Joined the dark side...
Posted 05-27-2008 at 01:21 PM by sirsloop
Ok... so I think I'm giving in to the dark side and brewing an all-grain batch tomorrow morning. I'll probably still keep some extract around for PM batches, but its just DAMN cheap to AG brew. I had an extra 6 gallon cooler that I had laying around so I decided to put it to use.
I went to the Depot (60% off store closing sale!!), got a 3/8" female barb, 2" nipple, 3/8'" ball valve, and male barb for the outside. I used a pair of 5/8" stainless washers on the inside, some standard zinc 5/8" washers on the outside, and a gasket that Bobby_M gave me. I also cut a piece of 3/4" ID PVC pipe I had laying around and used that to reinforce the cooler wall. I used a 1" drill bit to start the hole on the outside, and once I was close to the inside wall switched to a 5/8" drill bit. Everything went together pretty smoothly, tested hot-water tight!
So, not only will this be my first solo all grain batch but it'll be my first honey ale as well. I'm not 100% sure where this beer will fit in as far as BJCP is concerned (nor do I care) but it sounds damn good for the approaching summer months. Something about belgian, wheat, and honey just seems to go very well together. I think it will turn out great. I'm using good apiary wildflower honey and WLP400 Belgian Wit ale yeast for this one. I'm shooting for a light, dry, fragrant ale...summer refresher. Here's the recipe.
I'm kinda expecting to come up a little short on gravity which will be perfectly fine for this kinda beer. I don't have a huge pot to do a full boil so my sparge volume will be a little low. I do have some hall hersbrucker and styrian golding layin around but I don't wanna use it for this recipe. I think those would be ideal, but I think tett for bittering and saaz for finishing and aroma should work out just fine. I got like 6oz ounces of saaz leaf a while ago and its been a pain in the ass taking up all sorts of room in my freezer, etc etc. I have 1.5 oz left and I'm gonna use it all up on aroma for this beer. I'm gettin rid of it!
I went to the Depot (60% off store closing sale!!), got a 3/8" female barb, 2" nipple, 3/8'" ball valve, and male barb for the outside. I used a pair of 5/8" stainless washers on the inside, some standard zinc 5/8" washers on the outside, and a gasket that Bobby_M gave me. I also cut a piece of 3/4" ID PVC pipe I had laying around and used that to reinforce the cooler wall. I used a 1" drill bit to start the hole on the outside, and once I was close to the inside wall switched to a 5/8" drill bit. Everything went together pretty smoothly, tested hot-water tight!
So, not only will this be my first solo all grain batch but it'll be my first honey ale as well. I'm not 100% sure where this beer will fit in as far as BJCP is concerned (nor do I care) but it sounds damn good for the approaching summer months. Something about belgian, wheat, and honey just seems to go very well together. I think it will turn out great. I'm using good apiary wildflower honey and WLP400 Belgian Wit ale yeast for this one. I'm shooting for a light, dry, fragrant ale...summer refresher. Here's the recipe.
I'm kinda expecting to come up a little short on gravity which will be perfectly fine for this kinda beer. I don't have a huge pot to do a full boil so my sparge volume will be a little low. I do have some hall hersbrucker and styrian golding layin around but I don't wanna use it for this recipe. I think those would be ideal, but I think tett for bittering and saaz for finishing and aroma should work out just fine. I got like 6oz ounces of saaz leaf a while ago and its been a pain in the ass taking up all sorts of room in my freezer, etc etc. I have 1.5 oz left and I'm gonna use it all up on aroma for this beer. I'm gettin rid of it!
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- Joined the dark side... (05-27-2008)
