2616 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

Nice.  What was the malt and hop?

[Beejus McReejus]

Just some Briess pale 2-row and, this is funny, I still had a pound of sealed Willamette pellets that I bought waaaay back.  I think it was from a Father's Day sale at Hops Direct like back in 2012.  They still smelled good when I cracked them open and since I was doing the no-chill thing, I figured if they lost some potency, the wort will be stewing in it's juices while it cools down and getting more of that hop goodness/bitterness while doing so.  I had an itch to brew spontaneously and just decided to use what I had on hand and see what came out.  I used some (fresh) Safale-05 and even with pitching it around 80F, it still came out pretty clean and the bitterness is right where I was expecting/hoping it would be.

[Big Nake]

Just some Briess pale 2-row and, this is funny, I still had a pound of sealed Willamette pellets that I bought waaaay back.  I think it was from a Father's Day sale at Hops Direct like back in 2012.  They still smelled good when I cracked them open and since I was doing the no-chill thing, I figured if they lost some potency, the wort will be stewing in it's juices while it cools down and getting more of that hop goodness/bitterness while doing so.  I had an itch to brew spontaneously and just decided to use what I had on hand and see what came out.  I used some (fresh) Safale-05 and even with pitching it around 80F, it still came out pretty clean and the bitterness is right where I was expecting/hoping it would be.

Twelve-year-old Willamette Smash Ale. 

[Beejus McReejus]

Best part about this hobby. No matter what, you still make beer!

[Augie1991]

That yeast always is money.

[Big Nake]

Another gold lager here on the night before Thanksgiving ...

 

[Gusso]

Baltic Porter


Quite the Winter Warmer - 10.5%

[Big Nake]

The AHA Zoiglbier recipe that I have made 3-4 times.  For the love of man, what an amazing beer.  60/40 Pils/Munich 2, all Perle hops at 30, 20, 0 and Omega Bayern yeast.  Cheers Beerheads.

 

[neddles]

The AHA Zoiglbier recipe that I have made 3-4 times. For the love of man, what an amazing beer. 60/40 Pils/Munich 2, all Perle hops at 30, 20, 0 and Omega Bayern yeast. Cheers Beerheads.

Is that Bayern still the shit?

[Big Nake]

Is that Bayern still the shit?

Love it.  I made 11 or 12 batches from the same blob of yeast and JUST retired it.  2124 up next.  

[Big Nake]

Pale lager.  80/20 Pils/Munich 1.  Nugget to bitter and Spalt late.  Omega Bayern.

 

[Big Nake]

A red lager here on Superbowl Sunday. Pilsner malt, Special B, English Crystal and then Hallertau and Spalt late. Omega Bayern.

 

[Big Nake]

Munich Helles ...

 

[Gusso]

You do make extremely clear beers, Ken. Not a strength of mine.

[Big Nake]

You do make extremely clear beers, Ken. Not a strength of mine.

It's been something I have wanted for a long time.  I tried everything and it was hit or miss.  Eventually I made some changes [for other reasons] and BOOM .. much more consistently clear beer and pretty much from the start of the keg.  One glass of yeasty beer at the start and then clear beer.  Cheers.  

[positiveContact]

You do make extremely clear beers, Ken. Not a strength of mine.

Things that might matter that I do...

Hit the acceptable pH range in the mash.

Whirlfloc

I do use brewtan-b in the mash and boil but not sure if that helps

Yeast that flocs

Make sure fermentation is complete, I typically let the temperature rise towards the very end

After fermentation get the primary as cold as you can

At this point careful racking would probably help but my dip tube is at a fixed depth so I suck up a little bit of stuff off the bottom

Cold storage and a little time (varies, dry hopping in the keg obviously induces some haze which might never fully clear depending on how fast I kill the keg)

Typically the keg will start pouring clear after a few pints where I suck up the little bit of stuff that made it into the keg and settled out



One thing to keep in mind is that Ken tends to generally make lower hopped and lower abv (at least lower than the stuff you seem to typically brew) beers and he's using lager yeast which generally flocculates pretty well. That's not too say he doesn't need to get things right but a beer made with a lot of hops is going to have more proteins floating around in it. Similarly some if the yeast strains you use might not floc as well. I don't have first hand experience with the stuff you use though. But on the flip side, one of the reasons your beers have such awesome rocky head formation is a lot of protein.

Edited by positiveContact, 07 March 2025 - 06:31 AM.

[Big Nake]

American Bock ...