Beer Feeds

Very long story shortened.. I had recently met up with a guy online who wanted to sell me an empty keg very cheap. Knowing the state of the stainless keg market I intended to buy it and return it to the brewery. After I bought it it occurred to me what kind of keg it was, an AB one! Don’t know why that should have surprised me, but it did..

So my dilemma is this, if it was one of the local micros I’d not have any problems returning it since I know where the breweries all are. But since it’s an AB one I don’t have a clue how to proceed. Just drop it by a Total Wine? Stop a Bud truck on the street? Anyone have any better ideas? Anybody ever tried to get a keg back to AB??

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Okay so I have a barleywine fermenting nicely (brewed on memorial day).
the OG was right around 1.105.

I pitched the most yeast I could with my starter capability (over 2 liters), done on a stir plate.
Currently it is still fermenting along from the first pitch and the gravity is at 1.052.

My minimum target FG is 1.030 but I would prefer to get closer to 1.020.

Given how much I have pitched and how it is progressing, would it be wiser to build up the same amount of starter to repitch now (while fermentation is still active) or should I wait until it stops and repitch ONLY if it isn’t with in my target FG range?

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My last attempt at Bavarian Weisse came up a little thin (to me) judges thought it didn’t have enough ester/phenol. I did the “Ferulic acid rest” at 111 then brought by flame the mash up to saccrafacation temp. Fermented up to 65 with 3868.

So I was thinking about decocting. It occured to me that since the rest at 111 thinned my beer out why do the traditional decoction which includes a protien rest? Why not dough in at 152, go for an hour, then draw off the decoction to raise the temp up to mashout?

Then I opened my book “Radical Brewing” and Randy has already beat me to it.

“Instead of doing your decoction between protein and saccharification rests, you could do it at the completion of saccharification, and ust the temerature rise to bring the whole mash up to mahe-off temperature.” (Radical Brewing)pg. 110

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Well, my LHBS has closed its doors. My location, anyway, has closed its doors. They had shops on both sides of Kansas City, but as of May 20, they pulled the plug on the Missouri side.

I’m not sure what to say — definitely it sucks. That’s where I got my start homebrewing, and it’s handy to have a place close by when you break a hydrometer or need yeast at the last minute, etc.

On the other hand, everything in the store was always overpriced, even before the hops/malt price run-ups recently. In addition, the selection at the store wasn’t so great. It wasn’t terrible, but basically, LD Carlson was their only supplier, so you couldn’t really get anything outside their catalog. No Wyeast, no SAF yeast, no whirlfloc, no Weyermann malts… there were a bunch of things you couldn’t get there.

I still supported the place — I bought hundreds of $$/year of supplies there even after I went AG and started buying grain and hops in bulk — but I couldn’t do all my shopping there. Even if I wanted to afford the higher prices, they didn’t have everything I wanted to buy and couldn’t even get it.

Anyway, looks like I’m all online now. Driving over to Kansas and back costs me around $13 these days (and my car gets fairly decent mileage).

economic realities…

Pfft,
EH

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I’ve read on this forum of people siphoning from kettle to carboy. I’ve always ladled and/or poured from the kettle through a strainer and funnel and into the carboy. Seems to me this aerates the wort at a time it should be aerated. Why do people siphon? Are there any benefits from this? Just curious. Thanks.

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Had a bottle of Avery 15 and liked it, so decided to try the yeast in a beer of some type. This is a 100% brett beer, but I was thinking about trying it in secondary just to be different, not sure though. Added half a bottle of malta goya and some sanitized water to the dregs in the bottle, aerated, and 5 days later have 1/8″ of yeast in the bottom of the bomber.

Anything special to do when growing brett as compared to sacc?

Any guesses at to which strain this might be?

Recomendations for a good beer to try and add this to?

Are lots of hops and brett generally a bad idea? I think orval has quite a bit of hops, but is this an exception rather than the rule?

I did a search and found some good info (brett in secondary gets more sour than brett in primary!) but still have these questions.

Thanks,

Ben Z.

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I have be using two of these as fermenters for about 6 batches now.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f163/joh…20Arm/RRA01.jpg

When I first bought the drums they seemed to have a medicinal smell. The guy I bought them from, Doug Bradford, said they had only be used one time for shippiing a food grade powder(?). Before I first used them I soaked in bleach and starsan. They still have that same smell so I am wondering if it something in the plastic itself. It may be just me but it seems to be carrying over to the finished beer. Has anyone experienced this?

Is an upgrade to a conical in my future?

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I’m trying to isolate a funny flavor in my homebrew. I’ve been using carb tabs and I think they may be it. I think tomorrow I want to carb tab half my batch and sugar the other half.

I think what i’ll do is tab 24 bottles and fill them, then split my bag of priming sugar in half. Take half and boil it for a minute in some water, cool and then dump in to the remaining beer. I can then fill the other 24 bottles..

Since I started with 5 gallons, I should be pretty close, if anything a little under carbed on the last half since I’ll probably end up bottling more then 24 on after I add the sugar…..

Sound like a plan?

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From primary to serving keg?

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As some of you may have already heard, F.X. Matt Brewery in Utica, NY caught on fire yesterday. We want to let one of our craft beer partners-in-crime know that they are in our thoughts especially the employees and their families. Luckily, no one was injured and we wish the makers of Saranac the best […]

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Posted: by ph2001 (2 hours ago)

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I have experienced that most beer kit directions do not say anything about straining beer possibly at the racking or bottling stage. I was wondering if this a good way to keep any larger impurities out of the finished beer, and what I could use to accomplish this? Anyone out there do something to strain or filter beer that is easy and inexpensive? I was thinking of using pantyhose since it is synthetic and wouldn’t leave debris in the beer.

