Beer Feeds

http://adweek.blogs.com/adfreak/2008/07/imperial.html

Fantastic ad. Hilarius to boot.

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Hey Guys,

So I’ve got some hop/krausen junk stuck around the sides of my Better Bottle. How can I get this out without taking a carboy cleaner to it and scratch up the surface? I’ve had it soaking in cleanser for a few days and it’s still not really working. It seems to me all it needs is a little elbow grease.

Thanks!

Al

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Posted: by chemmie (29 minutes ago)

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When I set up my kegerator over a year ago, I decided to use This tubing (3/16 ID for beer; 5/16 ID for gas). The new tubing had a plastic smell, so I first soaked it in oxyclean, then in star san, then rinsed.

I have noticed, especially in my lighter beers, a very faint but distinct plastic taste/odor, mostly in the first pour of the day from any particular faucet. It smells like the tubing, so I’m sure that’s where it’s coming from. If I just dump the first 2-3 oz that was sitting in contact with the tubing, the next pour is fine. By the way, not many other people notice the taste/smell….. but I know it’s there.

This has finally bothered me to the point to do something about it, so I’m thinking of changing out all my beer/gas lines. I’ve heard of many folks using this type of vinyl or pvc tubing without complaints, but it is clearly causing a problem for me. So….. my question is: what tubing do you guys use? Any issues with taste/odor? Where do you get it? What’s the cost?

A related question: I have This CO2 manifold. I’d like to double the number of gas lines by splitting each outlet with a T or Y. Ideally, one with a 5/16″ barb on one side, and 1/4″ barbs on the other 2 sides. Any recommendations on what type of T to use and where to get it? (one that’s food grade and won’t impart any odor).

Thanks!

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I don’t remember where I purchased both the “hard” and the “soft” varieties, but I need more and I certainly find the flexible variety easier to work with in the kegerator. Do you know a good source?
Thanks

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Check this out. Brewed a porter last night.

I’m afraid the wort will be contaminated with airborne backteria and go back into the airlock. I don’t have the required vinyl tubing else I would just use a blow-off. This is after approx. 15hrs after pitching my yeast.

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Got this email from Chris Punis general manager of Cambridge Brewing Company:

Hi There,

We’re sorry for the short notice on this one,
but TONIGHT on the History Channel at 10pm,
please tune in to see a new show entitled
“THE WORKS” with host Daniel H. Wilson.

Tonight’s episode is on that one thing we
all hold dear: BEER!

TheWorks film crew spent several days filming
here at Cambridge Brewing Company, delving
into the secrets of brewing and dispensing our
favorite beverage with CBC Brewmaster
Will Meyers and Lead Brewster Megan Parisi.
We first met Daniel and Company at the Beer
Advocate Extreme Beer Fest last January, and
they just followed us home.

Tonight, members of the History Channel’s
THE WORKS production crew will be joining
us here at CBC to watch the show on our tv
while enjoying a number of handcrafted ales.
Please join us, or at least remember to tune in
at home or set your Tivo’s. Cheers!

THE WORKS on The History Channel
Thursday, July 31st, 2008
10:00pm
http://www.history.com/minisites/the-works

Best Regards,

Chris

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I was wondering if you really need to aerate/oxygenate your wort after chilling using a whirlpool around an IC. Anybody have an opinion?

KD

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Thought provoking Guinness commercial.

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GonzoFest is Flying Dog’s annual throwdown, an event of such epic proportions that if you miss out, you’ll be in a state of self-loathing for months. This year, in conjunction with GonzoFest, we will be hosting the Hard Times Cafe Chili Cookoff (for the 2008 Maryland State Championship). Come meet the Flying Dog Crew and […]

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So I’m moving from Texas to Colorado. I have 3 propane tanks: #1 is hooked up to my gas grill, #2 is half used from brewing, and #3 is completely full (as back up to #2).
I know it isn’t safe and in some case it might be even illegal to transport these guys across state lines.

Am I going to have to sell these or give them away? Or are there businesses I can call who will give me an exchange ticket for an empty when I get there? Its gonna cost a lot to replace them if I have to sell them on my own and then buy new ones once I arrive.

My local HomeDepot told me they don’t take them back and I should take them to the dump. I would rather give them to my neighbors which is safer.

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as much as they do me?
I am beginning to consider not buying these beers with wax on top. They are murder to remove. The wax shatters all over the place, is impossible to cut.
Any ideas on good ways to open these bottles? I really don’t want to not buy the beers they contain: many of them I enjoy.

