Last few Batches... sniff

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JacktheKnife

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2005
Messages
344
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2
Location
Texas
Gentlemen,

Down here in Texas when April is over I stop brewing.
It is too hot,
and when native Texans are uncomfortable,
and I mean in the air-conditioning,
yeasts are uncomfortable too.
Last year the batches I bottled in may...
gradually fell in quality once the:
'real heat got upon us.'

They tasted:
not as good,
less good,
worse... !!!

Till I drank the last one July 28th,
{sniff}
{or was that the year before???}
Hmmmm?

Anyway,
as a result I am brewing a batch every other day
till about the last week in April.
I have enough DME and speciality grains for 8 batches,
{6 more after this one}
My bill at the Homebrew Headquarters was $300.00 !!!
But it was worth it.
I will try and drink store bought beer and ale,
wine even ...
in order to extend then supply of Mein Acht pfund Hammerbier
as long as possible.

Its this ...
or suffer store bought beer.


Tschuß
J. Winters VonKnife
http://jacksknifeshop.tripod.com/
 
Were you trying to get to 1000 bottles?
...my mind is warped now with beering all weekend ;) and I cannot remember!
 
while I do complain about the winters here (such as they are), one thing that's nice is that the summers are very temperate. I'm hoping to continue to brew through the summer (though the new apartment doesn't have central air, so until I see how the window units work, i can't be sure).

In any case, enjoy the brewing while you can.

You remind me very much of a pair of brothers I know...this is a good thing. *nods*
 
dibby33 said:
Were you trying to get to 1000 bottles?
...my mind is warped now with beering all weekend ;) and I cannot remember!
Dibby33,

You drunk...
I told you last year I had 517 bottles 'on the wall' as it were.
All at the same place and at othe same time!
Took a picture of em!
I brewed 2,000 bottles of beer.
Now it is getting hot
and 'my heart is sick and sad.'


Hold on,
I gotta go get me 'eine Hammerbier...'


Knife...
 
You haven't perhaps thought of the possibilty of digging a beer cellar have you?

I remember reading something about people in rural West Virginia before referigderation coming up with some interesting cellars to keep food from spoiling in the heat of summer...Some designs I saw incorporated the water table...They were small hollowed out chambers that were wet on the bottom, but had shelves above that were kept at a nice cool temp, without getting wet.....

I'm sure that there must be something similiar that the early settlers of your fair (and hot) state must have come up with to kep their vittles nice and cool....
 
Revvy said:
You haven't perhaps thought of the possibilty of digging a beer cellar have you?


Yeah, and it can double as an underground bunker! Which is great for post sub-mortage housing crash inspired revolutions, or hostile Alien invasions. :)

Also, mauribrew yeast will work pretty damn warm. And maybe a water mister to keep you cool.
 
revvy,

I have thought that exact thought.
A cellar to house my brew in,
a chest freezer is coming to do the same thing,
with less digging.
It would extend the season 'enough' and thanks.


Knife
 
JacktheKnife said:
revvy,

I have thought that exact thought.
A cellar to house my brew in,
a chest freezer is coming to do the same thing,
with less digging.
It would extend the season 'enough' and thanks.


Knife

Glad you're getting a chest freezer....Does that mean that a kegerator will be in your future or are you going to stick to bottles?
 
Uckily My SWMBO is a beer supporter so If it becomes nescary in the summer I can brew in side. She's excited cause once she has our baby she can drink again and sample some of my first home brew... Shre's a fine beer gal.(errors in typing due to drunken interweb surfing).
 
I'll take harsh Summers over harsh Winters any day (and do, since I'm in Houston).

That chest freezer will make all the difference in the world, Jack. That's some of the best money I have ever spent.


TL
 
harsh Winters

Well being in Anchorage for 6 years. Ive only seen about a month of sub -10 weather.

Harsh? Not really, for the most part its about 15-20 for the duration of winter. Summers more than make up fo it. Most beautiful place I have ever been.
 
I think I was manufactured for best performance between 65-110

I grew up in Tampa. 50 there is uncomfortable for me. Funny thing is Im outside in March standing on 18" snow grilling in short and flipflops.

I think the TX/FL coldness feels worse for some reason.
 
MikeFlynn74 said:
Well being in Anchorage for 6 years. Ive only seen about a month of sub -10 weather.

Harsh? Not really, for the most part its about 15-20 for the duration of winter. Summers more than make up fo it. Most beautiful place I have ever been.

Sweet! I hope to see it sometime. Welcome Back! Enjoy some beer and be sure to get your stress relief on a regular basis! ;)
 
30 days ED!

Well if you ever do make it- I can show you some of the local places! Glacier Brew House and Midnight sun rock!
 
