Homebrewers - Whats Fermenting?
- Thread starter BeerAdvocate
- Start date
Brewed an Altbier this weekend. I used Munich, Carafa III, Caraamber, and Cara-pils. Hops were German Perle, German Tettnang. I have some German Spalt I will use for dry hopping. Brewing went very smoothly. It was nice doing something more basic after the last two brews I did that used a bunch of extra ingredients.
The yeast is now hard at work.
The yeast is now hard at work.
twenty5
BoM 11/09, 4/10 BoY '10
Adam or anyone else that has one, what are the benefits of the Speidel tanks over a Better Bottle or even a plastic bucket? I like that they are larger and seem well made but I brew 5 gallon batches and use a water bath to control temperature. It seems like a bad idea to put the speidel in a bath due to the spout on the side. I would like the 60L to ferment in and never have to worry about blowoff again but the lack of temperature control and high price compared to a bucket is stopping me.
The Speidel tanks are easy to clean due to their large openings. They are also "impermeable to oxygen" but I think better bottles are even more impermeable. The spout shouldn't be a problem. If they don't leak when they're sitting on a floor or shelf why should a water bath matter? The biggest risk of the spout is it getting dirty and contaminating the beer. So you just have to make sure you're clean with a spout. I've not had a problem with my ported better bottles.
twenty5
BoM 11/09, 4/10 BoY '10
Thanks, I was thinking the spout would be a problem due to contamination not leaking. I guess a wipe down and sanitizer spray after its bath would take care of that problem. The only complaint I have with better bottles and the reason I want to find something better is that you have to take the airlock off to move it or it creates suction and pulls the sanitizer inside. I found that out by sucking an entire blow off valve full into a red ale the first time I used a bb.
Yeah better bottles do suck because of the sucking issue. Just keep it in a milk crate and then you don't have to worry about that as much.
So I applied to Victory Brewing earlier this week. I got a phone call yesterday! I didn't get to speak to them yet, but I am optimistic because they said "we're really looking forward to speaking to you about your resume". I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Craig Mac
BoM 4/10 7/11 12/14
Golden Monkey on Adam!!
Alright I was going to brew today but I had some friends over last night and wouldn't have gotten started early enough this morning. So next week I'll brew up my evolving recipe for saison. Yesterday I bottled up 17 gallons of beer.
The first six gallons was a 100% brettanomyces saison. My gut feeling about this beer is that it's not as complex as mixed culture saisons that I make. So I very likely will not be doing anymore 100% brett fermentations, at least single strain 100% brett. I figure if I ever try it again I'll give it a shot with a mixed brett culture. The flavor at this point is sort of like very ripe tropical fruit. Three gallons was plain and three gallons had 4 prickly pears giving the beer a neat purple color. I carbed them both high and hope they hit 3.7 volumes.
The 11 gallons was two flanders like beers. The overall combo was 6% abv and nicely sour with a decent level of residual caramel malt sweetness associated with the style. So glad this turned out how it did. I'm very happy with this beer and I bottled it to be about 2.6 volumes.
I hope to bottle my lambic in the next month or two if I can get my friend with the other 5 gallons to get permission from his wife to leave the house.
The first six gallons was a 100% brettanomyces saison. My gut feeling about this beer is that it's not as complex as mixed culture saisons that I make. So I very likely will not be doing anymore 100% brett fermentations, at least single strain 100% brett. I figure if I ever try it again I'll give it a shot with a mixed brett culture. The flavor at this point is sort of like very ripe tropical fruit. Three gallons was plain and three gallons had 4 prickly pears giving the beer a neat purple color. I carbed them both high and hope they hit 3.7 volumes.
The 11 gallons was two flanders like beers. The overall combo was 6% abv and nicely sour with a decent level of residual caramel malt sweetness associated with the style. So glad this turned out how it did. I'm very happy with this beer and I bottled it to be about 2.6 volumes.
I hope to bottle my lambic in the next month or two if I can get my friend with the other 5 gallons to get permission from his wife to leave the house.
I'm brewing up a bunch of beer this weekend. Today 12 gal of saison with lactobacillus souring. I isolated the lactobacillus out of a contaminated culture to use as an addition in beer I want sour but don't want to take 8 months to ferment. This beer is a blend of different classic saison yeasts plus yeast I grew out of a Saison Dupont bottle. Then it'll get a little brett for funk.
Tomorrow I'm brewing up my citra finished centennial IPA and a lowish gravity stout so I can refill my cask.
Tomorrow I'm brewing up my citra finished centennial IPA and a lowish gravity stout so I can refill my cask.
Mission brew a butt load of beer....SUCCESS!
I have 12 gallons of saison fermenting as I type this. I have 9 gallons of my standard IPA recipe awaiting yeast. There is also have 11 gallons of stout awaiting yeast. Some of this is destined for my cask, the rest will be bottled up. This should get me through the winter months.
I'm going to need more bottles.........
I have 12 gallons of saison fermenting as I type this. I have 9 gallons of my standard IPA recipe awaiting yeast. There is also have 11 gallons of stout awaiting yeast. Some of this is destined for my cask, the rest will be bottled up. This should get me through the winter months.
I'm going to need more bottles.........
I want to start homebrewing in the next few months. Any tips for a beginner?
