[binary visions]

I'd like to move to a BIAB setup but I'm not really sure how to cool it.

Right now I've got a pretty effective method where I freeze a couple gallons of water, and use it as my topping-off "water."

If I go to a full boil with BIAB, I'll have to start using a turkey fryer out on the porch because my stove just won't handle that big a kettle. If I'm doing full boil, I can't dissolve a couple gallons of ice into the water. Out on the porch means I'm not near a sink to use an immersion cooler and in any event, I'd just like to not add much more equipment to my brewing setup (like a pump and another bucket for cold water AND the immersion cooler).

Anyone tried something like sanitizing 2L bottles of frozen water and dropping them in the kettle?

 

[skyst3alth]

I'd like to move to a BIAB setup but I'm not really sure how to cool it.

Right now I've got a pretty effective method where I freeze a couple gallons of water, and use it as my topping-off "water."

If I go to a full boil with BIAB, I'll have to start using a turkey fryer out on the porch because my stove just won't handle that big a kettle. If I'm doing full boil, I can't dissolve a couple gallons of ice into the water. Out on the porch means I'm not near a sink to use an immersion cooler and in any event, I'd just like to not add much more equipment to my brewing setup (like a pump and another bucket for cold water AND the immersion cooler).

Anyone tried something like sanitizing 2L bottles of frozen water and dropping them in the kettle?

I'm doing all grain on a turkey burner outside, but no outside faucet. I just found an adapter for my sink faucet to attach a garden hose to - made an immersion chiller with a garden hose attachment. Fill the sink with cold water (or snow if we have any), plop the pot in, hook up the immersion chiller and run the IC outlet into another bucket (usually my bottling bucket or carboy) to save for cleaning/sanitizing water.

 

[skyst3alth]

I gotta tell you, the turkey burner is well worth it. Even doing a full all grain, i've usually pitched and cleaned everything up in under 4 hours.

 

[skyst3alth]

I just moved my English Pale to the basement. After I added my dry hops, it started fermenting again. Sorta has me worried about an infection but I think it coulda' got cranked up again cuz the heat was up pretty high for the last few days (cuz it was witch-tit cold) & my carboy hot 67º.
I need to keg it but want to wait until the Krausen falls...again.

Heat could definitely do it. Did you take a gravity reading?

 

[-BB-]

I gotta tell you, the turkey burner is well worth it. Even doing a full all grain, i've usually pitched and cleaned everything up in under 4 hours.

What size batch?
My brew day is ending up as about a 6hr process. I'm doing 10 or 11g batches though, so I guess I have double the time to bring my strike water up to temp (about 170 since it cools a bit when adding to the mash tun and adding grain), twice the time to bring the wort to a boil, and twice the time to cool it all down.

One of the things I've been doing to help (time wise) is I turn up my water heater to full blast the morning I'm gonna brew. That brings my tap water up to about 140. It cuts down on the time needed for getting my mash temp right, and I've also been using the straight tap water for my sparging since I'm pretty much just rinsing the mash, not trying to convert starch to sugar at that point.

I also have been freezing a few 2L bottles that I add to the wort when it gets down to about 80 degrees. The chiller is pretty efficient at the high temps bc there is a large differential between the wort and my cold tap water (around 60-65f). At the end of the wort cool down it takes forever to get from 80 down to 68 or where ever Im pitching at.

 

[pnj]

You could always do the No Chill method...

People use a Winpak container but I've done it using a bucket/air lock. I filled the airlock with a rag soaked in star san. Pitch the yeast the next day. Pretty slick....

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/exploring-no-chill-brewing-117111/

 

[skyst3alth]

What size batch?
My brew day is ending up as about a 6hr process. I'm doing 10 or 11g batches though, so I guess I have double the time to bring my strike water up to temp (about 170 since it cools a bit when adding to the mash tun and adding grain), twice the time to bring the wort to a boil, and twice the time to cool it all down.

One of the things I've been doing to help (time wise) is I turn up my water heater to full blast the morning I'm gonna brew. That brings my tap water up to about 140. It cuts down on the time needed for getting my mash temp right, and I've also been using the straight tap water for my sparging since I'm pretty much just rinsing the mash, not trying to convert starch to sugar at that point.

