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What's fermenting now?

UNHrider

Monkey
Apr 20, 2004
479
2
Epping, NH
hmm i just used the spigot on the bottom of my bottling bucket instead of the bottling wand. next go around I'll use the wand if that makes it go quicker.

the lady friend actually helped cap while i filled.

some day ill move to a kegging setup
 

pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
The wand also helps prevent adding oxygen to your beer. Oxygen is bad for it.....
 

UNHrider

Monkey
Apr 20, 2004
479
2
Epping, NH
guess i should have read the directions better... i at least filled down the sides of the bottles. guess i'll have to brew another batch.
 

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
I have about 4lbs of frozen cherries. Trying to determine how much to add to a 5g batch.
Did you add any Lacto or Bertanimycens as well?
We added cherries to a wheat beer that sat in oak for over 2 years with lacto, pedio, and brett. I think we used about a pound per gallon and the cherry flavor and aroma was fantastic. Oh, and the beer turned pink. Just remember to keep separate gear for your funky brews. That crap's hard to kill.
 

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Well everything pre ferment barrel should be clean and safe yeah?
or did you add the bugs before you put the brew into the barrel?
For homebrew, yeah, everything pre-funk should be safe. I keep a separate carboy, buckets, hoses, etc. for everything that the post-funk beer touches. The brewing network had a podcast a while back about getting good souring results... not sure if they archive old broadcasts online though.

At work, we have 40 wine barrels that we use. It seems we've had better souring results when the souring bugs are allowed to work in the fermenter with the yeast. Then we rack to the barrels, most of which already have brett. living in them, and inoculate with a liter or so of older brett. beer.
 

DaveW

Space Monkey
Jul 2, 2001
11,161
2,686
The bunker at parliament
I just picked up a French oak Pinot Noir barrel from Paliser estate yesterday, going to be a few of us doing a collaboration brew in it, and later this year after vintageing is over we will also have a Savignon Blanc barrel to play with.... Might have to try a funky wheat like yours at some point. :)

Not sure what the first beer in the red will be yet, lots of discussion about playing safe and going for a porter or trying a Saison in it.
 

pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
kegged a roasty brown yesterday.

brewed a north west pale ale today.
 

skyst3alth

Monkey
Apr 13, 2004
866
0
Denver, CO
This bad boy just showed up and an order for 100lbs of 2-row from a local malter is going through. Can't wait to see what this does for my efficiency, just looking at the rollers I can tell they're much tighter than the LHBS.

Plus, it gives me an excuse to buy a new drill.

 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,484
7,531
Exit, CO
Kegged this one the other day, it is smoooooooth. Also have a three floyd's zombie dust clone kegged which came out super good as well.

Have a caramel amber and ipa bubbling away as we speak. Maybe brew up another blonde this weekend.
You're in Denver, eh? Rad! I've got an IPA and a Belgian Blonde in the bright tank right now, probably bottle early next week. Care to maybe hit a ride and swap a couple of brews? I'm SUPER new to homebrewing, would like to meet other bike/brew enthusiasts in the area...
 

skyst3alth

Monkey
Apr 13, 2004
866
0
Denver, CO
You're in Denver, eh? Rad! I've got an IPA and a Belgian Blonde in the bright tank right now, probably bottle early next week. Care to maybe hit a ride and swap a couple of brews? I'm SUPER new to homebrewing, would like to meet other bike/brew enthusiasts in the area...
Totally. I'm running the Bolder Boulder so no rides until after Monday, but after that for sure. I've got next week off so i'll probably be riding most every day.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
I forgot to test the alcohol content in my latest brew. Can I test it after it's carbonated?
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
You're in Denver, eh? Rad! I've got an IPA and a Belgian Blonde in the bright tank right now, probably bottle early next week. Care to maybe hit a ride and swap a couple of brews? I'm SUPER new to homebrewing, would like to meet other bike/brew enthusiasts in the area...
I'll bring some over for our next ride. It's not super carbonated, but not too bad. Worst case I'll bring over some rootbeer.
 

pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
I forgot to test the alcohol content in my latest brew. Can I test it after it's carbonated?
You need the original gravity to compare to the final gravity.... You can do what I do.

First thing in the morning, empty stomach, drink one bottle. See how much of a buzz you get... Then compare that to a known ABV beer. :D
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
You need the original gravity to compare to the final gravity.... You can do what I do.

First thing in the morning, empty stomach, drink one bottle. See how much of a buzz you get... Then compare that to a known ABV beer. :D
Ah the chuckles. I ask because I was pretty lit off of one, after a big dinner.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,484
7,531
Exit, CO
...the lady friend actually helped cap while i filled...
Just bottled the IPA I had going, also with the ladyfriend halping to cap. Super fun to get the SO or friends involved! Stoney and Nick were over to brew this batch, we had a good time hootin' and hollerin' in the garage. I'm a little bummed the batch barely yielded a case and half—I normally get 2 full cases plus a couple. Ah well, no need to stress... it's just beer. RDWHAHB. I also need to get after bottling the Belgian Blonde this week as well. The other beer, not the GF. She's blonde, but from upstate NY not Belgium. :D



Totally. I'm running the Bolder Boulder so no rides until after Monday, but after that for sure. I've got next week off so i'll probably be riding most every day.
Sounds good, although this week has gotten away from me completely. Dang it!