I was looking at this kit:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/beer-equipment-starter-kits/1-gallon-small-batch-starter-kit.html
I thought it would be a good idea to start small with a low cost investment to see if i even like it. Would anyone recommend this or have any other kits that might be better?
I was looking at this kit:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/beer-equipment-starter-kits/1-gallon-small-batch-starter-kit.html
I thought it would be a good idea to start small with a low cost investment to see if i even like it. Would anyone recommend this or have any other kits that might be better?
Know anyone else that homebrews? I would not spend the money on a 1 gal kit. That's a lot of time for such a small quantity of beer. Plus it's $50 and if you do like it most of that kit doesn't translate to a larger more quantity friendly kit.
You could check the American Homebrewing Association or a local homebrew store for a local club. If you have a local club go to the meeting and just simply say that you're interested in starting and want to check it out before spending the dough. The homebrewers I know are super friendly and will happily show you a brew day as well as share beer. Hell if you were closer to me I'd do it with you and then take you to work and show you the big boy brewing toys.
You could check the American Homebrewing Association or a local homebrew store for a local club. If you have a local club go to the meeting and just simply say that you're interested in starting and want to check it out before spending the dough. The homebrewers I know are super friendly and will happily show you a brew day as well as share beer. Hell if you were closer to me I'd do it with you and then take you to work and show you the big boy brewing toys.
Thanks for the info! I wish I lived closer as well now lol.
There is a home brew store here so I will definitely check that out. The main reason I thought that kit would be cool was I don't have a ton of room for 40+ bottles and I would hate to waste any beer if I did not end up brewing it well or something like that. I figured start on a small scale and move up but, I do see your point. If I do like it I will end up having to spend even more to accommodate a real brew station.
There is a home brew store here so I will definitely check that out. The main reason I thought that kit would be cool was I don't have a ton of room for 40+ bottles and I would hate to waste any beer if I did not end up brewing it well or something like that. I figured start on a small scale and move up but, I do see your point. If I do like it I will end up having to spend even more to accommodate a real brew station.
Well I'm drinking some of the stout that I made. It had some rye malt and a slight hodge podge of grain that I had sitting in my garage. For being a bit of a "use it up" beer it's a very nice cask beer.
Sour saison.....Brewed this three weeks ago.
Well the stout was split between my cask (a serving method) and two cases worth of bottles. Then the sour saison will be like another week or two to bottle (I hope) due to the bacteria not making a viscosity. Some bacteria make an external starch complex which makes the beer very thick and snotty/slimy and they pour like maple syrup. It takes about six months or more to get rid of that using non-brewing yeast that were formerly considered "wild" yeast. The bacteria strain I have I don't believe makes the exterior starch complex. So I can make a sour beer with bacteria rather fast compared to other strains.
I also bottled up my three cases worth of IPA yesterday. I'm sitting fat with beer again. Plus I start working for Victory Brewing on the 7th and will start getting their beer for free!
I also bottled up my three cases worth of IPA yesterday. I'm sitting fat with beer again. Plus I start working for Victory Brewing on the 7th and will start getting their beer for free!
IT'S TIME!!! :waving: I have been wanting to homebrew for a long while now and have been researching kits. My dream when I retire is to open a brewery to have something to do that I love. I am extremely passionate about beer and have drank over 300 different craft beers so far to figure out what I like and what I want to brew. I am looking for suggestions on any great online kits that can get the job done if not there is a great local brewery supply store in Kent. I HATE buying something then having to upgrade repeatedly so I am looking to drop around $400 or so and get the main quality parts needed. I will be bottling instead of kegging as this is a hobby and want to surprise my fraternity brothers and friends with beer.
Here is my tentative set up I am looking to piece together and need recommendations.
Stainless brew kettle / heater
Single plastic fermenter
2 Glass Carboys(5 gallon) with airlocks
Hydrometer & Fermometers
Siphons / tubing / funnels / clamps / etc.
Bench capper
Cleaners / brushes/etc
Anything else I am missing? Bottles and caps I will buy locally without a doubt as they are dirty cheap and don't have to pay shipping.
And onto batch ingredients. I LOVE Hefeweizens, especially Ur-Weiss(will drink before PtE). I have seen that Bavarian Heffs are hard to brew but are there any good beginner ingredient kits to try out? I want something yeasty to taste like the flavors I fell in love with in Munich and not like the Pyramid or Widmer heffs that are just American Wheat Beers. I want to have a good working Hefeweizen for summer and Porter for winter. I realize it will take some practice batches. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.
Here is my tentative set up I am looking to piece together and need recommendations.
Stainless brew kettle / heater
Single plastic fermenter
2 Glass Carboys(5 gallon) with airlocks
Hydrometer & Fermometers
Siphons / tubing / funnels / clamps / etc.
Bench capper
Cleaners / brushes/etc
Anything else I am missing? Bottles and caps I will buy locally without a doubt as they are dirty cheap and don't have to pay shipping.
And onto batch ingredients. I LOVE Hefeweizens, especially Ur-Weiss(will drink before PtE). I have seen that Bavarian Heffs are hard to brew but are there any good beginner ingredient kits to try out? I want something yeasty to taste like the flavors I fell in love with in Munich and not like the Pyramid or Widmer heffs that are just American Wheat Beers. I want to have a good working Hefeweizen for summer and Porter for winter. I realize it will take some practice batches. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.