I also have been freezing a few 2L bottles that I add to the wort when it gets down to about 80 degrees. The chiller is pretty efficient at the high temps bc there is a large differential between the wort and my cold tap water (around 60-65f). At the end of the wort cool down it takes forever to get from 80 down to 68 or where ever Im pitching at.

5 Gal batches, so yeah that would explain it. I'd love to go bigger but just don't have the space in this apartment.

 

[skyst3alth]

Homemade Chili Verde, homebrewed American IPA. Best thing i've cooked and brewed paired together. Yessss

 

[TN]

Heat could definitely do it. Did you take a gravity reading?

naw, not yet. gonna go ahead keg this weekend & then check it then.

 

[DaveW]

Today's mutant (do I do any other kind??) Saison..... First time I've tried doing one, I've basically made it up as I went according to what I had handy.

Blackrock Light malt extract 1.5kg
Blackrock Amber malt extract 1.5kg
Palm sugar 0.5kg

Centenial (9.2AA) 80g @ 60min
SuperAlpha (13.4AA) 20g @ 30min
Centenial (9.2AA) 20g @ 0min
SuperAlpha (13.4AA) Dryhop after 24hr

Additives
Lemon grass 20g @ 30min
Lemon zest 20g @ 15min
Fresh grated Ginger 10g @ 15min
Peppercorns 20g @ 5min
Cracked Corriander 9g @ 5min
Wyeast smackpack 3711 French Saison 1pkt

OG1.051
Batch size 23L


Just waiting for the temp to drop that last lil bit to 20°C to pitch now (its sitting of 25) and I'm done.

 

[TN]

Finally kegged my English Pale Ale. Tastes good. 5.4% ABV.
used all typical brit hops, floor malted maris otter, rye & crystal 60....and wyeast neobrittanina.
Stoked for this one to carb up. im tired of stout.

 

[skyst3alth]

Did a Dead Guy Ale clone this past weekend. Like a true champion, I managed to unknowingly knock the manifold off my ball valve while mixing in the grains. Nothing like sticking your hand in 155* mash to make a man out of you. I took gravity readings throughout and calculated I was going to be ~5 points low on my OG, so I supplemented with 8oz DME at 15mins which hit it perfectly. I'll have to check out the mill at the homebrew shop, maybe even pick up one for myself to get my crush under control.

I also decided to try and ferment this lower, ~62*. Took over a day for fermentation to kick off even with a 1L starter of 1056, but it's ripping right through it now. Yesterday had more airlock activity than i've ever had before. Pretty excited for this one, Dead Guy is one of my favorites.

Ordered up an oxygen wand from Williams Brewing, and a 9 gallon pot. I have a "7.5 gal" Bayou pot now that I finally took the time to accurately measured out and found that the max I can get in there is 6 gallons - and even then i'm fighting boil overs the entire time. Brewing solo this weekend was an exercise in speed and stamina to keep that under control. Word to the wise, if you're getting into brewing and think there's a slight possibility you're ever going to do full boils, buy a 9-10 gallon pot right from the start and save the headaches.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLIAMS-OXYGEN-AERATION-SYSTEM-P699.aspx

They had a deal on these the other day, got it for $54 shipped:
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Bayou-Classic-36-quart-Stainless-Steel-Stockpot-with-Lid/6165681/product.html

10# Maris Otter
1# CaraMunich II
1# Dark Munich
.5# Crystal 40L

Mash at 158 for 45 mins

1 ounce Perle 60 minutes
.25 ounce perle 30 minutes
.25 ounce perle 5 minutes
.25 ounce Vanguard 5 minutes

Washed 1056 in a 1L starter

EDIT - Just read through my previous posts, I also did a Snow Day Black IPA clone a couple weeks ago, also excited for that.

 

[-BB-]

Here is the "saison" that I just finished (currently drinking). I was given a "kit" beer as a gift and I wasn't into doing a Belgain Wit "KIT" so I wanted to find a creative way of using the extracts (I usually all-grain). Decided to use the kit stuff to supplement an All-Grain batch as a way to up the ABV%.

