Decojuicer

Recipes 

I'm brewing my Schwartzbier tomorrow, and I think that I am going to try somethings a little different.

First, I had the LHBS grind my grain a lot finer than usual. Usually they grind at about a 38, and I had them grind this batch at a 27. It probably isn't that much of a difference, but I want to see if it will affect my efficiency.

Second, I'm going to try to spare a completely different way. I have been using kind of a modified batch/fly sparge. What I would do is take a pie plate and slowly pour my sparge water over it to distribute it. Tomorrow, I'm either going to do a straight up batch sparge, OR I'm going to set up a red neck 3 tier system(I'll post pics if I do it. You'll all laugh) and just add the sparge water at approximately the same rate as I drain it.

I'm thinking that doing these 2 things will bring my efficiency up considerably from the 70% that I have been hitting. The only problem might be that the beer will be to strong. But at least I can adjust my grain bill for the next batch.

What do you all think about this. Should I do both at once, or one at a time so that I can tell WHICH change affect my efficiency best?

__________________
There's a dragon in my garage - Carl Sagan

Primary - Schwartzhund Lager, 7 Point IPA
Secondary - Schwartzhund Lager
On Tap - Lawnmower Wheat Beer, Oatmeal Sweet Stout
Bottled - Pumpkin Ale
On Deck - Pretty Magnificent Stout

Revvy

Recipes 

I was just gonna call you (I was cooking dinner when you called and didn't here the phone.)

Try this, when I showed Joe how to brew AG we rigged an even more ghetto version of this up at his house...It worked great...I keep forgetting about rigging one up at my place...

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/fly-sparge-drip-bucket-77756/

It's supposed to be a nasty icestorm day tomorrow, and it's my last day off before going back to work...I'm gonna stay close to the house and get ready for monday (since I've been off for 15 days so far, I have to do laundry and crap) I might brew a 2.5 gallon batch of something with all the scrap crap I have lying around the house...

I'll give you a call during the brew to see how's it going..

Try the bucket...It rocks

__________________
Like my snazzy new avatar? Get Sons of Zymurgy swag, here, and brew with the best.

Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman

I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew

Decojuicer

Recipes 

As it turns out, I am far to hung over to brew today. I may get as far as cleaning and sanitation, but that could be pushing it.

I have taken 2 showers, a nap, and drank a bunch of Gatorade. I'm hoping that it goes away by dinner time. If so, I'll get everything ready and set up to brew tomorrow. Then I can start brewing right after breakfast.

__________________
There's a dragon in my garage - Carl Sagan

Primary - Schwartzhund Lager, 7 Point IPA
Secondary - Schwartzhund Lager
On Tap - Lawnmower Wheat Beer, Oatmeal Sweet Stout
Bottled - Pumpkin Ale
On Deck - Pretty Magnificent Stout

Decojuicer

Recipes 

Well, even though my brew day got completely f'ed up at the very end, it was very productive in terms of being a learning experience.

As promised, here are the pics of my redneck 3 tier brewing sculpture.







In the last pic, you can see the magazines and phone book that were being used to level the cooler. I spilled a little bit of water when I was filling it, and it pretty much ruined those magazines.

Worked pretty damn well too. I wish that I could have gotten a S.G. reading to find out what my efficiency was.

Oh yeah, the Heinikin mini keg in the background was a door prize that I got at my work Christmas party. I tapped it and had one glass. That stuff is freakin vile.

__________________
There's a dragon in my garage - Carl Sagan

Primary - Schwartzhund Lager, 7 Point IPA
Secondary - Schwartzhund Lager
On Tap - Lawnmower Wheat Beer, Oatmeal Sweet Stout
Bottled - Pumpkin Ale
On Deck - Pretty Magnificent Stout