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I got some for free during a brewery tour. What can I use them for? I probably have 3-5oz.

Note that I don’t really have the technology to make a lager.

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I’m going to be brewing a hefeweizen and I want to give it a lemon flavor. Not too overpowering, but distinct. I’ve seen one recipe where they added 2 ounces of lemon extract and the juice from four lemons after the boil. I’ve heard that the extract might be a little too overpowering, though, so I’m wondering what others think about going this route. Has anyone tried using the extract? Any other ideas? Thanks!

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I have a friend that wants to get into brewing and he lives outside of Columbus Ohio. I told him to join this board and use the sotre here, but i also told him to support his local homebrew store. Anyone know of any close to Columbus that he can go visit and meet the right people?

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Linky

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I’m still assembling gear for brewing… I’m soon to get a nice stockpot - one of at least 5 gallons.

However, is aluminum OK to use as a brewpot, or should I get a stainless?

What say you, oh Lords of Hops?

Thanks!

EDITED: Nevermind. Just found out that stainless is the “only” way to go.

Short story: Aluminum = bad, stainless = good.

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The People’s Republic of Flying Dog is now in session. It’s happy hour at Flying Dog Brewery, so here is your latest dose of irreverence.Summer Finds Its Savior
No summer would be complete without the annual appearance of Flying Dog’s Summer seasonal, Woody Creek White. Flying Dog’s most popular seasonal will be available through September and […]

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I’m getting ready to brew my first batch, and I’m not sure I want to use a propane burner ( I don’t want to wonder if I have enough gas left, and I really don’t want to spend $40 for a second bottle). I have a fairly new stove with a glass top. Will this be adequate to boil 2-3 gallons in a reasonable amount of time? Will the weight of the pot be an issue for the glass? TIA

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Hi Guys,

Been trying to be a bit more Frugal lately in my brewing and have begin using Liquid Yeasts and saving the slurries for future batches…

I’ve got an Oatmeal Stout in Primary now sitting on a WLP0004 Irish Ale Yeastcake. With a SG of 1.062, is it worth saving this yeast?

If so.. What’s a good High Gravity beer that works well with this strain?

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Yup, i am an idiot. I didnt think to read the directions on the yeast packet as to how to make the starter primarily since i havent made one yet, but now that i have it says to use 100 grams of the malt extract. Wouldnt be a problem if i wasnt using liquid malt extract so now i dont know how much to use. Any idea how much liquid i should use to make a 1000ml starter?

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Posted: by thryn (13 hours ago)

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Hi all,
I’ve just got my hands on a very large brewing barrel….
My house-mate has just got a 210 litre (55 gallon) container so he can move the water from a salt water fish tank he’s just bought.
Turns out the seller works for a brewery, and the container is a plastic rum barrel!

So guess what I want to use it for when the fish tank has been moved….. this should be fun.

I’ve only brewed a couple of batches so far, so this is just a bit out of my depth!
I’d love some advice on how to go about doing this, if anyone can help.

First off, it will be reasonably expensive to use brew kits, so i’ll have to try making beer from scratch! Would be good to get it right first time of course.
There needs to be an air-space in the top of the fermenter? What percentage of the barrel should the air space be?
Will a little airlock be enough for all that beer, or is there some other way?
When it comes to bottling I assume I can just siphon out into a bottling bucket several times until it’s empty?

Sounds like fun eh!
There’s a big party on the horizon….

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Posted: by Donnie2112 (16 hours ago)

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Matt Anthony sent us a ready made Missouri show which included some of the state’s best breweries.

Beer:

• Schlafly Summer Kolsch
• Ray Hills American Pilsner
• Boulevard Zon
• O’Fallon Goats Breath Bock
• Schlafly Scotch Ale

Rankings:

• Greg - 1. Schlafly Kolsch, 2. O’Fallon, 3. Ray Hills, 4. Boulevard, 5. Schlafly Scotch Ale
• Jeff - 1. Schlafly Kolsch, 2. O’Fallon, 3. Ray Hills, 4. Boulevard, 5. Schlafly Scotch Ale

• Preshow
• Postshow

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Matt Anthony sent us a ready made Missouri show which included some of the state’s best breweries.

Beer:

• Schlafly Summer Kolsch
• Ray Hills American Pilsner
• Boulevard Zon
• O’Fallon Goats Breath Bock
• Schlafly Scotch Ale

Rankings:

• Greg - 1. Schlafly Kolsch, 2. O’Fallon, 3. Ray Hills, 4. Boulevard, 5. Schlafly Scotch Ale
• Jeff - 1. Schlafly Kolsch, 2. O’Fallon, 3. Ray Hills, 4. Boulevard, 5. Schlafly Scotch Ale

• Preshow
• Postshow

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Interview with the curator of the Design Drink and Be Merry Exibition at the Goggleworks center for the arts in Reading Pennsylvania.

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title says it all.

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I am getting ready to make a wort chiller but not sure if I want to use 3/8 or 1/2 inch tubing I am pretty set on 50 feet though. I mainly do 5 gallon batches but see 10 gallons in the furture. Thoughts? Suggestions? Things I havent thought of?
thanks,
dm

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Hello Guys. Someone posted a link to good cheap stainless parts supplier a couple of months ago. I had it saved but my laptop crashed and I lost everything.
I did a couple of searches with no luck. I do remember a lot of good prices on ball valves and fittings. If anybody remembers posts or links that would be a great help. I think the name was something like dulmier but I cant remember for sure. Hopefully I can find it again. They had stainless 3-piece 1/2 fpt ballvalves for less than $20. If you have a favorite post up some info. Thanks…….

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