Recent content by Berkbeer

Napa Smith is relatively new and has some good beers, the other I know of in Napa is Downtown Joes which I have no knowledge of.

More bay area - nice

The brewery has a standing program of making single hop beers to help patrons learn the different flavor and aroma characteristics of each. They just use American 2 row and which ever hop it might be. On the nose you get a lot of stone fruit apricot/peach with some mango. It is also a really...

My local brewery has a citra smash on tap right now that is really nice, I can see no reason not to use them for bittering.

I also wonder how you would sanitize the spigot, invert it and fill it with starsan? Interesting concept but I would stick with a racking cane or autosiphon. FWIW I love my autosiphon.

I am currently working on an IPA recipe with MT hood centennial magnum and dry cascade. I am using the mt hood for the spiciness and noble aromas. I was supposed to brew it last weekend but now it looks like this weekend I will let you know how it goes.

I too use them as small growlers if I am going somewhere and do not want to worry about losing the container I brought the beer in. Fill a couple of pints for tasting from the keg and off you go.

Starting in SF I would go to Anchor one of the originals for sure also a good tour. Lunch at the rogue ale house in SF could be interesting they have a great beer selection. Might swing by pyramid in Berkeley for the corporate tour if that is something of interest I am not a personal fan...

I have considered dropping the second addition and will probably give it a try on the next batch.

Not infected just lots of unfermentables that left it sweet and almost cloying and either not enough or too much spice depending on who you asked. I am an IPA and stout drinker so it just wasn't my cup of tea. It was fun to make though.

My system is a little less complicated. When my mash time is over I stir the mash check temp and take first runnings. I then add half my sparge water at 180 degrees stir for 2 minutes and drain. Then add the second half now closer to 170 degrees stir for 2 minutes and drain. l vorlauf each...

Using a pick up has greatly reduced the dead space for me. Just a peice of bent 3/8 copper it rotate it depending on who much liquid I want left behind.

Just a side note - I watched a hit and run on my narrow street I was able to see the license plate and gave it to my neighbor who the called the cops. It was really only scrapes to a quarter panel but the cops came out took a recorded statement from me and then presented the other driver with...

I have the 10 gallon polarware pot. I bought it used for a spectacular price so that helped seal the deal for me. It is a great pot. I see no reason for a thermometer in a boil kettle, and the sightglass would end up broken in my current brewery setup. I just added the falsebottom and with...

Made a run to Russian river to pick up some beer for a friend, the Sour on tap was awesome and Pliny was great as always. Pliny the younger is being tapped on February 5th. The growlers were full of Pliny earlier in the day not so much anymore, def a nice start to the new...