Base Malts for mash
9 lbs German Pilz
4 lbs 2-row
2 lbs Beglian aromatic
2 lbs Cara-Vienna
1 lb flaked wheat
1 lb "acid" malt

Extract for boil - 5 lbs
3 lbs Wheat extract (in the boil)
2 lb Malt extract (in the boil)


Start with about 7gal of water at 170 degrees
Mash at 150 for 30-40min (then drain)
Mash at 160 for 30-40 min (kind of a 2nd mash)
Continue to sparge at 140 till I have about 12g wort


Hops:
1oz Willamette & 1oz. Mt Hood 4.5% AA First Wort Hop (90min)
3 tsp Irish Moss - 15 min
1 oz Orange peel and corriander (from the kit) - 15 minutes
2oz. East Kent Goldings 4.8% AA 15 min
2oz. East Kent Goldings 4.8% AA 0 min
1oz. Williamette 3.5% AA 0 min
1oz Ammarillo Dry-hop after transfering to secondary.

Yeast: WhiteLabs 550
http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp550.html


Initial fermentation around 68 for a day or two, then raise to maybe 75.

Batch Size: about 11 gallons
OG: 1.082
FG: 1.010
ABV (calculated) 9.4%

 

[-BB-]

Today's mutant (do I do any other kind??) Saison..... First time I've tried doing one, I've basically made it up as I went according to what I had handy.

Blackrock Light malt extract 1.5kg
Blackrock Amber malt extract 1.5kg
Palm sugar 0.5kg

How does the PALM sugar work out for you? I have some that I use for cooking persian, thai and Vietnamese dishes. Never thought to use it in brewing. Does it work as well as beet sugar?

 

[pnj]

I have a 7.5 gallon turkey fryer and I do 5 gallon batches. Just watch for boil overs or use FermcapS and don't even worry. You tube it, then buy some from your fav. brew store...

I just turn the heat down when I hit the hot break.

 

[skyst3alth]

I have a 7.5 gallon turkey fryer and I do 5 gallon batches. Just watch for boil overs or use FermcapS and don't even worry. You tube it, then buy some from your fav. brew store...

I just turn the heat down when I hit the hot break.

If i'm brewing with someone else, it's no problem. This past weekend I was going solo so instead of spending my time cleaning the mash tun and getting everything else ready I had to sit there, watch it boil, and drink. Horrible existence, I know.

This will also let me use the 7.5 gal as a HLT, so I can dump straight into the kettle without having to go to a bucket in between.

And I want new toys dammit, don't ruin this for me.

 

[pnj]

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/show-us-your-sculpture-brew-rig-46578/

spend some time drooling over that thread...

 

[-BB-]

You could always do the No Chill method...

People use a Winpak container but I've done it using a bucket/air lock. I filled the airlock with a rag soaked in star san. Pitch the yeast the next day. Pretty slick....

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/exploring-no-chill-brewing-117111/

WOW.... Awesome. The chilling step (to me) is the biggest pain in the brew day process. PLUS, I already have a bunch of those "cubes" from storing reverse osmosis water for my fish tank!! SWEET!! Now I can brew up a 10g batch in maybe 3 hours. Plus I dont have to plan ahead with the starter. I can make the starter up on the day I brew and pitch it 24-48hr later.

 

[skyst3alth]

Oh i've been well through that entire thread. Once I get a house with space to actually store stuff i'm all over it. Right now i'm brewing in a back alley that's maybe 4' wide, storing everything in my dining room/brew/bike/ski/climbing shop.

 

[-BB-]

Anyone tried something like sanitizing 2L bottles of frozen water and dropping them in the kettle?

I've done that. I usually wait to do it till the temps are below 90 degrees f bc the chiller does such a great job at the higher temps where the differential between the tap water and the wort is greater.

 

[skyst3alth]

Chocolate Stout v2.0 this past weekend. I ran the grains through the mill at the HBS twice and hit my numbers on the nose at 75% efficiency, pretty happy about that. New kettle worked perfect, was able to start with a 7 gallon boil without problems. My buddy also pulled through and made a 50' 3/8" immersion chiller with a Home Depot gift card - makes my original 25' 1/4" look laughable.

Big old 1.5L starter, yeast nutrients at 15 mins, oxygen wand for a minute before adding yeast, and low 60's temps and this thing is ripping right along. This is the first brew where everything really came together, we've got our process and procedures pretty well dialed now.