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Well started a batch about 10 mins ago using stuff I have had around for awhile. (Trying to clean the closet)
I am calling it a Pale Ale
20 lbs RAHR 2 row
1.5 lbs Victory
Newport hops 2 ounces for 60 min
Cascade hops 1.5 ounces for 15
Cascade hops 1.5 ounces for 5
batch size 11 gals
Yeast 2000ml starter WLP001 California Ale

ANY THOUGHTS

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It may be blasphemy around here, but I’m tracking this group buy here: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=779707

We currently have enough orders to reduce the per-sack shipping rate down to $5.50. You can check out the per-sack pricing at www.northcountrymalt.com. The prices are listed per pound so just multiply by 55 to get the full sack prices.

Pickup will be in Piscataway NJ.

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Posted: by spointon (13 hours ago)

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Posted: by FreightTrain (14 hours ago)

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Hey everybody!

Just brewed a Watermelon Wheat ale this morning. It’s a kit from Williams Brewing and the first time I’ve used one of their kits. It almost didn’t feel like brewing because all I had to do was boil water and add the LME and one addition of hops. I’m used to doing mini mash brews. Curious to see how it turns out. I used a yeast starter and pitched the yeast around 12:15 and started getting activity from the blow off tube around 3. My starting gravity was 1.036 and the final should be around 1.012. From what I’ve read from the reviews of this beer, it’s supposed to age for a couple months before it really tastes good and smooth.

Darin

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Fellow BrewBoarders, as many of you know already, mach5 has requested a surrender to the tasks involving the Pass. As a semi-constant in this exchange over the past two years I will followup as best I can. Rules remain the same.

Sign up deadline-August 8
Shipping deadline-August 22

The Rules for the Pass:

1. Everybody wants homebrew, that’s the main reason why we’re on the board. However, the inclusion of local commercial talent is not frowned upon, especially if it’s unique, and it’s good. Some of us live in areas that supply brew not seen in other parts. Just remember to check with your recipient to ensure the delivery is well received.

2. Shipping deadline is two weeks after the pairings are posted, which will also be at the end of the day sign-up deadline. When you make the decision to participate there may be circumstances that stall your commitment-That is a much smaller problem when the receiver and myself are apprised of that early on. If a receiver tells me that they did not get their Pass within two weeks of the shipping deadline, nor did they get a reason why this may have happened, that participant will join a present list that is no longer Pass worthy.

3. This is a month to month event. Passing one month when you have stock to share does not obligate you for the next when you may be short. Just follow this post with a simple “I’m in”.

4. To make it worthwhile for everyone there is a minimum cover charge of 4 bottles to be delivered.

5. You must be 21 years of age to participate.

6. Communicate as soon as the pairings are announced. Continue that communication so that the sender knows that the shipment was received in good shape and, eventually, what the perceptions are. This is a second (or first) HomeBrew Club for many. Giving them your feedback will ensure that future Passes are even better.

mach5 and MtnBrewer have done a great job describing successful shipping techniques on the Board’s FAQ. Avail yourself of it if you have any questions before posting or sending.

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Forgive me if this is a redundant post, but I couldn’t find this discussion in the existing threads …

How long does a bottle of Star San last? I’m talking an undiluted bottle of the solution, not a mixture. I’ve recently gotten back into home brewing after a hiatus and I have a bottle of Start San that is probably 3 years old … still good? I didn’t see any type of expiration info oin the bottle anywhere.

I hope this stuff keeps, ’cause I’m just about to transfer a nice dark cherry dry stout into the secondary in a few days. I used my “old Star San” to sanitize all my post-boil equipment!

Any sage advice is appreciated! This is my first post, by the way … great board!

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So i made my first Roggen the other week. it’s now conditioning in a keg in the fridge for the past 2 weeks. since this is made with the same yeats as a hefe (i used the fermentis s-06 german wheat dry beer yeast ), is the beer supposed to be consumed as young as a hefe, or should i leave it to condition some more?

Thanks in advance

J

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So I always use a starter that I whip up on a homemade stirplate and have been doing this for a long, long time and never any worries. When I initially started using a stirplate I bought a pack of six stirbars 1 and 1/2 inches in length from Dynalabs. I have basically always used the same stirbar. Well do to me pitching the stirbar along with my yeast into my last batch I had to grab a new one. I made my starter today and it kept throwing the stirbar. I messed around for about an hour trying to figure it out. Anyway I took the stirbar out and put in another one identicle to it and voilla good to go. So My point is that the stirbar has some sort of un-noticeable defect. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

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I like so many am a fan of the Dragonlance Saga and D&D in general. There is a common thread in many of these stories.

