Homebrew. - Page 549

Fireblade · 22nd September 2009, 3:05 PM

Check your system for gas leaks. Also make sure it isn't over carbonated, which will display symptoms like you say. Turn your pouring pressure right down so that only fills the glass very slowly. If the beer is over carbonated I find you can still pour it this way to check. If it's like lemonade and super fizzy, then give your keg a shake, open the relief valve to let some gas out and let sit for 1/2hr before trying to serve at normal pressure again.

yoda123 · 22nd September 2009, 3:44 PM

Is there anywhere to read up about kegging - the sort of gear required, how it's done etc ?

Quadbox · 22nd September 2009, 4:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoda123

Is there anywhere to read up about kegging - the sort of gear required, how it's done etc ?

Try this article here.

Gear is some kegs, a gas bottle, a regulator, and a tap or beer gun, plus the lines and fittings to go in between it all. And a fridge to keep the kegs in.

Crinos · 24th September 2009, 7:51 PM

Planning my next 8L mini batch(assuming the first APA isn't a total disaster, but looking good so far!). I've gotta say, Beersmith is awesome:

Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
0.70 kg Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 43.75 %
0.30 kg Dark Dry Extract (17.5 SRM) Dry Extract 18.75 %
0.10 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 %
25.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (60 min) Hops 16.0 IBU
25.00 gm Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 27.1 IBU
10.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
10.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (30 min) Hops 4.9 IBU
5.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (0 min) Hops -
0.50 kg Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 31.25 %
8.40 L Water
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.070 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.018 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.81 %
Bitterness: 48.0 IBU
Est Color: 13.1 SRM

Zagadka · 27th September 2009, 9:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crinos

Planning my next 8L mini batch(assuming the first APA isn't a total disaster, but looking good so far!). I've gotta say, Beersmith is awesome

How has it tasted while you took the gravity readings?

I'm doing my first partial today using BIAB.

Code:

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 23.00 L      
Boil Size: 13.97 L
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Estimated Color: 6.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 27.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount       Item                                      Type         % or IBU     
1.50 kg      Post Boil - Coopers Malt Extract - Light [Extract      35.71 %      
2.50 kg      Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)          Grain        59.52 %      
0.10 kg      Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)              Grain        2.38 %       
0.10 kg      Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM)                Grain        2.38 %       
30.00 gm     Cascade [5.50 %]  (60 min)                Hops         13.0 IBU     
10.00 gm     Cascade [5.50 %]  (Dry Hop 7 days)        Hops          -           
20.00 gm     Cascade [5.50 %]  (20 min)                Hops         5.3 IBU      
20.00 gm     Cascade [5.50 %]  (10 min)                Hops         3.1 IBU      
20.00 gm     Cascade [5.50 %]  (0 min)                 Hops          -           
1 Pkgs       Safale US-56 (US-05) - Slurry (Fermentis #Yeast-Ale

I rigged up yesterday for BIAB...

Click to view full size!

PostModern · 27th September 2009, 2:17 PM

That looks so much simpler than making a mash tun!

Commie_Mike · 27th September 2009, 2:54 PM

My eski mash tun had to be the easiest piece of AG equipment i've made. i really can't understand going down the BIAB path for any reason other than only having enough space for a one vessel setup, or as an inexpensive stepping stone to a mash tun.

my first mash tun was an old fermenter, i put an electric kettle element into it, lined it with a wire basket made from fly wire mesh (i literally just folded it into a basket) -heat water -add grain -seal (15-20kg of grain and water retains it's heat surprisingly well, i just used to factor for the loss of 2-3C over 60-90mins) -then ran from the fermenter tap into my keggle. was dead-shit easy and worked perfectly. my sparging involved running to and from the kitchen with the kettle in the hand pouring in hot (but not boiling) water through the grain bed until the desired volume had been reached in my keggle. i went to an eski mash tun as i got sick of running around with the kitchen kettle. piecing it together was a lot simpler than i thought it'd be. now my bucket of death is my HLT. i have a second keggle which i'm now considering turning into a new HLT.

Crinos · 27th September 2009, 3:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zagadka

How has it tasted while you took the gravity readings?

Absolutely phenomenal... that's one tasty as hell hop, Amarillo! I just dry hopped it today, so should be even fruitier!

