material it would be greatly appreciated.

#19 float

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 07:18 PM

I expect homework! Seriously along the way if you can point any of us to some reading material it would be greatly appreciated.

I like this idea too. Any actual material to read along with people's opinions/experiences would be great.

#20 ScottS

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Posted 27 March 2009 - 07:20 PM

Woah.Nerdery.I love it! :)


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