161 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

hey look at me - I started a useful thread

[BlKtRe]

FYI,JMcG and Klickue are the LBG's yeast farmers. You need something, one of them most likely has it on a plate or slant. Their canners get a work out.

[positiveContact]

If you have access to DME its just so much easier to do that.

why is DME so much easier? Only diff would be me mashing first which is actually my favorite part of the brew day anyway.

If you don't can other stuff or sterilize stuff for cultures/yeast farm you may want to skip the added expense and time, IMO.

not sure what you mean here. being able to do yeast culturing is one thing. making starters is kind of separate thing. even if you just buy a smack pack, make a starter and never use the yeast again you need to make a starter. being able to have that starter going in 10 minutes (sanitize, pouring in pre-made starter, add yeast, throw on stirplate) is still very nice.

[HVB]

FYI,JMcG and Klickue are the LBG's yeast farmers. You need something, one of them most likely has it on a plate or slant. Their canners get a work out.

Hmm .. maybe I should send you some guys some of the East Costs Yeast so you can slant them up and play around.

[BlKtRe]

Hmm .. maybe I should send you some guys some of the East Costs Yeast so you can slant them up and play around.

Hmmmmm, that means I would get to play around too!

[BlKtRe]

why is DME so much easier? Only diff would be me mashing first which is actually my favorite part of the brew day anyway.DME is so much easier. Buying bulk DME makes it cheap to use. Before getting bulk pricing I made my own starter wort too. Now that I've done both, I will stick with using DME for cost and time savings.not sure what you mean here. being able to do yeast culturing is one thing. making starters is kind of separate thing. even if you just buy a smack pack, make a starter and never use the yeast again you need to make a starter. being able to have that starter going in 10 minutes (sanitize, pouring in pre-made starter, add yeast, throw on stirplate) is still very nice.Its just a matter of where you want to save your time. Using canned wort to make the starter but having to spend 3-4hrs in a day canning starter wort or spending 30min making a start the old fashioned way.

[Deerslyr]

To add to what Blktre said, and if I understand correctly, you just have to add the DME in the appropriate amount to the jar with appropriate amount of water before canning. No muss, no fuss. Is that correct?

[BlKtRe]

To add to what Blktre said, and if I understand correctly, you just have to add the DME in the appropriate amount to the jar with appropriate amount of water before canning. No muss, no fuss. Is that correct?

Yup. So depending on the type and manufacturer of the extract you use determines the OG. If I remember correctly from my notes its 2-3grams/qt.

[positiveContact]

If I could get DME cheap enough I could see the time savings advantage. As for time savings - assuming it takes under 2 hours to can 5 gallons of wort (plus mashing time of about 2 hours) I'm estimating a time savings of over 2x versus making the starters one at a time. I don't know about you guys but it takes me well over an hour to make a starter from start to finish if I just start with DME and water and have to boil it and cool it.

Edited by StudsTerkel, 01 June 2012 - 07:10 AM.

[HVB]

To add to what Blktre said, and if I understand correctly, you just have to add the DME in the appropriate amount to the jar with appropriate amount of water before canning. No muss, no fuss. Is that correct?

This sounds like the way I would go. Gives me the benifit of canned wort with the least amount of work. If I am going to fire the kettles up and spend the time making wort I want to be drinking it, not canning it.

[BlKtRe]

If I could get DME cheap enough I could see the time savings advantage. As for time savings - assuming it takes under 2 hours to can 5 gallons of wort (plus mashing time of about 2 hours) I'm estimating a time savings of over 2x versus making the starters one at a time. I don't know about you guys but it takes me well over an hour to make a starter from start to finish if I just start with DME and water and have to boil it and cool it.

Two things. First if you make a 3/8 IM chiller you will be pitched in under 30min easily. That is tons cheaper to build than buying a canner plus jars, lids, and rings. Let alone setup time. Cleaning used jars SUCKS!Secondly and only applies to to people like me with a induction cook top, I can have a 2500ml starter to boil in two minutes. Use the IM chiller and Im pitched in around 20min.

Edited by BlKtRe, 01 June 2012 - 07:19 AM.

[positiveContact]

This sounds like the way I would go. Gives me the benifit of canned wort with the least amount of work. If I am going to fire the kettles up and spend the time making wort I want to be drinking it, not canning it.

just to be clear - you don't have to boil after you mash and drain the mash tun - it's just the mashing/sparging and then canning. but yeah - if the DME was cheap enough that certainly seems like the way to go.

[positiveContact]

Two things. First if you make a 3/8 IM chiller you will be pitched in under 30min easily. That is tons cheaper to build than buying a canner plus jars, lids, and rings. Let alone setup time.Secondly and only applies to to people like me with a induction cook top, I can have a 2500ml starter to boil in two minutes. Use the IM chiller and Im pitched in around 20min.

I boil in my flask so no chiller is going in there. my stove top is not that fast. I also have to filter and measure water, measure DME. given the equipment I'm using I'm doing it as fast as possible (I've done it many, many times).

[positiveContact]

tre - where did you buy your DME and how much would it cost you to make 5 gallons of 1.040 wort? I'm estimating I could do it with grain for less than $7 worth of grain. (<10lbs of grain for about $0.70/lb if I remember correctly).

[BlKtRe]

I boil in my flask so no chiller is going in there. my stove top is not that fast. I also have to filter and measure water, measure DME. given the equipment I'm using I'm doing it as fast as possible (I've done it many, many times).

My notes know how much DME to use in a starter. No use in breaking out the scales each and every time. Measuring water is as simple as filling my flask and dumping that water into an awaiting pot on the stove. My setup time making a starter is sanitize flask and stir bar (done while making the starter), bringing upstairs my DME and digging out a 1 cup measuring scoop. 2 min tops. Also, there really is no need to filter starter make up water unless you want too. But, I get what you are saying. Sort of.

[BlKtRe]

tre - where did you buy your DME and how much would it cost you to make 5 gallons of 1.040 wort? I'm estimating I could do it with grain for less than $7 worth of grain. (<10lbs of grain for about $0.70/lb if I remember correctly).

Bulk buy through MCM. Our club usually orders 7-8 full pallets per year.Cost for DME comes in a tad higher than a cheap American/Canadian 2row buying bulk but time is money in my book too. So that is where I save. I haven't paid LHBS rates in at least 8yrs or more.

[Deerslyr]

just to be clear - you don't have to boil after you mash and drain the mash tun - it's just the mashing/sparging and then canning. but yeah - if the DME was cheap enough that certainly seems like the way to go.

That is correct.

[BlKtRe]

Just checked the spreadsheet. Briess Golden Light DME comes in at $1.63/per pound including shipping. NB sells that same pound for $5.75/#. Yes, more expensive than making your own wort with grain, but that is a time killer. Im off doing other things while you are still cleaning your MT

[positiveContact]

Just checked the spreadsheet. Briess Golden Light DME comes in at $1.63/per pound including shipping. NB sells that same pound for $5.75/#. Yes, more expensive than making your own wort with grain, but that is a time killer. Im off doing other things while you are still cleaning your MT

cleaning the mash tun is easy. that could be done during one of the rounds of canning but yes - the wort production process will probably cost me a couple of hours. this why I was initially thinking of doing 10 gallons. it woudl still take me about 2 hours to make the wort.

Edited by StudsTerkel, 01 June 2012 - 07:59 AM.

[BlKtRe]

Now that I have a induction cook top, canning wort just doesn't make sense to me right now.