I don't think my IPA will hit the requisite bitterness, because I could only get hold of some fairly stale looking Bramling Cross hops for bittering. 25g Bramling Cross and 30g grams EK Goldings @ 60 mins, and 10g EK goldings @ 30 mins should get me into the 40s with IBUs according to Beersmith, but I might be pushing it to get to 40 with those old brownish hops... the brew shop I went to didn't refrigerate their hops and yeast apparently, and so most of the hops were browny orange

Turned out well though, OG in the high 60s and a mountain of hops went into it(75gms for an 8L batch!), so hopefully I get a passable extract IPA

I'm kind of undecided still with BIAB... I've become sufficiently obsessed to start thinking about AG brews, and I have very little space to brew in, but at this stage I'm leaning towards the 'conventional' setup. I might start with BIAB when I get a 50-60L pot, but will probably get an esky/urn etc. eventually. I'd love to make one of those trolley thingos with the three vessels! Who knows though... I might decide that getting started with kegging is a more pressing priority... I'm a bit over bottling already!

yoda123 · 29th September 2009, 3:31 PM

Just ordered bits for my next brew, a choc stout:

1 x Thomas Coopers Irish Stout
1 kg Dark DME
250g choc chilt malt
450g lactose
200g brown sugar
200g Organic Cocoa
10g Fuggles
10g EKG
US 04

Should be great.. looking forward to venturing away from Kit & Kilo.

Crinos · 29th September 2009, 4:37 PM

If you replaced the stout tin with a tin of dark malt extract, and added more hops...

Not sure about the cocoa though...

yoda123 · 29th September 2009, 4:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crinos

If you replaced the stout tin with a tin of dark malt extract, and added more hops...

Not sure about the cocoa though...

It's only my 3rd brew.. I'll keep it at extract brewing for now

Yeah, I'm abit unsure about the cocoa aswell, it is listed as optional...

Crinos · 29th September 2009, 7:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoda123

It's only my 3rd brew.. I'll keep it at extract brewing for now

You mean kit and kilo. Extract doesn't use a tin of hopped extract, it either uses a tin of unhopped liquid malt extract, or dried malt extract(or both) and you need to provide ALL the hops.

I've still only done a few, but I can say that the extract method makes way better smells in the kitchen!

So far:
Coopers Lager (kit & kilo)
Cascade Porter(kit & bits)
Coopers Sparkling Ale(kit & bits)
Cider(apple juice & ale yeast... works extremely well!)
Amarillo Pale Ale(extract)
India Pale Ale(extract

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoda123

Yeah, I'm abit unsure about the cocoa aswell, it is listed as optional...

Is it from a recipe you found? If it's a 'known good' recipe, it might be fine. I'm going to make a kit-based stout next, but was going to keep it a bit more conventional. Was going to leave kits alone for a while and do all extract stuff, but I keep hearing good things about the Coopers Stout kits, and haven't done a stout yet. Thinking of this:

1 tin Coopers Stout
1kg LDME
1kg DDME
200g Crystal Malt
some bittering Fuggles(to rebalance the sweetness)
S-04 yeast

Found that recipe somewhere, and it sounded nice

yoda123 · 29th September 2009, 8:06 PM

I thought providing all the hops was all grain aka AG.

I just asked for a recipe on AHB, and someone posted that.

I think I will try a Golden Ale after this Stout.

Commie_Mike · 30th September 2009, 12:38 AM

AG = All Grain. if you provide all hop bitterness and flavour with actual hops but still use malt extract for fermentables i.e. not using a kit can, = extract brew.

Zagadka · 30th September 2009, 8:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zagadka

I'm doing my first partial today using BIAB.

My first partial went really well - and smelled great.

Dough In.

Click to view full size!

Snug Pot.

Click to view full size!

This is what the eye splice is for.

Click to view full size!

Suspended Bag.

Click to view full size!

The Boil

Click to view full size!

