Recent content by HeavyKettleBrewing

So, I am meeting up with Owner/Brewer of a local brewery this Saturday. He is going to sample my lager in hopes of limiting some variables. He seems to think it is infection from my description. Hard for me to think that each batch of lager has been infected without the 20+ ales being...

Never experienced any off flavors and have had great success. Fermentation is almost spontaneous. I do not pitch onto yeast cake more than one time. I wash out a mason jar worth of yeast after the second batch and use it to make future starters. Try to cut cost whenever I can. After all the...

Only using this method, with great success, on my ales using mostly WL005 and WY1272. I've never tried this with lager yeast.

I pitched two vials at 68 degrees. I set into my ferm chamber that has already been pre set to 55 degrees. I see the logic in that the yeast may go dormant but this lager strain is well suited to colder temps. I did not see active fermentaiton in the last batch for a period of two days. When...

I usually pitch at 68 for most ales. I have pitched higher but usually during summer months. I have a stir plate but have not used it for lagers as I believe that I would have to keep it inside my ferm chamber to propogate yeast under ideal conditions. I am going to get a starter going on...

I never thought to bring pitch temp down to lager ferm temp. I always thought that the higher temp would help to get things started. Maybe stressing out the yeast right at pitching?

Yooper: I mashed at 120x20 min, 140x20 min 154x20 min. I did not oversparge as I have my system dialed in grain to water ratios for typical 1.06 OG. The taste is more medicinal and plastic. Band-Aid is probably closest to your examples. Typical of the last two dumpers as well so my errors...

I have been brewing for many years now. In this time, I have only had one succesful lager attempt. My last three have come out tasting phenolic. I step mash using mostly pilsner. My water is RO and I have controlled ferm temps in the low/mid 50's. Yeast was WLP802...

No, did not taste anything like Hop Rising. The lower ABV was an issue as Well as the hop additions. The recipe turned out a good beer but more along the lines of an average IPA. If I attempt another clone of Hop Rising I would certainly increase my base malt volume, add some corn sugar, and...

Dressed to brew.

I prefer 3-5 day schedule. I drop the temp on day three and cold crash for two. I have dry hopped for seven days but did not detect a more pronounced aroma or vegetal flavor. I have read that hops will impart a grassy or vegetal taste after a certain period of time.

I would put some lag bolts through the cross members on top.

I think that category is certainly prone to "the gusher". I hope they get it figured out next year. This year did not seem as festive. Maybe because we were not allowed to drink our entries like years past ;-) Were you judging the meads?

I entered three and felt strongly about my Mounds Porter at least placing. It did not. 23A must have had quite a few entries. My cream ale was a little green and my IPA was too bitter without enough hop flavor or aroma to balance it out. I can't wait to see the scorecards. Congrats with the...

Brewing up a batch of Oreo Cookie Porter. Have to replace the Mounds Porter that went too quickly. Of course, I will be grilling as well . Red, White, and Brew B Que.