I read somewhere an interesting idea to keep the beer cool in the fermenter..

Get one of those wide mouthed "buckets" (I see'em most used with inside plants to prevent water from going everywhere) and put the fermenter in it with a little water at the bottom. Then drape towels that are dipped in the water over the fermenter. It should draw the water up and wick away some of the heat.

I've never had to do this, however I've heard it works quite well.

Just an idea I suppose..
 
Revvy said:
You haven't perhaps thought of the possibilty of digging a beer cellar have you?

I remember reading something about people in rural West Virginia before referigderation coming up with some interesting cellars to keep food from spoiling in the heat of summer...Some designs I saw incorporated the water table...They were small hollowed out chambers that were wet on the bottom, but had shelves above that were kept at a nice cool temp, without getting wet.....

I'm sure that there must be something similiar that the early settlers of your fair (and hot) state must have come up with to kep their vittles nice and cool....

I'm 1 1/2 miles from the Gulf at 3.5ft elevation. I could possibly dig a pool under the house:D but not a cellar.
 
revvy,

Bottles will be where my homebrew goes at least for the next year.
I don't like bottling any more than anyone else,
and I am into simplicity,
but...
I just found out about using cascade dish washing powder to clean carbouys with, and I am very excited.

My carbouys are cleaner than they were when they were new!
All the 'hoses and kegs' the homebrew have to go through
while kegging are not as intimidating any more.
I always thought the less the better as far as the brewery goes.
And if I am able to win my multi-million dollar lawsuit
a kegging outfit will definatly be in the works.

That cascade cleans the kitchen floor real good too!


Texlaw,

Yes,
we homebrewers must have a chest freezer
here in Texas.


Recon I'll go get me a homebrew and git ignert!


Knife
 
Funny I plan on doing some hardcore brewing this summer enough to last me the winter. Well thats probably not going to happen but Ill be brewing ALOT this summer.
 
Vagabond said:
I read somewhere an interesting idea to keep the beer cool in the fermenter..

Get one of those wide mouthed "buckets" (I see'em most used with inside plants to prevent water from going everywhere) and put the fermenter in it with a little water at the bottom. Then drape towels that are dipped in the water over the fermenter. It should draw the water up and wick away some of the heat.

I've never had to do this, however I've heard it works quite well.

Just an idea I suppose..

Something else you can do:

Huge bucket/tub. Fill with ice and water (and if you so choose, salt). Take a big t-shirt, and put it on over your carboy till the bottom is in the water. Will drop fermentation temps quite well.
 
BuffaloSabresBrewer said:
Funny I plan on doing some hardcore brewing this summer enough to last me the winter. Well thats probably not going to happen but Ill be brewing ALOT this summer.

I say the same thing every winter............................................................

















works every time :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
JacktheKnife said:
revvy,

Bottles will be where my homebrew goes at least for the next year.
I don't like bottling any more than anyone else,
and I am into simplicity,
but...
I just found out about using cascade dish washing powder to clean carbouys with, and I am very excited.

Jack...is that cascade powder or liquid? Either way it's good to know...I'm always looking for more cost saving and effective tips...

I like simplicity too, and the do it yourself ethic...I got it from my dad who died 2 years ago at 87.

He was a war hero in WWII, lived through the depression, and took over in the coal mines of West Virginian at the age of 14 when his dad was injured...

My dad took over his father's shift...then enlisted at 19 or 20 to fight in the war...Where he took a Japanese sniper's bullet in the shoulder and earned 2 bronze stars (and would ever tell us how/why)

I didn't realize til he died and I found out some things about his past, what an amazing guy he was...He may not have been my hero when I was a kid, but he sure as hell is now to me as an adult....I learned so much about being self sufficient from him.....He would have loved my beer brewing hobby.....

But from him I learned about how they used to dig root cellars in West virginia, and how breaking into the water table so the bottom flooded, kept everything cool....

(I also learned that my uncle, his older brother was a bootlegger, and they used to hide cases of beer in the "crick" behind the police station, to keep them cool.)

You know Jack....Changing the subject, I really don't mind bottling....there is sort of a zen relaxation about it....And after a few weeks you get to hold this creation of yours...this living "water" encased in a brown glass bottle in your hands....Pure craftsmenship....

(I think my dad would have appreciated the craftsmenship of your blades- I've looked at your website and your work....impressive!)
 
Yuri_Rage said:
Revvy, he must've known you were going to ask that... :tank:

DUH!

Guess I shouldn't have been consuming a few of that certain beverage that we produce and talk about here so obsessively while I was reading his post....:drunk:

(I've just been sampling the first bottles of my brown ale......damn fine brew, and potent too!)
 
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