DWARF SPIRITS!

Dwarf Spirits (a Dark beer of some sort) in all stories that mention it describe it as highly alcoholic and earthy (almost like mushrooms) with a thick rich head of foam.

I have not been able to find any other better descriptions out there but I am sure that others could fill in the gaps.

My question is this, what would this fictional beer be like? And what (if we wanted to) would we need to make it?

Gary

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I am wondering what the effects are of adjusting the thickness of the grist in my mash. Typically I use 1.25 quarts of water per pound of grain. But I don’t know what the effects are on my beer if I increase or decrease the thickness of the grist. Does it effect body, head retention, residual sweetness, pH and/or other factors?

Thank you very much in advance.

Jeff
Austin, Texas

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Sorry if this has been discussed already..
I have read cj’s quide to pushing beer with Co2.. But I don’t see any way to do this..

I’ve got a 2 Tap system with 2 spare Kegs.. Currently, all 4 Kegs are full and I have a beer sitting in Primary. I was thinking of clearing out 1 of the kegs by bottling the batch. I know I can just push it into a bottling bucket and bottle as per normal. But I was wondering if anyone bottles directly from Kegs. I assume it would limit O2 transfer..But how would I get my Bottling sugars in?

Seems silly, right.. If it’s already in a Keg, why bottle?? But the truth is I really would like to get the beer in Primary on TAP asap. It’s a Wit and will be nice on tap for the end of the summer.

One of the Kegs contains my first AG batch where I got like 35% efficiency.. so I figure I could bottle that one.. if it’s crap..who cares..

Anyway..curious to hear replies on this

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Posted: by RobinLawrence123 (20 hours ago)

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There’s a thingie that one can purchase that goes on the end of a keg’s diptube to keep stuff like dryhops from getting all up in there. My brain, despite my many threats and cajoles, refuses to give up this bit of data, which I know it knew at one time. I can’t even come up with good enough Google/Brewboard Search keywords to wring the name out of teh interwebs. Somebody help a guy out?

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Posted: by Seanibus (22 hours ago)

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I frequent the Audio Asylum Vinyl forum ( http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vinyl/bbs.html (my other addiction)) and there are often “What’s Spinning?” posts. I thought it’d be interesting to start an analogous thread here. I’ll go first.

At the moment, I’m enjoying a Belgian Golden Strong (JZ’s BCS recipe) Wonderful pear coming through from that Duvel yeast! I also currently have a Maibock (Yum!) and an Irish Red on tap. The red’s a dead ringer for Smithwick’s, but richer and fresher.

So, how ’bout it? What’s pourin’?

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Looking for a big porter/stout flavor, with plenty of IBUs and some hop flavor to back up the maltiness. I like the flavors that Munich, Marris Otter and Biscuit/Victory give, so I’m leaning towards them for a biscuity/nutty profile in addition to the dark roasted malt. Using a yeast cake from a pumpkin beer I brewed 2 weeks ago.

7# Light Extract
1# Mexican Cane Sugar
2# Marris Otter
1# Munich
1# Biscuit/Victory/Aromatic
1# Oatmeal/Flaked Barley
6 oz. Chocolate
4 oz. Black Patent
4 oz. Carafa III
4 oz. Roasted Barley (if it’s a stout)

Mash at 140 for 20
Raise temp to 154 for 40
Sparge and raise to boil

90 minute boil

.5 oz. Warrior/ 1 oz. EKG at 90
.5 oz. EKG/Centennial at 30
.5 oz. EKG/Centennial at 10

Big slury of British Ale Yeast (From recently brewed pumpkin ale)
Ferment 7-10 days
Secondary 1 month
Bottle or keg as usual

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Hi all. Hope this doesnt sound too novice, but Im a virgin hop grower. This is my first year and I must say, I really didnt expect to get such a huge amount of cones for the first year..so my reading didnt get as extensive as it should have. I had a previous discussion about these hops and someone said when ready to harvest, you can cut it down and pick them..seems simple enuf, however, do all the cones mature at the same time, because I have some really small young looking ones and some huge ones with the yellow at the base looking ready to pick. Reading that they need to be picked while still green, a bit papery…(yada yada) Dont exactly know what that means. Just before they turn brown?? How do you know they are getting ready to turn brown? This paper on hops says that they shouldnt be ready to harvest till mid or late August. But I think mine are ready now as they are plump and I can see plenty of yellow at base. I just want to get this right. Experienced hop cone pickers..help. Thanks

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