22nd September 2009, 3:05 PM	#8221
Fireblade Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: I can see my house from here Posts: 2,140	Check your system for gas leaks. Also make sure it isn't over carbonated, which will display symptoms like you say. Turn your pouring pressure right down so that only fills the glass very slowly. If the beer is over carbonated I find you can still pour it this way to check. If it's like lemonade and super fizzy, then give your keg a shake, open the relief valve to let some gas out and let sit for 1/2hr before trying to serve at normal pressure again. __________________ Last.fm Metal Club Make Great Beer "I wish I could travel to the store, buy a Ronnie James Dio, and install it in my throat" - Paul Gilbert

24th September 2009, 7:51 PM	#8224
Crinos Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Tasmania Posts: 4,019	Planning my next 8L mini batch(assuming the first APA isn't a total disaster, but looking good so far!). I've gotta say, Beersmith is awesome: Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU 0.70 kg Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 43.75 % 0.30 kg Dark Dry Extract (17.5 SRM) Dry Extract 18.75 % 0.10 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 6.25 % 25.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (60 min) Hops 16.0 IBU 25.00 gm Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 27.1 IBU 10.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops - 10.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (30 min) Hops 4.9 IBU 5.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (0 min) Hops - 0.50 kg Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 31.25 % 8.40 L Water 1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale Beer Profile Est Original Gravity: 1.070 SG Est Final Gravity: 1.018 SG Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.81 % Bitterness: 48.0 IBU Est Color: 13.1 SRM __________________ OCAU MetaL Club Member #666 \| last.fm 2005: Megadeth \| 2006: Opeth \| 2007: Blind Guardian, Sodom \| 2008: Iron Maiden \| 2009: Pain of Salvation, Dream Theater 2010: Ensiferum, Sonata Arctica, Wolves in the Throne Room

27th September 2009, 2:17 PM	#8226
PostModern Angry Brewer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Woonona, Illawarra, NSW Posts: 5,084	That looks so much simpler than making a mash tun! __________________ The mouth of a perfectly happy man is filled with beer.

27th September 2009, 2:54 PM	#8227
Commie_Mike Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SA Posts: 3,536	My eski mash tun had to be the easiest piece of AG equipment i've made. i really can't understand going down the BIAB path for any reason other than only having enough space for a one vessel setup, or as an inexpensive stepping stone to a mash tun. my first mash tun was an old fermenter, i put an electric kettle element into it, lined it with a wire basket made from fly wire mesh (i literally just folded it into a basket) -heat water -add grain -seal (15-20kg of grain and water retains it's heat surprisingly well, i just used to factor for the loss of 2-3C over 60-90mins) -then ran from the fermenter tap into my keggle. was dead-shit easy and worked perfectly. my sparging involved running to and from the kitchen with the kettle in the hand pouring in hot (but not boiling) water through the grain bed until the desired volume had been reached in my keggle. i went to an eski mash tun as i got sick of running around with the kitchen kettle. piecing it together was a lot simpler than i thought it'd be. now my bucket of death is my HLT. i have a second keggle which i'm now considering turning into a new HLT. Last edited by Commie_Mike; 27th September 2009 at 3:03 PM.

29th September 2009, 4:37 PM	#8230
Crinos Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Tasmania Posts: 4,019	If you replaced the stout tin with a tin of dark malt extract, and added more hops... Not sure about the cocoa though... __________________ OCAU MetaL Club Member #666 \| last.fm 2005: Megadeth \| 2006: Opeth \| 2007: Blind Guardian, Sodom \| 2008: Iron Maiden \| 2009: Pain of Salvation, Dream Theater 2010: Ensiferum, Sonata Arctica, Wolves in the Throne Room

22nd September 2009, 3:44 PM	#8222
yoda123 Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: QLD Posts: 2,652	Is there anywhere to read up about kegging - the sort of gear required, how it's done etc ?

29th September 2009, 3:31 PM	#8229
yoda123 Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: QLD Posts: 2,652	Just ordered bits for my next brew, a choc stout: 1 x Thomas Coopers Irish Stout 1 kg Dark DME 250g choc chilt malt 450g lactose 200g brown sugar 200g Organic Cocoa 10g Fuggles 10g EKG US 04 Should be great.. looking forward to venturing away from Kit & Kilo.

29th September 2009, 8:06 PM	#8233
yoda123 Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: QLD Posts: 2,652	I thought providing all the hops was all grain aka AG. I just asked for a recipe on AHB, and someone posted that. I think I will try a Golden Ale after this Stout.

30th September 2009, 12:38 AM	#8234
Commie_Mike Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SA Posts: 3,536	AG = All Grain. if you provide all hop bitterness and flavour with actual hops but still use malt extract for fermentables i.e. not using a kit can, = extract brew.