 

[DaveW]

One of the local brewers has gotten into a bit of cider making...... Liked it and now has to a bit over the top with his home made cider press.... Check out this blog!

http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/profiles/blogs/building-a-cider-press

 

[jonKranked]

bottled my oatmeal stout last weekend, and got a kriek brewing

 

[skyst3alth]

Note to self: When force carbing a keg, remember to bleed off the pressure in the keg before unhooking the hose from the gas manifold to move it. In other news, the 30 PSI of Centennial Blonde I got straight to the face tasted pretty damn good, in a sexually violent kind of way.

Kegged for my buddies wedding tomorrow:
Chocolate Stout
German Maibock (Dead Guy Ale clone)
Centennial Blonde
Red Ale
Amber Ale (whats the difference?)

 

[pnj]

kegged a beer and did another batch yesterday. some kind of brown/red/beer ale.

 

[pnj]

five gallons of beer in a five gallon carboy? #risktaker

 

[UNHrider]

I've got my first pale ale going now. was tough to keep fermentation temps dialed, may have to build a temp controlled chamber for future brews.

 

[jonKranked]

added the cherries to my kriek last night. smells good. a little fermentation kicked back up

 

[jonKranked]

five gallons of beer in a five gallon carboy? #risktaker

pnj - are you sure that's 5 gal? i once did an actual measurement of those carboys (i have 2) and IIRC the 5 gal mark was at the ridge just about the shoulder - lower than where your fill line is currently.

 

[dante]

^^^^They make different sizes, a 5g, a 6g and a 6.5 (although the 6.5 that I've seen has a wider opening). If you only use one it's probably the 6g, as the 5 gets it *really* close to the top and you have clogging/exploding issues. Personally with a primary fermentation that close to the top, I'd say a blow-off-tube is almost essential....

 

[jonKranked]

i've got a 6.5 and 2 5's. The 5's i only ever use for secondary.

 

[pnj]

that carboy is a five gallon'er. I put in a blow off but I also use FermcapS. It's an anti foaming agent.

I don't get super crazy about making EXACTLY five gallons or whatever. I just make good beer. Sometimes I end up w/ 4 in the carboy, sometimes more. Depends on how hard I boil....

Floated two kegs over the weekend so I guess I should brew a few more batches soon....

 

[jonKranked]

added the cherries to my kriek last night. smells good. a little fermentation kicked back up

update: "a little" was an understatement. the day after i added them i had to put a blowoff tube on the carboy.

 

[jonKranked]

also, other brewing endeavors currently on hold, will be moving back to conshohocken.

the good news is: bigger place, and pre-approved by the fiancee to expand my brewing capacity

 

[-BB-]

Interesting. I'm about to add some cherries to a Sour Saison that I brewed about a month ago. What did you use? Fresh cherries? Frozen?

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?

 

[jonKranked]

Interesting. I'm about to add some cherries to a Sour Saison that I brewed about a month ago. What did you use? Fresh cherries? Frozen?

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?

pureed. and I didn't add anything else. granted this was a kit brew (5 gal)

 

[UNHrider]

bottled my first brew last night. bottling is a pain in the ass. however, my sample of beer that i took the final gravity reading from tasted pretty damn good.

 

[skyst3alth]

Imperial Vanilla Bourbon Porter

 

[pnj]

bottled my first brew last night. bottling is a pain in the ass. however, my sample of beer that i took the final gravity reading from tasted pretty damn good.

Do you have a bottling bucket and wand? I bottled two, five gallon batches a month for MANY months. The best piece of equipment I owned during that time was a bottle tree.

If you have a helper, it makes bottling go faster/easier too. One person fills, one person caps.

Or, just buy a kegging setup....

 

[jonKranked]

Do you have a bottling bucket and wand? I bottled two, five gallon batches a month for MANY months. The best piece of equipment I owned during that time was a bottle tree.

If you have a helper, it makes bottling go faster/easier too. One person fills, one person caps.

Or, just buy a kegging setup....

i second this. i have my finacee help. she fills, i cap.

x3 on the tree. huge help.

she also fully supports me switching to kegging. i will soon now that i have space in the new apt.