I'll bring some over for our next ride. It's not super carbonated, but not too bad. Worst case I'll bring over some rootbeer.
Excellent news. Looking forward to trying whatever you gots! Don't stress on the carbonation, you may find that it gets moar bubbly the longer it sits in the bottle. I had decent carbonation in two-three weeks with the first couple of batches I did, but the third was dead flat for a month or moar, then one day it just decided to get bubbles. Also, the IPA I just bottled is the same recipe as the brew you tried last summer before moving to Denver, should be drinking in a couple-three weeks if all goes well—just in time to try and kill you again on a proper high country ride with SkaredShthead and 'squeeb. Looks to be ~7.2% ABV... you know, cuz I remember to use a hydrometer once in a while. For now, anyways... after another few batches I'll likely start using pnj's method. It seems moar accurate anyways.



Ah the chuckles. I ask because I was pretty lit off of one, after a big dinner.
 
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-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
This bad boy just showed up and an order for 100lbs of 2-row from a local malter is going through. Can't wait to see what this does for my efficiency, just looking at the rollers I can tell they're much tighter than the LHBS.

Plus, it gives me an excuse to buy a new drill.

Watch out... Tighter rollers isn't always better. You can get too much "flour" and that can lead to a stuck mash. Might want to condition the grain before sending it through so you get a better crush but not too much flour.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
Watch out... Tighter rollers isn't always better. You can get too much "flour" and that can lead to a stuck mash. Might want to condition the grain before sending it through so you get a better crush but not too much flour.
this. you want crushed grain, not pulverized.
 

skyst3alth

Monkey
Apr 13, 2004
866
0
Denver, CO
this. you want crushed grain, not pulverized.
Well aware of the problems of crushing too finely. This from the factory is set more moderately than a Monster Mill or others.

In either case, worked like a champ - 83% efficiency on that Honey Blonde.

I've also got a kegerator in the works, i'll get some pics of that tomorrow when it's all together.
 

pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
really nice!

I grind my grains 3 times. Pretty much flour... Never get a stuck mash. BIAB!! :D
 

UNHrider

Monkey
Apr 20, 2004
479
2
Epping, NH
so the above mentioned hefe has stopped bubbling, havent measured FG yet to make sure its done, but for those in the know should i let sit in primary another week, 2 weeks, etc, bottle now, or move to secondary, let sit for (?), then bottle?

Still learning so looking for advice
 

skyst3alth

Monkey
Apr 13, 2004
866
0
Denver, CO
so the above mentioned hefe has stopped bubbling, havent measured FG yet to make sure its done, but for those in the know should i let sit in primary another week, 2 weeks, etc, bottle now, or move to secondary, let sit for (?), then bottle?

Still learning so looking for advice
Only trust your gravity readings, 3 days of stable readings before moving it. Generally I notice my beers in the 1.050-1.070 range ferment out within a week, i'm usually kegging them around 2-3 weeks if I have the room - otherwise just let 'em ride.

I also run pure o2 through an oxygen stone before pitching a correct sized starter and closely controlled fermentation temps the entire time - YMMV.
 
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pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
I never secondary anymore. Haven't for years.

I tend to leave my beer in primary for 3 weeks, or so. When I bottled, I'd leave it three weeks and bottle....
 

skyst3alth

Monkey
Apr 13, 2004
866
0
Denver, CO
Been contemplating building one of these for some time. Yours looks WAY slicker though. :thumb:
I thought about doing the same thing previously, but then ended up just getting a dedicated freezer for a fermentation chamber - holds two 6.5 gal carboys so I can keep the rotation pretty fresh. It's also beat up and just hanging out in the dining room. I've thought about painting the outside to spiff it up a little bit, but really that entire room is a catch-all for gear and my ski/bike shop. Not too worried about it.

I've gotten a few requests to brew my chocolate stout again, so i'll be doing that this weekend. We're going to do a little pregaming/brewing party at my place, then walking over to the Great Divide Anniversary Party. Man I love living in Denver.

http://greatdivide.com/blog/18th-anniversary-party/
 

skyst3alth

Monkey
Apr 13, 2004
866
0
Denver, CO
Just tasted an all Centennial IPA that I kegged last week. I wanted to keep this recipe simple so I could pick apart what centennial and crystal malt do together. I'll definitely be brewing this up again, but bumping up to either 1.5# Crystal 15 or maybe Crystal 30. And definitely more IBU's (at 47 now, I was just winging it with what hops I had leftover). It is dangerously drinkable at 6.5% though, very smooth and pretty good.

13# 2-row
1# Crystal 15

1oz Centennial FWH
.5oz Centennial 15
.5oz Centennial 10
.5oz Centennial 5
.5oz Centennial 0
1oz Centennial Dryhop sitting in the keg now

Honey Blonde definitely has a honey sweetness to it. I can't tell if it's just OK or pretty good, I keep going back and forth. A few people really liked it though, I guess i'm more of a hop head. I will say that I used .25lb (2.5% of my grist) of Honey Malt in that, don't use any more than that if you're going to play with it. I believe it has to be mashed too, so you extract brewers can't get away with steeping it.

And that Vanilla Bourbon Porter - hotddamn, def a top 3 that i've brewed.
 
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pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
Tasting a sample of the Belgian. It's still warm(62) and uncarbbed. Tastey for sure. Not my fav. style though....

Trying to figure out what to brew next....
 

DaveW

Space Monkey
Jul 2, 2001
11,161
2,686
The bunker at parliament
Mega Brew day yesterday, did a double batch (40L into the fermenter) of Jamil's chocolate porter.
First brew on my new all grain rig...... only just fitted into the mash tun, was about 5mm from the top!!

made for a big day as I had to take a client for a guided mountain bike trip in the morning so I didn't get to start brewing until 2pm.

Beer is going to be used in a collaboration brew, I got an ex Pinot Noir barrel from a mates winery and 5 of us are making this chocolate porter to be aged in it.
 

pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle

Belgian going into a keg today. brewing another one and pitching onto the same yeast....